2004 FEATURE WRITING
Small newspapers
A2. Personality profile
33 entries
Judge: Sheila Toomey, a senior reporter for the Anchorage Daily News, has won numerous awards, including a shared Pulitzer Prize gold medal for public service.
First place (tie)
Eddie Shoebang, The College Times: This guy is running for president”
And
Eddie Shoebang, The College Times: Windships will rule the planet”
“It's really hard to write about fringe candidates without ridiculing them or treating them with so much ‘respect’ that they lose their often wacko individuality. Mr. Shoebang has done a wonderful job with these two pieces, using all the tools available to writers — voice, fact, description and, most effectively, dialogue. Now if we could just approach the major candidates this way, we might truly inform the electorate.”
No second place
Third place
Carol Rennen, The Business Journal: “Passion for pets”
“The writer has chosen pieces from this woman's life that make the subject, and her interesting life choices, come alive for the reader. Nice job.”
Honorable mention
Dana Cole, Sierra Vista Herald: “Sculptor in motion”
A3. Feature writing, short form
26 entries
Judge: Laurie Williams is the assistant managing editor at the Tri-City Herald in Eastern Washington. She has won numerous Northwest SPJ awards and two C.B. Blethen Memorial Awards from the Seattle Times for spot news coverage and investigative reporting.
First place
John Dickerson, The Gilbert Times: "Silicone Valley: How young is too young?"
“This story about cosmetic surgery for teens was well written and well balanced with sources on both sides of the issue.”
Second place
Dana Cole, Sierra Vista Herald: "Better sight, better learning"
“This was an interesting take on an issue that's not written about often. There's good ‘news you can use’ at the end.”
Third place
Max Foster, Payson Roundup: "After 100 years, Fossil Creek returning to natural beauty"
A4. Feature writing, long form
30 entries
Judge: David Niles, a past president of the Milwaukee Press Club, is
the co-owner of American Business Content, which provides content for business Web sites.
First place
John Dickerson, Scottsdale Times “Addicted youth: Heroin making dangerous comeback among teens”
“John Dickerson's use of crisp, non-embellished writing wonderfully
conveys the desperation and starkness of his subject's drug-enslaved life. The story does an excellent job of humanizing an otherwise statistical story.”
Second place
Katy O'Grady, Daily News Sun: “Horrors return: Alzheimer's victims may recall tragedies”
“A good job weaving the story subject's life into the greater story of
the challenges of Alzheimer's. Intriguing lead to set up the story."
Third Place
Dana Cole, Sierra Vista Herald: “Great catch”
“Fascinating story that is writing in a very compelling manner. Good
writing and good flow of information.”
Mid-sized publications
B2. Feature writing, short form
16 entries
Judge: Laurie Williams is the assistant managing editor at the Tri-City Herald in Eastern Washington. She has won numerous Northwest SPJ awards and two C.B. Blethen Memorial Awards from the Seattle Times for spot news coverage and investigative reporting.
First place
Julie Amparano, Latino Perspectives: "Raising bilingual tots"
“A nicely written story on the issue of teaching young children other languages. It offered good information and also personalized the topic with real people.”
Second place
Cara LaBrie, Southwest Valley Home & Family: "Swimming for her life."
“A well-sourced profile about an up-and-coming athlete. It's easy to read even if you know little about competitive swimming.”
Third place
Tim Vanderpool, Tucson Home magazine: "Today's Kitchen."
Honorable Mention
Anita Mabante Leach, Latino Perspectives: "Queen of Crafts."
B3. Feature writing, long form
42 entries
Judge: Timothy Cahill, an independent writer and critic in Albany, New York, writes regularly on art and photography for the Christian Science Monitor, among other publications. He is a past fellow with the National Arts Journalism Program at Columbia University, and a recipient of a Lifestyle Award for feature writing from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
First place (tie)
Peter Aleshire, Phoenix Magazine: “Human Cargo”
“With a sensitive eye, thorough reporting and taut writing, Mr. Aleshire tells a gripping and grim story of immigrants and those who prey on their hope.”
and
Jaime Lee Gipe, Java: “My San Francisco Treat”
“Ms. Lee’s account of her San Francisco trip had me from the first bite. The sublime restraint of her voice is matched by the perfect pitch of her wit. Delicious.”
Third place
Leo W. Banks, Tucson Weekly: “The Return of Wyatt Earp”
“I didn’t know it was still possible to say anything interesting about the
steely, vengeful lawman from Tombstone, but Mr. Banks kept me riveted from beginning to end.”
Honorable Mention
Jaime Lee Gipe, Java: “Homeland Insecurity”
“Scorpions in her bed: How could anything so creepy be so funny?”
B4. Personality profile
24 entries
Judge: Sherry Stern is Deputy Editor, Features, at the Los Angeles Times. She is a regional director of the American Association of Sunday and Features Editors.
First place
Renee Downing, Tucson Weekly: "History repeating"
“For finding three Vietnam vets and nicely weaving their stories into a timely tale about war and soldiers.”
Second place
Jana Bommersbach, Phoenix Magazine: "Arizona sent an innocent man to death row."
“Retelling a story that's already been copiously reported by other newspapers isn't difficult, yet this one pulls it all together into a fresh saga.”
No third place
Spanish-language publications
D3. Personality profile/feature writing
32 entries
Judge: Herman Mena Hernan Mena is sports and Latin American Affairs editor of Que Pasa Spanish Weekly in North Carolina.
First place
Adriana Elektra Sanchez, La Voz: “Morir por un Sueño”
“The most complete, objective and comprehensive of all entries, a vibrantly clear account on a very sensible topic such as the reasons for an immigrant to join the United States armed forces. The story runs long even for a front page feature, but keeps the interest of the reader with quotes from people who share the experience with readers, analyzing the pros and cons of being in the armed forces in this complex times with precise detail.”
“El texto más completo, objetivo y claro de todos, un recuento sobre un tema tan delicado como la relación de un inmigrante con las fuerzas armadas de este país. Pese a su longitud, el texto mantiene el interés del lector, analizando abiertamente los pros y contras de pertenecer a las fuerzas armadas en estos tiempos con detalles precisos.”
Second place
Valeria Fernandez, La Voz: “Florence: Inmigrantes en la sala de espera”
“A vivid, well documented overview at the refugee camps/prisions where illegal aliens from Central America wait for their destiny to be settled by the same forces that took them there. The descriptiveness of the uncommon ways of living portrayed as a routine people learn to live by made both humane and comprehensible by Valeria’s pen makes this her most honest work. “
“Una mirada vibrante y bien documentada de los campos para refugiados indocumentados/cárceles, donde muchos centroamericanos esperan que su destino sea decidido por las mismas fuerzas que los llevaron allí. La descripción de las formas de vida, las reglas y como los habitantes se adaptan a la rutina es realizada de manera humana y comprensible por la pluma de Valeria, es por mucho, su trabajo más honesto.”
Third place
Carmen Duarte, La Estrella de Tucson: “Aprenden Tradicion”
“A much-needed story about how rites should be passed from a generation to another in the form of making bread for the Day of the Dead. A simple thing of transcendental importance, as the children learn about the bread they learn the importance of respecting a sacred tradition and the yearning for the lost souls of the departed loved ones helps them achieve the conscience of their own soul.”
“Un texto necesario acerca del paso de las tradiciones de una generación a otra, en esta ocasión en la forma del Pan de Muerto, una cosa simple pero de importancia trascendental. Mientras los niños aprenden sobre el pan, también comprenden la importancia del respeto a una tradición san sagrada como el extrañar y celebrar a las almas de los seres queridos y de este modo toman también conciencia de su propia alma.”
Any publication
C19. News feature writing, 750 words and under
25 entries
Judge: Lauren Ritchie, columnist for the Lake County edition of the Orlando Sentinel, is former editor of the edition and regional editor of the Sentinel. She has covered law enforcement, courts, government and social services.
First place
Chris Hawley, The Arizona Republic: "Scribes’ future uncertain"
“Hawley’s story about the changing life of scribes in the Santo Domingo Plaza in Mexico City is a finely crafted piece of work that deftly tells the tale through the eyes of Rommel Jaime Mendoza. It’s easy to see how a less skilled writer could have made the story of the scribes’ demise dull, but Hawley kept the reader forcused on Mendoza, a wonderful story teller.”
Second place
Holly Johnson, The Arizona Republic: "Surviving twin says his ‘heart just hurts’ "
“Johnson’s story is a excellent example of how detail combined with colorful writing can grab and hang onto a reader. At the top of the story, we’re confronted with the vivid image of a tube ‘jutting’ from Jordan Conrad’s Adam’s apple and ‘fresh’ stitches on his forehead. The rest of the story details with care Jordan’s recovery from an accident that killed his twin brother, set against the backdrop of his poignant quote, ‘My heart just hurts.’
Third place
Ray Stern, East Valley Tribune: "Dust busters aid clean air -ush"
“Stern used a cliche in a clever way in the lead of this story explaining the job of a pollution inspector. The lead: ‘The dust usually settles soon after Merry Ellen Boom shows up.’ Stern goes on in an entertaining way to allow readers to step into Boom’s shoes and to explain why what she does is important in Maricopa County.”
C20. News feature writing, 751 to 1,500 words
55 entries
Judge: Cindy Rodriguez, a features columnist for The Denver Post, is a 2000 National Press Foundation fellow.
First place
Chris Hawley, The Arizona Republic: “Mexicans try to fight plague of kidnapping"
“Hawley grabbed me with his first sentence, and did a good job of
keeping me hooked with this trend story about kidnappings on the rise in Mexico.”
Second place
Susan Carroll, The Arizona Republic: "Desperate drama in desert"
“Carroll took what could've been a mundane profile of the US Border
Patrol's research and rescue squad and turned it into a must-read piece about how individuals in this squad strive to live.”
Third place
Angela Cara Pancrazio, The Arizona Republic: "Papers exact ultimate price"
“A gripping, heart-wrenching piece written in a vivid fashion, with
details that made this reader feel as though she were there.”
Honorable mention
Michael Marizco, Arizona Daily Star: "Fortress homes pose problems"
“Marizco's story about a drug lord's abandoned castle is
compelling and written with authority.”
C21. Newsfeature writing, more than 1,500 words
31 entries
Judge: Todd Hartman, who covers the environment for the Rocky Mountain News, is a past winner in the Best of the West, a second-place finisher for John B. Oakes award and a second-place finisher in the National Headliner Awards for newspaper magazine writing.
First place
Amy Silverman, Phoenix New Times: “Up the down staircase”
“Finally, finally, a journalist has produced a piece about people who are disabled/diseased/not-quite-right — in this case children with Down syndrome — that made me laugh, not cry. Written with sparkle and wit, Amy Silverman's piece left me smiling, chuckling and reading parts aloud to my wife and friends. Sure, it left me a little teary too, but thank you Amy for your beautifully humane, humorous touch. Best of all: a lead describing the birth of a baby with Down syndrome and the couple reacts by laughing with the baby barely out of the womb. Oh, what a joy this piece was to read.”
Second place
Jana Bommersbach, Phoenix Magazine: “Nuclear Attack in Kingman”
“It was hard to know which was the more astounding revelation in this story: the fact government nuclear tests appeared to have killed so many of our own, or that the government wants to have another go-round of nuclear tests, potentially exposing the same populations all over again. This piece made my blood boil.”
Third place
Glen Creno and Catherine Reagor Burrough, The Arizona Republic: “Land brokers wield power”
“An insightful look at a group of power-brokers that rarely get the headlines. The story of land broker Dave Lords served as a terrific
vehicle to explain to readers the anonymous folks that engineer endless surburban sprawl and it put the microscope on someone other than the usual suspects of builders, developers and local planning boards. This judge has covered plenty of land use stories, but still learned a lot from this piece.”
C22. Lifestyle reporting, 750 words or less
11 entries
Judge: Lauren Ritchie, columnist for the Lake County edition of the Orlando Sentinel, is former editor of the edition and regional editor of the Sentinel. She has covered law enforcement, courts, government and social services.
First place
Barbara Yost, The Arizona Republic: ““Biker-baker’s pies like mom used to make”
“A fun slice of life about Arthur R. Whitham, a 54-year-old biker — who hasn’t had a haircut or trimmed his beard ‘since Gerald Ford was president’ — who takes up pie baking to keep alive his mom’s secret recipes and wins blue medals at the county fair. In surprisingly few words, the story brings out the character of a man who’s not at all what most would expect from a burly, bristly biker covered with tattoos.
Second place
Scott Craven, The Arizona Republic: “Special ‘Miss Americas’ display their fashion flair”
“This is a warm and touching story about a developmentally challenged 22-year-old woman whose participation in beauty pageants gives her a new sense of pride.”
Third place
Michele Laudig, Phoenix New Times: "Electric Youth"
“This story about two young women who sneak into concerts to sell their compilation CDs begins, ‘Sometimes, breaking the law pays off.’ It goes onto tell exactly how getting busted as they tried to sneak into a show in Chicago proved to be the big break they were looking for.”
C23. Lifestyle reporting, 751-1,500 words
21 entries
Judge: Evan Tuchinsky, Features Wire Editor and Travel Editor at The (Riverside, Calif.) Press-Enterprise, has won multiple awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and Associated Press Sports Editors.
First place
Scott Craven, The Arizona Republic: "Saintly Nicks"
“The cream of a very competitive crop, this story takes a perennial subject to a whole new level. The writing is crisp, and the moving anecdotes stuck with me long after I finished reading.”
Second Place
Marija Potkonjak, East Valley Tribune: "After I'm gone“
“This provocative, stirring story brought up an issue I'd never considered and, though not directly impacting my life, made me think — and care.”
Third place
Jennifer Duffy, Arizona Daily Star: "No cash, just carry"
“The reporter rolled up her sleeves to explore a subculture unnoticed by mainstream society, and her efforts have paid off with a detailed piece.”
Honorable mention
Toni Laxson, East Valley Tribune: "Bark Park society"
“The bright lead sets the tone for a well-written, well-reported story that you don't have to be a dog lover to love.”
C24. Lifestyle reporting, more than 1,500 words or more
15 entries
Judge: Thomas Huang is features editor of the Dallas Morning News,
which in 2003 ranked first in general excellence in the Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Awards. As a writer, Huang was a two-time finalist for the Livingston Award for Young Journalists and a two-time finalist for the Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Award for feature writing.
First place
Rhonda Bodfield Bloom, Arizona Daily Star: "Toil, tradition fill ranch life"
“This is a great example of immersion reporting for features. You can tell Rhonda Bodfield Bloom spent a lot of time with Micaela King McGibbon and her family, and her reporting resulted in an in-depth, complex portrait of life on a ranch — what's essentially a dying way of life. As part of her storytelling, Bloom weaves in explanatory passages that, in a clear and simple way, reveal to me the reasons why ranches are fading away. It's a story of struggle and loss — with glimmers of hope as the next generation tries to make the ranch succeed.”
Second place
Connie Cone Sexton, The Arizona Republic: "Dad's going to die"
“The key to Connie's story was gaining the trust of the Payne family. It takes a lot of skill and sensitivity to get the kind of access Sexton got. The family opened up to her, and through anecdotes and the details of everyday life, we gained greater understanding about what children go through when a parent is about to die. It was also extremely helpful to run sidebars on resource books and tips on how children understand death.”
Third place
Scott Craven, The Arizona Republic: "A long but rewarding day in the life of the little big top"
“Craven's reporting and writing put the reader smackdab in the middle of Circus Chimera. We get to see what it's like for the Circus to pull out of town and set up shop in the next town. The story uses the reporter's observational powers to great effect — there's a lot of movement in the story and cinematic passages based on precise reporting.”
Honorable mention
Judy Nichols, The Arizona Republic: "Reweaving a historic bond"
“Nichols does a great job explaining the Navajo weaving tradition and the importance of the Churro sheep. Yes, the story is about weaving — and Nichols weaves the story of Sarah Natani into the larger story about Navajo traditions and history — a beautiful tapestry.”
C25. Personality profile, under 1,000 words
12 entries
Judge: Sheila Toomey, a senior reporter for the Anchorage Daily News, has won numerous awards, including a shared Pulitzer Prize gold medal for public service.
First Place
Angela Cara Pancrazio, The Arizona Republic: “Lost boys mold new lives”
“A well executed story of the young men orphaned or displaced as children by the civil war in the Sudan. Good organization and detail (the humming lights, for example). My only complaint is too much about cows and not more about the ‘boys’ themselves. The mother who may or may not still be alive is haunting.”
Second Place
Niki D’Andrea, Phoenix New Times: “Everybody loves Chico.”
“Although very narrowly focused on Mr. Chism’s music life, the story introduces readers to a real blues insider who may not be known to them. Fun anecdotes (love the Queen tapping her foot) keep the reader reading. My only complaint is the writer kept a bit too much distance between herself and her subject. I would have liked her to move inside once or twice with sound, smell, light, something in addition to her fine linear narrative.”
No third place
C26. Personality profile, over 1,001 words
28 entries
Judge: Sherry Stern is Deputy Editor, Features, at the Los Angeles Times. She is a regional director of the American Association of Sunday and Features Editors.
First place
Jana Bommersbach, Phoenix Magazine: "Black & White and Read All Over"
“This profile of editorial cartoonist Steve Benson is an engaging biography that entertainingly explains how a nice Mormon boy grew up to be voice of liberalism for The Arizona Republic.”
Second place
Robert Nelson, Phoenix New Times: "My Right Foot"
“A tough story to tell, of a complex man who doesn't fit our mold of how a disabled person should act.”
No third place