Dozens of San Diego journalists took home plaques and certificates honoring their work of the last year. The chapter also presented for the first time $900 scholarships to three college students, and we honored longtime TV news reporter and anchor Loren Nancarrow as our Journalist of the Year.
More than 200 people showed up at the Bali Hai Thursday evening to pick up their awards and honor Loren.
See below for the winners and judges’ comments. (And pardon the appearance, we had to cut and paste from a spreadsheet).

SPECIAL AWARDS

Sol Price Prize for Responsible Journalism. This award goes to a journalist whose work not only meets ethical standards but also shows uncommon sensitivity to issues. These journalists pursued truth in the face of such obstacles as unpopularity, economic retribution or physical harm.
Miriam Raftery, Jim Pelley, and Parke Ewing, East County Magazine, Residents Complain Of Dust Bowl, Third World Conditions At Pattern Energy’S Ocotillo Wind Site
Judges’ comments: East County Magazine’s coverage of the building & operation of the Ocotillo wind farm is to be commended.
This stuff is especially distressing to read, since wind power is supposed to be so environmentally friendly.
It goes to show that even the greenest of projects can be an environmental hazard if not undertaken in good faith.

Herbert Lockwood “Woody” Award. This award honors the best in local humor writing and is named for San Diego’s legendary journalist, humorist and historian, Herbert “Woody” Lockwood, who passed away in February 2009 at age 91. Woody wrote and edited for the Pacific Beach Sentinel, La Mesa Scout, San Diego Independent, San Diego Daily Transcript and San Diego Metropolitan, and he also wrote several humorous books on San Diego history.

Lee Swanson, News, To Me blog

James Julian Memorial Award. This award is named for the late Dr. James Julian, a journalism professor at San Diego State University who taught media law. It goes to the best community service story or series in a newspaper with a circulation of less than 65,000.

Miriam Raftery , East County Magazine, Awash In Complaints, Residents Seek Protection From Wind Developer’s Actions
Judges’ comments: Hard-hitting and thorough, it’s heartwarming to see this kind of old-fashioned investigative reporting still lives, even as the details turn your stomach.

Diversity Prize:

Megan Burks , KPBS and Voice of San Diego, Speak City Heights

Judges’ comments: Speak City Heights is an inspiring, ambitious, innovative concept – multi-platform, multi-media, and dedicated to covering an underserved, diverse community that might otherwise be ignored.
A model that deserves to be replicated.

First Amendment Award:
David Ogul , Mission Times Courier, The Shrinking World Of The Daily Newspaper

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Our print journalism scholarship goes to Tara Millspaugh, who graduated this year from SDSU, where she was news editor at The Daily Aztec and displayed her writing skills as well. She has interned at KPBS and KGTV and currently works at the One America News Network.

Our photo journalism scholarship goes to Amy McDonald, who graduated this year from UCSD, where she studied social documentary photography and snapped some beautiful photos of people in their natural element to snag this scholarship.

Our video journalism scholarship goes to David Krueger, whose packages for Palomar College’s North County News were a cut above the other applicants and worthy of recognition for their skill and range.

COLLEGE MEDIA

Arts/Entertainment story, First Place, Local Art Scholars Battle Over Lost Da Vinci, The Southwestern College Sun, Marianna, Saponara,  , Saponara tells a fascinating story of how a Leonardo DaVince work of art may be walled up behind a more recent mural in Italy. The story is fascinating and compelling, as is the way Saponara tells it. It makes the reader want to tear down the wall to solve the mystery.
College Media (C) – Arts/Entertainment story, Second Place, Exhibit displays birth of skating, The Daily Aztec, Christian, Benavides,  ,  
College Media (C) – Arts/Entertainment story, Honorable Mention, Former SWC child prodigy dazzles on her new Christmas single, The Southwestern College Sun, Lina, Chankar,  ,  
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College Media (C) – Best Newspaper (must submit 3 issues), First Place, The Daily Aztec Newspaper, The Daily Aztec , The Daily Aztec Newspaper, Staff,  , The Daily Aztec is in a class by itself in this Best College Newspaper category. Staff writers discuss such non-campus news as a UN-based story of Palestine being granted non-member observer state status or bloodshed in Syria continuing. Serious information appears inside too, exemplified by a Health column by a staffer that birth control be a right not a luxury, including a diagram of how the Morning-after pill works. Fiction 55-word story challenges from staff writers inject a way to get students to take a break from thinking of finals and have a good time with this feature article.
College Media (C) – Best Newspaper (must submit 3 issues), Second Place, City Times, City Times, City Times, Staff,  ,  
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College Media (C) – Column (must submit 3 examples), First Place, The Give and Go, The Southwestern College Sun, Daniel, Guzman,  , Daniel Guzman is a very talented writer. His comments on subjects as related (and simultaneously diverse) as women referees, disabled fighters and gay athletes shows his choice of topic is one reason. Another is his outstanding writing: “On deck,” he wrote, “are a generation of open-minded athletes, ready to bat away lingering, ignorant personalities who fan homophobia in men’s sports.” He has a great future.
College Media (C) – Column (must submit 3 examples), Second Place, Social Medium, City Times, Sandra, Galindo,  ,  
College Media (C) – Column (must submit 3 examples), Honorable Mention, Sex and The Sun, The Southwestern College Sun, Angela, Van Ostran,  ,  
College Media (C) – Column (must submit 3 examples), Honorable Mention, The Human Chord, The Southwestern College Sun, Albert, Fulcher,  ,  
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College Media (C) – Feature photo, First Place, Progress on Mathematics and Social Sciences building, City Times , Troy, Orem,  , This photo shows the advantage of using the panorama setting on a camera or cellphone. It gives a refreshing sweep of scene that allows someone who has never been to the location to see — and feel — what the locale is like. The photographer deserves a pat on the back for thinking of using this technique in this location.
College Media (C) – Feature photo, Second Place, A survivor of the 1942 Bataan Death March, The Southwestern College Sun, Mary, York,  ,  
College Media (C) – Feature photo, Honorable Mention, Bowling a Perfect Game, The Southwestern College Sun, Amanda, Abad,  ,  
College Media (C) – Feature photo, Honorable Mention, Good and evil duel for first, City Times , Troy, Orem,
College Media (C) – Feature story, First Place, Undocumented Aztec journeys to citizenship, The Daily Aztec, Christian, Benavides,  , The author keeps a descriptive narrative that draws the reader’s attention right away. The author documented the student’s journey and struggles to be a U.S. citizen and to be a college student in a detailed way that kept the reader interested until the very end.
College Media (C) – Feature story, Second Place, Director returns from war to battle for students, The Southwestern College Sun, Albert, Fulcher,  ,  
College Media (C) – Feature story, Honorable Mention, Winning the Race of Her Life, The Southwestern College Sun, Albert, Fulcher, Ernesto Rivera, Serina Duarte,
College Media (C) – Headline, First Place, No-court press, The Southwestern College Sun, Amanda, Abad,  , The headline is not just witty but also points out the importance of gaining coverage of college sports, which are subject to corrupt practices. This headline, “No Court Press,” points out that the media should always “press” coaches and managers to get good coverage.
College Media (C) – Headline, Second Place, Proud to win the American, The Southwestern College Sun, David, McVicker,  ,  
College Media (C) – Headline, Honorable Mention, Well-spokin’ athletes, The Southwestern College Sun, Amanda, Abad,
College Media (C) – In-depth reporting story, First Place, Alioto central character in Foundation investigation, The Southwestern College Sun, Albert, Fulcher,  , Nick Furr and Albert Fulcher deserve to share the first place award for their incredible work on the Proposition R-Foundation funding scandal. Although this story made it past California’s borders and was seen elsewhere, their versions are far more detailed and show amazing work. These two have the story nailed. It obviously goes far beyond a weekend of wine-tasting and golf at Pebble Beach. It shows how pay-to-play can wreck the entire institution meant to help the millions for the sakes for the few. They share first-place for this very important category.
College Media (C) – In-depth reporting story, First Place, Board suspends construction contracts with Seville, BCA, The Southwestern College Sun, Nickolas, Furr,  , Nick Furr and Albert Fulcher deserve to share the first place award for their incredible work on the Proposition R-Foundation funding scandal. Although this story made it past California’s borders and was seen elsewhere, their versions are far more detailed and show amazing work. These two have the story nailed. It obviously goes far beyond a weekend of wine-tasting and golf at Pebble Beach. It shows how pay-to-play can wreck the entire institution meant to help the millions for the sakes for the few. They share first-place for this very important category.
College Media (C) – In-depth reporting story, Second Place, Student Success Task Force, The Telescope, Erin, Hiro, Ian Hanner & Gio Nieto,  
College Media (C) – In-depth reporting story, Honorable Mention, FBI probing ASI election fraud, The Cougar Chronicle, Cal State San Marcos, Melissa, Martinez,  ,  
College Media (C) – In-depth reporting story, Honorable Mention, Expired elevator permits stoke concerns over campus safety, The Cougar Chronicle, Cal State San Marcos, Fredrick, Misleh,  ,  
College Media (C) – In-depth reporting story, Honorable Mention, Young veterans experience battlefield back home, The Daily Aztec, Antonio, Zaragoza,  ,  
 
