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4 | Best Profile | Paula Span | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | For some Alaskans, music brings healing | Kirsten Swann understands how scenes, description, dialogue and comment from other sources enliven profiles. | Kirsten Swann | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Blind, but with a vision | Hope Miller | Anchorage Press | Grandpa's Kitchen | Susy Buchanan | |||||||||||||
5 | Best Long Feature | John Ruch | Anchorage Daily News | Call him 'Minimum Mike' if you like | An exemplary piece of feature reporting. Deftly written and well-organized, it navigated me through a complex subject with the right balance of fine detail and general orientation. I always knew where I was and why the story mattered. The prose is colorful, even playful, but always in service to the storys specific surprises and quirks. (The light lede is a good example, surprising us with the unexpectedly friendly courtroom atmosphere while introducing us to a form of disability that may be unfamiliar.) Quotes are well-chosen and used sparingly for illustrative impact. At the end, I was left not only with a pleasurable read, but also with information that empowered me to do something about the FASD/court issue if I so chose. This writer put his personal talents in constant service to the reader. Like all good journalism, it sounds simple to do and is easy to readbut surely challenging to craft. | Kyle Hopkins | The Magazine on Medium | How to Move a Wood Bison | This years competition had several pieces engaging cultural tensions that, it seems, underlie Alaskas identity: the past versus the present, the traditional versus the modern, the individual versus government and/or big business. This piece was the best at taking those tensions by the horns, so to speak. In a style that appears conversational yet is tightly controlled, the writer presents this curious creature, the wood bison, as an incarnation of Alaskan future. The struggle of manipulating the beasts down the chute parallels a struggle over conservation and exploitation; the former is finely observed, while the latter could have been more explicitly drawn. | Jenna Schnuer | Anchorage Press | Animal House: A Furry Rendezvous | A fine example of how to paint a subcultures portrait. The writer begins with cultural immersion, then pulls back the focus to show us both the international context and this specific local incarnation. She managed the difficult feat of remaining objective about some of the rough edges and internal disputes while also being respectful of the countercultural interviewees and their world. Crucially, the writer wrote to her hip readership, knowing just what to explain (e.g., Japanese animal names) and what not to (e.g., polyamory). The typo in the first line I chose to blame on editing rather than writing, but spelling does count in a pieces strength. | Susy Buchanan | |||||||||||
6 | Best Government or Political Reporting | Denver Press Club | Peninsula Clarion | 'Working Title' | Classic watchdog reporting. Remembering what public officials say and then holding them accountable is the mainstay of government and political reporting. This is a textbook example of beat reporting at its finest. | Rashah McChesney | Alaska Dispatch News | Knock by knock, groups try to 'move the needle' in Alaska's US Senate race | Excellent analysis of how candidates use language and metaphor to advance their careers. Nice bit of history as well. | Nathaniel Herz | Anchorage Daily News | Study: Banning alcohol in Alaska villages doesn't reduce suicide. But more jobs might. | Fascinating study that shed new light on a vexing problem. | Kyle Hopkins | |||||||||||
7 | Best Alaska Outdoor Story | Mike Edgerly | KNOM | Attack of the Musk Ox! | An original and fine mix of science and outdoor reporting. An 'only in Alaska' story that featured good mix of research and anecdote. Good writing and overall presentation. | Zachariah Hughes | KTOO TV-Radio | Voices of Glacier Bay: An Adventure in Sound | Good outdoor reporting takes the listener outdoors. This report does that quite well, taking advantage of the stunning recordings from Glacier Bay and the result is good radio. | Lisa Phu | KHNS | Eagles Up Close | Emily Files | ||||||||||||
8 | Best Reporting on Crime or Courts | Brad Hicks | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Tears, Forgiveness at Deadly DUI Sentencing | Bonney Bowman, Rachel McPerron | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Tanana Trooper Murder | Heather Hintze | None Selected | ||||||||||||||||
9 | Best General News Story | Brad Hicks | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Town Square Trees | Lauren Maxwell, Rick Rysso, John Thain | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | "After a standoff" | Abby Hancock, Albert Lutan | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Family, friend remember Eagle River murder victim | Shannon Ballard, John Thain | ||||||||||||||
10 | Best Portrait (Small) | Stephanie Mullen | Capital City Weekly | Faith Duncan / Verushka Arts | Beautiful colors and layers. nicely done | Mary Catharine Martin | The Delta Discovery | Yup'ik Way | Love seeing the connection between the generations here. | Greg Lincoln | The Northern Light | Senshi Con Lolita Girl | Nice use of depth of field. Makes the image pop. | James Evans | |||||||||||
11 | Best Portrait (Large) | Stephanie Mullen | Alaska Dispatch | 20 years cancer-free | Nice use of her supporters to frame this subject | Loren Holmes | Juneau Empire | JAMM | Love the joy caught here. | Michael Penn | Ketchikan Daily News | Morris delivers retirement papers | Taylor Balkom | ||||||||||||
12 | Best Picture Story | Stephanie Mullen | Alaska Dispatch | State Troopers killed in village of Tanana | Beautifully told story. Oozed with emotion. Well done | Loren Holmes | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Fairbanks Rocked By Trooper Shootings | Incredibly emotional story and images. Very well done. | Eric Engman | Alaska Dispatch | Farm to Fork | Really well done on a process that few people really think about. | Loren Holmes | |||||||||||
13 | Best Profile | Mike Edgerly | KCAW Radio (Sitka) | At 81, STA's Elder of the Year is Busy | A powerful, lovely story of one man's role in his family and community. The writing is vivid with just the right touch of humor. An excellent listening experience. | Emily Kwong | KCAW Radio (Sitka) | The Unlikely Path of Alaska's New Orthodox Bishop | A fascinating story well told. | Emily Forman | KBBI Radio, Homer | Renn Tolman, Renowned Boat Builder and Musician, Dies at 80 | The unconventional, non-narrated approach works well to illuminate a singular individual who was vital to his community. | Shady Grove Oliver | |||||||||||
14 | Best Magazine Cover | Scott Griffin | First Alaskans Magazine | First Alaskans Magazine Spring 2014 Cover | Dean Potter, Apayo Moore | Alaska SnowRider | SnowRider Dec. 14 cover | john woodbury, melissa devaughn, meranda carter, jill tillion, Rob Alford | Alaska Coast Magazine | COAST February 2014 cover | John Woodbury, Melissa Devaughn, Meranda Carter, Jill Tillion | ||||||||||||||
15 | Best Sports Feature | Scott Griffin | Anchorage Press | The Knockout | Aurora Ford | Juneau Empire | The teammate he never met | Klas Stolpe | Anchorage Press | Demolition Man | Susy Buchanan | ||||||||||||||
16 | Best Magazine Design | Scott Griffin | Forum (the magazine of the Alaska Humanities Forum) | Forum Spring/Summer 2014 | Dean Potter, David Holthouse | First Alaskans Magazine | First Alaskans Magazine Spring 2014 Issue | Dean Potter | Alaska Coast Magazine | COAST April 2014 best magazine | John Woodbury, Melissa devaughn, meranda carter, jill tillion | ||||||||||||||
17 | Best Commentary Blog | Boyd Huppert | The Mudflats | My Militia Weekend | Wonderfully written, with great detail. Entrant treats her subjects with respect, even as she acknowledges the bizarre aspects of the experience. | Jeanne Devon | What Do I Know? blog | What Do I Know? (blog) | Steven Aufrecht | Alaska Robotics | Alaska Robotics | Patrick Race, Aaron Suring, Lou Logan, Jamie Karnik, Andy Kline | |||||||||||||
18 | Best Education Reporting | Steve Reed | Alaska Dispatch News | Charter, alternative programs drain neighborhood schools of middle class students | Sophisticated social-issue reporting that brings home the rich-vs.-poor, what's-best-for-my-child dilemma. The reporting is deep, detailed and on-the-ground -- a model for contemporary audience engagement. Cheers to Michelle Theriault Boots. | Michelle Theriault Boots | Alaska Dispatch News | Alaska university campuses adapt to fast-growing veteran enrollment | Solid reporting, great writing, including: "After years on quiet mountains waiting for sounds of attack, he cant tolerate the noise of other humans breathing too loudly around him." A potential first-place for Tegan Hanlon if not for this year's extraordinary competition. | Tegan Hanlon | Juneau Empire | A 'mixed blessing': Private schools hopeful but leery of voucher impact | Solid explanatory journalism focused on how school vouchers might play in Juneau readers' back yards. | Katie Moritz | |||||||||||
19 | Best Current Events/News Blog | Tom Condon | Mountain View Post | MtViewPost.com | MtView Post is a gem; tightly focused on the neighborhood by someone who clearly knows the neighborhood. Great mix of topics. A blog such as this is a terrific asset to a neighborhood, | Kirsten Swann | What Do I Know? blog | What Do I Know? blog | Steven Aufrecht | None Selected | |||||||||||||||
20 | Leslie Ann Murray Award for Best Editorial or Commentary | Tom Condon | Anchorage Press | It's Never Too Late to Tell | Winner - a power and personal indictment of child sexual abuse. The piece is well-paced as it moves to a reform recommendation that would clearly help break the silence that surrounds this heinous crime. | David Holthouse | Alaska Commons | Right to Work, Unions, Slavery, and Other Things Dan Sullivan Doesnt Understand | Craig Tuten | Alaska Commons | A Win for Marriage Equality not an Automatic Ride Over the Rainbow in Alaska | Honorable mention for Ivan Moore's "Legalize It." | John Aronno | ||||||||||||
21 | Best General News Story | Steve Reed | Arctic Sounder | Communities debate lifting the Local Option laws on alcohol | Jillian Rogers led with government process, which was important and well-written but less compelling than the human experiences that followed. Alcohol abuse in Alaska is about people. Leading with Kobuk's Maureen Wilson or charter flight operators Mary Ames and Ken Jouppi, or Ambler's Martin Cleveland would have engaged readers sooner and more solidly. A blue ribbon explanatory story nevertheless. | Jillian Rogers | Daily Sitka Sentinel | USFS Trailer Park is Needed, Sitkans Say | This comprehensive explanation of how federal bureaucracy creates hardship would have been even stronger with a lead that focused on someone at risk. | Tom Hesse | Chilkat Valley News | Man ran into burning home to save friend | Readers could smell the smoke and feel the heat in this well-told tribute to house-fire hero. | Karen Garcia | |||||||||||
22 | Best Reporting on Science | Press Club of Cleveland | Capital City Weekly | Unplugged: What happens when the Internet goes out in Southeast Alaska | An engaging read. Satisfying elements of drama, action and exposition. | James Brooks | Skagway News | Area study aims to track migration patterns of bats for the first time | Informative, well structured and well written. | Katie Emmets | None Selected | ||||||||||||||
23 | Best Sports News Story | Elizabeth Zaremba | Nome Nugget | Dallas Seavey wins second Iditarod championship | Enjoy this paper's coverage of the Iditarod. Being from the south, it's fun to read about Alaska's unique sporting event. | Diana Haecker | None Selected | None Selected | |||||||||||||||||
24 | Best Sports Reporting | Joan Cartan-Hansen | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Fishing Report - Reel Fly Adventurez | Very nicely shot and edited. Well thought out structure and great use of nats. Did a good job using the moment. Makes every angler want to be there. Nice job! | Kari Bustamante, David Brooks | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Community comes together for basketball | Nicely told story. Creative use of stills to cover where video wasn't possible. Nice variety of shots. Well edited. | John Thain | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Get Out - Disc Golf | Liked the way you explained this sport and what makes it work. Prompts the viewer to go out and give it a try. Nice pacing. | Brett Shepard, Rick Rysso | |||||||||||
25 | Best Education Reporting | Bob Collins | KSKA Radio | Teacher's Pet: A Four Legged Educator Retires | Very sweet piece, tightly written, also a good angle and sound cut about the partner who died. | Zachariah Hughes | KBBI Radio, Homer | Candlelight Vigil Raises Awareness About Homeless Students | Shady Grove Oliver | KTOO TV-Radio | Minecraft in the classroom: When learning looks like gaming | Lisa Phu | |||||||||||||
26 | Best Graphic | Susie Cagle | Capital City Weekly | Sharing Salmon | This was a close one -- a lot of creative visual storytelling formats here. All three of the winners used graphics not just to decorate their information but to actually convey it more effectively and in ways that wouldn't have been possible in a text-only story. Well done. | James Brooks | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Marijuana: Where did the 'yes' votes come from? | Joe Fox, Matt Buxton | The Northern Light | LGBT Community at Risk | Stefanie Vigoren, Poorva Kelkar | |||||||||||||
27 | Best Media Website | Susie Cagle | The Northern Light | http://thenorthernlight.org | It may be a student publication, but the Northern Light's web presence looks more professional and sophisticated than that of many established media outlets. | Staff | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | 1964 Alaska Earthquake | Lacie Grosvold, Grace Jang, Jeff Rivet, Scott Smith, Corey Young, Austin Baird, Chris Klint, Joshua Staab | Juneau Empire | juneauempire.com | Juneau Empire web team | |||||||||||||
28 | Best Reporting on Health or Science | Boyd Huppert | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | A Message of Life | Joe Vigil, John Thain, Ken Kulovany | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Using Her Eyes to Talk | Garrett Turner, Kuba Wuls | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Living Donor | