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2019 California Journalism Awards Open for Entries

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Dailies and Weeklies

By default, the table below displays the 2017 California Journalism Awards winners by category.

The table is sortable by the column headers (Newspaper, Place, Category, Name of Entry, Staff Credit and Judge’s Comments) but you probably want to zero in on your own newspaper. The easiest way to do that is to use the search box to type in the name of your newspaper.

A search will begin as soon as you start typing in the box. The more specific you are, the faster you’ll find your results.

For example, if you type “Press” or “News” you’ll end up with a lot of unwanted results. Instead, try the exact name of your newspaper or a portion thereof, such as “Press-Enterprise” or “Mercury News” for more specific results. If you still don’t see your specific results, try putting quotes around your search terms.

First-place plaques for General Excellence and Online General Excellence were presented at the 2017 California Journalism Awards Luncheon on Saturday, April 14 at The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa in Sonoma. If no one from your publication was present to receive your plaque, we will ship it to you.

First-place plaques in categories other than General Excellence and Online General Excellence, and all second-place plaques, will be shipped directly to winning newspapers.

Certificates will be mailed to all other finalists in each category.

For a list of Campus winners, visit this page.

NewspaperPlaceCategoryName of EntryStaff CreditJudge’s Comments
The Business Journal1stAgricultural Reporting“Foreign ag visitors weary of President Trump”David CastellonA well-written, well-organized article with multiple interviews about an important subject affecting local & international agriculture, with a good presentation.
Petaluma Argus-Courier2ndAgricultural Reporting“The changing face of ag”Hannah BeausangThe story addresses looming, sobering issues facing the agricultural community in general- attrition, social, economic, & technological change. A good overall effort, with some awkward sentences. The photograph is very much to the point of the story, & touching.
St. Helena Star3rdAgricultural Reporting“More than peaches”Tom StockwellA nicely written article, & well-organized. It's a compassionate bit of storytelling with local interest.
St. Helena StarFinalistAgricultural Reporting“Heat led to grape harvest before fires”David StonebergGenerally a well-organized, well-presented, coherent & informative article; some awkward sentences detract from the quality of the whole.
Half Moon Bay ReviewFinalistAgricultural Reporting“Legal cannabis draws local entrepreneurs”Sara Hayden
Sacramento News & Review1stAgricultural Reporting“Out of the dark”Scott Thomas Anderson
New Times2ndAgricultural Reporting“Sucking Air”Peter Johnson
The Salinas Californian3rdAgricultural Reporting“Low wages, high prices drive desperate housing choices for farm workers & tough questions for community”Amy Wu
Chico News & ReviewFinalistAgricultural Reporting“Meet your meat”Staff
The Salinas CalifornianFinalistAgricultural Reporting“From Farms to Incubators: Telling the stories of minority women entrepreneurs in agtech in the Salinas Valley & beyond”Amy Wu
The Record1stAgricultural Reporting“End of Delta asparagus?”Alex BreitlerThis story gave readers a real sense of the community's loss of an agricultural identity, from the multiple generations farming asparagus to the water tower & logo that showed community pride. The story was written with breadth & clarity about the forces working against the local asparagus market.
The Desert Sun2ndAgricultural Reporting“Hardships for retiring farmworkers”Rosalie Murphy, Omar OrnelasAn authentic look into the lives of retired farmworkers & the challenges they face. The story is well told with significant context, along with evocative photos & videos,
The Desert Sun3rdAgricultural Reporting“Farmworker housing crisis”Gustavo Solis, Omar OrnelasA shocking account of a problem never fixed & getting worse. Powerful visuals.
Napa Valley RegisterFinalistAgricultural Reporting“Female workers are a growing presence in Napa vineyards”Henry Lutz
The TribuneFinalistAgricultural Reporting“Morro Bay farm grows the unexpected: coffee beans, dragon fruit & limes that look like caviar”Lindsey Holden
Los Angeles Times1stAgricultural Reporting“California’s Farms Confront a Labor Shortage”Geoffrey Mohan, Natalie Kitroeff
San Francisco Chronicle2ndAgricultural Reporting“Wine Country Woes”Esther Mobley
San Francisco Chronicle3rdAgricultural Reporting“Rise of Faux Meat”Tara Duggan, Jonathan Kauffman
The Bakersfield CalifornianFinalistAgricultural Reporting“Is John Vidovich planning to sell off the valley's lifeblood? Or is he just the latest water baron on the block?”Lois Henry
The Fresno BeeFinalistAgricultural Reporting“It may be the oldest orange grove in the San Joaquin Valley – & the fruit tastes good”Lewis Griswold
Calistoga Tribune1stArtistic Photo“Morning awakens”Bill BroichSpectacular shot. Is that the shadow of the balloon on the cloud?
Claremont Courier2ndArtistic Photo“Spider web from 400 feet”Peter WeinbergerAnother great shot by Peter Weinberger. More convinced he's a drone.
South Pasadena Review3rdArtistic Photo“Catch a Tiger By the Tail”Henk FriezerHah! That's grrrrreat!
Claremont CourierFinalistArtistic Photo“Never say never”Peter WeinbergerPeter can go anywhere!
Petaluma Argus-Courier1stArtistic Photo“Dia de los Muertos”Crissy Pascual
Sacramento Business Journal2ndArtistic Photo“Greg Kennedy”Dennis McCoy
The Davis Enterprise3rdArtistic Photo“Sunflowers Under the Milky Way”Wayne Tilcock
Ledger DispatchFinalistArtistic Photo“Eyes on the Sky”Rich Hoffman
Atascadero News1stArtistic Photo“Milky Way Panorama over the Hill Fire”Luke Phillips
Mountain View Voice2ndArtistic Photo“Underwater Rugby”Michelle Le
Lamorinda Weekly3rdArtistic Photo“Smoke puts a chokehold on Lamorinda”Andy Scheck
Poway News ChieftainFinalistArtistic Photo“Blue on blue”Criselda Yee
Santa Barbara Independent1stArtistic Photo“Thomas Fire”Paul WellmanA particularly newsworthy & creative photograph given the wildfires that ravaged California last year. Great framing.
Santa Barbara Independent2ndArtistic Photo“Tim Hushion”Paul WellmanFantastic portrait with striking colors.
Thousand Oaks Acorn3rdArtistic Photo“Sunset with a best friend”Michael CoonsGreat use of silhouettes to tell a story.
Simi Valley AcornFinalistArtistic Photo“Star-spangled skies”Michael CoonsDynamic photograph.
The Reporter1stArtistic Photo“In Flight Meal”Joel RosenbaumStellar framing, stop action, froze image at the peak of the takeoff.
Visalia Times-Delta2ndArtistic Photo“Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”Ron HolmanShowstopping color & subject.
Santa Maria Times3rdArtistic Photo“Sands of Mandala”Len WoodImage appropriately & thoroughly captures the subject of the story.
The UnionFinalistArtistic Photo“All about the eclipse”Elias FunezClever framing enhances what could have been a pedestrian subject.
The Tribune1stArtistic Photo“Pismo Beach sunset”David MiddlecampWith the hustle & bustle of every day I enjoy this photo of being along on a beach at sunset running the cares of the day away.
Marin Independent Journal2ndArtistic Photo“Circus”Alan DepThis is an intriguing photo as I am curious to know what the audience is so engrossed in!
The Desert Sun3rdArtistic Photo“Mojave Trails monument”Jay CalderonThis photo belongs in an art gallery. Lovely!
Marin Independent JournalFinalistArtistic Photo“Midway”Robert TongThis looks so fun! Nice job!
The Press Democrat1stArtistic Photo“Christmas Filled with Hope”Kent Porter
The Sacramento Bee2ndArtistic Photo“From the Ashes”Paul Kitagaki Jr.
The Press Democrat3rdArtistic Photo“Helicopter Encounters Traffic”Kent Porter
The Press DemocratFinalistArtistic Photo“Ridgeline Wreckage”Chad Surmick
Los Angeles Times1stArtistic Photo“Aimee Mann”Genaro Molina
The San Diego Union-Tribune2ndArtistic Photo“Glowing!”Howard Lipin
Los Angeles Times3rdArtistic Photo“Solar Eclipse”Marcus Yam
Los Angeles TimesFinalistArtistic Photo“Hurricane Harvey”Marcus Yam
The Ark1stArts & Entertainment Coverage“ArkBeat”StaffArk Beat, both visually & informationally, stood above the rest.
Shasta Lake Bulletin2ndArts & Entertainment Coverage“After Five Magazine”Staff
The Sonoma Index-Tribune3rdArts & Entertainment Coverage“Valley Life”Staff
Ledger DispatchFinalistArts & Entertainment Coverage“On The Vine”Caitlyn Schaap
Metro Silicon Valley1stArts & Entertainment Coverage“Arts & Entertainment section”Nick Veronin, Staff
Palo Alto Weekly2ndArts & Entertainment Coverage“Arts & Entertainment section”Karla Kane, Staff
Sacramento News & Review3rdArts & Entertainment Coverage“Arts & Entertainment section”Staff
North Coast JournalFinalistArts & Entertainment Coverage“Arts & Entertainment section”Staff
The Desert Sun1stArts & Entertainment Coverage“DESERT magazine”Kristin Scharkey, Kate FrancoThe Desert is absolutely lovely in all ways. Content is informative, layout easy to skim through to see something that you want to stop to read. Text & use of fonts in titles is attractive as well as varied. This reads more like a magazine than an A & E guide.
The Tribune2ndArts & Entertainment Coverage“Ticket”Sarah LinnFor an entertainment guide - I like this one the best even though the layout is not as lovely as The Desert. I'd give Ticket the highest points for CONTENT, usefulness as an A & E Guide. I'm just not fond of the 6 column layout - jarring to read, but at least it's not hyphenated text in narrow columns so I give them extra points for that! This serves the purpose very well.
The Union3rdArts & Entertainment Coverage“Prospector”Sean JordanI like the use of color in the text, pull-quotes, breakouts so you get a summary of who-what-where-when. This is easy to find your way through the pages to content that has personal interest. And there is kenty to find interesting!
The Union DemocratFinalistArts & Entertainment Coverage“The Weekender”Mike MorrisUntil this section gets to the center map, it's fairly ordinary, then breaks out into a much better layout that is attractive & easy to read. I'd like to see the whole section look like this center What's Happening pages.
Los Angeles Times1stArts & Entertainment Coverage“Sunday Calendar”StaffStrong stories, photography edited for impact & consistent use of excellent illustration raise the LA Times Calendar section above the other entries. The Hollywood Values coverage is a clever mix of stories with a uniquely LA perspective.
The San Diego Union-Tribune2ndArts & Entertainment Coverage“Arts & Culture section”StaffThe San Diego Union-Tribune Arts + Culture sections are vibrant & designed with clean lines & reader-friendly organization.
The Press Democrat3rdArts & Entertainment Coverage“SonomaGo”StaffThe Press Democrat’s Sonoma Go section is consistent but lacks a visual personality. The use of full-width images in Summer Arts & Events section were a nice, consistent change of pace.
The Bakersfield CalifornianFinalistArts & Entertainment Coverage“Sunday Eye Street”StaffThe Bakersfield Californian's Eye Street section provides readers with sense-of-place cover stories. However, beyond the main cover feature, the section offers the reader mostly wire content with a conventional design.
The Trinity Journal1stBreaking News“Helena fire claims 72 homes in Junction City area”Amy Gittelsohn, Wayne Agner, Sally MorrisExcellent photos, great use of maps & the one-word headline made me want to read more. I especially appreciated hearing from the residents impacted by the fire.
St. Helena Star2ndBreaking News“Firefighters recall epic fight against wildfires”Jesse DuarteNice look at what firefighters go through during a catastrophic wildfire.
Calistoga Tribune3rdBreaking News“Fire in the Night”Pat Hampton, Kim BeltranGreat in-depth reporting of the wildfires in Napa & Sonoma counties. I especially admire the bravery of those who covered the story since they themselves were forced to evacuate.
The ArkFinalistBreaking News“Destruction, loss & compassion”Matthew Hose, Kevin Hessel, Emily Lavin, Jeff DempseyI enjoyed the story about the woman who is coordinating volunteers & donations during the wildfires & I appreciated the variety of stories in the "Hitting Home" article.
The ArkFinalistBreaking News“Feds charge Tiburon man with child porn”Matthew HoseExcellent & frightening story. Kudos for scooping the county daily.
Petaluma Argus-Courier1stBreaking News“Petaluma a shelter in firestorm”Hannah Beausang, Matt Brown
Big Bear Grizzly2ndBreaking News“Storm of the Decade”Judi Bowers, Kathy Portie, Kelsey Bowers, Natalie Williams
Ledger Dispatch3rdBreaking News“Tragedy Strikes Main Street”Jack Mitchell, Caitlyn Schaap, Bill Lavallie
Santa Ynez Valley NewsFinalistBreaking News“Flames yards away send campers fleeing from Cachuma Lake”Mike Hodgson
The Sonoma Index-TribuneFinalistBreaking News“Fires Scorch Sonoma”Christian Kallen
San Francisco Business Times1stBreaking News“After the Fires”Katie Burke, Todd Johnson, Kevin Truong, Jim GardnerAll three stories tackled the fires' aftermath with skillful brevity, allowing the importance of the reporting, the enormity of the disaster & the economic realities it fostered to shine.
The Malibu Times2ndBreaking News“Brush fire in Malibu Park contained within an hour Thursday”Emily Sawicki, Shivani PatelWhile not a “big” story, the reporting was superb in its incorporation of multiple voices to round out the traditional public-safety coverage.
The Downey Patriot3rdBreaking News“Downey resident escapes Vegas attack with minor injuries”Alex DominguezThis is a harrowing story succinctly told, which is notable because accomplishing such a feat with such a widely reported subject covered from countless angles isn’t easy. That the victim’s mental anguish in the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting was addressed is commendable & humanizing.
Los Altos Town CrierFinalistBreaking News“Local group aids in Hurricane Harvey rescue”Grace Hase
Mountain View VoiceFinalistBreaking News“Police tow RVs on Crisanto Avenue”Mark Noack, Michelle Le, Andrea Gemmet
Santa Barbara Independent1stBreaking News“The Forever Season”SB Indy News TeamExciting photos; interesting four-part story. Good writing and filled with facts, local and important state-wide. Excellent coverage.
Sacramento News & Review2ndBreaking News“Bidding in secret: Officials quietly solicit contracts on ‘twin tunnels’ project despite lawsuits, lack of permits”Scott Thomas AndersonBreaking news of both local and state-wide importance; facts impressive.
Thousand Oaks Acorn3rdBreaking News“Super storm strikes Thousand Oaks”Becca Whitnall, Kyle JorreyReally good local coverage with overall viewpoint of storm and focus on man who died. Nice juxtaposition. Good photos.
Palo Alto WeeklyFinalistBreaking News“$40M deal saves Buena Vista mobile homes”Sue DremannGood graphics, incredible involvement in long-term story; breaking news most recent event, but otherwise, not of immediate import; clear writing on complex subject.
Simi Valley AcornFinalistBreaking News“Raw emotions give way to ambush attack at Simi High”Sylvie Belmond, Hector GonzalezBreaking news — an exclusive, apparently — but almost no information because no one can talk. Limited by topic, not by reporting.
Record Searchlight1stBreaking News“Rancho Tehama shooting”StaffI was impressed with how well these reporters were able to write with clear heads in the moment of this tragedy for the community. The story package shows that the paper put its heart into covering this event from a range of angles.
Chico Enterprise-Record2ndBreaking News“Ready to spill?”StaffWhile reading this, I thought to myself, "This is how to do breaking news coverage." I loved the in-depth, creative coverage of exactly what happens to a city when it's evacuated (impacts on business, break-ins, etc.) & its residents (school closures, where to get prescriptions filled, etc.). Great photography too.
Napa Valley Register3rdBreaking News“Wildfires Devastate Napa County”StaffThese wildfires moved so quickly, I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to report on this, especially when staffers' own homes were threatened. This reporting provided clear, helpful information while I'm sure a lot of chaos was going on.
The Ukiah Daily JournalFinalistBreaking News“Firestorm”Carole Brodsky, Chris Pugh, KC MeadowsI thought the coverage package here was thorough & timely. I was impressed that coverage started a 4 a.m.,within an hour of receiving news of the fire in the middle of the night. Really strong photos too.
The UnionFinalistBreaking News“Lobo, McCourtney fires coverage”StaffI was impressed by the publisher's note indicating that one of the reporters had been displaced herself during the fire. Top marks for quality of writing — great, vivid descriptions of the setting.
The Sun1stBreaking News“North Park Elementary shooting”Beau YarbroughWell-written stories with strong quotes & a gripping interview with someone who was inside the classroom during a school shooting.
Daily Pilot2ndBreaking News“Video shows officer fatally shooting man outside H.B. store; police chief defends actions”Hannah FryWell-rounded series on a police shooting including interviews with the mother of the man shot dead, outside perspective & multiple videos.
The Tribune3rdBreaking News“Matthew Frank, the anonymous SLOStringer, died the way he lived — chasing news”Gabby Ferreira, Joe JohnstonBreaking-news event turned profile on the fly. Compelling end product, use of social media & photographs.
The Desert SunFinalistBreaking News“Corruption at City Hall”Barrett Newkirk, Brett Kelman, Jesse Marx, Corinne KennedyIn-depth & extensive reporting on a prosecution stemming from the newspaper's own work. Fantastic reporting but tough competition in this category, particularly against well-rounded stories on a school shooting & police shooting.
Ventura County StarFinalistBreaking News“Father & son die in Port Hueneme fire”Christian Martinez, Arlene Martinez, Juan CarloStrong reporting on breaking news with effective uses of photos & video.
The Press Democrat1stBreaking News“October wildfire coverage”StaffComprehensive coverage from all angles. Timely, & fantastic photos that really tie together the whole package.
The Sacramento Bee2ndBreaking News“Oroville spillway failure & evacuation”StaffTimely coverage with good information for those affected by the evacuation.
The Bakersfield Californian3rdBreaking News“Jury finds Sabrina Limon guilty of first-degree murder in husband's death”Jason Kotowski, Joseph Luiz, Harold PierceAll angles of this story were covered nicely. It also reads easily for those of us who are unfamiliar with the case.
The Fresno BeeFinalistBreaking News“Shooting rampage stories”Staff
The Press-EnterpriseFinalistBreaking News“Elementary school hostage situation”Ryan Hagen
San Francisco Chronicle1stBreaking News“Wine Country Fires”StaffThis package had a great use of imagery, including several photos, graphics & the listing of mass shootings throughout the states. While at times difficult to read, the firsthand accounts were told in a compelling & succinct way. I thought it was also an interesting touch to write about who the shooter was & how people who knew him never expected him to do something like this. the headlines were captivating & really set the stage for what I was about to read.
Los Angeles Times2ndBreaking News“Las Vegas Shooting”StaffStrong use of visuals that conveyed the horror but not the carnage. They had a day to pull it all together, & it wasn't in their hometown, but they made good use of the strong connections to Las Vegas, detailing victims, the sidebar on Vegas as a venue.
The Orange County Register3rdBreaking News“Judge rules out death penalty for Scott Dekraai in Seal Beach mass murder case”Tony Saavedra, Kelly PuenteA complicated topic well explained, & on deadline. I wish the headline had reflected more of the story, which had a broader topic as the judge rebuked the prosecutors.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistBreaking News“Southern California Fires”StaffThis package told the after math & destruction of the fires well. The photos really captured the heartbreak & tragedy of the fires that swept through wine country, & the in-depth coverage of the different areas was well done. I particularly liked the personal accounts of how the fires touched people's lives, mixed in with the comments of officials. The writing is strong & really connects the reader to devastation that may not have taken place near them.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistBreaking News“Northern California Fires”StaffDynamic, colorful photos help the reader navigate the coverage of the Southern California fires & puts them there. I appreciated the in-depth coverage of all areas affected, as well as the graphics of fire spread & weather patterns. While the story is about wildfires, I felt as though some of the facing photos or the side-by-side photos were too flame-focused. Overall, I thought the writing & presentation of the information was clean & vibrant.
The Ferndale Enterprise1stColumns“From the Back Pew”Wendy LestinaThe column on the sexual assault was compelling, brave subject matter. The subject itself elevates the entry.
The Healdsburg Tribune2ndColumns“Main Street”Ray Holley
The Recorder3rdColumns“A Criminal Waste of Space”William Bedsworth
Lincoln News MessengerFinalistColumns“Fake news” and “Sleeping with the enemy: Post-Valentine’s Day reflections”Carol Feineman
Glendale News-PressFinalistColumns“Turning on the AC: Glendale High's Michael Davis shows up”Andrew CampaSolid, engaging writing. Both capture the feel of covering local sports.
The Davis Enterprise1stColumns“The story behind Colombia’s better Escobar” and “Poles apart on national fervor?”Evan ReamA sports column with real heart and soul.
Petaluma Argus-Courier2ndColumns“What they say, what they mean” and “When bad thing happen, we are not alone”John JacksonGreat entries: one humorous, one tragic.
The Sonoma Index-Tribune3rdColumns“Appetites for Destruction” and “Not All Non-Citizens Are Created Equal”Jason WalshThoughtful commentary delivered with flare.
Silicon Valley Business JournalFinalistColumns“SVBJ Viewpoint”J. Jennings Moss
Ledger DispatchFinalistColumns“Rivers & Rhymes”Kat EverittA poetic column! I love it.
Santa Maria Sun1stColumns“Generation X-It”Rebecca RoseDelightful. If someone set a book by Rebecca Rose in front of me right now, I’d read it. This reminded me, in a sense, of the new award-winning Amazon series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maizel,” because it works so hard to be so seriously, consistently funny. I believe both of these submissions have a specific audience (me: a nearing-middle-aged women). And that’s fine! These were wonderfully written, laugh-out-loud columns that hit the spot and never let up. Every sentence was crafted, it felt, with care, intended to deliver a distinct visual, a laugh, and in the end, a subtle but broader point about what it means to want what you want as a middle-aged woman. Brava.
North Coast Journal2ndColumns“Seriously?”Jennifer Fumiko CahillI bet Jennifer Fumiko Cahill’s columns drum up a healthy reaction. Both impressively written, both funny — both scathing. The satire about punctuation especially felt original and biting and was a wonderful usage of column space. She’d likely be great no matter what publication she wrote for, but it helps her cause, I think, that the North Coast Journal is more HBO than NBC.
Poway News Chieftain3rdColumns“Au Contraire”Amy RoostWhoa. Well. Both of those columns packed a PUNCH. Both clear, concise accounts of sobering current topics. I have a hunch both of these pieces stayed with readers long after they put down the paper; Roost was able to effectively personalize societal topics in such a raw, jarring way — brava.
Poway News ChieftainFinalistColumns“Get Real”Dick LylesHear! Hear! to advocating so articulately that “Americans to pause a moment, take a deep breath and jump back into the vast sea of open mindedness that once nurtured the seeds most responsible for America’s magnificence.” It’s a lovely notion, spiritedly delivered, though Lyles’ sort of makes his own point when he broadly characterizes “unkind” people who disagree (with him perhaps) as broadly labeling those THEY disagree with as “fascist, racist or hopelessly bigoted.” Seems it’s hard not to put people in boxes, even when a you’re arguing against it. Still, hooray for the invitation to dialogue. Lyles’ column on the Weinstein situation probably drew a few (more than a few?) responses, with his describing sexual harassment like some might describe steroid use in sports: “The sexual revolution,” as he sees it, “imposes an overwhelming burden on people of virtue who want to pursue their careers based on merit,” he writes. That’s the type of writing that’s definitely likely to start a conversation — and good for it.
Palisades NewsFinalistColumns“Dining Early-Bird Style”Bob VickreyA thoroughly entertaining, honest, illuminating account letting readers of all ages into a slice of life a particular segment of the population has to figure out. I chuckled aloud picturing Vickrey and his tablemates yelling back at the young waitress as though she were hard of hearing. A wonderful contribution to a local newspaper. The second column was maybe more fun than the first — I think I’d like to be friends with this man, I’ve so enjoyed his two columns that blend snark and sweetness so originally.
Grunion Gazette1stColumns“Pinch of Salt”Harry Saltzgaver
Grunion Gazette2ndColumns“About Sports”JJ Fiddler, Mike Guardabascio
Santa Barbara Independent3rdColumns“High Sobriety” and “Smutty Buddies”Starshine Roshell
Chico News & ReviewFinalistColumns“Second & Flume”Melissa Daugherty
Sonoma County GazetteFinalistColumns“Our County”Lynda Hopkins
Napa Valley Register1stColumns“Jersey Girl”Maria SestitoThis is a textbook example of how to take what is essentially a personal column and make it feel universal and not like self-absorbed navel-gazing. Your compact, incisive writing style makes your points come across clearly. In particular, the column about how someone with a college education and a “nice car” still needs help getting by in affluent Northern California resonates strongly at a time when people are working harder and harder to get by.
Napa Valley Register2ndColumns“Other Side of the Fence”Yousef BaigA great example of a sports column that’s stronger for not sticking to solely what happens on the field. You’ve got strong opinions, you don’t mince words and you know how to make your points tidily. Keep at it.
Daily Press3rdColumns“This Desert Life”Matthew CabeThese two columns are terrific. The one about the relationship with your dad was great, a personal story that contains a nugget of advice readers can use to improve their own relationships. The raven column was a great find, too. Each of these could use a little stronger editing. I caught a dropped word in the dad column and the “most unique” in the raven lead stopped me, as there are not degrees of uniqueness. But they were only minor distractions from otherwise great work.
Visalia Times-DeltaFinalistColumns“Life With Mike”Mike HazelwoodYour two humor columns take personal experiences that are easy to relate to and make them feel universal. They were light, easy to read and a great addition to your paper, I’m sure.
Napa Valley RegisterFinalistColumns“Simple & Sassy”Samie HartleyThe sexual harassment column was a strong entry. The chips column was breezy and light and a little bit entertaining, but it didn’t quite stand out as much as some of the other light-hearted columns in this category. Regardless, your writing voice is well-developed, your thoughts well-organized and your copy clean. Nice work.
The Record1stColumns“Memorable welcome to Stockton” and “It’s decision time for SUSD on Davalos”Michael FitzgeraldA story of loss and community told without melodrama and an important but sensitive issue for the community show this columnist’s pitch-perfect range of reporting and writing skill.
The Tribune2ndColumns“SLOStringer carved out a unique spot between the media & public safety”and “Pirate’s Cove is still disgusting, and it’s the Board of Supervisors’ fault”Joe Tarica
Marin Independent Journal3rdColumns“So It Goes”Vicki Larson
The Desert SunFinalistColumns“Golf rule” and “Bell victory”Larry Bohannan
The RecordFinalistColumns“From blue collar to white collar” and “A mother's legacy much to be thankful for”Donald Blount
The Fresno Bee1stColumns“Tokyo Gardens” and “Online Trolling”Rory AppletonLoved the story about the history of his family combined with the history of the restaurant. Trolling is an important subject and I liked that the author admitted to it — drew the reader in instantly and kept me reading.
The Bakersfield Californian2ndColumns“What? Them worry? Not our millennials” and “Mom’s first anniversary without Dad”Herb BenhamNice take on the millennials — made me laugh. Mom and her first anniversary alone and what to do was poignant and one that most readers will probably face. Two nice creative efforts.
The Press Democrat3rdColumns“Harder to enjoy football as head injuries mount” and “Amid gratitude and grief, sports has its place”C.W. NeviusTwo reader-friendly stories about topics that I found really interesting — concussions and brain injuries told from an interesting perspective, and the horrific fires told from a different perspective.
The Modesto BeeFinalistColumns“She gave the shoes off her feet to the barefoot woman in the rain” and “Fearful of immigrants, military is shooting itself in both feet”Mike DunbarThe shoe story was nicely and simply told and the image stayed. The military story was important and well written. Two entirely different stories, nicely done.
The Modesto BeeFinalistColumns“When it comes to water, what’s worse: Conspiracy or incompetence?” and “In this horror flick, we’re playing the part of Victim No. 1”Mike DunbarWell-researched and important information about water that doesn’t reach other areas of the state. Makes me wish I could read a reliable news story because Dunbar was certainly convincing.
Los Angeles Times1stColumns“A true L.A. hero: For people dying on L.A. streets, he offers help, and he won't take no for an answer” and “Neither bills nor advancing age can dim the glow of a drummer's dream”Steve Lopez
Los Angeles Times2ndColumns“Not forgotten: For every Super Bowl star, there's an equally talented player who didn't make it” and “A cautionary tale of what can happen when a sports parent pushes too hard”Bill PlaschkeColumn on contrasting footballer fortunes is excellent, fresh approach to an issue in every fan’s mind. And column on pushy dad’s regrets shines light on what all parents of sports kids should think about. Both are original approaches that required creative story telling, which expanded reader appeal beyond sports fans.
The San Diego Union-Tribune3rdColumns“More Californians living in cars? A ‘wheel estate’ boom is coming” and “Answer to housing crisis is in plain sight: manufactured homes”Chris Reed
The San Diego Union-TribuneFinalistColumns“The Olympics and the pursuit of irrelevance” and “The best thing that ever happened to US Soccer”Mark ZeiglerAlthough IOC and US soccer mess ups are grist for any armchair sports columnist, the author infuses his viewpoint through well-written analysis of what led to catastrophes in each organization. More than that, also offers Rx for what ails them.
San Francisco ChronicleFinalistColumns“Stuck in the middle with few housing options” and “For fire victims, replacing lost things can be long, painful process”Kathleen Pender
Winters Express1stCoverage of Business News“PG&E Gas Safety Academy Opens”Debra DeAngeloThis piece made me feel like a part of the community & a participate in the excitement of the day.
The Weekly Calistogan2ndCoverage of Business News“Sonoma Vinegar Works will sell boutique vinegars, bitters & shrubs”Anne ErnstThis was a very interesting story.
The Recorder3rdCoverage of Business News“For Some Big Firms, It's Still All About That IPO Equity”Rebecca CohenVery informative.
The RecorderFinalistCoverage of Business News“Driverless Car Trade Secret Coverage”Scott Graham, Ben Hancock, Caroline Spiezio, Ross ToddGreat topic that appeals to the modern audience. Well written.
The ArkFinalistCoverage of Business News“Sam's being sold to local investor”Deirdre McCrohanNicely done with good background.
Silicon Valley Business Journal1stCoverage of Business News“Dude, what happened to Mavericks? Inside the crest & crash of an epic contest”Jody MeachamGreat read. Great presentation. Fascinating story.
Sacramento Business Journal2ndCoverage of Business News“Failing To Produce New Programmers”Mark AndersonInteresting stuff
Silicon Valley Business Journal3rdCoverage of Business News“China's Silicon Valley Push”Cromwell SchubarthI liked this but the first graphics seemed to undercut the story. Looks like the impact happened years ago.
Silicon Valley Business JournalFinalistCoverage of Business News“How Amazon fits in Silicon Valley”Janice Bitters, Jennifer EliasGood read, but struggled with presentation. It didn't support the story.
Sacramento Business JournalFinalistCoverage of Business News“The Kings of Real Estate”Ben Van Der MeerInteresting information. Didn't seem to go very far for what it all means, but great presentation
Mountain View Voice1stCoverage of Business News“Brouhaha continues over city's business licenses”Mark Noack
San Francisco Business Times2ndCoverage of Business News“Gray Area: Why the Bay Area is facing a looming retirement crisis”Mark Calvey
Los Gatos Weekly-Times3rdCoverage of Business News“Low unemployment great for employees, not so much for some employers”Khalida Sarwari
Santa Maria SunFinalistCoverage of Business News“Where's the Beef?: Central Coast chefs, hell-bent on sustainability & community sourcing, have a tough time getting their hands on local beef”Rebecca Rose
The Valley VoiceFinalistCoverage of Business News“Local Cities Looking for New Revenue, Possible Expense Cuts”Nancy Vigran
Palo Alto Weekly1stCoverage of Business News“Detroit dethroned?”Eric He, Jocelyn DongExcellent graphics, cover! Loaded with info, some technical, competition for jobs, hot new topic, good writing, varied information. Excellent.
Metro Silicon Valley2ndCoverage of Business News“South Bay Pizzeria Slices Up Its Ownership, Cuts Employees In”Jennifer WadsworthThorough exposition of co-ops; beginning and end of story tied to human interest story; interesting, good writing; good photos.
Grunion Gazette3rdCoverage of Business News“Alamitos Bay Landing Parking Woes Continue”Ashleigh RuhlBalanced, well-laid-out issues; interplay of politics, environment, business concerns, well written; so-so graphic.
Palo Alto WeeklyFinalistCoverage of Business News“Short on staff”Elena KadvanyGood exposition of cost of labor in high-end market. Nice photos; Good money figures. No mention of immigration problems? Economics of restaurants.
Thousand Oaks AcornFinalistCoverage of Business News“Bowled Over”Dawn Megli-ThunaCautionary tale about investing. Everyone hurt. Real coup to get perpetrator to respond from Hawaii. How things can go wrong. Blah images.
The Union1stCoverage of Business News“The Union Eye on the Economy”Liz Kellar, Elias Funez, Samantha SullivanAn ambitious look, complete with graphics, video, photos & more, at a topic of central importance to the local community.
Napa Valley Register2ndCoverage of Business News“First Street Napa reaches out to retailers amid battered mall landscape”Howard YuneA clearly written story that comprehensively explores a subject with significant implications for the city.
Visalia Times-Delta3rdCoverage of Business News“Not your father's bowling alley: Visalia Bowlero gets 21st Century update”James WardA well-written piece that captures a larger trend — how competition is spurring malls, bowling alleys & other entities to up their entertainment options — as well as the local angle.
Record SearchlightFinalistCoverage of Business News“Timber, forest jobs go high-tech”Nathan SolisAn interesting, on-the-scene look at a changing industry.
Times-StandardFinalistCoverage of Business News“Well Played: Fortuna store establishes local Hearthstone Tavern”Catherine WongPlenty of voices & a fun headline on this story about an emerging activity in Humboldt County.
The Desert Sun1stCoverage of Business News“Rewiring the west: California power grid expansion plans”Sammy Roth , Robert Hopwood, Jay CalderonThis series represents the best of journalism: A comprehensive, commanding body of work that draws from rich graphics & photos to illustrate a topic of national, state & local importance. The stories explore economic, political & environmental implications of the power grid proposals & break complex issues down into comprehensible form. Well-written & beautifully presented.
The Desert Sun2ndCoverage of Business News“Guide to recreational pot in the Coachella Valley”Amy DiPierro, Corinne KennedyNews-you-can use of enormous local relevance, formatted in a clear, reader-friendly way, with an engaging “fun fact” for each community.
Ventura County Star3rdCoverage of Business News“Facing large bills, public agencies work to rein in retiree health costs”Arlene MartinezInteresting piece on an important & undercovered topic, that also sketches out the local implications.
Santa Cruz SentinelFinalistCoverage of Business News“Judge orders Goodwill Central Coast to reinstate two Watsonville forklift drivers fired in 2015”Jondi GumzSolid story with nice breakup of the text through subheds & bullet points, capped off by a nice photo of the two forklift operators.
The RecordFinalistCoverage of Business News“9 businesses shut down”Roger PhillipsA story of broad local interest with a nice lede, complete with a reference to the Ghose Ship fire.
The Fresno Bee2ndCoverage of Business News“Can this Fresno cafe, & owner’s damaged heart, survive Fulton Street reopening?”Marek WarszawskiThis video actually added something to the story. However the auto-play on the others & the one that follows you down the page are just too much. Finally, a useful link to the short story that inspired the restaurant's name. I checked to see if they were still open, & sadly, they appear to have closed. Very well told, but only two sources who are related. The last line felt a bit too much like a column. I cared about these people because the story gave me a window into their world.
The Fresno Bee3rdCoverage of Business News“Do Fresno passengers face a gamble with this airline's Vegas flights?”Tim SheehanThe video was not needed, & the only art was of a plane. Links should be useful. For instance, this one should have had a link to the statistics page, not the home page. In contrast, data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows that other airlines serving Fresno collectively reported more than 4,000 departures, with just over 16 percent experiencing delays of 15 minutes or more, & 31 cancellations, over the first six months of the year. Some missing punctuation. Good headline. Story pulled me through well. I would have liked to know how many other airports Allegiant flies out of, but maybe I missed it.
The Fresno BeeFinalistCoverage of Business News“Where have all the restaurants gone? And are big-name chains taking the biggest hit?”Bethany Clough
East Bay TimesFinalistCoverage of Business News“In costly Bay Area, even six-figure salaries are considered 'low-income'”Annie SciaccaOnly a web address, so design can't really be considered. Clear graphic. Could they have made it better with a way to check your status there & in other areas? A graphic on housing prices would be nice, too. Not sure what the picture of the playground is supposed to represent. Story contains a lot of numbers & perspective, but more charts/graphs would help. I found some of the sentence transitions awkward & found myself rereading passages to make sure I got it. Clear headline.
The Press Democrat1stCoverage of Business News“Pot businesses fill once-empty spaces”Julie JohnsonAttractive, clear design. Good art, graph. I like how some of the art was saved from being ordinary by using interesting angles. Story has multiple sources and covers many angles well. Good flow, great information. Well done!
Los Angeles Times1stCoverage of Business News“Immigrant Labor in the Time of Trump”Natalie KitroeffAn essential read. Fantastic reporting & innovative presentation of information make the story easier to understand & gripping throughout.
Los Angeles Times2ndCoverage of Business News“California's Power Glut”Ivan Penn, Ben Welsh, Ryan Menezes, Eben McCueA powerful blend of enterprise & investigative journalism.
The Orange County Register3rdCoverage of Business News“Social Security & the the disabled”Margot Roosevelt, Kurt Snibbe
San Francisco ChronicleFinalistCoverage of Business News“Driving the Future”Carolyn Said, David Baker
The Mercury NewsFinalistCoverage of Business News“Tesla fires hundreds after company-wide performance reviews”Louis Hansen
The Ark1stCoverage of Local Government“Councilmember is Tiburon's top Airbnb renter”Deirdre McCrohanCompelling read, with good investigative work.
Glendale News-Press2ndCoverage of Local Government“Residents demand more study of renewable-energy alternatives to Grayson Power Plant renovation”Jeff LandaGood introduction to an issue that will likely merit ongoing coverage.
The Trinity Journal3rdCoverage of Local Government“County: Trespass grows taint streams”Amy GittelsohnInteresting angle on the illegal pot industry, given all the coverage legalization is getting.
The RecorderFinalistCoverage of Local Government“Ninth Circuit Openings”Ross ToddInteresting topic, but more a national issue than a community one.
American Canyon EagleFinalistCoverage of Local Government“American Canyon struggles with Watson Ranch project”Noel BrinkerhoffGood coverage of local development, the bread & butter of community news.
Petaluma Argus-Courier1stCoverage of Local Government“Geography, luck spared Petaluma from fires”Matt BrownThorough explainer on a topic that was of high interest this fall: the Northern California wildfires. Great use of official sources.
Petaluma Argus-Courier2ndCoverage of Local Government“In Trump budget, cuts for local programs”Hannah BeausangGreat job localizing a national story & explaining to residents what programs will be affected.
Big Bear Grizzly3rdCoverage of Local Government“Meeting in Alaska creates concern”Natalie WilliamsThis is such a bizarre story that stuck out in my mind long after I read it. Great reporting on the strangest local government issue ever.
La Cañada Flintridge OutlookFinalistCoverage of Local Government“An 'Unparalleled' Civil Servant, Spence Dies at 80”Mirjam SwansonWe all have to write obits for public figures at some point & I was blown away by the thoroughness of this profile.
Ledger DispatchFinalistCoverage of Local Government“Jackson Fined By State Water Board”Jack Mitchell, Caitlyn Schaap, Matthew HedgerSolid watchdog reporting.
North Coast Journal1stCoverage of Local Government“Magney”Kimberly WearStrong story telling techniques used in article that weaves how a county tried to take away the medical decisions for a dying man with the love story of the couple.
Santa Maria Sun2ndCoverage of Local Government“Failure to communicate: With the city's financial future in question, the Lompoc City Council struggles to find common ground”Spencer ColeThe writer puts the reader right in the middle of the dysfunction of a local government, then pans out to show how the war between a city council & city manager affects the community.
Pleasanton Weekly3rdCoverage of Local Government“Verona Reach creek erosion series”Julia (Reis) BrownThis series shows how bureaucratic red tape literally leaves homeowners hanging for solutions as the bank behind their homes crumbles. Good job showing the growing frustration.
Pleasanton WeeklyFinalistCoverage of Local Government“PUSD superintendent turnover series”Julia (Reis) Brown, Jeremy WalshGood use of public records requests to uncover why the superintendent was fired. The series follows through on the issue. However, the story on the new superintendents meeting with the board went on a bit too long.
BohemianFinalistCoverage of Local Government“Weighting Options”Tom GogolaThis article effectively shows how government can make it difficult for homeowners to recover from disasters. Good use of the homeowner's own story through his words as he's woven through the issue.
Monterey County Weekly1stCoverage of Local Government“Revealing corruption & leadership changes at Del Rey Oaks City Hall”David Schmalz
Palo Alto Weekly2ndCoverage of Local Government“Coming into focus”Gennady Sheyner
Good Times3rdCoverage of Local Government“Building Material”Jacob Pierce
SF WeeklyFinalistCoverage of Local Government“A Burning Need for Sprinklers”Nuala Sawyer
Good TimesFinalistCoverage of Local Government“Defense Spending”Georgia Johnson
Daily Press1stCoverage of Local Government“The Marc Puckett Saga”Matthew Cabe
Record Searchlight2ndCoverage of Local Government“REU late fees in organizations' crosshairs”Sean Longoria
The Daily Independent3rdCoverage of Local Government“Jessica Weston - Sgt. John Pinney Memorial Pool series”Jessica Weston
The Union DemocratFinalistCoverage of Local Government“State spent millions on youth facilities despite a drop in crime”Alex MacLean
Monterey HeraldFinalistCoverage of Local Government“Around we go”Jim Johnson
The Desert Sun1stCoverage of Local Government“A row of trees sign of systematic racism in Palm Springs”Corinne KennedyDeep research, good writing, strong photos & a fair approach to a complex issue. Long, but held my interest to the end.
The Desert Sun2ndCoverage of Local Government“Coachella & Indio bill residents thousands for their own prosecution”Brett KelmanCompelling photos, clean writing, & good use of public records to highlight a frustrating problem.
The Tribune3rdCoverage of Local Government“Who should pay for SLO County affordable housing — new homebuyers or taxpayers?”Lindsey HoldenGood analysis, good use of statistics.
Marin Independent JournalFinalistCoverage of Local Government“County loads up on media staffers”Richard HalsteadAn interesting look at how local governments are turning to public information officers to get their message out. A local story that highlights a general trend.
The RecordFinalistCoverage of Local Government“Protests disrupts council meeting; DA files charges against council protesters; Police overtime bill $18K”Roger PhillipsSensitive but even-handed approach to an emotional issue. Good use of numbers through public records.
The Sacramento Bee1stCoverage of Local Government“Driving (and walking) while black”Anita Chabria, Phillip Reese
The Modesto Bee2ndCoverage of Local Government“City of Modesto overspending”Kevin Valine
The Press Democrat3rdCoverage of Local Government“Juvenile detention fees”Julie Johnson, J.D. Morris
The Press DemocratFinalistCoverage of Local Government“Nightmare Next Door”Julie Johnson
The Fresno BeeFinalistCoverage of Local Government“Coalinga made millions from pot, so why could some city employees lose their jobs?”Rory Appleton
Los Angeles Times1stCoverage of Local Government“Anaheim's Subsidy Kingdom”Daniel Miller, Priya Krishnakumar, Ben PostonDeep dive into complex issue connects the dots on relationship between city government & major industry, a dance going on for years while mostly, it appears, paying less attention to the interests of the city's citizens than those of the corporation & city politicians. To-the-point graphics & video complement extensive reporting to give readers a better understanding of issues involved & how they have evolved through the years. An outstanding, fully realized team effort illuminates an important public trust issue.
San Francisco Chronicle2ndCoverage of Local Government“Wine Country Fires Response”Joaquin Palomino, Kimberly VeklerovIn-depth reporting details what went wrong in the early stages of the massive complex of wine country fires, uncovering issues with warning call systems & mutual aid response. Valuable historical context shows changes over time that have eroded emergency responders ability to protect lives & property when called to do so, giving the public & politicians insight into problems that need attention.
San Francisco Chronicle3rdCoverage of Local Government“S.F. 911 Call Center”Heather KnightHeather Knight uncovers the astonishing fact that emergency calls go unanswered far more often in San Francisco than other places & in San Francisco itself in past years. Thorough reporting on potential solutions as well as causes makes this an especially useful series of columns.
The Orange County RegisterFinalistCoverage of Local Government“Taxpayer cost for mass murderer Scott Dekraai’s case tops $2.5 million”Tony SaavedraThe high cost of justice is something some officials weren't keen to discuss, but Tony Saavedra persisted, putting together an accounting of what taxpayers ended up having to cough up to cover costs of prosecutorial misconduct.
The Orange County RegisterFinalistCoverage of Local Government“Southern California jailers are injuring inmates with abusive ‘chicken winging’ holds”Jordan Graham, Tony Saavedra
Glendale News-Press1stCoverage of Youth & Education“L.A. County committee gives preliminary approval to Sagebrush transfer”Kelly CorriganProfessionally reported & written story outlining the importance & complexity of the issue, & reflecting years of reporting on a long-running story.
Greenfield News2ndCoverage of Youth & Education“Caring for Others”Ryan CronkWell done look at youth efforts to understand a complex, under reported issue, & help out.
The Ark3rdCoverage of Youth & Education“As sex harassment cases ...”Jeff DempseySolid story on educators' efforts to address a critical issue for youth, would have placed higher with some youth perspective & a lede that got to the point quicker.
American Canyon EagleFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Legacy students in American Canyon give gift of healing to teen who nearly died”Noel BrinkerhoffHeartwarming story about challenged students reaching out on their own to support a fellow youth who survived a near-death experience.
Half Moon Bay ReviewFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Students jump in to learn life lesson at HMB swim school”Sara HaydenA solid feature on a program aimed at helping low-income students learn how to swim, which got a boost due to its role in helping secure grant funding.
San Marino Outlook1stCoverage of Youth & Education“SMHS Student Sees His Calling in Peer Mentoring”Zane Hill
Placer Herald2ndCoverage of Youth & Education“Anything but glamorous’: Teen suicide in South Placer”Mackenzie Myers
La Cañada Flintridge Outlook3rdCoverage of Youth & Education“Later Start Reviews Mixed; More Sleep, Less Time”Mirjam Swanson
The Davis EnterpriseFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Growing up transgender in Davis”Anne Ternus-Bellamy
The Morgan Hill TimesFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Students embrace goats”Scott Forstner
Mountain View Voice1stCoverage of Youth & Education“Series: Digital math program's flaws hidden from school board, community”Kevin Forestieri, Andrea Gemmet
Mountain View Voice2ndCoverage of Youth & Education“District struggles to keep special ed staff”Kevin Forestieri, Andrea Gemmet
Los Altos Town Crier3rdCoverage of Youth & Education“Urban farm takes root at Alta Vista High School”Jane Ridgeway
Palisades NewsFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Alpharoah Tells His DACA Story at PaliHi”Laurel Busby
Santa Maria SunFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Undocumented & unprotected: Nearly 9,000 Santa Barbara County immigrants in uncertainty after Trump administration announces plans to rescind DACA”Kasey Bubnash
Palo Alto Weekly1stCoverage of Youth & Education“Sexual misconduct in Palo Alto schools”Elena Kadvany
SF Weekly2ndCoverage of Youth & Education“Gender Warriors”Nuala Sawyer
Beverly Hills Courier3rdCoverage of Youth & Education“#MeToo In Beverly Hills:Former Student Details Sexual Harassment While Attending BHUSD School”Laura Coleman
Thousand Oaks AcornFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Cultures clash over core literature titles”Dawn Megli-Thuna
Santa Barbara IndependentFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Bravo!”Charles Donelan
Daily Press1stCoverage of Youth & Education“The Saga of Bright Futures Academy”Matthew Cabe, Charity Lindsey
Napa Valley Register2ndCoverage of Youth & Education“Napa teen picked for Walt Disney animation festival”Jennifer Huffman
The Daily Independent3rdCoverage of Youth & Education“Michael Smit - Reflecting on Rand School”Michael Smit
Napa Valley RegisterFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Fate of Napa High Indian debated”Noel Brinkerhoff
Chico Enterprise-RecordFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Teaching aide recounts lockdown”Andre Byik
The Desert Sun1stCoverage of Youth & Education“Teen Suicide”Kristen HwangThe Desert Sun's coverage of education & youth is exemplary, as reflected by this poignant. well-researched & artfully written series on teen mental health.
The Desert Sun2ndCoverage of Youth & Education“Undocumented immigrants bring U.S. citizen kids back to Mexico”Kristen Hwang, Omar Ornelas, Gustavo SolisIt's heartening to see newspapers continue to muster great talent, resources & teamwork to create truly outstanding journalism, such as this series on the children of undocumented immigrants caught in a political twilight zone.
Ventura County Star3rdCoverage of Youth & Education“Truant kids focus of reforms to fix flawed system”Amanda Covarrubias, Cheri Carlson, Yazmin Cruz, Anthony PlascenciaAn eye-opening package on truancy, with strong graphics & data, above-and-beyond reporting, & excellent writing.
The Desert SunFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Palm Springs students less prepared for college than other CA students”Kristen HwangMixing deft storytelling & analysis, The Desert Sun reveals a glaring challenge for Palm Springs students, & points out likely contributing factors. This is a journalistic wake-up call for the community.
The TribuneFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“She says he sexually assaulted her. Cal Poly believed him”Andrew Sheeler
The Sacramento Bee1stCoverage of Youth & Education“In the killing zone: Why can't we keep them safe?”Ryan Lillis, Cynthia Hubert, Phillip ReesePowerful photos & videos - nice package for print & online. It shows the strong research the reporters achieved through hard work.
The San Francisco Examiner2ndCoverage of Youth & Education“Students returning to Bayview school find new walls & pride”Laura WaxmannEnjoyable story to read - would have liked "before" pictures to go with the photos showing the current changes.
East Bay Times3rdCoverage of Youth & Education“Sexual assault/harassment on high school campuses”Annie Sciacca, Matthias Gafni, Sharon NoguchiSince it was a package, the second & third story needed different art.
The San Francisco ExaminerFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Black student achievement in San Francisco schools”Laura WaxmannIt needed more personal interviews with the superintendent.
The Fresno BeeFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“She put newspaper in her underwear because her school charged for pads. A new law ends that”Mackenzie MaysNeeded stronger art, but the story did feature some good stats.
Los Angeles Times1stCoverage of Youth & Education“Education Coverage in L.A.”Anna M. Phillips, Howard BlumeExcellent work detailing & explaining complex situations in a turbulent education system. The work on the Lennox Virtual Academy story was particularly interesting & impressive.
San Francisco Chronicle2ndCoverage of Youth & Education“Mr. Wilson's Second Act”Jill TuckerBeautifully written narrative. Kudos for a touching feature that highlights an important issue in schools nationwide, the lack of support for arts education.
Los Angeles Times3rdCoverage of Youth & Education“Problems at Celerity Charter”Anna M. Phillips
The Orange County RegisterFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“More colleges add free food pantries as 'starving student' cliche becomes reality”Roxana Kopetman
San Francisco ChronicleFinalistCoverage of Youth & Education“Sex Assault at Los Altos High”Roxana Kopetman
St. Helena Star1stEditorial Cartoon“Naughty, nice”Joan MartensThis cartoonist has a wonderfully folksy style while maintaining high levels of artistry. Her cartoons have a subtle charm about them, making a point, but doing so with
a light touch. What a treat for local readers.
Petaluma Argus-Courier2ndEditorial Cartoon“Mass shooting”Pete McDonnellHard-hitting cartoon with a very clear message. Excellent artwork.
St. Helena Star3rdEditorial Cartoon“We used to pray in that church”Joan MartensStrong local angle reflected with just the right blend of humor & sensitivity. Art is very nice - even Thurberesque.
Ledger DispatchFinalistEditorial Cartoon“No Chemistry Teacher Hired; Class to be taught Online Only”Rob BrantSimple, straightforward artwork commenting on an issue of local interest.
The Weekly CalistoganFinalistEditorial Cartoon“Hug a newsperson”
Sacramento News & Review1stEditorial Cartoon“Women's March Fold-In Comic”Serene LusanoThe interactive folding is very creative. A fun way to get readers engaged.
Sacramento News & Review2ndEditorial Cartoon“Progress of a weed fiend”Devon McMindes
Sacramento News & Review3rdEditorial Cartoon“High expectations”Serene Lusano
Palisades NewsFinalistEditorial Cartoon“Let's Just Take a Family Staycation"!!!”"Ann Cleaves
Sacramento News & ReviewFinalistEditorial Cartoon“The Mechanics of Art & Gentrifications through the speculations of the Vulture Capitalist”Serene Lusano, Devon McMindes, Karlos Rene Ayala
Marin Independent Journal1stEditorial Cartoon“Family”George RussellThis work strikes straight to the heart. Fine work. Clearly superior. If I lived there, I would frame this in my home.
Marin Independent Journal2ndEditorial Cartoon“Marijuana”George Russell
Napa Valley Register3rdEditorial Cartoon“Roberto's Napa”Roberto Tinoco
Marin Independent JournalFinalistEditorial Cartoon“Answers”George Russell
The UnionFinalistEditorial Cartoon“It takes a village idiot”"R.L. Crabb
Los Angeles Times1stEditorial Cartoon“The Court of Donald I”Steve Brodner
The Fresno Bee2ndEditorial Cartoon“How would an editorial cartoonist map out Trump’s first 100 days? Just like this”SW Parra
The Fresno Bee3rdEditorial Cartoon“Above Average Snowpack”SW Parra
The San Diego Union-TribuneFinalistEditorial Cartoon“Steve Breen Editorial Cartoons 2017”Steve Breen
Los Angeles TimesFinalistEditorial Cartoon“White Christmas”Steve Brodner
Half Moon Bay Review1stEditorial Comment“Harbor District runs out of second chances”Clay Lambert
The Weekly Calistogan2ndEditorial Comment“Calistoga is open for business”Anne Ernst
The Ark3rdEditorial Comment“On the cover: What it looks like without local journalism”Kevin Hessel
The Trinity JournalFinalistEditorial Comment“Trinity need not take lead in RailConnect project grant”Wayne Agner
Half Moon Bay ReviewFinalistEditorial Comment“Drilling off California shore may be worst idea yet”Clay Lambert
The Sonoma Index-Tribune1stEditorial Comment“On Stars, Stripes & Sonoma”Jason WalshWell done! The piece is grounded, which is more of what we need in this industry.
Ledger Dispatch2ndEditorial Comment“Rose is wrong, Sac is screwed, Caltrans don’t care, Amador gets used”Jack MitchellGreat information & perspective. Love the graphic!
Ledger Dispatch3rdEditorial Comment“We stand by our reporting”Jack Mitchell, Matthew HedgerNice job calling out your critics & sticking to your guns.
The Sonoma Index-TribuneFinalistEditorial Comment“Sanctuary for the Soul”Jason WalshGood job on calling government to task.
Del Mar TimesFinalistEditorial Comment“Leaving our mark on the world”Marsha SuttonVery thoughtful. It was a nice reminder of perspective.
Free Lance1stEditorial Comment“Leaders silent on Dabo”Barry Holtzclaw
Poway News Chieftain2ndEditorial Comment“Lessons learned from lockdown?”Steve Dreyer
San Francisco Business Times3rdEditorial Comment“A housing opportunity that the Bay Area can't afford to squander”Jim Gardner
Free LanceFinalistEditorial Comment“Mitchell Dabo's departure from public life is long overdue”Barry Holtzclaw
Palisades NewsFinalistEditorial Comment“Hiding Out on the Internet”Sue Pascoe
Palo Alto Weekly1stEditorial Comment“Time for McGee to go”Bill Johnson
Palo Alto Weekly2ndEditorial Comment“Deja vu for school district”Bill Johnson
Palo Alto Weekly3rdEditorial Comment“A council adrift”Bill Johnson
The AcornFinalistEditorial Comment“Our unaffordable, affordable housing”John Loesing
Thousand Oaks AcornFinalistEditorial Comment“Video reveals an ugly side of the bubble”Kyle Jorrey, Idie Emery, Carol Pond
The Union1stEditorial Comment“Our View: Considering both sides; what a concept”Brian Hamilton
Visalia Times-Delta2ndEditorial Comment“Editor: How Mathis' representative tried to intimidate a T-D reporter”Silas Lyons
Merced Sun-Star3rdEditorial Comment“Voters can flush bad odor from MID board”Mike Dunbar
Napa Valley RegisterFinalistEditorial Comment“Recognize the workers who make this possible”Staff
Imperial Valley PressFinalistEditorial Comment“Putting lipstick on a pig”Editorial Board
The Tribune1stEditorial Comment“Home Builders Association doesn’t like SLO County’s affordable housing fee. Too bad”Stephanie FinucaneClear, cogent examples cited in argument. Opponents arguments are rebutted. Contains specifics of what it would mean to the average home purchaser. Sets forth persuasive stances & backs up w/facts & stats.
The Record2ndEditorial Comment“So far, Swenson golf course proposal is a triple-bogey”Donald BlountMakes you care about a golf course issue even though many readers (like me) have no idea what a triple bogey is.
The Desert Sun3rdEditorial Comment“City is at stake with bribery charges”Al Franco
Marin Independent JournalFinalistEditorial Comment“Supervisors sidestep open process for bridge seat”Brad Breithaupt
Marin Independent JournalFinalistEditorial Comment“Novato should have delayed TAM tax vote”Brad Breithaupt
The Fresno Bee1stEditorial Comment“We’ve failed our children by neglecting sex education. Here’s what we must do”Gail MarshallExcellent public service editorial. Well written. It describes the problem & offers solutions, noting that everyone has a stake in helping young people navigate an over sexualized society.
The Modesto Bee2ndEditorial Comment“Why bring Coulter’s commercialized hate into our home?”Mike DunbarHighly readable editorial that blasts local readers for worsening a national concern.
The Fresno Bee3rdEditorial Comment“Disgraceful, deplorable, dysfunctional. These ‘D’ words fit California Democrats”Bill McEwen
The Press DemocratFinalistEditorial Comment““A new peril that’s preventable & deplorable: gouging”Paul Gullixson
The Sacramento BeeFinalistEditorial Comment“Sacramento Bee Editorials”Staff
San Francisco Chronicle1stEditorial Comment“The Housing Hole”Josh Gohlke, Caille Millner
Los Angeles Times2ndEditorial Comment“Our Dishonest President”Nicholas Goldberg
Los Angeles Times3rdEditorial Comment“Why Trump Lies”Robert Greene
The San Diego Union-TribuneFinalistEditorial Comment“Trump's Paris climate accord withdrawal worst decision of his life”The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board
The San Diego Union-TribuneFinalistEditorial Comment“Chargers moving to L.A.? Time for San Diego to move on, too.”The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board
The Recorder1stEnterprise News Story or Series“How Jones Day Unmasked a Litigation Funding Deal & Won”Ben Hancock
The Trinity Journal2ndEnterprise News Story or Series“Trinity's missing”Amy Gittelsohn, Bridget Carson
American Canyon Eagle3rdEnterprise News Story or Series“Residents accuse city of American Canyon of causing storm flooding on their property”Noel Brinkerhoff
Idyllwild Town CrierFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“San Jacinto Fault very active”JP Crumrine
Santa Ynez Valley StarFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“JDRF”Raiza Giorgi
The Folsom Telegraph1stEnterprise News Story or Series“Behind Prison Walls; an inside look at Folsom Prison's rehab programs”Rachel Zirin, Bill Sullivan
Black Voice News2ndEnterprise News Story or Series“Hate Rising”S.E. Williams
The Business Journal3rdEnterprise News Story or Series“Power of the pop up: Retail model less about sales, more about buzz”Edward Smith
San Marino OutlookFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“SMPD Chief Patrols Town, Urges Safeguards Against Burglaries”Zane Hill
San Marino TribuneFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“It's No Good Here”Mitch Lehman
Free Lance1stEnterprise News Story or Series“Mitchell Dabo & missing funds from charitable trust”Barry HoltzclawWell done. Reporting & writing are top-notch. Way to stay with this story.
Santa Maria Sun2ndEnterprise News Story or Series“Deer(ly) departed: Five years of drought & decades of habitat loss could be impacting deer & their predators”Spencer ColeThis story is well done. I enjoyed reading it.
The Almanac3rdEnterprise News Story or Series“Policing, race & community”Kate BradshawWell written but is lacking somewhat. The writing is good, & the subject matter is strong. I just didn't feel it was as complete as it could be.
Santa Maria SunFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“No longer silent: Local support organizations, law enforcement, & survivors speak out to end the cycle of domestic violence”Joe PayneThe subject for this piece is great & the personal stories of the victims & survivors are moving. There are some long sentences & the story is very long. I suggest breaking it into at least two stories or maybe three for a better read.
Tracy PressFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“Edible pot in schools”Michael Ellis Langley, Denise Ellen RizzoInteresting topic. But it lacked substance. There are too many unanswered questions.
Sacramento News & Review1stEnterprise News Story or Series“Killing Mom: A terminal cancer patient wants to die. Will California’s end-of-life bureaucracy let her?”Raheem HosseiniA very poignant, moving story using a painful, personal experience to shine light on a controversial issue. Well done.
Good Times2ndEnterprise News Story or Series“Santa Cruz's Restaurant Crisis”Lily StoicheffA well-written, well-researched & well-sourced enterprise story on an issue many California communities are facing. Very informative.
The Salinas Californian3rdEnterprise News Story or Series“Getting out of Chinatown”Chelcey Adami
The Salinas CalifornianFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“He’s an all-American boy, but will he ever be an American?”Amy Wu
Palo Alto WeeklyFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“Guardians of the Code”Gennady Sheyner
Santa Maria Times1stEnterprise News Story or Series“Pot of Gold; Shedding the Stigma; Legalization changes landscape of law enforcement”Willis Jacobson
Record Searchlight2ndEnterprise News Story or Series“Redding's most dangerous streets for bicyclists”Jenny Espino
Record Searchlight3rdEnterprise News Story or Series“Should sex offenders charge GPS devices at the library?”Alayna Shulman
Times-HeraldFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“Saving the cemetery”Rachel Raskin-Zrihen
Santa Maria TimesFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“Cannabis clashes in Tepusquet provide snapshot of industry”Logan Anderson
Ventura County Star1stEnterprise News Story or Series“Night on patrol in Ventura County: From heroin to headlights”Staff
Ventura County Star2ndEnterprise News Story or Series“Ventura County's opioid fix: 'I crave it all the time'”Tom Kisken, Anthony Plascencia
The Tribune3rdEnterprise News Story or Series“6 people have died on Hwy. 46 in 2 months. What can be done to make the road safer?”Nick Wilson, Joe Johnston
The Desert SunFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“California's Dying Sea”Ian James, Sammy Roth, Zoe Meyers, Jay Calderon
The TribuneFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“There’s so much water in the Salinas that these adventurers kayaked from Atascadero to Paso”Travis Gibson, Joe Johnston
Los Angeles Daily News1stEnterprise News Story or Series“Women on Skid Row”Susan AbramCompelling street-level look at life on the streets for women, showing great empathy. It effectively uses data & adds important dimension of the life situations that has resulted in the women being homeless.
The Fresno Bee2ndEnterprise News Story or Series“Too Young”Mackenzie MaysExceptional series tackling an important public health topic for the Central Valley, looking at the issue with a fact-based & student-focused approach, considering solutions from multiple angles, in the face of naysayers & local officials.
The Press Democrat3rdEnterprise News Story or Series“Crisis Care”Martin EspinozaAn extraordinary effort that identifies a crisis in mental health care, takes a look at fiscal & human costs, & analyzes solutions; adding bonuses of public involvement & a bibliography of sources.
The Sacramento BeeFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“In the killing zone: Why can't we keep them safe?”Ryan Lillis, Cynthia Hubert, Phillip ReeseReporters focus on the victims, rather than the killers, of teen homicides, shaking a community out of stereotyped responses to the killing, adding video & social media components.
The Fresno BeeFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“Human Trafficking series”Rory AppletonThis well-written exploration of the issues & people involved with sex trafficking goes beneath the surface with people & data.
Los Angeles Times1stEnterprise News Story or Series“Battling a Superbug”Melody Petersen
Los Angeles Times2ndEnterprise News Story or Series“Harvard Park”Nicole Santa Cruz, Cindy Chang
The Orange County Register3rdEnterprise News Story or Series“Transgender school bus driver makes difficult decision to undergo sex-altering surgery”David Whiting
Los Angeles TimesFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“Hidden Donors Fund an Advocate for Transparency”John Myers
The San Diego Union-TribuneFinalistEnterprise News Story or Series“Border reporting”Kristina Davis, John Wilkens, Sandra Dibble
Claremont Courier1stFeature Photo“Queen's surprise”Steven FelschundneffExcellent element of surprise & the emotion of both subjects, from the homecoming queen to her proud father. This image truly portrays "hometown newspaper photojournalism"
The Trinity Journal2ndFeature Photo“Stick horse”Wayne AgnerObviously this shooter was well prepared to capture that one special moment when it occurred the happiness on the little girls face is priceless
The Trinity Journal3rdFeature Photo“Going crazy”Wayne AgnerExcellent composition & use of color, this photo doesn't say what's happening but instead raws the reader to be curious to learn whats happening. Fun shot!
Calistoga TribuneFinalistFeature Photo“Kids catch learning bug at summer camp”Clark MishlerThe macro focus on the insect is superb & the intensity on the students face is excellent.
Merced County Times1stFeature Photo“From One Generation to Another”John MillerWonderful photograph & an incredible connection between two generations from a little boy who dresses up as a soldier to a woman who lived through World War II.
The Sonoma Index-Tribune2ndFeature Photo“Things We Lost in the Fire”Robbi PengellyNice job of detailing the aftermath of the fires, at least for this photographer.
Silicon Valley Business Journal3rdFeature Photo“King of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk”Vicki ThompsonThis is a classic shot of Americana & what joy he brings to riding a roller coaster!
Ledger DispatchFinalistFeature Photo“Little League Opening Day: Serious Baseball”Jonathan KnittelThis could have been shot anytime from the 1950s to today & it happens every spring. What makes this shot special is the expression on the kids' faces.
Rancho Bernardo News Journal1stFeature Photo“Little squirts”Chuck Kaye
Moorpark Acorn2ndFeature Photo“Year ends wrapped in a bow”Michael Coons
Los Altos Town Crier3rdFeature Photo“More Cowbell”Megan Winslow
Mountain View VoiceFinalistFeature Photo“Art appreciation”Michelle Le
Thousand Oaks Acorn1stFeature Photo“Sea of Flags”Bobby CurtisBeautiful image was great visual impact. Great color & composition. Stood out above the rest.
Camarillo Acorn2ndFeature Photo“Look, you're not my father”Michael CoonsGreat moment & face on the kid. The girl looking at the camera draws my eye away, but good overall image.
The Salinas Californian3rdFeature Photo“Camp Grace”Chelcey AdamiGreat storytelling moment. Suffered from technical difficulties.
The AcornFinalistFeature Photo“Hanging out”Michael CoonsGood moment with great faces. Images could have benefitted from a tighter crop.
Visalia Times-Delta1stFeature Photo“County Fair Thrills”Ron Holman
Daily Press2ndFeature Photo“The long way home”James Quigg
Times-Herald3rdFeature Photo“Rebel yell”Chris Riley
Napa Valley RegisterFinalistFeature Photo“Brandon Ontell Sees Colors”Samie Hartley
The Tribune1stFeature Photo“Eagle vs. hawk”David Middlecamp
The Record2ndFeature Photo“Christian Christmas”Calixtro Romias
The Tribune3rdFeature Photo“Santa Claus baby”Laura Dickinson
The SunFinalistFeature Photo“The Haircut”Micah Escamilla
Los Angeles Daily News1stFeature Photo“La La Land”David Crane
The Press-Enterprise2ndFeature Photo“Coachella”Watchara Phomicinda
The San Francisco Examiner3rdFeature Photo“Shelix prepares for Bingo Night”Jessica Christian
The Fresno BeeFinalistFeature Photo“Losing Their Locks for a Good Cause”Craig Kohlruss
Los Angeles Times1stFeature Photo“Making the Leap”Robert GauthierNot an easy image to capture, but also so well done. Stunning visual impact & excellent composition.
Los Angeles Times2ndFeature Photo“Yosemite”Marcus YamWow. the majesty of Yosemite coupled with the splendor of the gazing woman. Wonderful tone & color.
Los Angeles Times3rdFeature Photo“A Devastating Fire”Marcus YamThe blue swimming pool makes this more than just another aerial shot of the devastating fires. Great story telling.
The San Diego Union-TribuneFinalistFeature Photo“The Happy Place”Hayne PalmourA beautiful moment captured perfectly, revealing so much emotion behind the story of this family.
St. Helena Star1stFeature Story“PUC physics experiment sees the universe in a beam of ions”Jesse Duarte
Half Moon Bay Review2ndFeature Story“Rare arctic bird leaves fans flying”Carina Woudenberg
The Ark3rdFeature Story“Kidney transplant gives year-old a second chance”Emily Lavin
Santa Ynez Valley StarFinalistFeature Story“Car Crash Heroes”Drew Esnard
The ArkFinalistFeature Story“Tiburon girl conquers Alcatraz ...”Jeff Dempsey
Clovis Roundup1stFeature Story“Clovis: Not just a gateway, a destination”Valerie SheltonGreat story & photos. Makes me want to go to Clovis
Del Norte Triplicate2ndFeature Story“CHP boot camp opens to reporters”Tony ReedEveryone needs this bootcamp to really appreciate our CHP.
Del Mar Times3rdFeature Story“Symposium offers latest on breast cancer treatments, research”Joe TashNice story, good photos.
La Cañada Flintridge OutlookFinalistFeature Story“LCF is Backbone for Family of Boy With Crohn's”Mirjam SwansonMaking a life better. Well done.
The Davis EnterpriseFinalistFeature Story“Remembering Noah”Lauren KeeneWe need to reach out to people in need.
North Coast Journal1stFeature Story“Hash Lab Murder”Thadeus GreensonA great lede. This story really has it all: the specific (a neighborhood surprised by dangerous drug production); an interesting larger issue (how legalizing marijuana has unintended dire consequences for this community); something complicated that we don't know (about drug production) made simple; & circles back around. The layout helps the flow & the illustration is helpful (with a funny caption) & the photo makes the product of a dangerous process beautiful.
Pleasanton Weekly2ndFeature Story“Your Muslim Neighbor”Erika AlveroA vital story for communities, well-told, & with an outstanding print layout.
La Jolla Light3rdFeature Story“Ghost-Flustered: We tried sleeping in a haunted Grande Colonial hotel room in La Jolla”Corey LevitanA fun, lighthearted take on a familiar story (the haunted hotel) that while subjective is also reported.
The AlmanacFinalistFeature Story“Living with uncertainty”Kate BradshawA well-reported story of three DREAMers shows how distinct & individual these young women are while placing their situation in a larger political context. Strong photography.
The Malibu TimesFinalistFeature Story“Guerrilla tribute paid to Malibu Pink Lady artist”Jimy Tallal, Julie EllertonAn unexpected tale of a local legend revived unexpectedly, told with flair, reporting & fun.
Sacramento News & Review1stFeature Story“Why save the Delta? Unknown river towns fear untold devastation from Jerry Brown’s twin tunnels project”Scott Thomas Anderson
Chico News & Review2ndFeature Story“A fowl death”Ken Smith
Palo Alto Weekly3rdFeature Story“The wave that changed the world”Linda Taaffe
SF WeeklyFinalistFeature Story“How the Stud Was Saved”Peter Kane
Grunion GazetteFinalistFeature Story“Family Connects Through Deployments With Reading”Emily Thornton
The Union1stFeature StoryTrimmigrants’ descend on Nevada County, for better or for worse”Matthew PeraTimely topic, balanced & well written.
Napa Valley Register2ndFeature Story“The woman that Napa fire evacuees left behind”Kevin CourtneyStory has authenticity, is well-written & offers insight about an event of importance.
The Union Democrat3rdFeature Story“More than 100 years of Sonora history now resides in the Smithsonian & Yale University”Lyn RiddleGood writing made historical detail easy to follow. Nice connection to African American history. Well done.
The Daily IndependentFinalistFeature Story“Jessica Weston — Las Vegas Shooting Survivors”Jessica WestonAuthenticity in quotes, captures moments & weaves a strong narrative through chronology.
Daily PressFinalistFeature Story“Brothers claim ‘dug up’ photo shows Billy the Kid with Joseph Antrim”Matthew CabeFun story, well-crafted & balanced. Strikes the right tone & made for a good read.
The Record1stFeature Story“From heartbreak to hope”Joe GoldeenI was literally tearing up reading this. Great story. Phenomenal quotes. Moving & the pictures were great!
Marin Independent Journal2ndFeature Story“Studio San Quentin”Paul LiberatoreFound a great story here. Loved the background & how far these prison stories reach
The Record3rdFeature Story“They took half of my heart”Almendra CarpizoMoving story. Felt like breaking news with more depth.
The TribuneFinalistFeature Story“SLO climber searches the Sierra for a missing man he never met”Sarah LinnAmazing quotes! Did I mention amazing quotes?
The Desert SunFinalistFeature Story“Secret of the 'magic needle' unites women in indigenous culture”Anna Rumer, Omar OrnelasLoved the photo & the history & a glimpse into what are rarely heard stories.
The Press Democrat1stFeature Story“A Fire Story”Martin Espinoza, Brian FiesExcellent combination of story, graphics & photos that personalize the story. Moving & heartbreaking.
The Fresno Bee2ndFeature Story“Fresno’s faithful on front lines of protecting undocumented immigrants”Carmen GeorgeWell-written, compelling & involving.
The Bakersfield Californian3rdFeature Story“When the earth shook: Memories of temblors remain vivid in minds of Kern residents who lived through them”Steven MayerWell-researched & comprehensive. Personal stories, though a bit repetitive, add a nice touch.
The Fresno BeeFinalistFeature Story“Decades after it was destroyed, Yosemite’s last Native American village is returning”Carmen George
The Fresno BeeFinalistFeature Story“This Fresno County dinosaur could be California’s next ‘rock’ star”Tim Sheehan
San Francisco Chronicle1stFeature Story“A Dream Deported”Hamed Aleaziz, Leah MillisA raw, unflinching story of a family in the middle of incredible heartbreak. The author was given a challenging opportunity & clearly made the most of it.
San Francisco Chronicle2ndFeature Story“Finding Himself”Ryan KostThe author took a difficult, & sensitive topic, & the sources' trust, & produced a powerful story that feels as if that trust was well-placed.
Los Angeles Times3rdFeature Story“Police Partners”Cindy ChangA fun & unusual look at an aspect of policing few ever get to experience. The story really sells the "end of an era" narrative & does a good job pulling you in to the day-to-day routine of the two officers.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistFeature Story“Wrongful Conviction”Marisa Gerber
The Mercury NewsFinalistFeature Story“California's right-to-die law: One woman's last days have powerful impact on family & friends”Tracy Seipel, LiPo Ching
Black Voice News1stFront Page Layout & Design“Hate Rising / Robots are Coming to take a Job near You / The Resurgence of Hate”Chris AllenAll three designs are dramatic & demand the reader pick up these papers. You maintain your style from cover to cover, yet each is distinct & strongly illustrates your cover story. You make me want to pick up your paper.
Silicon Valley Business Journal2ndFront Page Layout & Design“Silicon Valley Business Journal cover designs: Amazon, Google, Yuan”Doug MagillIt can be very difficult to illustrate business stories, but you sure found ways! I like the dominant image & story followed by the refers at the bottom. Totally works.
Sacramento Business Journal3rdFront Page Layout & Design“SBJ Front Page Layout—Healthiest Employers”Jacqueline PrinsIt is hard to illustrate many business stories. I give you lots of credit for finding a way to do it!
The Sonoma Index-TribuneFinalistFront Page Layout & Design“The Week Sonoma Burned”StaffThe simple, straightforward design matches the solemnity of the news. Good use of dramatic photos.
Ledger DispatchFinalistFront Page Layout & Design“Water, Frogs & Bubbles — Oh My!”Jack Mitchell, Caitlyn Schaap, Rachel Norris, Sarah TullusI like the impact of the designs. I really like the look of the High Water story, but I wouldn't have started the little bit of story on the cover. I would have referred to the story inside.
Palo Alto Weekly1stFront Page Layout & Design“Front Page layouts”Paul Llewellyn, Shannon Corey, Doug YoungExcellent use of words that not only tell the story, but work well with the very creative & well-executed graphics. Easily the best of the bunch.
The Almanac2ndFront Page Layout & Design“Front Page layouts”Paul Llewellyn, Rosanna Kuruppu, Doug YoungWell-conceived & executed covers. Good mix of words & art. Some nice touches on each without overdoing it.
Atascadero News3rdFront Page Layout & Design“Atascadero News Front Pages”StaffFun mix of news & local community events, far better executed than most papers in this category. Looks like an easy paper for the community to enjoy.
Chico News & ReviewFinalistFront Page Layout & Design“CN&R cover design”Tina FlynnCreative cover ideas, well-executed throughout. Good mix of fun, newsy & "weird."
North Coast JournalFinalistFront Page Layout & Design“NCJ Covers”Holly Harvey, Lynn Leishman, Jonathan WebsterCreative covers, good use of color, nice job capturing the local news & vibe.
Imperial Valley Press1stFront Page Layout & Design“Imperial Valley Press front page designs”StaffImpressive creativity & good use of color. Especially unique sports front page with clever use of fold.
Times-Standard2ndFront Page Layout & Design“Front page design”StaffCreative graphics that actually serve an informative purpose. Unfortunately the submissions were too low-res to read type, making it more difficult to read.
The Record3rdFront Page Layout & Design“No. 20 Front page layout & design 117, 9-217, 217”Staff
Chico Enterprise-RecordFinalistFront Page Layout & Design“Chico Enterprise-Record fronts”Staff
Napa Valley RegisterFinalistFront Page Layout & Design“Napa Valley Register A1”Staff
San Francisco Chronicle1stFront Page Layout & Design“SF Chronicle's front page design”StaffPages are crafted with great skill & care. Deft headline writing & savvy use of photos & graphics combine for covers both powerful & nuanced.
The Mercury News2ndFront Page Layout & Design“The Mercury News / front page layout & design”Chris Gotsill, Mike Mayer, Scott SwyresWonderful use of photos & graphics distinguish these pages, which artfully capture an array of news & features.
The Press Democrat3rdFront Page Layout & Design“Press Democrat front pages from Oct. 10, 11 & 8, 2017”Jonathan Byrd, Emmanuel LopezWith skillful use of art & language, the Press Democrat reflected the horror of catastrophe.
The Fresno BeeFinalistFront Page Layout & Design“Front Page Layout & Design: Feb. 12, May 23 & Aug. 22, 2017”Michael YparreaThe Fresno Bee's covers are thoughtfully planned & executed, with excellent use of art & graphics.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistFront Page Layout & Design“L.A. Times Front Page Layouts: Jan. 22, Oct. 3, Oct. 7”
Black Voice News1stIllustration“Celebrating Barack Hussein Obama-Nikkolas”Nikkolas Smith
Santa Barbara Independent2ndIllustration“Denzel Washington”Ben Ciccati
Acton-Agua Dulce News3rdIllustration“Le Chene Valentine Murder Mystery Dinner Show”Gayle Joyce, John Joyce, Juliann Mullady
Sacramento News & ReviewFinalistIllustration“Reading the resistance”Sarah Hansel
Los Angeles Times1stIllustration“Sunday Calendar: The Year in Review”Adam SimpsonI love the idea here, that it was run on two section fronts. The lack of color actually increases interest & allows the reader to look at each frame, which tells it's own story. Intricate, delicate & worthy of a reader's attention.
Los Angeles Times2ndIllustration“Pets”Cameron CottrellSuch a great sense of place in this one. What an L.A. scene! Each pet owner has a personality.
San Francisco Chronicle3rdIllustration“The future of money”Steven BoyleJust so well conceived. The color of money... the binary background... the illustrator's representation of Bitcoin. Nicely done.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistIllustration“World Series Preview”Robert CarterThis is a piece of art. It's "simpleness" is deceiving. An artist's hand is at work.
The Fresno BeeFinalistIllustration“Gray Wave can’t sustain Fresno State sports by itself much longer”SW Parra
Sonoma West Times & News1stIn-Depth Reporting“Outdoors in paradise”Bleys Rose, Amie Windsor, Frank Robertson, Rollie AtkinsonComprehensive package with great diversity of sources & viewpoints, but little to no repetition. Signs of great planning & coordination.
The Ark2ndIn-Depth Reporting“'Slow-moving emergency'; Belvedere faces sea-rise issues head-on”Gretchen Lang, Matthew HoseGood research, well sourced locally.
Half Moon Bay Review3rdIn-Depth Reporting“Unbudgeted, not unspent”Kaitlyn BartleyGreat job of getting this story & explaining the issue to readers.
Lincoln News MessengerFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Criminal controversy with possible relocation of sexual predator”Carol FeinemanThe series got better incrementally.
The RecorderFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“The GC Who Blew the Whistle”Ross ToddA compelling yarn.
Sacramento Business Journal1stIn-Depth Reporting“Behind the Deal: Sacramento's Long Sales Pitch to Centene”Scott RoddExcellent coverage of an important business story that also provided nuance & context about the deal & the company. (And I loved the back story of the mayor's office's shenanigans.)
The Davis Enterprise2ndIn-Depth Reporting“Affordable housing series”Felicia AlvarezThorough examination of a pressing topic. These stories did a great job illuminating the various facets of a complicated issue.
Mountain Democrat3rdIn-Depth Reporting“Father of year-old stabbing victim recounts finding girl & his slain mom”Pat LakeyCompelling coverage that helps shed light on a terrible crime.
San Marino TribuneFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Bullying In Schools - A Special Report”Mitch Lehman
The Davis EnterpriseFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Foster Care series”Anne Ternus-Bellamy
North Coast Journal1stIn-Depth Reporting“David Marcus”StaffBreadth of undertaking probably makes this one the clear winner.
The Almanac2ndIn-Depth Reporting“Cause for alarm? | Firefighters deserve high pay, chief says | Fire district gets big slice of property taxes | Fire district considers revenue-raising measures”Barbara Wood
Santa Maria Sun3rdIn-Depth Reporting“Protect the plain: The Carrizo Plain National Monument is under review by the federal government”Camillia Lanham
The Valley VoiceFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Tulare Local Healthcare District & management coverage”Tony Maldonado, Dave Adalian
Mountain View VoiceFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Animal clinic facing new complaints”Mark Noack
Sacramento News & Review1stIn-Depth Reporting“Joseph Mann coverage”Raheem HosseiniOne of the more responsible & thorough looks at the concerns around excessive force that I've ever read; a balanced consideration of the issue gleaned from what had to have been countless hours of interviews & research, which were well-demonstrated.
Palo Alto Weekly2ndIn-Depth Reporting“Housing for the homeless”Jocelyn Dong, Veronica WeberHomelessness affects every community, & it was interesting the way this report contrasted the challenges that a relatively affluent community faces in dealing with these, humanizing the concerns surrounding the issue by really showing the personal impacts.
New Times3rdIn-Depth Reporting“Balancing Act”Camillia LanhamThe way the reporter was able to capture & share moments left me very interested in a story that I would have otherwise found tough to follow. The precision & care with the topic drew me in to the point where I felt much more knowledgeable about the topic after having read this report. One part that stood out was when the author described the subject of her lede & then went back & portrayed him at a commission meeting.
Palo Alto WeeklyFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Sexual misconduct in Palo Alto schools”Elena Kadvany, Bill Johnson These issues are extremely difficult to report on & the reporter still did a fantastic job of getting information. I can appreciate the obstacles & difficulty in getting people to discuss the issues surrounding this topic & still felt as though I came away very informed on this story.
Simi Valley AcornFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Free at last”Melissa SimonThe topic & reporter's following of this story showed an award-winning effort that was well-executed. There was a really good examination of both sides, & the reporter objectively told the story without resorting to hyperbole.
Santa Maria Times1stIn-Depth Reporting“Green Rush in the 805?”Staff
Chico Enterprise-Record2ndIn-Depth Reporting“Oroville spillway collapse”Dan Reidel, Risa Johnson, Heather Hacking
Appeal-Democrat3rdIn-Depth Reporting“Cascade Fire”Staff
Appeal-DemocratFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Close Call”Staff
Record SearchlightFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Why some use drugs & steal: How addiction works”Joseph Szydlowski, Jenny Espino
The Desert Sun1stIn-Depth Reporting“Rewiring the west: California power grid expansion plans”Sammy Roth, Jay Calderon, Robert HopwoodExcellent overall presentation with photos & graphics, strong writing made long & complex story move fairly briskly.
Daily Pilot2ndIn-Depth Reporting“‘Problem Home,’ Chapter 1: How a little house in Costa Mesa triggered a 20-year war between its owner & the city”Bradley Zint
The Desert Sun3rdIn-Depth Reporting“Addicted & homeless in Palm Springs”Barrett Newkirk, Zoe Meyers
The SunFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“San Bernardino terror attack victims & PTSD”Suzanne Hurt
The TribuneFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“No way woman died from LSD overdose at local music fest, experts say — ‘It’s not possible’”Monica Vaughan, Matt Fountain, Andrew Sheeler, Stephanie Finucane
The Fresno Bee1stIn-Depth Reporting“Human Trafficking”Rory AppletonFantastic work. I can't imagine a more important topic. In some investigative packages, the prose gets bogged down with too many numbers & too much information from official sources or spokespeople, but not here. The copy is easy to digest & it never loses the reader's interest. The reporter has a great ear for quotes. The victim stories contain a lot of depth & answer the big question a lot of people have, which is, how do girls & women get pulled into this?
The Fresno Bee2ndIn-Depth Reporting“Too Young”Mackenzie MaysThis is a relevant topic that obviously engaged the community. The reporter does a great job pulling out & executing all the sidebar ideas. The copy is engaging & easy to read. The reporter takes on touchy subjects, such as why Hispanics have higher rates of teen pregnancy. The reporter uses a broad range of many sources & does a great job getting information from young people who might be reluctant to talk. This could be a first-place winner if not for the outstanding competition.
The Press Democrat3rdIn-Depth Reporting“Crisis Care”Martin EspinozaThe reporter does a good job of tackling a complex issue & providing context with numbers & historical information. The family sidebar was riveting. The ledes draw in the reader. A lot of good reporting was done here.
The Sacramento BeeFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Why we still kill cougars”Ryan Sabalow, Phillip ReeseThe anecdote to lede the story is good, with a lot of detail, & pulls the reader in. The reporting is good & utilizes a lot of sources.
The San Francisco ExaminerFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Fallout from San Francisco's emergency response to heat wave & power outage”Ryan Sabalow, Phillip Reese
San Francisco Chronicle1stIn-Depth Reporting“A Life on the Line”Vivian HoThis package is absolutely amazing. I felt I was “watching” more of a documentary rather than an article; the author presents such vividness within her writing & details provided.
Los Angeles Times2ndIn-Depth Reporting“L.A.'s Great Shelter Shortage”Doug SmithI really enjoyed this series as it pulled on my heartstrings a bit; homelessness is such a significant issue in this country & this series presents the harsh, devastating truths about it in one of America's largest cities. I appreciate the journalist providing an article about the current issues, what locals/entrepreneurs/programs are doing about it, & especially the Q&A I think it deciphers a lot of people's questions & understandings.
Los Angeles Times3rdIn-Depth Reporting“LAPD Cadets”Kate Mather, James Queally, Richard Winton, Cindy ChangThis series is jaw-dropping good; it feels like I just consumed a bunch of secret information I wasn't supposed to know. Well, it's not quite “secret” as it's published, but the presentation of information & sources made me feel that way. I appreciate the break out of topics in each article — from recent incidents, to history about the program, & to problems the program had in the past. I hope this article has changed or at least made some kind of impact when it comes to these scandalous cadets.
The San Diego Union-TribuneFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Border reporting”Kristina Davis, Sandra Dibble, John WilkensThis series provided a behind-the-scenes look of the happenings beyond the border that isn't discussed enough. Not only is it news but it's a captivating, educational read supporting vivid storytelling through hard facts.
The Mercury NewsFinalistIn-Depth Reporting“Wine Country fire: Could faulty PG&E equipment be to blame?”Matthias Gafni and Paul Rogers
North Coast Journal1stInformational Graphic“Myclobutanil”Holly Harvey
Ledger Dispatch2ndInformational Graphic“By The Numbers”Jack Mitchell, Caitlyn Schaap
North Coast Journal3rdInformational Graphic“BHO”Holly Harvey
Ledger DispatchFinalistInformational Graphic“New Hire — By The Numbers”Jack Mitchell, Caityln Schaap
Ledger DispatchFinalistInformational Graphic“Charted Photos”Caityln Schaap
Los Angeles Times1stInformational Graphic“Wine Country Fires”StaffReally impressive work that gives readers perspective on the scope of the damage. Great use of satellite imagery.
Chico Enterprise-Record2ndInformational Graphic“Oroville spillway collapse”Esmeralda RamirezTells the story better than any narrative could. Good combination of photos & graphics.
Los Angeles Times3rdInformational Graphic“Freeway Pollution”Jon SchleussThe interactive feature allowing readers to plug in their own address is invaluable.
The Orange County RegisterFinalistInformational Graphic“Shark Tech”Jeff GoertzenA fascinating story better told with graphics than text. Wonderful job weaving the map into the right side of the graphic.
San Francisco ChronicleFinalistInformational Graphic“How reliever usage, bullpen results have changed since 1960”Todd Trumbull, Michael MassaCaptures trends in relief pitching & does a good job of drawing the reader in.
Silicon Valley Business Journal1stInside Page Layout & Design“Franchises on the Menu”Doug Magill
Ledger Dispatch2ndInside Page Layout & Design“Start on Steiner”Jack Mitchell, Sarah Tullus
Silicon Valley Business Journal3rdInside Page Layout & Design“Cybersecurity tech heats up”Doug Magill
San Marino TribuneFinalistInside Page Layout & Design“Valentine's Day Gift Guide”Nancy Lem
Sacramento Business JournalFinalistInside Page Layout & Design“SBJ Inside Page Layout & Design”Jacqueline Prins
Chico News & Review1stInside Page Layout & Design“CN&R Resist”Tina Flynn, Sandy Peters
Santa Barbara Independent2ndInside Page Layout & Design“The Forever Season”Caitlin Fitch, Ben Ciccati
Palo Alto Weekly3rdInside Page Layout & Design“Inside Page layouts”Diane Haas, Doug Young
The AlmanacFinalistInside Page Layout & Design“Inside Page layouts”Doug Young
San Francisco Business TimesFinalistInside Page Layout & Design“Mission Bay's hot corner”"Mitch Green
Napa Valley Register1stInside Page Layout & Design“Home & Garden”Staff
Chico Enterprise-Record2ndInside Page Layout & Design“Chico Heat page”Esmeralda Ramirez
The Record3rdInside Page Layout & Design“No. 21 Inside page layout & design 9-217”Staff
Napa Valley RegisterFinalistInside Page Layout & Design“Food section”Staff
Los Angeles Times1stInside Page Layout & Design“The Oscars”StaffDefinitive. Worthy of a local story that everyone around the world knew. Big, bold use of photos.
San Francisco Chronicle2ndInside Page Layout & Design“Wine Country Fire coverage”StaffSpectacular photography and great throughout the section as a whole.
Los Angeles Times3rdInside Page Layout & Design“World Series Preview”Kelli Sullivan, Tim Hubbard, Jason ClarkI’ve seen a lot of baseball special sections, but none as good as this. Very clean layout, beautiful portraits, great content, including the Lasorda column.
Los Angeles Daily NewsFinalistInside Page Layout & Design“Beauty & the Beast”Kay ScanlonReally nice combination of graphics and photography.
The Mercury NewsFinalistInside Page Layout & Design“Peas”StaffLove the colors and the inside teasers.
The Ark1stInvestigative Reporting“Councilmember is Tiburon's top Airbnb renter”Deirdre McCrohanExcellent reportage on a very timely topic with a great local-corruption angle. Superb.
Petaluma Argus-Courier2ndInvestigative Reporting“Animal shelter workplace under scrutiny”Matt BrownWhile I would have structured it so that the financial mismanagement was the lede, this is great reporting on a real public-policy dilemma: What do you do when the only shop in town is unsatisfactory?
Ledger Dispatch3rdInvestigative Reporting“Jackson Fined By State Water Board”Jack Mitchell, Caitlyn Schaap, Matthew HedgerWell-researched. Hopefully it will spur action.
Ledger DispatchFinalistInvestigative Reporting“TOXIC”Jack Mitchell, Caitlyn Schaap, Matthew HedgerToo information-dense & slightly at war with itself over the danger (dam collapse of contamination?) but certainly important.
The Folsom TelegraphFinalistInvestigative Reporting“Moose Lodge members demand answers”Rachel Zirin (Writer), Bill Sullivan (Photographer)I wish there had been more context about the importance of the Moose Lodge, but they're obviously up to no good & it matters a lot to the town.
Metro Silicon Valley1stInvestigative Reporting“County’s Top Taxpayer-Funded Child Care Provider Clams Up over Missing Pension Payments”Jennifer WadsworthNice series of stories exposing the wrongdoing by a taxpayer funded non-profit. Great quotes & use of public records (and one not so public record that unexpectedly became public). The story may even have helped retired employees receive their pensions that appear to have been wrongly withheld…something that may not have happened or come to light for some time without this writer’s & news organization’s persistence. Great job.
Palo Alto Weekly2ndInvestigative Reporting“The $6 million blunder”Elena KadvanyIt just shows that print journalism can still have an impact in local communities striving to keep government agencies honest & accountable to the people they serve - or potentially have them suffer the consequences if they don’t. Great job.
Chico News & Review3rdInvestigative Reporting“Hired guns”Ken SmithGreat job in using public records & in getting all sides of the story to go on the record. Lots of good quotes. It also shows that you never know where the impetus for a story might come from…in this case, the homeless population in Chico.
Metro Silicon ValleyFinalistInvestigative Reporting“Rogue Rehab”Jennifer WadsworthLots of great quotes, easy to follow, good use of public records to dig out the story. I would have liked to have seen some follow-up contact with those people & organizations who had praised the subject of the story (Franko) in written letters, such as the Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County. But this is an example of a very good writer and/or editor who knows how to organize & tell a story.
North Coast JournalFinalistInvestigative Reporting“Prelude/Swept”Linda StansberryThose who work in government agencies have learned that they need to practice better self-censorship in their email exchanges due to the fact that their correspondence may become exposed to the public through public records requests. They even take classes on how to do that. This story, however, shows that even those with the best intentions are generally more relaxed or honest in their opinions expressed through email exchanges than they are in the often “Bull Durham” type responses they give in public. Good job. My only suggestion would be to try & include a lot more quotes.
San Gabriel Valley Tribune1stInvestigative Reporting“City of Industry investigation”Jason Henry, Steve ScauzilloOutstanding investigative work. The writers did a great job of clearly explaining a complicated topic.
Visalia Times-Delta2ndInvestigative Reporting“State cites TRMC, surgeon in two deaths”James Houck , Sunrise A4232Extremely well-written & reported.
Appeal-Democrat3rdInvestigative Reporting“Marysville Police chief investigated”Rachel Rosenbaum, Jake AbbottExcellent job covering all angles of this complicated case.
Merced Sun-StarFinalistInvestigative Reporting“Violent child molester released from Merced Jail. 'It was a screw up,' sheriff says”Rob ParsonsTerrific reporting, writing.
Daily PressFinalistInvestigative Reporting“In Old Town Victorville, inmate releases threaten turnaround effort”Shea JohnsonStrong reporting, writing. Covered all angles of this interesting story very well.
The Desert Sun1stInvestigative Reporting“Imperial Irrigation District investigation”Sammy RothA very thorough & exhaustive piece of investigative reporting. The results of this report could have statewide impact if this contractor is doing this in other communities.
The Desert Sun2ndInvestigative Reporting“Path of a pedophile”Brett KelmanThis investigative piece, of course, is timely, & it brings to light change in our society about this horrible crime. This is a commendable job on an issue needing as much attention we as reporters an give it.
Press-Telegram3rdInvestigative Reporting“Years of neglect puts Queen Mary's future at risk”Courtney TompkinsThis story brought to light the dark underworld of the Queen Mary. Even the ghost tours will be scarier. What incredible reporting.
The Desert SunFinalistInvestigative Reporting“Nestle spring water investigation”Ian JamesTerrific reporting on the convoluted issue of water rights.
Ventura County StarFinalistInvestigative Reporting“Hospitals sent untreated medical waste to landfill, records show”Tom KiskenGreat job of digging up the background on this messy subject.
The Fresno Bee1stInvestigative Reporting“Human Trafficking series”Rory Appleton
The Sacramento Bee2ndInvestigative Reporting“Death at Goodwill”Marjie Lundstrom
The Sacramento Bee3rdInvestigative Reporting“Sexual harassment in California politics”Taryn Luna, Alexei Koseff
The Fresno BeeFinalistInvestigative Reporting“Deposition tells of Ashjian's $300,000 lawsuit, LGBT comments & 'Don Corleone'”Mackenzie Mays
The Fresno BeeFinalistInvestigative Reporting“Evidence from hundreds of rape survivors' bodies sat in a Fresno police freezer for years”Rory Appleton
The Orange County Register1stInvestigative Reporting“Rehab Riviera: An investigation into the abuses of Southern California's drug rehab industry”StaffThe reporting by the Orange County Register & Southern California News Group is thorough & riveting. Drug abuse is a polarizing subject, & when drug centers that are supposed to help addicts instead exploit loopholes for money, it puts lives at risk. The OCR team did an excellent job using data, records & interviews in bringing light to this matter. Especially impressive is the online landing page that links the web together & the use of video & mapping of the various centers.
San Francisco Chronicle2ndInvestigative Reporting“Fostering Failure”Karen de Sá, Cynthia Dizikes, Joaquin Palomino, Leah MillisDoes an excellent job of exposing a chronic pattern that appears at times to do more harm to some of California's most vulnerable citizens.
Los Angeles Times3rdInvestigative Reporting“The Secret Life of a USC Dean”StaffStrong interviews, thorough & dogged research, digging deeper in what appears to be a systemic issue that prompted investigations & further reporting. A great piece worthy of awards.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistInvestigative Reporting“Mexico's Housing Debacle: A Failed Vision”Richard MarosiMarosi’s Mexico’s Housing Debacle series goes above & beyond in detailing the chronic deterioration & decay of Mexico’s affordable housing projects. He sheds light on the homeowners who are stuck with no way out, & the alleged corruption involved in the whole affair.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistInvestigative Reporting“A Secret List of Deputy Misconduct”Maya Lau, Ben Poston, Corina KnollThe LA Times series on the LACSO’s Brady report does a great job of chronicling the abuses of the deputies that are on the list. The article also goes into detail the challenges faced in attempting to impose reforms within the sheriff’s office when LA Sheriff McDonnell attempted to release the list to the DA’s office. Use of source documents, interviews & attempts to get comments from those involved go hand in hand with use of infographics & data reporting. Particularly important was the story on the various deputies relating to their misconduct. The third part shows the impact this type of investigative reporting by detailing information that high-level officials — namely McDonnell himself — did not know about prior to publication.
The Ark1stLand-Use Reporting“Strawberry seminary development”Emily Lavin
The Ark2ndLand-Use Reporting“Developing the Tiburon Ridge”Deirdre McCrohan
American Canyon Eagle3rdLand-Use Reporting“Affordable housing project finally gets going”Noel Brinkerhoff
Claremont CourierFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Hillside development/Village West developer”Matthew Bramlett (writer), Steven Felschundneff, Peter Weinberger (photographers)
South Pasadena ReviewFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Tenants to Speak About Poor Conditions, Dramatic Rent Increases at Next City Council Meeting AND Tenants at 265 Monterey Rd. Receive Final Offer from Landlords in Mediation”Harry Yadav
Silicon Valley Business Journal1stLand-Use Reporting“Silicon Valley's last orchards”Janice BittersEverything was outstanding, from the writing to the photos to the graphics. It was a very well-thought-out presentation.
Silicon Valley Business Journal2ndLand-Use Reporting“The Wild West of Weed in Silicon Valley”Lauren HeplerGreat graphics, photos, engaging copy. This topic has been covered by many publications but it was fresh in this edition.
Sacramento Business Journal3rdLand-Use Reporting“Saving Tahoe”Mark AndersonThe graphics & photos were nice. The copy was easy to read.
Petaluma Argus-CourierFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Tight housing market tightens”Hannah BeausangGood reporting. I would have liked to see bigger photos to break up the large amount of copy.
Ledger DispatchFinalistLand-Use Reporting“TOXIC”Jack Mitchell, Caitlyn Schaap, Matthew HedgerGood report but it needed to be a little snappier.
San Francisco Business Times1stLand-Use Reporting“An empire in decline”Blanca TorresFull package: Excellent graphics, well-researched, thoroughly reported & writing that reflects reporter's firm grasp of the story.
San Francisco Business Times2ndLand-Use Reporting“San Francisco's new '49ers'”Roland LiExcellent explanatory reporting, simplified to shed light on complex issue.
Mountain View Voice3rdLand-Use Reporting“North Bayshore housing would flood local schools”Kevin Forestieri, Andrea GemmetSolid deep-dive into an important local issue, with diligent follow-ups.
San Francisco Business TimesFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Housing's tale of two cities”Blanca TorresA well-written & researched piece with solid use of sources.
La Jolla LightFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Roadblock to abandoned La Jolla cottages' restoration could be cleared next year”Corey LevitanStrong writing & research. Contains an element of quirkiness that helped it stand out.
Santa Barbara Independent1stLand-Use Reporting“Housing in Santa Barbara”Tyler HaydenThis is my favorite because the writer was able to capture the mood & emotion without showing bias.
New Times2ndLand-Use Reporting“Affordability Gap”Camillia LanhamThis is my second favorite because of the intelligent, well-researched, informative writing.
Palo Alto Weekly3rdLand-Use Reporting“Stanford's big plans”Gennady SheynerVery well-written. Interesting. Community interest galore.
Sacramento News & ReviewFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Why save the Delta? Unknown river towns fear untold devastation from Jerry Brown’s twin tunnels project”Scott Thomas AndersonExtremely well-written & interesting.
SF WeeklyFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Green-Light District”Peter KaneWell researched. Excellent writing.
Santa Monica Daily Press1stLand-Use Reporting“Asbestos apartments”Kate CagleGreat reporting overall & excellent follow-ups. Series has the potential to have a real impact on this community. Good sources on both sides.
Record Searchlight2ndLand-Use Reporting“Large expanse of forest still closed 5 years after fire”Damon ArthurThis reporter did what we should all do sometimes: look back long after a calamity & ask "why hasn't anything changed?" Great writing & good video element.
Napa Valley Register3rdLand-Use Reporting“Napa asks, How many hotel rooms are enough?”Howard YuneWell-reported business story that really explored every angle of the growing hospitality industry in Napa. Good writing, sourcing & data.
Santa Monica Daily PressFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Overlooked in 88 square feet, Santa Monica senior barely hangs on to home”Kate CagleThe reporter tells a deeply personal & affecting story of what happens to lower income people who are being forced out of the housing game.
Monterey HeraldFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Back to the wild”James HerreraInteresting story about a golf course given back to nature. Great visual & headlines.
The Tribune1stLand-Use Reporting“Marijuana boom in jeopardy as SLO County considers ban in California Valley”Monica Vaughan, Joe JohnstonThis series really hit all the marks. It was comprehensive yet readable, very well organized & presented. This was a significant public service, helping readers understand all sides of this issue.
Marin Independent Journal2ndLand-Use Reporting“Tam Ridge Apartments”Adrian RodriguezVery thoroughly reported. A reader with no background knowledge of this controversial issue was able to grasp the essential parts of the issue quickly. The stories were fact-filled & well-written.
Santa Cruz Sentinel3rdLand-Use Reporting“Santa Cruz seeks public bathroom solutions while its homeless population crosses its legs”Jessica YorkGood job taking on what must be a vexatious issue for everyone in downtown Santa Cruz. Well told from several directions. It would have been a good idea to reach out to other municipalities to see what solutions others have come up with in similar situations.
The Desert SunFinalistLand-Use Reporting“RDA Lands Still in Limbo”Jesse Marx, Corinne Kennedy, Anna Rumer, Sherry BarkasLots of information here, & lots of reporting calories. Of course complexity is a given in this acronym-laden subject, & the stories were not always as accessible as they could be, but kudos for taking this project on with a big-view approach.
The RecordFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Council Infill, not sprawl”Roger Phillips
The Press Democrat1stLand-Use Reporting“Highway 12 corridor: A1 & D1 package”StaffAn excellent, well-written examination of development along a stretch of Highway 12 in Sonoma County's Valley of the Moon. The second part of the series really shines with a package of stories about residents & businesses in the area affected by the development. A clean layout & good photos complete the package.
The Fresno Bee2ndLand-Use Reporting“Fulton Street stories”Marek WarszawskiAn interesting approach to a series about downtown redevelopment in Fresno using a mix of commentary with news. The short (approximately to minute) video clips add to the stories, as do the photos. The series was entered only as links to the online package. A look at how the package was handled in print would have been useful.
The Fresno Bee3rdLand-Use Reporting“Booze flows freely in Fresno, but where you find it makes a difference”Tim Sheehan
The Fresno BeeFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Historic brick home avoids wrecking ball, & may see new life as a restaurant”Bethany Clough
Los Angeles Times1stLand-Use Reporting“Freeway Pollution”Tony Barboza, Jon Schleuss, David ZahniserThe L.A. Times' investigation of the connection between residential development & personal health helps the reader understand the real & very serious consequences of land-use planning. The series clearly spotlights the conflicts in the city's policies & pressures on transportation, housing, health & the environment, & importantly shows the individuals who are adversely affected. It was a crusading story that stands up for so many individuals who thought they'd purchased homes that are affordable & safe, who later suffer or are put at risk due to its location. The stories squarely point out how government officials & developers have sacrificed public health in the name of economic growth, as well as explain the complexity in protecting homeowners while also accommodating the city's inevitable need for housing.
Los Angeles Times2ndLand-Use Reporting“California's Housing Crisis”Liam DillonThe lack of affordable housing in urban areas has become a common around the country as the economy has bounced back. But gentrification that comes from the prosperity of certain cities has had a well documented cost: housing for middle- & low-income residents has evaporated. The series by the Los Angeles Times explains that the damage was foreseeable & preventable — if cities would have simply followed their own plans. The Times reports about the influence of wealthy residents who curbed reasonable housing projects & the lack of enforcement for government planning should draw the ire of Californians now grappling with a crisis, & be used by communities across America who may end up in the same spot.
San Francisco Chronicle3rdLand-Use Reporting“Transbay Transit Center”John KingExcellent use of graphics & interactive material. Interesting topic that gets overlooked by many. Good to see the Times pay attention.
The Mercury NewsFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Google village”George Avalos, Ethan BaronPrecise and concise. Doesn’t get long-winded. Good approach in today’s world of newspaper writing.
The Orange County RegisterFinalistLand-Use Reporting“Eviction trends in Southern California”Jeff CollinsGood demonstration of the challenges facing people from all walks of life. Would be a complete series if one of the stories had focused more on the landlord side of the issue.
The Trinity Journal1stNews Photo“Helena fire”Wayne Agner
The Intermountain News2ndNews Photo“California Highway Patrol officer Chris Ogden handcuffs & detains motorist Al Tari”Craig Harrington
Lompoc Record3rdNews Photo“Retardant drop from afar”Len Wood
Calistoga TribuneFinalistNews Photo“Nighttime harvest”Richard Wood, Kim Beltran
The Sonoma Index-Tribune1stNews Photo“Rising from the Ashes”Robbi PengellyVery compelling photo as homeowner surveys the scene of the devastation left in the wake of wildfire. Noting in the photo caption that this was the site of her home for 53 years makes it even more moving.
Merced County Times2ndNews Photo“Wildfire Darkens Sky, But Sparks Hope, Goodwill”John MillerGreat use of light with the sun peeking through the smoke. This photo captures the scope of the blaze ripping up the hillside with a artistic quality. Well done.
The Folsom Telegraph3rdNews Photo“Flirting with flames of disaster”Bill SullivanFirefighters face to face with flames is always a compelling shot. This particular photo captures just how up close & personal these guys got with this home fire.
Ledger DispatchFinalistNews Photo“Now just ashes”Bill LavallieWithout a person in the photo, & just small fire still burning, the light filtering through he smoke in heavenly fashion makes for a great photo.
Tracy Press1stNews Photo“Moment of mourning”Glenn MooreNice composition, moment & faces. I like that you can see faces & emotion. Stood out from other entries.
Lamorinda Weekly2ndNews Photo“Orinda Sinkhole Fix to Take Weeks”Tod FiernerNice images showing the collapse with the guy for size. Looking at it it feels like this guy is dangerously close. Good moment.
The Almanac3rdNews Photo“Eclipse”Natalia NazarovaDecent composition & subject matter.
San Francisco Business TimesFinalistNews Photo“Dub Nation celebrates the Warriors championship win”Todd JohnsonVisual impact got this image to where it is. I wish there was more emotion on Durant's face.
Thousand Oaks Acorn1stNews Photo“Fallen brother”Michael CoonsThis is a sad, but amazing, moment with excellent photo composition. The white glove on the casket, the faded men & women in uniform in the depth of field. Outstanding photo & the best in this category.
Santa Barbara Independent2ndNews Photo“Rainy Friday”Paul WellmanThe sheer size of the trunk of the tree, the smashes pick up truck. the look of wonderment of the fire fighter. Excellent overall image.
Santa Barbara Independent3rdNews Photo“Women's March”Paul WellmanLove the composition with duality of focus — on the sheer size of the crowd & on the one featured protestor.
Grunion GazetteFinalistNews Photo“Powerful Memories”Geronimo QuitorianoStory-telling image.
Daily Press1stNews Photo“Trapped in ravine, injured horse hoist-rescued near Bowen Ranch”James QuiggStunning image that grabbed my eye immediately. Such an unusual occurrence, but it reads so clearly. I especially love the movement & sense of the horse's weight.
Napa Valley Register2ndNews Photo“Trapped Man at Baskin-Robbins”JL SousaThis is a memorable image that leaves me wanting to know what the heck is going on here! I'm not sure if it was ok to laugh, but I definitely did. It would have been a first place contender if the focus was sharper.
The Reporter3rdNews Photo“A Family's Grief”Joel RosenbaumThis photo has wonderful emotion but it also technically beautiful.
Times-HeraldFinalistNews Photo“Out on a limb”Chris Riley
The Tribune1stNews Photo“Parkhill Fire watcher”Joe Johnston
The Desert Sun2ndNews Photo“Thomas fire”Richard Lui
Ventura County Star3rdNews Photo“Firefighter silhouette in front of a burning home”Chuck Kirman
Ventura County StarFinalistNews Photo“Chicken rescued from residential street ravaged by Thomas Fire”Juan Carlo
The Press Democrat1stNews Photo“Firestorm Lays Waste”Kent Porter
The Press Democrat2ndNews Photo“Shattered Lives”Beth Schlanker
The Fresno Bee3rdNews Photo“Fire destroys homes.”Eric Paul Zamora
The Bakersfield CalifornianFinalistNews Photo“Murderer mocks victim's family”Felix Adamo
Los Angeles Times1stNews Photo“Thomas Fire”Marcus YamExcellent work in what must have been a very chaotic environment.
Los Angeles Times2ndNews Photo“Scuffle at MAGA March”Irfan KhanImage captures the key moment in a heated confrontation between protesters. Great capture.
Los Angeles Times3rdNews Photo“Fleeing the Thomas Fire”Marcus YamImage really illustrates the looming threat of the fire.
San Francisco ChronicleFinalistNews Photo“Wine Country Fires”Mason Trinca
Santa Ynez Valley Star1stOnline Breaking News Coverage“Whittier Fire”Raiza Giorgi, Daniel Dreifuss, Victoria Martinez, Dave Bemis
The Trinity Journal2ndOnline Breaking News Coverage“Helena fire”Amy Gittelsohn, Sally Morris, Wayne Agner
The Business Journal3rdOnline Breaking News Coverage“Former Angels pitcher buys Fresno auto dealerships”Gabriel Dillard
Ledger DispatchFinalistOnline Breaking News Coverage“High Water — Amador County Flooding”Jack Mitchell, Caitlyn Schaap, Bill Lavallie, Sarah Spinetta
Palo Alto Weekly1stOnline Breaking News Coverage“San Francisquito Creek nears flood levels”Staff
Santa Barbara Independent2ndOnline Breaking News Coverage“Thomas Fire”Staff
The Valley Voice3rdOnline Breaking News Coverage“Tulare Regional Medical Center Temporary Shutdown”Tony Maldonado
Palo Alto WeeklyFinalistOnline Breaking News Coverage“Superintendent Max McGee resigns”Elena Kadvany
Record Searchlight1stOnline Breaking News Coverage“Rancho Tehama shooting”Staff
Record Searchlight2ndOnline Breaking News Coverage“Oroville Dam crisis”Staff
The Union3rdOnline Breaking News Coverage“Coverage of Lobo, McCourtney fires”Staff
The TribuneFinalistOnline Breaking News Coverage“Matthew Frank, the anonymous SLOStringer, died the way he lived — chasing news”Gabby Ferreira, Joe Johnston
The Press Democrat1stOnline Breaking News Coverage“October wildfires: Day 1 coverage online by The Press Democrat”Staff
San Francisco Chronicle2ndOnline Breaking News Coverage“Northern California Wildfires”Staff
Los Angeles Times3rdOnline Breaking News Coverage“Southern California Fires”Staff
Los Angeles TimesFinalistOnline Breaking News Coverage“Northern California Fires”Staff
Shasta Lake Bulletin1stOnline Photo Story/Essay“Old Antlers Bridge Demolition”Ron Harrington, Craig HarringtonGood storytelling, included participant interviews, showed difficulties, then wrapped everything up.
The Trinity Journal2ndOnline Photo Story/Essay“Helena fire destruction”Wayne Agner
Shasta Lake Bulletin3rdOnline Photo Story/Essay“Shasta Dam Water Release”Ron Harrington
Shasta Lake BulletinFinalistOnline Photo Story/Essay“Shasta Dam Drum Gates Tested”Ron Harrington
The Desert Sun1stOnline Photo Story/Essay“Katie Griffith pitching for the California King Baseball team”Richard LuiBeautiful vivid photos, well presented & a perfect complement to the article.
The Desert Sun2ndOnline Photo Story/Essay“Toxic Dust & asthma plague Salton Sea communities”Zoe MeyersA good mix of photos of the human element & the problem.
Chico Enterprise-Record3rdOnline Photo Story/Essay“Oroville spillway collapse”Bill Husa, Dan Reidel, Emily BertolinoCould have been edited down a bit for more impact.
The Desert SunFinalistOnline Photo Story/Essay“Rehabilitation of Todd Marinovich”Richard LuiVery vivid photos, just not quite as compelling as Katie Griffith.
San Francisco Chronicle1stOnline Photo Story/Essay“Wine Country Fires”San Francisco Chronicle Photo TeamThis collection of photos gave a full-depth view of the fires from the actual blaze to people returning to their homes to church services to firefighters. It painted a wholesome picture of what happened & I was eager to continue flipping through the selection to see more. All the images were high quality & the photographers behind each camera seemed to have a good sense of capturing scenes that had optimal impact on the viewer.
Los Angeles Times2ndOnline Photo Story/Essay“Fires in Southern California”StaffIncredible, I like how there were 15 photos — must’ve been difficult to select the best ones & as a viewer made me curious about which images were selected by the photographer. There was plenty of variety & the captions helped give the story layers.
Los Angeles Times3rdOnline Photo Story/Essay“Tragedy in Venezuela”Oscar CastilloThere was an incredible selection of photos that were very evocative. Given how many fires were burning in the region, I would’ve liked to have seen more images beyond the fires, firefighting & destruction, such as people returning to their homes to see what’s left.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistOnline Photo Story/Essay“Deadly Airstrike in Mosul”Marcus YamThe emotional impact was apparent through the images & appreciated the accompanying story link. I would’ve liked to have seen more photos from the hospital.
Black Voice News1stPhoto Illustration“Teacher, Student Shot to Death - What happens when domestic abuse & gun violence collide”Chris Allen
Black Voice News2ndPhoto Illustration“Let Us Following the Teachings of a King”Chris Allen
The Trinity Journal3rdPhoto Illustration“Trinity's missing”Bridget Carson
San Francisco Business TimesFinalistPhoto Illustration“Is California ready to become the nation's largest legal retail marijuana market?”Todd Johnson, Carolyn Seng, Kevin Truong
The Press Democrat1stPhoto Illustration“Children's Authors Sun, Moon, Friendship”John BurgessUsing a page from a Children's book, the designer incorporated the author & the artist in this illustration. Even though a little busy, I believe this concept works because it puts the two subjects firmly into the picture & show a collaboration using their own visual product. The designer used a post-shoot filter (posterization?) to add & blend with the book artist's style of work.
The Fresno Bee2ndPhoto Illustration“5 seconds captured this iconic image of Fresno’s history as it fell”John WalkerHow to illustrate a story on the photographic coverage on a planned landmark building? That was the problem this photographer was assigned & the use of the original negative storage envelope, original 8x10 prints, camera gear & a piece of the building was the still-shot solution. I would REALLY like to have seen a field portrait of the photographer who took the original images, since the story is about the event & how it was covered. The accompanying video was interesting & well done.
San Francisco Chronicle3rdPhoto Illustration“Stick to sports? Not this year”Tam DuongCollage generated images can be busy & confusing. The problem can be how to get so much visual information in a limited space. This image tries to get A LOT in & with so many faces & different sizes & perspectives of teams & characters it seems to be to much to get a powerful idea across. Perhaps if the designer would have limited the visual elements to maybe two central figures (Trump & Kaepernick) or somehow placed more emphasis of one player on a knee the concept would have been easier to read & understand. Or even ONLY use the saluting Trump with the cut out of knee-taking teams at the bottom, showing more of a “collaborative idea vs. President” concept. The American flag fading out towards the bottom is a good & effective choice.
Del Norte Triplicate1stPhoto Story/Essay“Summer Gone to Seed”Bryant AndersonIncredible shots. Why seeds? Why not? Visually they pull you in, begging you to explore something many of us don't often see in such detail.
Ledger Dispatch2ndPhoto Story/Essay“Faces of the Italian Picnic”Jack Mitchell, Caitlyn Schaap, Bill Lavallie, Johnny Knittel
Shasta Lake Bulletin3rdPhoto Story/Essay“Kaboom! - Old Antlers Bridge Demolition”Craig Harrington
Calistoga TribuneFinalistPhoto Story/Essay“Our Lady of Guadalupe parade”Clark Mishler, Pat Hampton
The Almanac1stPhoto Story/Essay“Silicon Valley's Hidden Lands”Michelle Le
Thousand Oaks Acorn2ndPhoto Story/Essay“The Circus Life”Michael Coons
Mountain View Voice3rdPhoto Story/Essay“City tows RVs from makeshift trailer park”Michelle Le
Camarillo AcornFinalistPhoto Story/Essay“The belles of the ball”Bobby Curtis, West Maatita
Daily Press1stPhoto Story/Essay“Tragedy through a teapot”James Quigg
The Desert Sun2ndPhoto Story/Essay“Addiction in plain sight”Zoe Meyers
Daily Pilot3rdPhoto Story/Essay“Photo Gallery: Brawl at Make America Great Again march at Bolsa Chica State Beach”Raul Roa
Times-HeraldFinalistPhoto Story/Essay“Refuge from the inferno”Chris Riley
San Francisco Chronicle1stPhoto Story/Essay“Devastation in Wine Country”San Francisco Chronicle Photo Team
The Orange County Register2ndPhoto Story/Essay“Heroin’s hold: One man’s journey through the Southern California rehab industry”Mindy Schauer
The Press Democrat3rdPhoto Story/Essay“Finding Christmas in a Fire zone”Christopher Chung, Alvin Jornada, Kent Porter, Beth Schlanker
Los Angeles TimesFinalistPhoto Story/Essay“The Rising, Hidden Toll of Airstrikes”Marcus Yam
Ledger Dispatch1stPhotojournalism“Ledger Dispatch”Jack Mitchell, Caitlyn Schaap, Sarah Tullus, Beth BarnardKudos to the Ledger Dispatch for its commitment to photography. Nearly every news page in all 3 entries included at least one photo. Together they captioned a community that looks like a lot of fun & not a bit stuffy. The Student Art Gallery — 16 photos over a page & a half was particularly impressive, not only for the photos themselves, but for the captions describing the photographer & his or her aspirations & a quote from each. All three sports sections were jam-packed with photos of local kids. The front page with Faces of the Italian Picnic included 12 photos. Yes, that's a lot in a small amount of space — & it worked nicely.
Mountain View Voice2ndPhotojournalism“Mountain View Voice, March 31, June 16 & Sept. 29”Michelle Le, Ana Sofia Amieva-Wang, Veronica WeberNice mix of staff photography & handout art. Photographer Michelle Le is everywhere in Mountain View. I particularly liked the Google construction photo. It's anything but typical & completely unexpected.
The Trinity Journal3rdPhotojournalism“July 5, Sept. 6, Sept. 27”StaffGreat impact especially on the fire photos; quality sports as well.
The Healdsburg TribuneFinalistPhotojournalism“Taking time to honor veterans”Ray HolleyGreat emotion on display in this photo; good catch.
Santa Ynez Valley StarFinalistPhotojournalism“Napa Fires”George Rose, Raiza GiorgiGreat mix of photos to tell the story of the fires. Very impactful.
San Francisco Chronicle1stPhotojournalism“San Francisco Chronicle Photojournalism”San Francisco Chronicle Photo TeamEach photo in the Chronicle adds to the story & gives more information. Leah Mills' front-page photo of the tearful deportation her parents is one of the strongest examples. The photography from this in-depth report is beautiful & nicely composed as the photos give a window into a new culture through the eyes of the exiled parents. The sheepherders photo is technically excellent with its focus on the herders' hats. The photo of the destruction of the Santa Rosa neighborhood with a single car for perspective was especially appreciated for its contrast with the near panoramas of swaths of neighborhoods that we have almost become numb to. The community & Style sections have lots of photos of real people & society folks, all presented in a classy way. The Style section, as you would hope to expect, takes risks in its bold photo presentation. The photos with wire service stories make you feel like you are just steps away from the scene. The Chronicle nicely balances effective photo presentation & story length.
The Press Democrat2ndPhotojournalism“Press Democrat editions from Oct. 10, 11 & 21, 2017”StaffFire photos set this entry apart. Every photo is different. Kudos to the Press Democrat for its well-coordinated effort to document the breadth of the fires, the dynamic editing of the photography & the well-edited captions. Nation & World pages have a good mix of words & images.
The Fresno Bee3rdPhotojournalism“Photojournalism March 6, April 19 & Oct. 19, 2017”StaffTerrific job of covering high school state championships. In a time when many are cutting back on high school sports coverage, it is refreshing to see this huge time-commitment to young athletes & their fans.
The UnionFinalistPhotojournalism“The Union - Photojournalism”Elias FunezThe Union's photography gives a strong sense of place & a window into the people who call the area home.
The Ark1stProfile Story“Up in the air”Matthew Hose
The Ark2ndProfile Story“Bouncing back from rock bottom”Matthew Hose
After Five: The North State Magazine3rdProfile Story“Joan Osborne Interview”Jim Dyar
The Intermountain NewsFinalistProfile Story“Hat Creek resident & internationally renowned  lm preservationist David Shepard dies at age 76”Jon Lewis
Claremont CourierFinalistProfile Story“David Oxtoby, Pomona College president, reflects on 14 years”Kathryn Dunn
Ledger Dispatch1stProfile Story“An Angel for Angel”Jack Mitchell
The Sonoma Index-Tribune2ndProfile Story“Things We Lost in the Fire”Kate Williams
The Sonoma Index-Tribune3rdProfile Story“Immigrant Song”Kate Williams
The Davis EnterpriseFinalistProfile Story“Piano man lifts hearts of all who pass by”Anne Ternus-Bellamy
San Marino TribuneFinalistProfile Story“Thankfully, He Still Hasn't Found That Plan B”"Mitch Lehman
Mountain View Voice1stProfile Story“The philanthropist pauper”Mark Noack, Andrea GemmetA great & unexpected story about a longtime member of the community. Well-written & hard not to love.
The Malibu Times2ndProfile Story“'King of Traffic' reigns in Malibu”Jimy Tallal, Julie Ellerton
La Jolla Light3rdProfile Story“Homeless for the Holidays: How one human being ended up on the streets of La Jolla”Corey LevitanA warm & well-crafted portrait of a member of the community, with details the reader wasn't expecting.
Pleasanton WeeklyFinalistProfile Story“An American classic: Pleasanton man behind SF’s La Taqueria takes home coveted James Beard Award”Julia (Reis) Brown
Pasadena OutlookFinalistProfile Story“Little Rock 9 Alumnus Reflects 60 Years Later”Camila Castellanos
SF Weekly1stProfile Story“ORFN: A Life Under Shadows”Stephen Jackson
Good Times2ndProfile Story“Maestro on a Mission”Steve Palopoli
Sacramento News & Review3rdProfile Story“A death in Syria: Michael Israel’s quest for peace”Scott Thomas Anderson
The AcornFinalistProfile Story“Gold Rush”Jonathan Andrade, Eliav Appelbaum
New TimesFinalistProfile Story“Supporting Dreams”Karen Garcia
The Signal1stProfile Story“'Mama Betty’ shares mobile ministry with those visiting Pitchess Detention Center”Christina CoxSuch an amazing story of a woman who saw human suffering & did something about it! A model of kindness & compassion!
Record Searchlight2ndProfile Story“Before going away to prison, a man organizes his life”Nathan SolisWhat an amazing topic... how many of us will ever know what that feels like - to know we will go to prison the next day. Very creative & compelling topic.
Napa Valley Register3rdProfile Story“L. Pierce Carson, an institution in the Napa Valley, dies at 76”Sasha PaulsenWhile this is essentially a very embellished obituary, it is also very well written & truly paints a colorful picture of this man. I feel I know him a little, even though we've never met. What a life - to have been loved & appreciated by so many!
Napa Valley RegisterFinalistProfile Story“Family tragedy has rocked the Napa Valley sports community”Marty JamesWhat a heartbreaking story. A man who spent nearly a lifetime helping & encouraging youth, having it all end in a flash. What a loss to the community. You really captured the community's loss in this story.
Record SearchlightFinalistProfile Story“Cottonwood barrel racer hits the big time”Patrick CarrVery interesting & engaging story of a barrel-racing family & all they go through for their sport. Also, a relatively unusual topic. Well done!
The Desert Sun1stProfile Story“Selfless Rescue”Brett KelmanThis article is well-written & compelling & in-depth.
The Desert Sun2ndProfile Story“Rehabilitation of Todd Marinovich”Shad PowersTerrific profile.
The Tribune3rdProfile Story“Judge’s career spanned Rex Krebs, Kristin Smart & the ‘most heinous crimes imaginable’”Matt FountainGreat work because both a strong profile & an in depth look at his career.
Ventura County StarFinalistProfile Story“Kathy Long finishes career on top after tough childhood”Kathleen WilsonNice work.
Daily BreezeFinalistProfile Story“Mystery of beloved homeless man endures after his death”Sandy MazzaNice work.
The Press Democrat1stProfile Story“Remembering Who We Lost”StaffA great tribute to a community.
The Bakersfield Californian2ndProfile Story“Hope through hoops; How Braxton Huggins went from east Bakersfield to budding college star”Trevor HornA great story of one person's struggles & their motivation.
The Fresno Bee3rdProfile Story“At 14, she was told to hide her baby bump & switch schools. Her shaming wasn’t unique”Mackenzie MaysA great topic that needs more coverage.
The Fresno BeeFinalistProfile Story“She was a hospital worker. He sold her for sex before, during & after her shifts”Rory AppletonThis story was very real & that it left me wanting to help.
The Modesto BeeFinalistProfile Story“Polo-wearing intellectual, or racist bigot? A look at Nathan Damigo of Oakdale”Garth StapleyAn interesting take on a profile.
The Mercury News1stProfile Story“Jim Plunkett's painful journey”Elliott Almond
The Orange County Register2ndProfile Story“Homecoming queen dream comes true for Riley McCoy, the girl who can't go out in the sun”Keith Sharon
The Mercury News3rdProfile Story“Following Iranian immigrant Omid Kordestani's in building Google's business,”Queenie Wong, Leia Parker
Los Angeles TimesFinalistProfile Story“Mob Boss”Cindy Chang
The Orange County RegisterFinalistProfile Story“The Ballfather: LaVar Ball & his 3 sons intend to change basketball forever”Ryan Kartje
The Sonoma Index-Tribune1stPublic Service Journalism“Coverage of the Sonoma Valley fires”StaffHands down the best of the entries. The staff of the Index-Tribune took their responsibility & their commitment to the community seriously & helped walk their neighbors through the tragedy with a multi-layered approach that provided useful information but also chronicled the real human toll taken by the fires with empathy. And then they followed up with multiple stories of the aftermath. Plus, they had the presence of mind to allow readers to submit their own photos, to add an interactive approach. If your readers didn't know you cared about them before this, they know now.
Ledger Dispatch2ndPublic Service Journalism“Publishers Pig Project”Jack MitchellThe essence of journalism is speaking for & helping those who can't help themselves. The Ledger Dispatch got involved & helped out a young woman who was in dire circumstances. It rallied the community behind an effort to help this young woman & succeeded. That's terrific community journalism.
Winters Express3rdPublic Service Journalism“Project Playground”Debra DeAngeloThoroughly documented a community effort to rebuild a needed community touch point.
Santa Ynez Valley StarFinalistPublic Service Journalism“SYV Aquatics”Raiza Giorgi
Rosamond NewsFinalistPublic Service Journalism“Kern supervisors ban marijuana: Money's not the issue — health is”JOHN JOYCE, GAYLE JOYCE, Michael Crabtree
Mountain View Voice1stPublic Service Journalism“Digital math program's flaws hidden from school board, community”Kevin Forestieri, Andrea Gemmet, Renee BattiI applaud Kevin Forestieri & his colleagues for their tenacity & attention to detail in pursuing this story. Mr. Forestieri presents his findings in a clear, engaging way that had me looking forward to each subsequent story. That's a tough feat to accomplish when writing about school district finances. Everyone in the Mountain View Whisman School District — taxpayers, teachers, students & families — benefits from Mr. Forestieri uncovering the convoluted disaster that was the Teach to One digital math program.
Santa Maria Sun2ndPublic Service Journalism“No free rides: Detainees released late at night from Santa Barbara County Jail don't get a ride home anymore, including those from North County”Kasey BubnashRookie reporter Kasey Bubnash knocks it out of the park. She sheds light on an issue that the county overlooked & that readers otherwise may not have been aware of. Her thorough, compassionate reporting led to real results when the jail reinstated its late-night transportation program.
The Valley Voice3rdPublic Service Journalism“Tulare Local Healthcare District & management coverage”Tony Maldonado, Dave AdalianGreat use of digital embed technology to make source materials available directly to readers. This was an extravaganza of reporting for hard-core followers of the topic.
Milpitas PostFinalistPublic Service Journalism“Milpitas city manager”Robert Devincenzi , Ian Bauer, Morton Levine, Mario Dianda
The Campbell ReporterFinalistPublic Service Journalism“VTA considers changing fares to combat projected deficit”Jasmine Leyva
New Times1stPublic Service Journalism“Sexual Assaults in San Luis Obispo”Chris McGuinness, Peter Johnson
Chico News & Review2ndPublic Service Journalism“Mental health in policing”Ken Smith
Metro Silicon Valley3rdPublic Service Journalism“Floodgate: How the Water District & City’s Comedy of Errors Became a Local Tragedy”Jennifer Wadsworth
Palo Alto WeeklyFinalistPublic Service Journalism“The $6 million blunder”Elena Kadvany, Bill Johnson
Santa Barbara IndependentFinalistPublic Service Journalism“Santa Barbara in The Time of Trump”SB Indy News Team
Visalia Times-Delta1stPublic Service Journalism“Coverage of Tulare Regional Medical Center”James Houck, Luis Hernandez, Calley Cederlof, Sheyanne RomeroThe coverage of the incredible saga of what was happening at Tular Regional Medical Center is exactly the type of journalism that makes the biggest impact on a community. It was literally a life-and-death situation. Those types of mismanagement problems can go undetected for years, but these journalists followed the documents, the money, the court action, the hospital closure & ultimately the voter impact, which was no doubt a direct result of the coverage. Bravo!
The Signal2ndPublic Service Journalism“Project: Overdosed”Austin Dave, Jim Holt, Katharine Lotze, Christina CoxThis was a well-done combination of stories & video that gave a personal look inside what is a continuous problem with drug addiction. Inside access to people is always the easiest way to get a message across. Capturing emotions & drama is the part that makes it stand out.
Times-Standard3rdPublic Service Journalism“Tsunami readiness”StaffHelping the public prepare for disaster is one of the greatest public service projects any journalism organization can do. Every organization should do something to help their audience learn how they can best help themselves face whatever disaster is most likely for their area. Great visuals, helpful information.
The UnionFinalistPublic Service Journalism“The Union successfully argues for access to all meetings of community advisory group on cannabis regulations”Alan Riquelmy, The Union Editoral Board
The ReporterFinalistPublic Service Journalism“3Finalist Merriment on Main”The Reporter Newsroom
Press-Telegram1stPublic Service Journalism“The Digital Divide”StaffTrue public service journalism. This is the kind of story people get into journalism for, where you can see your work actively making a difference in people's lives. Extraordinary work. These organizations should be proud, & these communities are lucky to have such dedicated servants in these publications.
Ventura County Star2ndPublic Service Journalism“The Thomas Fire”StaffDisaster reporting is one of those things that is a true public service when done well — & you did it well. Not only did you provide examples of your spot reporting but you dug into context with mudslide worries, mental health impacts, healthcare impacts & more. My one critique is that you should have included with your entry the social media posts, email alerts, text alerts & every other aspect of reporting that you offered your community. I would have liked to have seen a well-rounded approach to efficiently informing the community as well as your in-depth coverage. Good job in extremely trying circumstances. In a terrifying & chaotic time, the Star provided steady, unsensationalized coverage as well as important safety information to readers. An invaluable service.
The Desert Sun3rdPublic Service Journalism“Imperial Irrigation District investigation”Sammy RothThis is a good examination of a public issue that no one, it appears, knew about but that changed through the demand of the community following your reporting. I might not have used the same art as the main asset in multiple stories. As a general rule, I would also suggest that you add an explanation about why you entered your series in the category. Fortunately, it was easy to connect the dots from this series to "performing a public service.” The community acted on the information they got from you & that's the most we can hope for. Good job.
The RecordFinalistPublic Service Journalism“Mayor Anthony Silva”Roger Phillips, Donald Blount, Michael Fitzgerald, Clifford Oto
The TribuneFinalistPublic Service Journalism“Inmate died in SLO County Jail after 46 hours in restraint chair, coroner says”Matt Fountain
East Bay Times1stPublic Service Journalism“Coverage of Ghost Ship warehouse fire”StaffA relentless & inspiring series that exposes a city so dysfunctional it cost dozens of people their lives.
The Press Democrat2ndPublic Service Journalism“Press Democrat reporting on failures of emergency alert system during October wildfires”StaffA series that, in a very short time, spotlights the sheer shortcomings of the emergency alert system & the leaders' decision not to send a widespread notification.
The Sacramento Bee3rdPublic Service Journalism“Oroville Dam Crisis”Dale Kasler, Ryan SabalowThis series covers the gamut — from crisis, to response, to engineering, to statewide dam safety.
The Bakersfield CalifornianFinalistPublic Service Journalism“Just One Breath: Why are people still dying from valley fever & tens of thousands getting sick?”Center for Health Journalism CollaborativeThis series is a treasure trove of data & information about a lesser-known disease & the challenges to raise awareness about it.
The Fresno BeeFinalistPublic Service Journalism“Human Trafficking”Rory AppletonAn eye-opening series about the sex trade in the Central Valley.
Los Angeles Times1stPublic Service Journalism“Sexual Harassment in Sacramento”Melanie Mason, Chris Megerian, Dakota Smith, Jack DolanPublic service reporting that yields clear-cut results always reflects brightest in competitions such as this. The Times' aggressively reported look at the sexual harassment climate at the state capital in Sacramento resulted in the resignations of two legislative stalwarts once the facts exposed their pattern of regular out-and-out sexism. The newspaper's ability to get many women to step forward publicly to tell their stories was a critical piece of reporting that separated the Times from its competitors in this category.
The San Diego Union-Tribune2ndPublic Service Journalism“No help for the homeless”Dan McSwainIt was refreshing to see a formidable good, old one-reporter campaign to improve something in a community — in this case San Diego's growing homeless problem. McSwain's regular strongly written & deeply reported missives throughout 2017 kept pressure on city leaders to once & for all get serious about addressing the problem.
The Orange County Register3rdPublic Service Journalism“Rehab Riviera: An investigation into the abuses of Southern California's drug rehab industry”StaffAn exhaustive look at the failures of the region's many drug rehab clinics to actually rehabilitate a respectable number of clients. Instead, the reporting showed it's a seriously flawed money-first proposition in which patients are actively & competitively recruited from across the country.
San Francisco ChronicleFinalistPublic Service Journalism“Fostering Failure”Karen de Sá, Cynthia Dizikes, Joaquin Palomino, Leah MillisInteresting look at the problematic increased level of incarceration of children across California for seemingly minor reasons.
Mountain Democrat1stSpecial Publication“El Dorado County Adventures”Mimi Escabar, Letty BaumgardnerAn entry like this inspires one to hone their craft be it photography, graphic design or writing. There is a diversity of articles of interest to locals & visitors alike. This is a beautiful & well written section, & they should be very proud of their work!
The Intermountain News2ndSpecial Publication“The Intermountain News Visitors Guide 2017”StaffNice publication with useful, well-written information, especially for visitors to the area. Enjoyed the photography & maps.
Claremont Courier3rdSpecial Publication“Claremont Courier 2017 Almanac”StaffInteresting concept & original – nice articles that were informative. Nice architectural photography, however, would like to have seen more life (people) in the photos.
Idyllwild Town CrierFinalistSpecial Publication“Explore Idyllwild Directory”Halie Wilson, Lisa Streeter, Becky Clark, Mandy JohnsonNice graphic design work & layout, which earned this entry placement in the Top 4. In the future, I would like to see more in-depth writing on potential subject matter.
North Coast Journal1stSpecial Publication“Insider”StaffEngaging writing, interesting stories, nice use of photos & layouts, lots of good local information.
Monterey County Weekly2ndSpecial Publication“Best of Monterey Bay Food & Drink”StaffNice use of photos & layouts, solid writing, snappy heds, good local information.
Palisades News3rdSpecial Publication“Official Parade Program — Palisades On Parade”"Sue Pascoe, Manfred HoferI enjoyed the many angles the editors took on the annual event. Lots of good information.
Tehachapi NewsFinalistSpecial Publication“Tehachapi Visitor Guide 2017”StaffFull of great information for locals & visitors.
Silicon Valley Business Journal1stSpecial Section“Structures 2017”Lynn Stock, Doug Magill, Janice BittersBeautifully designed, compelling content. Easily the best of the entries, but could have been even better with more thoughtful photo editing. Some stories had too many repetitive photos of the same structure, e.g. the Apple building story. Pick one photo & run it large instead of five photos that illustrate extremely similar angles.
Ledger Dispatch2ndSpecial Section“Best of Amador”Jack Mitchell, Caitlyn Schaap, Sarah Tullus, Beth Barnard
Big Bear Grizzly3rdSpecial Section“Big Bear Now”Staff
Shasta Lake BulletinFinalistSpecial Section“Shasta Lake & North State Visitors Guide”Staff
San Francisco Business Times1stSpecial Section“Bay Area Biotech”Richard Procter, Ron LeutyThe publication as a whole had a clean & dynamic look that felt fluid throughout. The design complemented the content, which was digestible—considering the complex topics — & engaging.
Chico News & Review2ndSpecial Section“CN&R Death Issue”Staff
Sacramento News & Review3rdSpecial Section“Sac eats the world”Staff
Palo Alto WeeklyFinalistSpecial Section“Delish”Elena Kadvany, Staff
Napa Valley Register1stSpecial Section“Inside Napa Valley”StaffThis guide provides an awesome snapshot of the Napa Valley — from the story content & photos to the advertising. It's an extremely quality publication. I'm ready to book a flight.
Imperial Valley Press2ndSpecial Section“2017 High School Football Season Preview Special Section”StaffThe cover is very engaging...it begs to be opened & further explored. The patterned layouts make for easy reading. The photos with the athletes' autographs is a nice touch. Incorporating “football cards” of individual athletes with the advertising is a creative idea.
Santa Monica Daily Press3rdSpecial Section“2017 Recipe Guide”Matthew Hall, Jenny Medina, Darren OuelletteThis section is a creative way to focus on local restaurants & farmers. I think the overall quality would be enhanced if the images were sharper. Fruits & vegetables can really pop with color & sharpness. Some of the descriptions & photos left me salivating. Including recipes makes an inviting package.
The RecordFinalistSpecial Section“Special section Outlook 19-17”StaffThe use of the gears graphic on the front cover is a creative way to show how the different concepts work together. The “Edison a bright light in education...” was an interesting read. As important as agriculture is in that part of the state, I might have put the “Farmers are optimistic people closer to the front of the publication.”
The UnionFinalistSpecial Section“The Union - A Day at Play (July 1)”Staff
The Mercury News1stSpecial Section“Pets Magazine”Jennifer SchaeferAttention-keeping, fun & well-implemented diversity of graphics, photographs & page layouts. Creative mix of methods of information delivery, including articles, lists, infographics & screen captures.
Los Angeles Times2ndSpecial Section“Mexico's Housing Debacle: A Failed Vision”StaffThorough research & compelling photography make for a package that fully explains the situation from its genesis to the present. Explicitly connecting the subject to the subprime lending crisis in the U.S. makes it especially relevant for American readers.
The Press Democrat3rdSpecial Section“Gratitude”Staff
The Bakersfield CalifornianFinalistSpecial Section“2017 BVarsity Football Preview”Staff
The Fresno BeeFinalistSpecial Section“Central Valley Magazine”Staff
The Business Journal1stSpecial Section Cover“Book of Lists/Profiles in Business/Made in the Central Valley”Joe VerduzcoThe only entry that showed real creativity were The Business Journal covers. Each gave an indication of the contents by the choice of images & use of type & text on the cover.
Los Banos Enterprise2ndSpecial Section Cover“Los Banos tomato festival”Gene LiebLos Banos has a great tomato photo - solid black was good choice to make green & red stand out.
The Ark3rdSpecial Section Cover“Special section covers”Jeff DempseyThe Ark Back to School cover was an exception in the three submitted. Images for the Table of Contents SHOW the topics Inside. The other two covers were not inspiring. They might want to use this cover as a template for others.
Calistoga TribuneFinalistSpecial Section Cover“2017 Mud City Weekender”Pat Hampton, Clark James Mishler, Linda York, Karen Lynn IngallsThe Weekender used color well to differentiate each special from a previous one, so if they were to be set out in a stack, each would have an independent personality. Cropping photos tighter would help in the yoga & grape stomping images - close in on the benefits & beauty of yoga, & the excitement of the grape stomp - no need to uninterested expressions on faces, etc.
Santa Barbara Independent1stSpecial Section Cover“Home & Garden, Booze & Bites, Gift Guide”Caitlin Fitch, Ben Ciccati
Chico News & Review2ndSpecial Section Cover“CN&R special section cover”Tina Flynn, Mark Ulriksen
Palisades News3rdSpecial Section Cover“Holiday Gift Guide”Sue Pascoe, Manfred Hofer, Shelby Pascoe
Palo Alto WeeklyFinalistSpecial Section Cover“Home + Garden Design”Elizabeth Lorenz, Staff
The Signal1stSpecial Section Cover“Roland Hardson 2017 SCV High School Football Preview”Nikolas Samuels
Napa Valley Register2ndSpecial Section Cover“Inside Napa Valley magazine”Staff
Los Angeles Times3rdSpecial Section Cover“L.A. Times Special Section Covers: Feb. 27, Aug. 27, Dec. 31”Michael Whitley, Kelli Sullivan, Robert Carter, Cameron Cottrell
The SignalFinalistSpecial Section Cover“JT Shrout 2017 SCV High School Football Preview”Nikolas Samuels
Ledger Dispatch1stSpecial Sports Section“Champions! Argonaut Mustangs 2017 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI Softball Champions”Jack Mitchell, Aaron Johnson, Jonathan Knittel
Thousand Oaks Acorn2ndSpecial Sports Section“2017 Acorn Pigskin Preview”Staff
Register-Pajaronian3rdSpecial Sports Section“RP Special Sports Section 2017”Tony Nunez
Del Norte TriplicateFinalistSpecial Sports Section“Del Norte Warriors”Michael Zogg, Bryant Anderson
Thousand Oaks AcornFinalistSpecial Sports Section“2017 Acorn Pigskin Preview”Staff
The Signal1stSpecial Sports Section“2017 Football Preview”StaffAmbitious multi-cover presentation of the central movie-poster theme highlights this colorful, attractive & readable prep football preview. Strong writing & fine use of color & statistical features
The Record2ndSpecial Sports Section“No. 34 Special sports section 217”StaffWell-organized & attractive, all the more so considering the large number of schools in the paper's circulation area. Well-written, with strong photography & interesting information packages.
The Desert Sun3rdSpecial Sports Section“CareerBuilder Challenge”StaffVaried & interesting content; a well-put-together preview of a local professional event, complete with statistical resources & complementary side features.
Napa Valley RegisterFinalistSpecial Sports Section“2017 Prep Football Preview”Marty James, Andy Wilcox, Yousef BaigA well-written, colorful & comprehensive guide to the prep football season.
Imperial Valley PressFinalistSpecial Sports Section“2017 High School Football Season Preview”
Los Angeles Times1stSpecial Sports Section“L.A. Times Baseball Preview”Staff
San Francisco Chronicle2ndSpecial Sports Section“Warriors: Dynasty Driven / San Francisco Chronicle”Al Saracevic, Elizabeth Burr, Janny Hu, Nicole Fruge
The Fresno Bee3rdSpecial Sports Section“Bulldogs: A new era”Staff
The San Francisco ExaminerFinalistSpecial Sports Section“Mr. Reliable: Kevin Durant leads Golden State Warriors to 2017 NBA Championship”Staff
Shasta Lake Bulletin1stSports Action Photo“Battle for the Ball”Ron HarringtonGreat shot! You could shoot 100 high school football games & not get a shot like that! It's great that you can see both faces, & the shutter went off at the exact right second.
Claremont Courier2ndSports Action Photo“Slide into home”Steven FelschundneffGreat action & facial expression! I love when the dust kicks up around home plate in photos.
The Trinity Journal3rdSports Action Photo“Eyes on his next move”Wayne AgnerVery good shot. I like the determination that you can see in his eyes, & the defender laying on his back in the background is a nice little bonus.
Los Banos EnterpriseFinalistSports Action Photo“Football catch”Gene LiebGreat shot, great focus, & you can even see his face well, which is tricky in football. Only complaint (and I'm sure it's because of the lighting at the high school stadium) is that the football is pretty blurry.
The Davis Enterprise1stSports Action Photo“Tagging Pig-Pen”Fred GladdisThe entire sports package is in this photo. You have both faces & the tongue in cheek. Ball in mid-air. Dirt flying everywhere. Was he out? Safe? Depth of field is excellent. Spot on focusing.
The Davis Enterprise2ndSports Action Photo“Losing a helmet”Wayne TilcockCould have beaten out the first place winner if the defenders face was clearer. Shooting football at night is tough. Lighting is always unknown from field to field. Excellent timing & placement of helmet. Depth of field was great. Great crop.
Register-Pajaronian3rdSports Action Photo“RP Sports Action Photo 1”Tony NunezThe emotions in this photo make it a winner. Very intense & in focus. Maybe too much in focus. Perhaps a little too much depth of field. And I would have cropped out the glaring light in the center. But you can't ignore the emotion. Good shot.
The Davis EnterpriseFinalistSports Action Photo“Header”Wayne TilcockThe lack of depth of field, combined with the lighting on the faces & the punch to the face makes this photo work. The ball in the upper left corner & the two faces & the shoe makes the eye follow the action nicely. Great job!
Moorpark Acorn1stSports Action Photo“Goal!”Michael CoonsExcellent timing & framing, showing the emotional reactions of all the players involved in the scoring of a goal.
Moorpark Acorn2ndSports Action Photo“In the air”Michael CoonsSuperb timing, showing the intense concentration of young football players scrambling for a pass.
Tracy Press3rdSports Action Photo“Eye of the beholder”Glenn MoorePerfect timing & framing, showing the intense focus of a young tennis player.
Moorpark AcornFinalistSports Action Photo“Whoa”Michael CoonsNicely framed photo showing the youthful satisfaction of a well-made play.
Camarillo Acorn1stSports Action Photo“Ode to joy”Michael CoonsRodeo can be hard to shoot. This is especially well done.
Camarillo Acorn2ndSports Action Photo“Cowboy up!”Bobby CurtisCelebration photos never get old! Great job with this one!
Brentwood Press3rdSports Action Photo“Liberty High School girls' soccer team wins North Coast Section title”Tony KukulichGreat action photo of a key play.
Santa Barbara IndependentFinalistSports Action Photo“Dos Pueblos High School vs San Marcos High School Track”Paul WellmanGood photo of a hard moment to capture in a hurdle event. Nicely done!
Times-Herald1stSports Action Photo“Leap of faith”Chris RileyExcellent photo timing of a great athletic football play.
Merced Sun-Star2ndSports Action Photo“Softball catch”Andrew Kuhn
Chico Enterprise-Record3rdSports Action Photo“Fierce delivery”Bill Husa
Lodi News-SentinelFinalistSports Action Photo“Bulled by the horns”Bea Ahbeck
Marin Independent Journal1stSports Action Photo“Bobbled”Robert Tong
The Record2ndSports Action Photo“Tracy baseball”Clifford Oto
Marin Independent Journal3rdSports Action Photo“Focus”Robert Tong
The TribuneFinalistSports Action Photo“Rock climber”Joe Johnston
East Bay Times1stSports Action Photo“Carr attempts touchdown, gets tackled”Jose FajardoGreat in-your-face action shot of quarterback losing a potential touchdown to a fumble but only getting a fleeting fingertip touch on the pigskin. Photographer had to be in the corner & close & right-on focus to capture this vivid action shot.
The Sacramento Bee2ndSports Action Photo“Race to the Finish”José Luis VillegasGood slow-shutter-speed & camera-panning image of men's 100 final with sharp focus on apparent winner. This is a chancy shot to take but when it works, it works well & this shot does just that.
The Fresno Bee3rdSports Action Photo“Bullard wins D1 girls soccer section championship on late-game goal”Craig KohlrussGood action, good faces and, as a bonus, the ball is in the shot!
The Press DemocratFinalistSports Action Photo“Drawing A Foul”Christopher ChungGood action shot of LeBron James tossing his head back & fighting to keep the ball from Klay Thompson. The slightly overhead angle the photographer chose put him in the right place to catch the intense face grimace & helped turn what could have been an average basketball action shot into a much more interesting image. I would have liked to have seen a much tighter cropping, say just below LeBron's right elbow & just slightly into the top of Thompson's head to help put even more emphasis on the facial expressions.
The Sacramento BeeFinalistSports Action Photo“Race to the Finish”José Luis Villegas
Los Angeles Times1stSports Action Photo“Game 5 of the World Series”Wally Skalij
The Mercury News2ndSports Action Photo“Mavericks”Patrick Tehan
Los Angeles Times3rdSports Action Photo“Chargers-Eagles”Wally Skalij
Los Angeles TimesFinalistSports Action Photo“Hit by a Pitch”Wally Skalij
Claremont Courier1stSports Feature Photo“Rain soaked soccer”Steven Felschundneff
Santa Ynez Valley Star2ndSports Feature Photo“Ranch Rope Series”Lauren Maeve, Raiza Giorgi
Half Moon Bay Review3rdSports Feature Photo“Half Moon Bay Review Sports Feature Photo”Jamie Soja
The Trinity JournalFinalistSports Feature Photo“Cold, dark & stormy night”Wayne Agner
The Folsom Telegraph1stSports Feature Photo“Salute to the little guy”Bill SullivanLove the emotion on their faces.
The Folsom Telegraph2ndSports Feature Photo“End zone emotions”Bill SullivanThat's quite a meaningful hug.
Ledger Dispatch3rdSports Feature Photo“Youth Football Gets Patriotic”Jeremy MalamedGreat color & composition. Cute kids too!
Ledger DispatchFinalistSports Feature Photo“2017 Argonaut Varsity Girls' Basketball Night”Jack MitchellJoining in their excitement!
Moorpark Acorn1stSports Feature Photo“Time of the Season”Michael Coons
Los Altos Town Crier2ndSports Feature Photo“Hanging in Suspense”Megan Winslow
Lamorinda Weekly3rdSports Feature Photo“Campolindo wins NCS Championship- Best sports pics 2017”Gint Federas
The AlmanacFinalistSports Feature Photo“Rodeo”Ana Sofia Amieva-Wang
Camarillo Acorn1stSports Feature Photo“Wing walkers”Michael CoonsThe photo's composition is very artistic. The photographer made the event seem like an event I wish I had attended.
Thousand Oaks Acorn2ndSports Feature Photo“In the moment”Michael CoonsThe girls have great expressions. You can also see the team unity in the photo.
The Salinas Californian3rdSports Feature Photo“Toes up”Chelcey AdamiIt's often hard to get an interesting photo when there are lots of people but you can see the emotions on all the boys' faces. Plus it's an action shot, which isn't always easy to get.
Simi Valley AcornFinalistSports Feature Photo“Anticipation”Michael CoonsAnticipation is my fourth place choice but the photo won't drag above. The photographer did a good job of catching the boys' determination.
Lodi News-Sentinel1stSports Feature Photo“Agony of defeat”Bea Ahbeck
Merced Sun-Star2ndSports Feature Photo“Swimmer”Andrew Kuhn
The Reporter3rdSports Feature Photo“Walk Off Victory”Joel Rosenbaum
The UnionFinalistSports Feature Photo“Metal mayhem closes out county fair”Elias Funez
The Record1stSports Feature Photo“Challenger tennis tournament”Clifford Oto
The Tribune2ndSports Feature Photo“Wrestler Alexis Garcia”Joe Johnston
The Desert Sun3rdSports Feature Photo“ANA Inspiration”Jay Calderon
The RecordFinalistSports Feature Photo“Manteca football”Calixtro Romias
The Press Democrat1stSports Feature Photo“Golden State Warriors Championship Parade”Alvin Jornada
The Modesto Bee2ndSports Feature Photo“Hilmar celebration”Andy Alfaro
The Press Democrat3rdSports Feature Photo“Iguodala & the Crowd”Christopher Chung
The Press-EnterpriseFinalistSports Feature Photo“Homeplate celebration”Terry Pierson
San Francisco Chronicle1stSports Feature Photo“Taking a knee”Santiago MejiaAn intimate moment of a teammate's support as one baseball player makes a first-of-a-kind statement for Major League baseball.
Los Angeles Times2ndSports Feature Photo“Ready to Bat”Wally SkalijA pine-tarred logo & a steady gaze capture a moment of truth in the batter's box of Dodger Stadium.
Los Angeles Times3rdSports Feature Photo“A Win for El Toro”Wally SkalijPhotographers can capture the moment of lifetime for young athletes.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistSports Feature Photo“In the Bullpen”Robert GauthierA pitcher may just be warming up, but he also is demonstrating extraordinary form, grace & physicality.
St. Helena Star1stSports Feature Story“St. Helena's Sanchez brothers making history at Badwater ultramarathon”Yousef Baig
The Ark2ndSports Feature Story“With renewed passion ...”Jeff Dempsey
St. Helena Star3rdSports Feature Story“Brotherhood carrying defensive-minded PUC through historic season”Yousef Baig
Santa Ynez Valley StarFinalistSports Feature Story“Shotgun Gold”Raiza Giorgi
Ledger Dispatch1stSports Feature Story“Vintage Baseball’s golden “Nugget””Jeremy Malamed
Petaluma Argus-Courier2ndSports Feature Story“Trojans' all-league fan”John Jackson
La Cañada Flintridge Outlook3rdSports Feature Story“LCF Amateur Golf Star Takes Aim at International Glory”Mirjam Swanson
San Marino TribuneFinalistSports Feature Story“It's An Entirely Different Pitch for Nate Rolfe”Mitch Lehman
North Coast Journal1stSports Feature Story“Holding on”Linda StansberryThe sophisticated, colorful writing perfectly captured a day in the life of a struggling rodeo.
Mountain View Voice2ndSports Feature Story“Rugby H2O: unusual underwater contact sport finds a home in Mountain View's city pools”Mark Noack, Michelle Le, Andrea GemmetSolid, well-written piece on a sport few Californians know anything about.
Pasadena Outlook3rdSports Feature Story“Pasadena's Friedman Helps Build Dodgers Into World Series Contenders”Oscar ArelizSophisticated, well-written profile of a local resident’s key role in rebuilding the Dodgers organization.
Pasadena OutlookFinalistSports Feature Story“Former Maranatha Star Leads Oregon to NCAA Final Four”Oscar ArelizSolid, lively profile of a former high school basketball standout.
Sacramento News & Review1stSports Feature Story“Rock Star: Alex Honnold scales epic rock walls with nothing but his hands, feet & heart”James RaiaVery well done. The story was constructed in a compelling manner, enhanced by graphics & illustrations. The writing was clear & the organization was strong. A clear first-place winner.
Santa Barbara Independent2ndSports Feature Story“Victory at Sea: Santa Barbara Surfer Ben Andrews Rides 5Foot Wave And Wins $50,000”Keith HammA strong entry with a good narrative, clean presentation, & nice photos & graphics. A compelling read.
Camarillo Acorn3rdSports Feature Story“And Justis for all”Eliav AppelbaumThe story is a good one, although the writer should avoid cliches whenever possible. The photos were fine, although the presentation, overall, could have been stronger.
Thousand Oaks AcornFinalistSports Feature Story“A dream & a golden voice”Jonathan AndradeThis was a good attempt, but it could have been much stronger with a better presentation & more play. Still, a nice try.
The Signal1stSports Feature Story“Army veteran provides leadership for COC football”Haley SawyerOutstanding two-graf lead. Good flow. Wonderful, honest personal history quote: “I got stuck, like, being anxious, being depressed, not knowing if I was succeeding, what I would do, how I was going to succeed, & I kind of just lost my way for a little while,” he says. “For about a year & a half, two years maybe, I lost my way. And then I was just like, I want to play football.” I personally dislike the use of “says.” Someone “said” something in an attribution, EXCEPT if the person is repeating something — such as a politician stating a position on some burning (or dull for that matter) issue.
The Signal2ndSports Feature Story“7year old powerlifter from Saugus wins international gold”Haley SawyerGreat story of ageless determination & joy in one’s abilities. Good use of quotes, strong organization & flow, & enough detail to really set the stage to see the person in a powerful, so to speak, sense.
Napa Valley Register3rdSports Feature Story“Napa's Cocks to guide blind triathlete in Japan race”Andy WilcoxWell-written & easy to read long feature story on two remarkable women. Good tight writing & paragraphing. Flows with the ease of a downhill run on a tandem bike.
The UnionFinalistSports Feature Story“Battling back: Nevada Union’s Garrett Graves overcomes adversity, makes triumphant return for senior season”Walter FordExcellent, tight writing throughout the long & detailed story of a young man with real determination & joy in what he’s doing — & going to be doing.
Santa Cruz Sentinel1stSports Feature Story“Wharf to Wharf 2017: Elite competitors ready to run”Julie JagThis story offers a unique & well-written look at the process behind the selection of elite athletes. The facts are presented in an understandable, highly readable & enjoyable way.
The Tribune2ndSports Feature Story“Motivated by loss, Jordan Hasay poised to be America’s next great distance runner”Travis GibsonThe first of several stories on this list that chronicle an athlete's journey to where they feel they belong. In this case, the writing stood out as a cut above, conveying a depth of knowledge on the sport while offering a poignant glimpse into the life of the charismatic, pained & searching marathon runner at the story’s center.
The Desert Sun3rdSports Feature Story“Escape Act”Andrew JohnIt’s always tricky to weave a complex family history into a story because it will largely be read by strangers who might get lost, but the writer pulled it off with ease here. Bookending the story with Diego De La Hoya inside the Volkswagen proved almost cinematic, especially at the end, & suggested a future he’s been working toward his entire life.
Marin Independent JournalFinalistSports Feature Story“Former TL standout taking on the world”Danny Schmidt
The Press Democrat1stSports Feature Story“Dedication after tragedy”Phil BarberHeartfelt story tastefully handled. Well-done!
The Fresno Bee2ndSports Feature Story“Fresno State AD reveals molestation as child, tells other victims ‘don’t be ashamed’”Carmen GeorgeSensitive topic well-handled.
The Bakersfield Californian3rdSports Feature Story“Life in the big leagues: From Bakersfield's big league family to big-league bullpen catcher”Teddy FeinbergInsightful look at big league life.
The Fresno BeeFinalistSports Feature Story“Fresno State baseball knows ‘Fibber’ Hirayama is a treasure. Now you will, too”Marek WarszawskiInteresting look at a sensitive historical subject.
The Orange County Register1stSports Feature Story“Inside the unregulated world of recruiting consulting services”Ryan KartjeGreat story! Recruiting is a shady world that people don't always like to think about, but this is the kind of hard hitting story that parents & athletes in that situation really need to hear. Great information, great research, & great job of presenting both sides. Pretty good photo with the story.
Los Angeles Times2ndSports Feature Story“A Prospect Becomes a Suspect”Nathan FennoReally good story. Great job of scouring for sources. Even though lots of people either didn't respond or declined to comment, you still did a really nice job of finding people that were willing to talk & blending that with public information to give a really detailed picture of what occurred. The biggest question that I was left with was did he ever take that CTE that his mother wanted him to get, & did it show anything? Can't see the main photo at the top of the page, but other than that the visuals were really good, & went well with the story. I especially appreciated having the court documents (though a little tricky to actually read) included as extra visuals.
The San Diego Union-Tribune3rdSports Feature Story“UCSD swimmer stays close to brother with Down syndrome”Tod LeonardGreat heartwarming story. I was especially encapsulated by the descriptive writing & attention to detail used to bring things to life for the reader. It may have been nice to expand a little big more on the blog that she writes, & what her posts were about.
The Mercury NewsFinalistSports Feature Story“Where Have You Gone, Tim Lincecum?”Daniel BrownI really enjoyed the story. It was cool to see the parallels between Lincecum's relationship with his high school & Washington transposed with the whole Giants situation. It's impressive that you were able to write a story about a subject (Lincecum) whom you did not speak with, yet still were able to teach the reader something new about. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending. It felt like the bit about Paul Simon & Joe, while interesting trivia, was just kind of shoe-horned in there to make your last sentence make sense.
St. Helena Star1stSports Game Story“Lower Lake hands St. Helena frustrating 314 defeat”Yousef Baig
San Marino Outlook2ndSports Game Story“Titans Reach Quarterfinals for First Time Since 1978”Oscar Areliz
St. Helena Star3rdSports Game Story“Saints look rusty after fast start as Mustangs roll, 37”Yousef Baig
Petaluma Argus-CourierFinalistSports Game Story“Egg Bowl worth the wait”John Jackson
Grunion Gazette1stSports Game Story“Poly's Emotional, Improbable State Championship”Mike GuardabascioThe Long Beach Poly girls unlikely & surprising state track & field title is well-written with excellent quotes, information & history.
Los Altos Town Crier2ndSports Game Story“Pinewood's quarter rally comes up short”Pete Borello
Grunion Gazette3rdSports Game Story“Women's Basketball Will Dance”Mike Guardabascio
Pasadena OutlookFinalistSports Game Story“Polytechnic Erases Deficit to Win 2nd CIF Championship”Oscar Areliz
Times-Herald1stSports Game Story“Vallejo Admirals are 2017 Pacific Association champions!”Matt O’Donnell
The Union2ndSports Game Story“Gridiron Grit: How the Bear River Bruins clawed their way to a championship”Walter Ford, Brian Shepard, Elias Funez
The Desert Sun3rdSports Game Story“Splash of Controversy”Larry BohannanThought reporter did a good job breaking down a complex ruling.
Marin Independent JournalFinalistSports Game Story“Hamilton to the rescue”Danny SchmidtIncredible game. Good story, very in depth, multiple sources.
Los Angeles Times1stSports Game Story“World Series Game 5: Gut Punch”Andy McCullough
The San Diego Union-Tribune2ndSports Game Story“Aztecs survive sorry start, defeat UNLV in OT”Mark Zeigler
Los Angeles Times3rdSports Game Story“The Rose Bowl: Late Boomer”Zach Helfand
Los Angeles Daily NewsFinalistSports Game Story“Dodgers walk-off thriller”Bill Plunkett
Los Angeles Times1stSports SectionStaffTerrific World Series coverage. Fantastic photos & multiple perspectives make the section shine.
San Francisco Chronicle2ndSports SectionAl Saracevic, Janny Hu, Mike LersethVariety of sports covered in section. Good layout & strong coverage of Warriors in NBA Finals.
Napa Valley Register3rdSports SectionMarty James, Andy Wilcox, Yousef Baig
Marin Independent JournalFinalistSports SectionMark Volain, Ian Ross, Danny Schmidt, Dave Allen
Ledger Dispatch1stSports SectionJack Mitchell, Jeremy Malamed, Craig Baracco, Sarah TullusGood community newspaper, branching out beyond scholastic coverage.
Register-Pajaronian2ndSports SectionTony NunezA full-service paper for its size, with coverage of everything from the NFL to community sports. Eye-grabbing layouts & strong sports photography.
Clovis Roundup3rdSports SectionPaul Meadors, Billy XiongAlthough the sports covers are lacking in impact, the creative & colorful Page 2 centerpieces provide balance
Tracy PressFinalistSports SectionBob BrownneStrong coverage of all corners of local scholastic sports.
Half Moon Bay Review1stVideo Journalism“Christmas dinner for all”Carina WoudenbergStarts with the feel of a mundane community event, but then reveals surprising emotional impact. Hinting at the powerful review earlier would likely result in strong audience response.
Half Moon Bay Review2ndVideo Journalism“The right side of the road”Sara Hayden, Jamie SojaEmotional interview about U.S. mistreatment of Italians in World War II (with an appropriate nod to the fare worse fate of the Japanese). Hurt by stereotypical music choices; better explanation of the series could have been helpful.
Shasta Lake Bulletin3rdVideo Journalism“Old Antlers Bridge Demolition”Ron Harrington, Craig HarringtonStrong documentary coverage of an important community & news event. Plus explosions! The failure of parts of the demolition could have been explored more aggressively.
Santa Ynez Valley NewsFinalistVideo Journalism“'Bug Ology,' one bite at a time”Jason Anderson, Logan AndersonFun & informative video with kids, bugs & some solid information concealed in the recipe. Hurt by the artificial feeling of the event, with several people who seemed like media featured in the video.
The RecorderFinalistVideo Journalism“Tiny Train Town: Sedgwick Partner's Christmas Tradition”Jason DoiyWell-produced interview with a funny anecdote at the end – perhaps a bit late for viewer interest.
San Francisco Business Times1stVideo Journalism“2017 Executive of the Year Joe Lacob is at the top of his game with the Golden State Warriors”Todd Johnson, Kevin Truong, Ron Leuty
Grunion Gazette2ndVideo Journalism“Port Disney Long Beach - Discovered History”Jesse Lopez, Kurt A. Eichsteadt
Palo Alto Weekly3rdVideo Journalism“A New Study To Treat Depression”Veronica Weber
The Salinas CalifornianFinalistVideo Journalism“Getting out of Chinatown: Yoli's Story”Chelcey Adami
Vida en el ValleFinalistVideo Journalism“Fresno Unified staff, teachers & students shave their heads for cancer research”Maria Ortiz-Briones
The Desert Sun1stVideo Journalism“For some Palm Springs homeless they ask, how to get high?”Zoe Meyers
The Signal2ndVideo Journalism“Santa Clarita parents fight toddler's rare terminal disease”Austin Dave, Samie Gebers
The Signal3rdVideo Journalism“Santa Clarita teen wrestles with death as eight friends overdose in one night”Austin Dave
The SignalFinalistVideo Journalism“From the crash to the courtroom, simulation aims to save lives”Austin Dave, Michelle Logan, Georgia Rios
The Desert SunFinalistVideo Journalism“Nestle's label of spring water draws criticism”Jay Calderon
San Francisco Chronicle1stVideo Journalism“A life on the line”Lea Suzuki, Manjula Varghese, Guy WathenThe combination of video & and the audio of 911 calls made this video especially powerful. Excellent use of video to illustrate a very real problem & tell the story of this woman's life & tragic death.
The Mercury News2ndVideo Journalism“California's right-to-die law: The last days of Jil Finnegan”LiPo Ching, Tracy Seipel, Jane TyskaA beautiful & impactful video. Strong use of voices to help explain the decision to end one's life. It would have been easy to end this video at the moment of Jil's death. It was a wise decision to extend it beyond that.
San Francisco Chronicle3rdVideo Journalism“Borders between us”Leah MillisThe human element of U.S. immigration policy can often be difficult to illustrate through words. This video does just that.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistVideo Journalism“Delphi: A Tale of Two Cities”Katie FalkenbergStories on policy issues almost always need the human side to be told completely. This video is an excellent demonstration of winning & losing. Outstanding editing.
San Francisco ChronicleFinalistVideo Journalism“Finding Himself”Leah MillisA decision of this magnitude made by a child could easily be brushed off. This video does an outstanding job of capturing the sincerity of this child & his emotions.
Santa Ynez Valley Star1stWriting“Only The Brave”Raiza Giorgi
The Intermountain News2ndWriting“Wall of secrecy at BOE”Craig Harrington
The Weekly Calistogan3rdWriting“25 years at the Roastery”Tom Stockwell
The RecorderFinalistWriting“What You Need to Know About Emoji Law (Yes, That's a Thing)”Ross Todd
The Weekly CalistoganFinalistWriting“Two tales of survival in Calistoga hills”Anne Ernst
The Sonoma Index-Tribune1stWriting“Tales from Crypt 31”Jason WalshReally enjoyed this straightforward & well-written take on a man's quest to ensure his final resting place would be as he would like. It was tightly edited while still including historical context on the subject.
The Davis Enterprise2ndWriting“Piano man lifts hearts of all who pass by”Anne Ternus-BellamyBeautiful story about a unique personality. Tightly edited to include interesting background about the piano program while still engaging the reader. Great scene descriptions & details about his relationship with the craft as well.
The Sonoma Index-Tribune3rdWriting“Not All Non-Citizens Are Created Equal”Jason WalshA personalized & unique insight on a highly-generalized topic weaved in with relevant facts.
Del Norte TriplicateFinalistWriting“Keeping the Flame”Jessica CejnarA well-written take on a community’s unique connection with controlled burns, giving ample detail on their history with it as well as how it applies to their lifestyle these days.
Santa Ynez Valley NewsFinalistWriting“‘The trees didn’t have time to catch fire & burn’”Mike HodgsonNicely detailed story about one couple’s loss in the fire, walking through their harrowing ordeal & then the difficulty & range of emotions in the aftermath.
The Valley Voice1stWriting“Lawsuit Claims TCSO Deputies Ambushed Innocent Man”Dave Adalian
The Downey Patriot2ndWriting“Searching for Jerry Baxter”Lawrence Christon
North Coast Journal3rdWriting“How to Dine Alone”Jennifer Fumiko Cahill
Palisades NewsFinalistWriting“Saving a Life While Videotaping Riots”Laurel Busby
The Downey PatriotFinalistWriting“For Dr. Mary Stauffer, education is the best investment”Eric Pierce
Sacramento News & Review1stWriting“Killing Mom: A terminal cancer patient wants to die. Will California’s end-of-life bureaucracy let her?”Raheem HosseiniBeautifully written. So clear & simple in its telling, with splashes of color & imagery. A joy to read.
Metro Silicon Valley2ndWriting“Brotopia: How the Valley’s Elite Plan to Outlive the Rest of Us”Tori TruscheitA fascinating look at another side of the tech elite. Great detail & depth in its storytelling.
New Times3rdWriting“Cocaine Hustle”Chris McGuinnessA nicely told inside look at a crime partnership. Well done.
Santa Barbara IndependentFinalistWriting“Who Killed Henry Han & His Family?”Nick WelshAnother well told, thoroughly reported crime saga. A good story solidly written.
SF WeeklyFinalistWriting“Totalitarianism: Chasing the Solar Eclipse to Idaho”Peter KaneFinely written but didn't get the connection between the eclipse & totalitarianism.
Napa Valley Register1stWriting“Crying in the courtroom: Officer recounts day he found Kayleigh Slusher's body”Maria Sestito
The Whittier Daily News2ndWriting“Video game currency empire brought down by FBI raid”Brian Day
The Union Democrat3rdWriting“Everything for a purpose”Giuseppe Ricapito
Napa Valley RegisterFinalistWriting“After incident, a Napa man’s organs to become gifts of life”Howard Yune
The UnionFinalistWriting“Nevada County father fights for medical marijuana awareness”Alan Riquelmy
The Desert Sun1stWriting“Sonny Bono: 20 years later”Bruce FessierA thorough & engaging look back at what Sonny Bono meant to Palm Springs & the desert communities, & how it all came to a tragic end.
The Desert Sun2ndWriting“The Coldest Case”Brett KelmanEngrossing story 40 years in the making. Great use of records as principals were reluctant to talk.
The Record3rdWriting“Miguel's saga”Almendra CarpizoSad story of homelessness that comes with a happy ending.
Marin Independent JournalFinalistWriting“Saga of The Fork causes neighborhood stir”Mary Ann HoganThe right combination of fun & intrigue for a whimsical story.
The TribuneFinalistWriting“SLOStringer carved out a unique spot between the media & public safety”Joe Tarica
The Fresno Bee1stWriting“Tokyo Garden is worth saving. But we may have to let it go”Rory AppletonGreat, punchy, impactful lead. The personal stories from the writer add more color to a story that would otherwise be straightforward.
The Bakersfield Californian2ndWriting“Remains of pilot identified, but his Bakersfield crewman still unaccounted for”Steven MayerLead hooks you in. Descriptive, emotional language keeps you reading.
The Press Democrat3rdWriting“Hope Amid the Ruins”Meg McConahey
The Fresno BeeFinalistWriting“Fresno State baseball knows 'Fibber' Hirayama is a treasure. Now you will, too”Marek Warszawski
The San Francisco ExaminerFinalistWriting“Murder trial nears end in the controversial killing of Kate Steinle”Michael Barba
The Mercury News1stWriting“Hanging: The Mysterious Case of the Boy in the Barn”Julia Prodis SulekI agree this article artfully combines quality investigative journalism with a sensitivity that humanizes all the subjects. Appropriate tone, language effectively conveys the mood of this case. Appreciate the thorough research that went into this, & the storytelling qualities. Full of revealing, sobering & intriguing details.
Los Angeles Times2ndWriting“Dirty John”Christopher GoffardWell written & constructed story. It reads like a mini novel, keeping the reader in suspense until the very end. It also combines quality investigative journalism with sensitivity for all the subjects.
San Francisco Chronicle3rdWriting“A Life on the Line”Vivian HoThis series effectively tackles the subject of domestic violence. It is informative & balanced, & clearly exposes the holes that still exist in our systems to protect victims.
The Orange County RegisterFinalistWriting“Homecoming queen dream comes true for Riley McCoy, the girl who can't go out in the sun”Keith SharonEnticing lead & well-written story giving the reader a glimpse into what life is like for Riley & how other individuals involved in her life are working to make her journey the best it can be.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistWriting“Cold Case”Kate Mather
Silicon Valley Business Journal1stOnline General Excellencebizjournals.com/sanjose/Staff
The Sonoma Index-Tribune2ndOnline General Excellencesonomanews.comStaff
Petaluma Argus-Courier3rdOnline General Excellencepetaluma360.comStaff
Ledger DispatchFinalistOnline General Excellenceledger.newsStaff
Claremont CourierFinalistOnline General Excellenceclaremont-courier.comStaff
San Francisco Business Times1stOnline General Excellencesanfranciscobusinesstimes.comStaffStrong news content, good headlines. Video of Chase Center construction timely, interesting.
The Valley Voice2ndOnline General Excellenceourvalleyvoice.comStaff
Palo Alto Weekly3rdOnline General Excellencepaloaltoonline.comStaff
Mountain View VoiceFinalistOnline General Excellencemv-voice.comStaff
Pleasanton WeeklyFinalistOnline General Excellencepleasantonweekly.comStaff
Santa Maria Times1stOnline General Excellencesantamariatimes.comStaffThis entry was my standout favorite. Very easy to navigate, full of local news, not busy or overcomplicated. I love the masthead. Also enjoyed some of the coverage, such as the "Good News" story I stumbled on—clearly community driven.
The Union2ndOnline General Excellencetheunion.comStaffA great deal of effort went into the creation of this website, clearly. Although quite busy, I did not get the feeling I was being fed filler stories or "spam" that some newspaper sites deliver. Overall very good.
The Tribune3rdOnline General Excellencesanluisobispo.comStaffThis website was easy to navigate & full of local news. Impressive overall.
Record SearchlightFinalistOnline General Excellenceredding.comStaff
The RecordFinalistOnline General Excellencerecordnet.comStaff
San Francisco Chronicle1stOnline General Excellencesfchronicle.comStaffThe home page balanced local, state & regional news all presented in a clean layout. There were many attention-catching headlines, but each section didn't seem overcrowded or overwhelming to the eye.
The Press Democrat2ndOnline General Excellencepressdemocrat.comStaffThe website was well-organized & I appreciated the headings within each section. The website has a good balance of photos & text given how much content is published.
The Fresno Bee3rdOnline General Excellencefresnobee.comStaffThe integration of photos & videos throughout the website draws you into what the story is all about. There was a clear distinction on all the pages between the stories & ads, which were also sectioned off into designated areas instead of being integrated.
Los Angeles TimesFinalistOnline General Excellencelatimes.comStaffThe full banner ad at the top of each section below the heading takes away from useful space for a story, especially on the home page, but the following content gave the impression that the Times is up to date with the latest news. The spacing of the articles & between stories was also easy to navigate.
The Mercury NewsFinalistOnline General Excellencemercurynews.comStaffI applaud the breadth of coverage from a local, state & regional standpoint, however the ads at times became distracting from the news itself.
Claremont Courier1stGeneral ExcellenceStaffAdventures in Haiku rocks! I also appreciated the readers comments on Page 2, thinking that’s pretty smart. The house ads were also a good idea that is well-implemented. I love the occasional humor in the Police Blotter, too. Nobody does long and interesting obituaries anymore, so this was a treat. This is intensely local and so well done.
Half Moon Bay Review2ndGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Half Moon Bay Review has a very nice design — well labeled, nice front, one big photo and refers, clean layout, and good, solid photos. The editorial pages are excellent, with interesting editorial cartoons. Letters on Page 2 are nice. The obits are wonderful, the ad stacks unobtrusive, the calendar attractive and the staff profiles are well done.
Calistoga Tribune3rdGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Calistoga Tribune has really great photos. The fire coverage was good for small paper. Nice editor's notes on letters. Reads like a local newspaper that knows its community well.
Lompoc RecordFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaffLots to like here. Good use of photos throughout. Layout on feature sections impressive. Good overall local coverage and solid local sports.
The Trinity JournalFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaffNice photos throughout The Trinity Journal. Good local news content but centered headlines should be used only in features. Otherwise a clean look. Listings should always be flush left. The sheriff's listing looks very awkward and hard to read.
Silicon Valley Business Journal1stGeneral ExcellenceStaffI already find this more compelling and diverse than a larger category’s submission, although they seem to be owned by the same group. Compelling photos of people, not just mugs, buildings and architectural renderings, although some are photo illustrations and not so labeled. I loved the tech garden campus photo page. This is a very approachable business journal. A well-designed, well-written, insightful paper that reflects the area’s business community on multiple levels. Design and diversity of content engages the reader.
Petaluma Argus-Courier2ndGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Petaluma Argus-Courier is a really usable, reader-friendly paper that includes solid journalism. Good tailoring of fire coverage to the readership. Broad scope of coverage with sports section, schools/youth and community, weekend, food, opinion.
The Sonoma Index-Tribune3rdGeneral ExcellenceStaffFirst rate coverage of wine country fires including writing, news people can use, photography, design, ads. The coverage under extreme conditions stands out as an example of how local journalism tells readers' stories and acts as an anchor and source of usable information during crisis. All sections of the paper reflect this commitment.
The Business JournalFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Business Journal is a comprehensive look at business issues and people in the community. The stories are well-written, and the paper has a good ad/news content ratio.
The Folsom TelegraphFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Folsom Telegraph knows its readership and plays to it. It recognizes the place of the prison in the community. Writing is clean and the content is broad-based with community features, sports, food, entertainment, fun features such as Folsom Zoo and man on the street. The paper maintains a balanced ad/news content ratio.
Mountain View Voice1stGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Mountain View Voice is cleanly designed with cohesive typography. Pages look pretty much the same from one week to the next, though. Stories make you care about the topic, such as the car break-ins and the poplar tree stand on the front. A lot of sharing of stories and ads, especially editorials and entertainment listings, garden supplement, with sister papers. Good mix of local, local news and entertainment. It’s a newsy publication and seems like it is in touch with the community it covers.
San Francisco Business Times2ndGeneral ExcellenceStaffGood mix of stories (news, analysis, themed sections). Good use of graphics.
Tracy Press3rdGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Tracy Press is an excellent community newspaper that tackles tough issues in community. Good reporting. Varied content (good features, event coverage, sports). Vibrant opinion page. Good design.
Pleasanton WeeklyFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Pleasanton Weekly is a very good read with a nice mix of stories (news, entertainment, sports and a well-reported, in-depth cover story).
Lamorinda WeeklyFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Lamorinda Weekly is chock full of different types of stories that make an interesting local read. Good news coverage. Need to work on design, especially to make sure headlines fit across columns.
Sacramento News & Review1stGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Sacramento News & Review has a total sense of place, with relevant news stories that look at the big picture. This is a gritty, no-holds barred publication when it sets its mind to it, with edgy and smart writing and art. The cover design is excellent.
Monterey County Weekly2ndGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe writing in the Monterey County Weekly is witty and smart. Plenty of local news, tending toward government and business. The opinion pages are good, with varied points of view. Love the Photo of the Week, as it actually shows something. Headlines in general are witty. This is a first-rate publication.
Chico News & Review3rdGeneral ExcellenceStaff
Palo Alto WeeklyFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaff
New TimesFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaff
The Union1stGeneral ExcellenceStaffStrong, clean design guides the reader nicely into these stories. Great to see a cover and immediate ensuing pages filled with staff-written local coverage and some reader-generated content. Local focus shines throughout. Police blotter’s always a favorite. Short on news briefs, and the unbylined “submitted” stories are a bit disconcerting — is that paid content? Nice design — perhaps too many art heads — but it works. Loved the engaging entertainment section.
Appeal-Democrat2ndGeneral ExcellenceStaffFantastic and thorough coverage of a huge news event that rocked the community. Use of timelines, personal accounts and strong photography drove it home. This paper did a wonderful job of humanizing a big and sometimes complicated topic while doing its best to keep readers informed and aware.
Napa Valley Register3rdGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Register may be small on page count, but it’s big on local news coverage. Alongside fantastic articles and photography of the Northern California fires in these editions, the Register provides local news briefs, local real-estate coverage and business briefs and an all-local opinion-and-letters page. With bold photography and good organization and design, this paper seems to be doing its readers great local service.
Santa Maria TimesFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaffGood mix of local and regional stories but an over-reliance on wire news from far-flung areas. Good use of photography. Sports coverage was thorough and impressive at the prep level.
Times-StandardFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaffA significant amount of well-written hyperlocal news coverage, complete with what amounts to a second front page with even more local coverage. Nice to see strong local contributions to the Arts and Sports sections. Though it’s cookie-cutter design from a centralized desk, it’s still effective and does a good service to guiding the reader through the paper. Some odd headline choices, however, like hanging fourth-line decks with a single short word?
The Desert Sun1stGeneral ExcellenceStaffWow! Every page in The Desert Sun has a moment of serendipity. The paper has strong design throughout, including the atypical treatment for the opinion pages, using photos for local editorials, letters and columns. The prep sports coverage is excellent, particularly the football flashback with its engagement points. The Las Vegas shooting package stood out, as did small touches like the Political Insider column.
Marin Independent Journal2ndGeneral ExcellenceStaffLike that local news is toward the front. Six-Word Stories is fun idea. Extensive fire coverage from many angles. The drama comes through in some of the stories.
The Tribune3rdGeneral ExcellenceStaff
The RecordFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaff
The Press Democrat1stGeneral ExcellenceStaffThis publication weaves a sense of place in every paragraph. The photography was excellent and the graphics were helpful and clear. I really liked the “By the Numbers” feature and the “how to get help” or “get involved” sidebars. Similarly, the “Tell Us” and reaching out to hear readers’ stories were nicely done. This writing was exceptional, especially during the fire it was full of pathos and empathy. It stands out as breaking news reporting that gets to the next level of diving deep. There were local editorials that were well done. This publication knows how to design and use images for impact. I don’t live near here, at all, but wanted to subscribe to get a dose of great writing and photos.
The Sacramento Bee2ndGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Sacramento Bee is a well-designed newspaper. The headlines, images and writing gave a sense of urgency. The newsroom seems good at finding oft-overlooked stories. Fire and Kings coverage was good.
The Bakersfield Californian3rdGeneral ExcellenceStaff
The Fresno BeeFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaff
The Modesto BeeFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaff
The San Francisco ExaminerFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaff
San Francisco Chronicle1stGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe San Francisco Chronicle knows its audience and its stuff. The writing is clear and compelling, the photos and graphics are very good. Headlines were clear and descriptive. Feature stories offer a good mix of heart-warming and information. The Chronicle had many varied paths to fully cover the fires. There was a good bit of serendipity with nice finds tucked throughout the pages. I loved the choice of words, such as humdinger, flabbergasted, kablooey. This gives the writing such texture. Great attention to sports and business in these editions. This publication is massive with something for everyone.
Los Angeles Times2ndGeneral ExcellenceStaffThe Los Angeles Times is full of compelling, well-crafted stories. The paper has lots of local news and a robust sports section, all complemented by good photographs. The lifestyle and entertainment sections were well done and the travel section was fun. Opinions were strong.
The Mercury News3rdGeneral ExcellenceStaff
The San Diego Union-TribuneFinalistGeneral ExcellenceStaff

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