College Media (C) – Layout & Design (story or series), First Place, Burgess to retire, City Times, Troy, Orem,  , I like everything about this page: it’s got a little of everything and really packs a punch onto Page 1. Great photo complements the passport story, the rendering catches the eye and teases to the inside, and I like that there’s not too much copy with any one story; very pleasing to the eye and not intimidating to the reader.
College Media (C) – Layout & Design (story or series), Second Place, The Telescope Newspaper, The Telescope, Erin, Hiro, Kaity Bergquist,  
College Media (C) – Layout & Design (story or series), Honorable Mention, City’s Seeds earning green, City Times, Troy, Orem,  ,  
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College Media (C) – Multicultural story, First Place, I Live In China, The Southwestern College Sun, Christian, Gutierrez,  , I hope this article is only Part I of a series of articles on Christian Gutierrez’s life in China. Christian’s writing lured me into the story and his vivid descriptions of the Chinese city he is living in kept me interested in the story from start to finish. His reporting was also very good because I said to myself ‘that’s interesting’ or ‘I didn’t know that’ on several occasions.
College Media (C) – Multicultural story, Second Place, Dream Act stirs hope, controversy, The Cougar Chronicle, Cal State San Marcos, Kristin, Melody,  , I wish I could have voted this article first because the writer tried so much harder than the other writers and did a lot of excellent reporting. Besides, the topic of this article is extremely important and I felt like I was learning as I read the article. However, the article I voted as the best was better written and had multicultural insights that were arguably as important as this article’s factual insights. As I read this article, I had to stop too many times and reread a sentence or two because I wasn’t clear about something. The writer used too much technical government jargon and made a few sloppy mistakes. This is all correctable. Maybe, the writer needed a better editor. Judge–MZ
College Media (C) – Multicultural story, Honorable Mention, Michael Schnorr painted the globe in a life of brilliant activism, The Southwestern College Sun, Albert, Fulcher, Nickolas Furr, I thought this was a well-written news story about an interesting man who just committed suicide. I thought the writing was better in this story than in the other third-place story and the second-place story, but those two articles were on more important subjects and the writers of those articles did more extensive reporting. Judge–MZ
College Media (C) – Multicultural story, Honorable Mention, Targeting the War on Drugs, The Southwestern College Sun, Albert, Fulcher,  , I thought this was a well-written story about an important issue. However, the story was essentially coverage of one event about the issue and the quotes/insights were from people who happened to be at the event. I guess as I started reading the article, I was hoping for an in-depth discussion of the issue and insights about possible solutions. That’s too much to expect from a news article, but I was hoping this would be more than a news article. Judge–MZ
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College Media (C) – News or Feature Series (any subject) (max 5 parts), First Place, ASI election scandal series, The Cougar Chronicle, Cal State San Marcos, Kristin, Melody, Melissa Martinez, Juliana Stumpp, Jessie Gambrell, The clear winner in this category, Excellent and thorough job of taking on a big story and exploring all aspects. Nicely done.
College Media (C) – News or Feature Series (any subject) (max 5 parts), Second Place, Players say they were illegally recruited, The Southwestern College Sun, Alexis, Dominguez, Other headlines for illegal basketball recruiting: Coaches deny hoop recruiting violations Basketball players come from outside district,  
College Media (C) – News or Feature Series (any subject) (max 5 parts), Honorable Mention, SDSU student found with arsenal, The Daily Aztec, Antonio, Zaragoza,  ,  
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College Media (C) – News photo, First Place, Children’s center begins composting, The Daily Aztec, Paige, Nelson,  , Good photos should tell a story and this one does — simply and effectively. The sign in children’s handwriting against a backdrop of two kids playing, says it all for the reader, almost immediately.
College Media (C) – News photo, Second Place, FOUR MORE YEARS, The Southwestern College Sun, Marshall, Murphy,  ,  
College Media (C) – News photo, Honorable Mention, Winter shelter brings help to the homeless, The Daily Aztec, Paige, Nelson,  ,  
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College Media (C) – News program – television, First Place, Veteran Training Program, PCTV, Channel 16, David, Kruger,  , The brief but powerful video on the veteran training program was almost investigative in its scope. It deserves first place because it tells a personal story many times over of veterans who need to feel and be useful. Even though the report does not go into great detail about the program, it gives the viewer enough to understand how the program works and why it is important for the people it serves.
College Media (C) – News program – television, Second Place, North County News: Aderal Problem, PCTV, Channel 16, Cindi, Lundeberg,  ,  
College Media (C) – News program – television, Honorable Mention, North County News show 5/1/2012, PCTV, Channel 16, Zoya, Popova,  ,  
College Media (C) – News program – television, Honorable Mention, Pala Landing Pad, PCTV, Channel 16, David, Kruger,  ,  
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College Media (C) – News story, First Place, 700 students caught up in vote-tampering scandal, The Cougar Chronicle, Cal State San Marcos, Kristin, Melody, Jessie Gambrell, This story shows the ultimate importance of the sacredness of the ballot box, as well as the vital and continuing issue of identity theft. It quoted significant sources and gave the accused student and the university a chance to respond – as did most entries in this category. This category offered a strong showing of well-written entries.
College Media (C) – News story, Second Place, Wellness Center Experiences Upheaval, The Point Weekly, Abby, Hamblin,  , Good lede and an issue crucial to the campus; both sides commented.
College Media (C) – News story, Honorable Mention, Investigator finds more Alioto gifts, The Southwestern College Sun, Nickolas, Furr,  , Coverage of this stinging indictment explains details at many levels and the story calls on officials to improve the Proposition R process which was apparently flagrantly misused.
College Media (C) – News story, Honorable Mention, Undocumented students receive exemption, The Daily Aztec, David, Hernandez,  , A story of national significance written with a solid local perspective.
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College Media (C) – Opinion/Editorial, First Place, ASO should spend less money on themselves, more on others, The Southwestern College Sun, Alyssa, Simental,  , One of the foundations of a free press is to promote and ensure transparency of government. Whether that’s state, federal or even student government doesn’t matter. What is important is that newspapers continue to speak truth to power. The editorial cites key examples of profligate spending and makes a powerful call for student leaders to follow the letter and spirit of the law on open meetings, as well as simple, concrete suggestions for increased transparency, like posting meeting agendas and meetings.
College Media (C) – Opinion/Editorial, Second Place, Our entire campus, our whole nation is free speech area, The Southwestern College Sun, Nickolas, Furr,  ,  
College Media (C) – Opinion/Editorial, Honorable Mention, Grading software fails students’ education, The Daily Aztec, Madison, Hopkins,  , Forget the Stereotypes
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College Media (C) – Original Illustration or Cartoon, First Place, Jobs you can get as a college graduate, The Cougar Chronicle, Cal State San Marcos, Stephen, Di Padova,  , Very funny, clever & well-drawn cartoon. Just the right slightly cynical sense of humor.
College Media (C) – Original Illustration or Cartoon, Second Place, Why So Serious?, City Times, Adam, Baird,  ,  
College Media (C) – Original Illustration or Cartoon, Honorable Mention, Local Art Scholars Battle Over Lost Da Vinci, The Southwestern College Sun, Joaquin, Junco Jr.,  ,  
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College Media (C) – Review/Criticism, First Place, Authentic barbecue cooked to perfection, City Times, Andrew, Hahn,  , Good criticism does more than give you the reviewer’s opinion. It teaches you something that you did not previously know about a subject. That certainly true here with this review and explanation of barbacoa. It helps that the reviewer also has a wicked sense of humor.
College Media (C) – Review/Criticism, Second Place, Evolution of the ‘Creed’, City Times, Adam, Baird,  ,  
College Media (C) – Review/Criticism, Honorable Mention, Winter Choral Concert hits the right notes, The Southwestern College Sun, Ailsa, Alipusan,  ,  
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College Media (C) – Sports photo, First Place, GOOOOOAL, The Southwestern College Sun, Marshall, Murphy,  , The clear winner in this category. Great composition. Perfect position. The photographic equivalent of a winning goal.
College Media (C) – Sports photo, Second Place, SDSU headbutts CSU at homecoming, The Daily Aztec, Dustin, Michelson,  ,  
College Media (C) – Sports photo, Honorable Mention, The Champs Are Here, The Southwestern College Sun, Pablo, Gandara,  ,  
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College Media (C) – Sports story, First Place, Kearny High losing its iconic stripes, The Daily Aztec, Ryan, Schuler,  , Nice yarn about a distinctive team tradition losing out to inane league uniformity.
College Media (C) – Sports story, Second Place, Talented athlete regroups after escaping six years of abuse, The Southwestern College Sun, Amanda, Abad,  ,  
College Media (C) – Sports story, Honorable Mention, Title IX leveled the playing field for women athletes, but not for female college coaches, The Southwestern College Sun, Amanda, Abad,  ,  
 

DAILY REPORTING AND WRITING

– Arts/Entertainment story, First Place, SD’s Con still the strongest, U-T San Diego, Lori, Weisberg,  , Comic-Con. It’s one of those pop references you’re supposed to understand and if you don’t, don’t admit it. But reading about the passion of San Diego’s devotees advanced my knowledge of this phenomenon. Love the writing — informative and entertaining summation of the challenge of managing this popular event in just the first five graphs — not an easy to accomplish. And of course my favorite quote: “Right now we’re at a moment of peak geek.”
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Arts/Entertainment story, Second Place, SCULPTOR NUDGES THE ABSTRACT ENVELOPE, The San Diego Union-Tribune, Sophy, Chaffee,  , This look at a sculptor’s approach to her work is very descriptive and encourages the reader’s curiosity. The writer’s knowledge of the work the sculptor is undertaking really comes through. The reader is informed but not overwhelmed or confused by the details.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Arts/Entertainment story, Honorable Mention, How TV ads affect your decisions about car insurance, CarInsuranceQuotes.com, Emmet, Pierce,  , I’m guessing many people have wondered about this. Interesting question posed and answered.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Arts/Entertainment story, Honorable Mention, Truth stranger than fiction for Rodriguez, UT- San Diego, George, Varga,  , Interesting angle for a story on Rodriguez — how his music influenced a music icon like Dave Matthews and a financial consultant, men with two very different career paths.
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Breaking news story, First Place, Farewell, Junior, U-T San Diego, Kristina, Davis, Staff, A well-written and engaging story that worked well as a tribute to the man and a wrap-up of the news of the day, colored with wrenching detail. Questions about the role of Seau’s NFL career in his suicide were raised sensitively, without placing blame or raising ire. Excellent work.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Breaking news story, Second Place, Four feared dead in sailboat race, U-T San Diego, Debbi, Baker,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Breaking news story, Honorable Mention, Two deputies, suspect wounded in shootout, U-T San Diego, Kristina, Davis, Pauline Repard, Kristina Davis, Debbi Baker, J. Harry Jones, Nathan Max,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Business story, First Place, ECONOMY: Welding trade sees pickup in hiring despite worker shortage, North County Times, Pat, Maio,  , This story took an interesting look at how welders – an industry that doesn’t often get much publicity or attention – is faring in this economy. It was well-written and concise, while still including interesting anecdotes from local businesses. While I have read many articles on the impact on businesses of the Great Recession, this was a fresh and unique take on the subject.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Business story, Second Place, Angry Michigan Residents Fight Uneven Battle Against Pipeline Project on Their Land, InsideClimate News, David, Hasemyer,  , This story puts a detailed face on a biotech company, bringing to life the work in the lab. Great details and pacing.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Business story, Honorable Mention, Near-sourcing now makes economic sense for manufacturing, San Diego Daily Transcript, Padma, Nagappan,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Column (must submit 3 examples), First Place, Solar Panels Don’t Work!, TheStreet.com, Bill, Gunderson,  , A good column should be engaging, entertaining and thought provoking, which is what Bill Gunderson manages in his business pieces that take on what he calls the overinflated hype surrounding value of investments in alternative or green energy. He backs his assertions up with hard examples including a look at Al Gore’s investment portfolio, which is light on green stocks. Gunderson does good reporting for his pieces while maintaining the voice of a columnist throughout.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Column (must submit 3 examples), Second Place, “The way we are,” three columns by Fred Dickey, U-T San Diego, Fred, Dickey,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Column (must submit 3 examples), Honorable Mention, Matthew T. Hall columns, U-T San Diego, Matthew, Hall,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Education story, First Place, NewSchool, Madrid students collaborate on downtown design project, The Daily Transcript, Carlos, Rico, Carlos Rico, Very competitive category.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Education story, Second Place, NewSchool chair applies lessons from Olympic Village experience, The Daily Transcript, Carlos, Rico, Carlos Rico, Nice profile.
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Environmental story, First Place, Nation’s First Tar Sands Mine Stirs Water, Environmental Fears Out West, InsideClimate News, David, Hasemyer,  , Engaging, good variety of sources, well considered links. A thorough reporting job.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Environmental story, Second Place, Bracing for Winds of Change, U-T San Diego, Morgan, Lee, U-T San Diego photographer Peggy Peattie,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Environmental story, Honorable Mention, Silence of the Lambs, East County Magazine (www.EastCountyMagazine.org), Miriam, Raftery,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Feature story, First Place, The Rock on Half Dome: How Dani and Sylvia Found Triumph Amid Tragedy, La Mesa-Mount Helix Patch, Ken, Stone,  , Good storytelling. This piece has tragedy, grief, an unlikely discovery, triumph — all the components of a dramatic story. The writer weaved a good tale using great details explaining how the widow and the mother found each other.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Feature story, Second Place, Human Lie Detectors: The Death of the Dead Giveaway, http://www.psmag.com (Pacific Standard magazine online), Sue, Russell,  , Interesting, well researched look at the loopholes present in the science of detecting lies; and a good read.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Feature story, Honorable Mention, Insurance etiquette: 8 ways to avoid embarrassment and rude behavior, Insure.com, Emmet, Pierce,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Feature story, Honorable Mention, When Extreme Animal Rights Activists Attack, http://www.psmag.com (Pacific Standard magazine online), Sue, Russell,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Food story, First Place, Food safety on the go, U-T San Diego, Lori, Weisberg,  , Is the food from that food truck safe? Who knows? Solid community-service journalism that raises an obvious question about food truck inspections, specifically the lack of public access. The story even gives the reader a taste of stale government bureaucracy.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Food story, Second Place, Foie gras: the long, controversial road to a food ban, U-T San Diego, Keli, Dailey,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Food story, Honorable Mention, Dining on Deck, U-T San Diego, Nicole, Larson,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Health story, First Place, ALS patient and his family deal with their awful reality, U-T San Diego, Fred, Dickey,  , Fred Dickey ever so carefully penetrates the life of the John Constans ‘ Navyman, ex-pilot and simulator instructor, ‘ diagnosed with a life-ending illness: ALS. Dickey’s prose takes you inside John’s sphere ‘ deep into John’s life of daily struggles to walk, to eat, to make amends with anyone that he might have “pissed off.’ All of this is a tribute to Dickey’s reportorial resourcefulness, and his ability to gain the trust of John and his family. Well done.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Health story, Second Place, Beating the odds: Lung cancer, the No. 2 cause of death in the U.S., is increasingly curable, U-T San Diego, Beth, Wood,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Investigative/Enterprise story — single subject, First Place, Convicted lawmaker finds new life with false papers, U-T San Diego, Lily, Leung,  , This is a courageous probe that revealed a politician who went to prison in one of Arizona’s most notorious public-corruption was practicing real estate in San Diego County for almost 14 years, using his son’s clean record to get a license. The reporting was relentless and got results.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Investigative/Enterprise story — single subject, Second Place, Ashes found at carwash bound for new resting place, U-T San Diego, Debbi, Baker,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Legal story, First Place, When is a child fit to be tried?, U-T San Diego, Dana, Littlefield, Steve Schmidt, Very well done. Well reasearched and well written. The writer simply forces the reader to become involved in the story.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Legal story, Second Place, Why Can’t Law Enforcement Admit They Blow It Sometimes, http://www.psmag.com (Pacific Standard magazine online), Sue, Russell,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Legal story, Honorable Mention, Why Fingerprints Aren’t the Proof We Thought They Were, http://www.psmag.com (Pacific Standard magazine online), Sue, Russell,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Legal story, Honorable Mention, Leaving a trail of brazen heists, U-T San Diego, Dana, Littlefield,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Multicultural story, First Place, Giving thanks for a skipper’s rescue and a chance at a new life, U-T San Diego, Fred, Dickey,  , Fred Dickey crafted a beautifully told story about a Vietnamese family who came to America in 1982 because a Navy captain disobeyed orders and lifted them from a rickety boat in the Pacific to safety aboard the destroyer he was commanding. Thirty years after the rescue, the story made a captivating Thanksgiving Day story on the U-T’s front page. The narrative weaves two stories: one about the five-member Vu family’s desperate journey from Vietnam to success in America and the other about Navy Capt. Al Bell receiving orders not to attempt any rescues of so-called “boat people.” The risks taken by the family and by Bell, who is now a Mission Valley resident, ultimately bring them together in what would become a lifelong friendship. Dickey built the story around those dual risks to write a thoroughly engaging article about the Vu family’s coming to the U.S., becoming citizens, and excelling as scholars and business people. The approach the writer took with this entry is an excellent example of effective story planning and organization.
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – News or Feature Series (any subject) (max 5 parts), First Place, The Legacy of WWII, U-T San Diego, Peter, Rowe, John Wilkens, Award winners: Peter Rowe and John Wilkens, U-T San Diego. The five stories submitted for judging were from a 2012 project titled “The Legacy of World War II,” a year-long series about San Diego County’s transformation during the Great War, its contributions to the war effort, and its sacrifices. Through in-depth interviews and historical research, reporters Peter Rowe and John Wilkens infused these beautifully written pieces with the memories of surviving veterans and family members. These are richly textured stories of survival, bravery, loss and forgiveness. Archival images and present-day photos of veterans featured in the stories, along with excellent graphics and oral histories, also helped the series to propel readers back to such scenes as the Bataan Death March of April 1942, the battle for Guadalcanal, and D-Day — all told from the perspective of veterans who were there. But it is the writing that really pulls the reader into the minds and souls of veterans recalling their wartime service and their lives since. Studded with powerful quotes, each story makes palpable the experiences of these veterans and preserves the voice of a dying generation. Well-crafted, uncluttered sentences and the writers’ own conversational tone make for effortless reading and offset the strong quotes. The overall structure of each story helps readers understand this war’s enduring influence on ordinary citizens and their city, and illuminates a major theme of the series — how the past informs the present.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – News or Feature Series (any subject) (max 5 parts), Second Place, Arresting Kids on an Unproven Hunch, Voice of San Diego, Keegan, Kyle,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – News or Feature Series (any subject) (max 5 parts), Honorable Mention, Leadership series, The Daily Transcript, Samantha, Henry, Samantha Henry,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Non-deadline news story, First Place, Mystery around Marine wife’s death, U-T San Diego, Kristina, Davis, Kristina Davis, J. Harry Jones, Dana Littlefield, The Brittany Killgore homicide case was only days old, but Kristina Davis, J. Harry Jones and Dana Littlefield cast an early light on the investigation of her abduction and death in their April 2012 story. The reporting team pulled together a solid story that served to help readers understand the relationships of the two people who authorities were looking at early in their investigation, one of whom had already been charged in the case. The reporters mined social media sites and interviewed a range of sources to learn more about Killgore and the people being investigated in her death. The story, which also used excellent graphics including timeline and map, provided clarity and perspective in the early days of a complicated case that became a national story.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Non-deadline news story, Second Place, A random attack, a family devestated, U-T San Diego, Debbi, Baker,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Opinion/Editorial, First Place, Debunking the Opposition to Proposition Z, SanDiegoFreePress, Douglas, Porter,  , This is a marvelous piece that tackles a complex issue, explains it in clear language and skewers the opposing arguments with facts. A classic piece of good advocacy journalism.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Opinion/Editorial, Second Place, Save community planning groups, East County Magazine (www.EastCountyMagazine.org, Miriam, Raftery,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Opinion/Editorial, Honorable Mention, The people our Governor wants to “crush”, East County Magazine (www.EastCountyMagazine.org), Miriam, Raftery,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Political/Government story, First Place, The men who would be mayor, U-T San Diego, Craig, Gustafson,  , Reporter Craig Gustafson combined solid research and fine storytelling in “The Men Who Would be Mayor” — a Union Tribune piece profiling Republican Carl DeMaio and Democrat Bob Filner. The in-depth looks at the candidates battling to succeed Jerry Sanders were excellent examples of fair, balanced reporting, with voices of supporters and detractors offering insights into the personalities, politics, character and history of each man. Gustafson’s own research provided perspective and texture, with each candidate’s political past detailed, including events in their lives that ultimately led DeMaio and Filner into civic life and politics.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Political/Government story, Second Place, After four years under Mayor Sanders (and the media), Pudgil wonders what’s next, The Daily Transcript, Andrew, Keatts, Andrew Keatts,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Political/Government story, Honorable Mention, Bilbray-Peters Air War Waged 30 Seconds at a Time: Files Reveal Buys, La Jolla Patch, Ken, Stone,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Real Estate story, First Place, Listing sites aiming to home in on target, U-T San Diego, Lily, Leung,  , Zillow, Trulia and other online real estate listing services got the home-inspection treatment in Lily Leung’s story of March 11, 2012. Leung’s well-researched and highly readable story made house-hunters aware of inaccuracies and other discrepancies in the massive amounts of information provided by the popular real estate syndicators. By speaking with multiple sources including real estate brokers, an information technology consultant and syndicators themselves, Leung’s work helped readers to realize the importance of verifying data to avoid making misinformed buying decisions. The story was rich in historical perspective, explaining the rise of syndicators and brokers’ decisions to work with them or not.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Real Estate story, Second Place, New ‘co-working’ spaces offer alternatives to working at home, cafes, San Diego Daily Transcript, Padma, Nagappan,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Real Estate story, Honorable Mention, Student loan payments another hurdle for 1st-time homebuyers, The Daily Transcript, Samantha, Henry, Samantha Henry,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Review/Criticism, First Place, ‘In One Person’ looks at love and understanding, U-T San Diego, Matthew, Hall,  , Clear, readable, expert review with a clever news peg to a University of San Diego drag show. This review flows well, uses easily digestible sentences and nice analogies (“It’s ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ for the literate and considerate”). It makes review-writing look easy, which it’s not. Well done.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Review/Criticism, Second Place, A fall from glorious heights: Houston’s glorious voice propelled a glorious career, U-T San Diego, George, Varga,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Review/Criticism, Honorable Mention, The vampires in Justin Cronin’s ‘The Twelve’ are mercifully vicious, U-T San Diego, Matthew, Hall,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Review/Criticism, Honorable Mention, Play review: ‘Iliad’ a mesmerizing lament, U-T San Diego, James, Hebert,  ,  
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Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Science/Technology story, First Place, Brain behind Gen-Probe prizes life in lab, not spotlight, U-T San Diego, Fred, Dickey,  , This story puts a detailed face on a biotech company, bringing to life the work in the lab. Great details and pacing.
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Science/Technology story, Second Place, Deepsea Challenger’s lead scientist works to make sense of findings, The Daily Transcript, Samantha, Henry, Samantha Henry,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Science/Technology story, Honorable Mention, Goal is to make breathing easier, U-T San Diego, Padma, Nagappan,  ,  
Daily Reporting and Writing (N) – Science/Technology story, Honorable Mention, Electron Highway (Powerlink May Send Its First Kilowatts Today), U-T San Diego, Morgan, Lee, U-T San Diego photographer Peggy Peattie,  
 
MAGAZINES

Business story, First Place, Last Yoga Studio Before the Border, San Diego Magazine, Jennifer, McEntee,  ,  
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Magazine (M) – Column (must submit 3 examples), First Place, 1) Future’s looking good, 2) Weeding, feeding, and bleeding, 3) Stuffing: A Thanksgiving Tradition, Escondido Magazine, Irv, Erdos,  , All three columns were fun, engaging and interesting. I found myself chuckling and smiling all the way through. The three columns were different enough and yet carried the character of the writer all the way through. Very enjoyable writing.
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Magazine (M) – Environmental story, First Place, Goading a city to its pastoral past, San Diego Pets Magazine, Kendra, Hartmann,  ,  
Magazine (M) – Environmental story, Honorable Mention, 12 Tips for Exploring San Diego Tide Pools, San Diego Family Magazine, Sharon, Bay, Sharon Bay, Publisher. Kirsten Flournoy, Editor. Lisa E. Barfield, Writer.,  
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Magazine (M) – Feature story, First Place, San Diego’s Mount Vesuvius, San Diego Pets Magazine, Kendra, Hartmann,  , This has a great lead and tells an interesting story that speaks to anyone who loves animals or who even has any sympathy for the plight of these innocents.
Magazine (M) – Feature story, Second Place, Magne Nes and Berit J, Sea Magazine, Nicole, Larson,  , It is a good feature with an interesting and catchy lead. It paints an interesting picture of this fisherman. Well-written with several voices and points of view about this guy and what he is about.
Magazine (M) – Feature story, Honorable Mention, Miles To Go Before He Sleeps (print version), Inside Miles McPherson’s Rock Church (online version), San Diego Magazine, Dean, Nelson,  ,  
Magazine (M) – Feature story, Honorable Mention, Changing Their Corner of the World, San Diego Family Magazine, Sharon, Bay, Sharon Bay, Publisher. Kirsten Flournoy, Editor. Claire Yezbak Fadden, Writer., I like this one. The stories are short and sweet but very touching.
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Magazine (M) – Food story, First Place, Chef Marcela Valladolid Blends Tradition with Taste, San Diego Family Magazine, Sharon, Bay, Sharon Bay, Publisher. Kirsten Flournoy, Editor. Claire Yezbak Fadden, Writer., This was an interesting and engaging food feature story. Even though I had never heard of this chef before, I felt as if I really knew the chef after reading this. It carried a lot of information in a relatively short feature. It was further enhanced by the recipe and bio box on the chef but even without those the story worked very well. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Magazine (M) – Food story, Second Place, Cool Treats for Hot Summer Days, San Diego Family Magazine, Sharon, Bay, Sharon Bay, Publisher. Kirsten Flournoy, Editor. Laura Pardo, Writer.,  
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Magazine (M) – Health story, First Place, Multiple Sclerosis: Early Diagnosis is Key, Family Health & Wellness, Kristen, Castillo,  , This was a very informative and engaging health story. It had good information and also some details about the patient that humanized the story nicely. The facts and medical information were presented in a simple and understandable way and the whole piece was tightly written.
Magazine (M) – Health story, Second Place, Weight control in a two-cat family, San Diego Pets Magazine, Nicole, Larson,  , Interesting concept.
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Magazine (M) – Layout & Design – publication as a whole (1 issue), First Place, Valley Sports, Valley Sports, Paul, Bandong,  ,  
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Magazine (M) – Layout & Design – story or series, First Place, Six Dos and Don’ts for Supporting Adolescent Romantic Relationships, San Diego Family Magazine, Sharon, Bay, Sharon Bay, Publisher. Rik Thiesfeld, Graphic Designer., I liked the overall layout. I particularly liked the way the Pointers were broken out. It was a bit more interesting than just straight symmetrical design. Simple but good.
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Magazine (M) – News or Feature Series (any subject) (max 5 parts), First Place, Quick Escape: Downtown San Diego; Pier 32: Gateway to a Surprising National City, Sea Magazine, Nicole, Larson,  , I liked the way this series kind of took you on a walking tour of these seaport towns. I felt like I was really there. Well done.
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Magazine (M) – Opinion/Editorial, First Place, The Browning of America: Will Latinos Truly Influence the 2012 Elections?, Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, Sylvia, Mendoza,  ,  
 
NEWSPAPER DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY AND HEADLINES

Feature design – single page, non-daily, First Place, Annual Hoedown benefits REINS students, Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Sheri, Schwarzweller,  , The entry was as creative as it was innovative.
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Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines (DP) – News design – single page, daily, First Place, Charger at heart, North County Times, Roman S., Koenig,  , The layout, type and images all worked together in harmony. Good use of combining photos and graphic with the isolated image of the ‘New Leaf’ statue.
Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines (DP) – News design – single page, daily, Second Place, Built for need, North County Times, Roman S., Koenig,  ,  
Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines (DP) – News design – single page, daily, Honorable Mention, House panel: Holder in contempt, North County Times, Roman S., Koenig,  ,  
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Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines (DP) – News headline, First Place, Crude Awakening: Surging U.S. production is helping to make North America ‘the new Middle East’, U-T San Diego, John, Keller,  , Clever and catchy. Nice work.
Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines (DP) – News headline, Second Place, Pursuing Cloud’s Silver Lining: Desktop software seller SmartDraw navigating transition to Internet, U-T San Diego, John, Keller,  ,  
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Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines (DP) – Photo Essay, First Place, Coming full circle…and a new beginning, The Peninsula Beacon, Scott, Hopkins,  , These photos caught several instances of very visible joy and emotion. Well framed and good selection of shots for one essay.
Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines (DP) – Photo Essay, Second Place, PLHS Homecoming 2012: An all-class celebration, The Peninsula Beacon, Scott, Hopkins,  ,  
Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines (DP) – Photo Essay, Honorable Mention, Get ready! Get set! Go! Scouts have a blast at annual Pinewood Derby, The Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Christine, Rinaldi,  ,  
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Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines (DP) – Sports photo, First Place, Loss to RBV prepares Lady Warrior hoopsters for league, The Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Christine, Rinaldi,  , He caught several good points of action, and framed the pictures well.
Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines (DP) – Sports photo, Second Place, Lady Warriors H20 triumps over Escondido, 15-7, The Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Christine, Rinaldi,  ,  
Newspaper Design, Photography & Headlines (DP) – Sports photo, Honorable Mention, Power in the Pool, The Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Christine, Rinaldi,  ,  
 
NEWSPAPER SPECIAL SECTION

Special section, First Place, San Diego Success, The Daily Transcript, Marie, Tutko, Marie Tutko & Tracye Grimes, This section begins with an appealing theme that’s carried through by every component of the package. The writers and photographers portray an ambitiously wide range of San Diego success stories. Sharp and attractive design with excellent artwork.
Newspaper Special Section (NS) – Special section, Second Place, Soaring Dimensions 2012, The Daily Transcript, Marie, Tutko, Marie Tutko & Tracye Grimes,  
Newspaper Special Section (NS) – Special section, Honorable Mention, Thanking Our Troops, Mediaplanet for USA Today, Kristen, Castillo, Shannon Pandaliano, Becky Weinstein, Jessica Pietrafeso, Luciana Colapinto, Sara Quigley, Kera Armstrong, Lilly Bechtel, Christopher Bettin, Chris Birk, Ward Carroll, Kristen Castillo, Jacey Eckhart, Aleen Fitzgerald,? Mary Ann Georgantopoulos, Sloan Gibson, Shelton Guinn, Tom Hanks, Anthony M. Henderson, Tom Kennedy, Chris Marvin, Norbert R. Ryan, Kevin Schmiegel, Stephen Terry, Strong art, compelling layout, ultra-sharp definition for the many points of entry.
Newspaper Special Section (NS) – Special section, Honorable Mention, Happy 50th Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Bernardo News Journal, Elizabeth, Himchak,  ,  

NON-DAILY REPORTING AND WRITING

Arts/Entertainment story, First Place, Of B Movies and Bread A Slice of Life…, The San Diego Reader, Maryann, Castronovo,  , Great long-form work, bringing the reader into the life — ups, downs; all with laughter. Good job all around.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Arts/Entertainment story, Second Place, Thriving on art, La Jolla Village News, Mariko, Lamb,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Arts/Entertainment story, Honorable Mention, Resurrection of drive-in movies puts Pacific Beach in the spotlight Read more: San Diego Community, Beach & Bay Press, Mariko, Lamb,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Breaking news story, First Place, Trafficking ring bust the biggest in Fallbrook history, Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Debbie, Ramsey,  , The story speaks about the work that went into a very intense investigation and does a decent job explaining what law enforcement agencies did to track down suspects. It could have been told in a much more interesting way, for example by using a stronger lead that discusses how the local drug and weapons trades have been impacted, how crime has gone down, etc.
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Business story, First Place, Transfer of flower power: Paul Ecke III optimistic about poinsettia powerhouse’s future, North Coast Current, Manny, Lopez,  , This story is well-written and takes an interesting, in-depth look at the transfer of power of a company that produces a product that is extremely well-known, though the company itself is not necessarily a household name throughout the U.S. I found this to be much more interesting than the typical big-company-buys-smaller-company tale. Very well done.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Business story, Second Place, Local investment firm negotiates $8 billion ship-building deal with Canadian government, Carmel Valley News, Joe, Tash,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Column (must submit 3 examples), First Place, The Way We Were, Lemon Grove Patch.com, Helen, Ofield,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Column (must submit 3 examples), Second Place, From the editor, The Star News, Carlos, Davalos,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Column (must submit 3 examples), Honorable Mention, What Now?, Presidio Sentinel, Laura, Walcher,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Education story, First Place, Fallbrook High presents the graduating class of 2012 with ‘doctors in the house’, Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Debbie, Ramsey,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Education story, Second Place, Adult school leads three women to new lives, Poway News Chieftain, Emily, Sorensen,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Education story, Honorable Mention, Woman’s DVDs help children of varying abilities learn, The Coast News, Christina, Macone-Greene,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Education story, Honorable Mention, PLHS students reap rewards of motivational tutoring program, The Peninsula Beacon, Scott, Hopkins,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Environmental story, First Place, Future of biofuel may lie in the green stuff, La Jolla Village News, Kendra, Hartmann,  , Strong subject matter. 2nd graf would have been a better lead. Overall it taught me something, engaged me.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Environmental story, Second Place, Seeds of destruction: Group works to clear invasive plants, North Coast Current, Christopher, Earley,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Environmental story, Honorable Mention, Teens aim to educate on dangers of plastic pollution, The Coast News, Christina, Macone-Greene,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Feature story, First Place, Of B Movies and Bread A Slice of Life…, The San Diego Reader, Maryann, Castronovo,  , This story draws the ready in with vivid descriptions and anecdotes that help us understand the subject. The writing is clear and gives room for the subject to speak for himself.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Feature story, Second Place, Pharmacy wrapping up after 38 years, North Coast Current, Christopher, Earley,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Feature story, Honorable Mention, Wed 70 years, RB couple believe in communication, Rancho Bernardo News Journal, Elizabeth Marie, Himchak,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Food story, First Place, Of B Movies and Bread A Slice of Life…, The San Diego Reader, Maryann, Castronovo,  , I thought this was a fascinating piece about a man who has had an amazing life and a lot of good advice about seizing opportunities and following your dream. I would have liked to have seen it a little shorter, but a solid piece nonetheless.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Food story, Second Place, Carlsbad roaster focuses on the art of coffee, North Coast Current, Helen, Hawes,  , I had a hard time choosing between this one and the first place winner. This guy is fascinating; I’m rooting for him to succeed! But I ultimately chose the other story because it gave me more insight into who the man was behind the business. Still, nice story with good video to accompany.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Food story, Honorable Mention, 2Good2B at forefront of ‘free’ foods revolution, North Coast Current, Lauren, Ciallella,  , I liked this piece but it didn’t quite make the top. I like how it discusses a new spin on the gluten free trend – trying to lure people who don’t eat gluten free exclusively.
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Health story, First Place, Riders on trail to improved lives, Poway News Chieftain, Steve, Dreyer,  , Strong reporting and a nicely written story on a program that benefits children with disabilities. The writer shows you how the horse riding program not only transforms the children — but the instructors also. Good work!
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Health story, Second Place, Living a life of ‘ups’ with Down’s Syndrome, Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Lucette, Moramarco,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Health story, Honorable Mention, Life on the Fast Track: Quick Result Workouts Programs Can Help, but They are Only a Start, Los Angeles Downtown News/Creators Syndicate, Kristen, Castillo,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Investigative/Enterprise story — single subject, First Place, Media powerhouse flexes political muscles, inewsource and KPBS, Lorie, Hearn, Brooke Williams, Joanne Faryon and Amita Sharma, Exhaustively researched while still a compelling read, this series from Investigative Newsource and KPBS is an inspiration — particularly for the fact it sheds light on an area rarely seen — the inner workings of newspaper publisher and his (perhaps) political buddies. First rate journalism at every turn.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Investigative/Enterprise story — single subject, Second Place, Cost of Main Breaks, Water Loss add up for City, inewsource, Lorie, Hearn, Kelly Thornton and Kevin Crowe,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Legal story, First Place, IT director sues FUESD for $972k, Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Debbie, Ramsey,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Multicultural story, First Place, Two churches combine to boost ethnic diversity, Rancho Bernardo News Journal, Elizabeth Marie, Himchak,  , This story does a good job in bringing to light a unique church merger and the efforts some clergy are making to increasing diversity among their congregations.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Multicultural story, Second Place, Lola’s Market and Deli gets recognition, The Coast News, Christina, Macone-Greene,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Multicultural story, Honorable Mention, Nighthawks welcome their peers from sister school in China, Rancho Bernardo News Journal, Elizabeth Marie, Himchak,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – News or Feature Series (any subject) (max 5 parts), First Place, Deadly Patrols, inewsource, Lorie, Hearn, Roxana Popescu and Brad Racino,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Non-deadline news story, First Place, Fallbrook Street extension project back in motion, Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Debbie, Ramsey,  , This story presented a number of complicated facts in an enjoyable and easy to follow way.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Non-deadline news story, Second Place, K-9s, handlers are partners on and off the beat, The Coast News, Christina, Macone-Greene,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Non-deadline news story, Honorable Mention, Babes’ still catching waves, The Coast News, Christina, Macone-Greene,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Opinion/Editorial, First Place, Who watches the watchdog?, North Coast Current, Roman S., Koenig,  , This editorial takes unflinching aim at another news organization’s rather stunning decision to run its own partisan political website. Journalism exists to shine a light on the functions of government and the powerful in general, as the editorial states. The editorial persuasively argues that the website, which only appears to be the work of an independent organization, and its covert leadership are at odds with that underlying principle.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Opinion/Editorial, Second Place, Strike a pose for hypocrisy, North Coast Current, Roman S., Koenig,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Opinion/Editorial, Honorable Mention, UCSD students brace for ‘Israel Hate Week’, Del Mar Times, Marsha, Sutton,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Political/Government story, First Place, Holding California Accountable, inewsource, Lorie, Hearn, Carol Goodhue Shull and Robert Shull, Comprehensive, well written and very timely.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Political/Government story, Second Place, Darth Vader Meets the Worst Person in the World, inewsource, Lorie, Hearn, Brad Racino,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Political/Government story, Honorable Mention, Bilbray’s Legislative Machine, inewsource, Lorie, Hearn, Ryann Grochowski,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Political/Government story, Honorable Mention, Newspaper publisher quietly steps into the political fray, North Coast Current, Ernesto, Lopez,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Real Estate story, First Place, Inventory drop creates demand for homes, Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Debbie, Ramsey,  , A clear explanation of the local real estate market, as it changes over to a seller’s market.
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Review/Criticism, First Place, Moonlight’s ‘Legally Blonde’ musical has fun twists, Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, Elizabeth Marie, Himchak,  , Well-written and clear, this review flows logically along, answering readers’ questions in the right order. It’s readable and informative.
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Review/Criticism, Second Place, ‘Holiday Spirits’ almost ready for serving, Rancho Bernardo News Journal, Elizabeth, Himchak,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Review/Criticism, Honorable Mention, What makes Nessy Burgers outstanding? It’s a secret!, Fallbrook Village News, Nathalie, Taylor,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Review/Criticism, Honorable Mention, When roosters meet the art of warfare, Temecula Valley News, Stephanie, Ocano,  ,  
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Science/Technology story, First Place, Mr. Bock Goes to Washington, and Takes his Science Expo with Him, inewsource, Lorie, Hearn, Kelly Thornton, Quick, engaging writing, and thorough reporting. Nice work.
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Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Sports story, First Place, After 25 years, lady hoopsters still got game, The Peninsula Beacon, Scott, Hopkins,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Sports story, Second Place, Gallagher rolls with the punches; thriving since attack, Poway News Chieftain, Michael, Bower,  ,  
Nondaily Reporting and Writing (ND) – Sports story, Honorable Mention, REMEMBERING JUNIOR SEAU: PLHS coach recounts playing side by side with legend. , The Peninsula Beacon, Scott, Hopkins,  ,  
 
ONLINE

Blog (must submit 3 examples), First Place, Mr. Barling’s Education: How an Ashford U. Exec Called Attention To Bad Press, Rick Rogers Media, Rick, Rogers,  , Well written, informative and just the right tone for a blog.
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Online (O) – Design, First Place, North Coast Current, North Coast Current (northcoastcurrent.com), Roman S., Koenig,  , North Coast Current is crisp, clean, colorful and easy on the eye. Good use of photographs and well-organized stories round out the picture.
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Online (O) – Entertainment site, First Place, UTSanDiego.com Night&Day, U-T San Diego, Andrew, Kleske,  , Nice comprehensive site geared to appeal to people with varied interests. Easy to navigate. Good use of the medium.
Online (O) – Entertainment site, Second Place, Flan, Three Ways, LatinKitchen.com (The Latin Kitchen), Kristen, Castillo,  ,  
Online (O) – Entertainment site, Honorable Mention, Latin Burgers: Add Flair, Flavor & Fun to Your Burgers, LatinKitchen.com “The Latin Kitchen”, Kristen, Castillo,  ,  
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Online (O) – Multimedia package, First Place, Port Authority, inewsource, Lorie, Hearn, Brad Racino, Kevin Crowe, Ben Vankat and Joel Geluz, The clear winner in this category. Brilliant use of multi-media tools to produce a comprehensive report that is as varied and interesting as its subject matter. The folks who put this together clearly get it when it comes to multimedia reports.
Online (O) – Multimedia package, Second Place, Health Care 911, U-T San Diego, Andrew, Kleske, Staff Entry,  
Online (O) – Multimedia package, Honorable Mention, Servers and cooks work their way to the top, U-T San Diego, Lori, Weisberg,  ,  
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Online (O) – News headline, First Place, U-T San Diego Jumps Right into the Political Arena, ScoopSanDiego.com, Genevieve, Suzuki,  ,  
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Online (O) – News site, First Place, UTSanDiego.com, U-T San Diego, Andrew, Kleske,  , Excellent new site with plenty of fresh and interesting content. The ambitious use of video on UT-TV makes this an outstanding example of a news organization making full use of the medium. Well done.
Online (O) – News site, Second Place, San Diego Source: The Daily Transcript, The Daily Transcript, Tracye, Grimes, Tracye Grimes & Joe Guerin,  
Online (O) – News site, Honorable Mention, North Coast Current, North Coast Current (northcoastcurrent.com), Roman S., Koenig,  ,  
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Online (O) – Photography – single photo or series, First Place, Jeneba Tarmoh Withdraws From 100-Meter Dash Runoff, La Mesa-Mount Helix Patch, Chris, Stone,  , What a great collection of photographs. Good eye for emotion, detail, environment and structure. Each of these photos tells a story. There are no wasted shots. A pleasure to view and a clear winner in this category.
Online (O) – Photography – single photo or series, Second Place, Homecoming: Families, friends greet troops on shore, North Coast Current, Scott, Allison,  ,  
Online (O) – Photography – single photo or series, Honorable Mention, Mary Fleener lives art on the edge, North Coast Current, Scott, Allison,  ,  
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Online (O) – Produced video for Web use, First Place, New Central Library now 75% complete, The Daily Transcript, Carlos, Rico, Carlos Rico & Michael Countis, Nice job exploring the past, present and future of an important community institution.
Online (O) – Produced video for Web use, Second Place, Trade schools and colleges at Comic-Con, The Daily Transcript, Carlos, Rico, Carlos Rico & Michael Countis,  
Online (O) – Produced video for Web use, Honorable Mention, Research vessel Roger Revelle returns home after 6-year voyage, The Daily Transcript, Carlos, Rico, Carlos Rico & Michael Countis,  
 
RADIO/AUDIO

Community services program or series, First Place, Veterans Get Clean Slate Through Court Program, KPBS Radio San Diego, Rick, Rogers,  ,  
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Radio/Audio (R) – Investigative/Enterprise story, First Place, The Drone Makers And Their Friends In Washington, KPBS/Fronteras: The Changing America Desk, Jill, Replogle, Ryann Grochowski, Sam Greenspan,  
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Radio/Audio (R) – Light feature story, First Place, ‘Latino’ Or ‘Hispanic ‘: What’s In A Name?, KPBS/Fronteras: The Changing America Desk, Jill, Replogle, Adrian Florido, Devin Browne, Nadine Arroyo Rodriguez, Nick Blumberg, Truly reflects the category “light feature.” Done with good humor without mocking anyone. Very relaxed. Nice use of found effects. Nice delivery.
Radio/Audio (R) – Light feature story, Second Place, John Baldessari: Can’t Take National City Out Of The Boy, KPBS, 89.5FM, http://www.kpbs.org, Angela, Carone,  ,  
Radio/Audio (R) – Light feature story, Honorable Mention, Elderly Members Of Atheist Group Face Jeers, Fears From Peers, KPBS, Claire, Trageser,  , Nothing in this category was not professionally done. It was a matter of very small variations.
Radio/Audio (R) – Light feature story, Honorable Mention, The Fight To Save Salvation Mountain, KPBS-TV, http://www.kpbs.org, Angela, Carone,  ,  
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Radio/Audio (R) – News or Feature Series (any subject) (max 5 parts), First Place, The Race for San Diego Mayor: Meet the Candidates, KPBS, Katie, Orr,  , Reporter took the difficult job of giving even coverage to four diverse candidates and produced a winning series through deft use of the candidate’s own voices and her own explanations.
Radio/Audio (R) – News or Feature Series (any subject) (max 5 parts), Second Place, San Diego’s Homeless Students, KPBS, Kyla, Calvert,  ,  
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Radio/Audio (R) – Regular beat (must submit 3 examples), First Place, Education Reporting, KPBS, Kyla, Calvert,  , Reporter has tremendous knowledge of all aspects of education and about the district. She balances her interviewees and handles explanations very well.
Radio/Audio (R) – Regular beat (must submit 3 examples), Second Place, Metro Beat Reporting, KPBS, Katie, Orr,  , Well done, just up against insurmountable competition.
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Radio/Audio (R) – Serious feature story, First Place, Orchestra Nova At Impasse With Local Musicians Union, KPBS-TV, http://www.kpbs.org, Angela, Carone,  ,  
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Radio/Audio (R) – Sports story, First Place, Undocumented Track Star Allowed To Stay, But In Legal Limbo, KPBS/Fronteras: The Changing America Desk, Jill, Replogle,  , Excellent. Made the story and the subject human.
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Radio/Audio (R) – Talk/Interview story, First Place, Roundtable: Top 10 Stories of 2012, KPBS News, Pat, Finn, Mark Sauer, The entire panel handled a myriad of topics professionally.
Radio/Audio (R) – Talk/Interview story, Second Place, Roundtable: Democrats Clean Up. So What Happens Now?, KPBS News, Pat, Finn, Mark Sauer,  
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Special Awards – Diversity Prize, First Place, Speak City Heights, KPBS and Voice of San Diego, Megan, Burks,  , Speak City Heights is an inspiring, ambitious, innovative concept — multi-platform, multi-media, and dedicated to covering an underserved, diverse community that might otherwise be ignored. A model that deserves to be replicated.

TELEVISION/VIDEO

Business/consumer report – single story or series, First Place, Playground Safety, KGTV, JW, August, JW August Cristine Severance Arie Thanasoulis, This story was chosen because of its commitment to enterprise reporting and the wide-ranging scope of its investigations. It appears to have brought about some positive changes.
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Television/Video (T) – Criminal justice report – single story or series, First Place, Citizens Review Board, KGTV, JW, August, JW August Mitch Blacher Arie Thanasoulis Felicia Kit, Great work, I enjoyed the history aspect to this story.
Television/Video (T) – Criminal justice report – single story or series, Second Place, Carlsbad Coldcase, KGTV, JW, August, JW August Mitch Blacher Arie Thanasoulis,  
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Television/Video (T) – Investigate/Enterprise – series (max 5 parts), First Place, Border Patrol, KGTV 10News, JW, August, Mitch Blacher Arie Thanasoulis JW August Ellen Mcgregor Matthew Burrow Virginia Cha, Your series was truly amazing to watch. Great investigative journalism skills you have, i hope you continue to work on in-dept work.
Television/Video (T) – Investigate/Enterprise – series (max 5 parts), Second Place, Boy Scouts Sexual Abuse Files Revealed, KGTV, JW, August, JW August Mitch Blacher Arie Thanasoulis, Great investigative reporting, your story was very intriguing to watch….
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Television/Video (T) – Investigate/Enterprise – single story, First Place, Food Stamps, KGTV, JW, August, JW August Mitch Blacher Arie Thanasoulis, Great investigative story, it really opened my eyes to the food stamp problem in this country..
Television/Video (T) – Investigate/Enterprise – single story, Second Place, Human Trafficking, KGTV, JW, August, JW August Mitch Blacher Arie Thanasoulis,  
Television/Video (T) – Investigate/Enterprise – single story, Honorable Mention, Filner: Missing the Boat on the Port, inewsource and KPBS, Lorie, Hearn, Reported by Brad Racino and produced by Joanne Faryon,  
Television/Video (T) – Investigate/Enterprise – single story, Honorable Mention, Lead in Housing, KGTV, JW, August, JW August Mitch Blacher Arie Thanasoulis Felicia Kit,  
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Television/Video (T) – Light feature – preproduced, First Place, YMCA Offers Women-Only Swim Hours for Muslim Women, KPBS, Megan, Burks, Katie Euphrat, Thought the story was very different and really unique. Shows how are society is changing…
Television/Video (T) – Light feature – preproduced, Second Place, Elderly Members Of Atheist Group Face Jeers, Fears From Peers, KPBS, Claire, Trageser, Nic McVicker, I thought this story was really interesting, focusing on an age group that wasn’t typical for the content. You did a great job going outside the box for a story.
Television/Video (T) – Light feature – preproduced, Honorable Mention, Sailing Back in San Diego History on the San Salvador, KPBS, Katie, Euphrat,  , I thought that your piece was beautifully shot and you did a nice job with the transitions of the musem and the area that surround it. You are a really good storyteller with a good eye for detail.
Television/Video (T) – Light feature – preproduced, Honorable Mention, Chicano Park Murals Get Facelift, KPBS-TV, http://www.kpbs.org, Angela, Carone, Nicholas McVicker, The story was very interesting. The shots with the camera of the pictures with all the colors and designs were amazing. Seeing how the Artists felt about their work was really wonderful.
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Television/Video (T) – Light feature – produced and aired same day, First Place, ComicCon Friday, KGTV-10News, Stephen, Fiorina,  , This story is to be commended for showing sensitivity without sentimentality. A brief yet informative look back.
Television/Video (T) – Light feature – produced and aired same day, Second Place, Haunted Trail, KSWB-TV, Jennifer, Whalen,  ,  
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Television/Video (T) – Photography – general assignment, First Place, Artist Explores Growing Up In 1980s City Heights, KPBS-TV, http://www.kpbs.org, Angela, Carone, Hilary Andrews, Excellent use of the entire widescreen frame, using pictures to tell the story. The videography and editing work very well together. The story uses the tools of television to communicate the vision of the artist.
Television/Video (T) – Photography – general assignment, Second Place, The Fight to Save Salvation Mountain, KPBS, Katie, Euphrat, Angela Carone,  
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Television/Video (T) – Serious feature – preproduced, First Place, A Father’s Destiny, XETV – San Diego 6 News, Candice, Nguyen,  , This story succeeds in communicating, in its own words, “The true meaning of unconditional love.” As with much of commercial television, a lot of information must be communicated in a very short time, but reporter, cameraperson and editor have done an excellent job. This story has a soul as well as a heart.
Television/Video (T) – Serious feature – preproduced, Second Place, Ares Armour, KGTV, JW, August, JW August Cristine Severance Arie Thanasoulis,  
Television/Video (T) – Serious feature – preproduced, Honorable Mention, Shake & Bake, KPBS, Kenny, Goldberg, Christopher Maue,  
Television/Video (T) – Serious feature – preproduced, Honorable Mention, For Boat Captain, Rescuing Maritime Smugglers Is Part Of The Job, KPBS, Katie, Euphrat, Jill Replogle,  
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Television/Video (T) – Serious feature – produced and aired same day, First Place, Spousal Rape Folo, KGTV, JW, August, Mitch Blacher, Arie Thanasoulis, Great job, you really went all the way in telling that women’s story. I really was captivated by the taped voice over of her fight her husband off. This was an excellent story..
Television/Video (T) – Serious feature – produced and aired same day, Second Place, WAKE UP! Campaign Against Teen Prescription Drug Abuse, KPBS, Katie, Euphrat,  , Very interesting in how the school is stepping in to prevent prescription drugs problems. I would have found a way to show most national facts on this issue… Overall you did great…
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Television/Video (T) – Sports story, First Place, Olympic Training Center, KPBS, Christopher, Maue,  , The story is well-structured, allowing each athlete’s story to unfold. The camera angles are innovative and informative. The editing is creative yet extremely accessible.
Television/Video (T) – Sports story, Second Place, Local Company Hopes To Use Music To Make Exercising Easier, KPBS, Claire, Trageser, Katie Euphrat,  
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Television/Video (T) – Spot breaking news story, First Place, Colorado Fire, KGTV-10News, San Diego and KMGH-7News, Denver, Stephen, Fiorina,  , This piece features excellent, up-close photography of a hazardous situation. It is well-written and edited, telling a concise,visual story.
Television/Video (T) – Spot breaking news story, Second Place, Colorado Shooting Suspect From San Diego, XETV-San Diego 6 News, Candice, Nguyen, Dennis Waldrop, Lindsay Hood and Kim Swain,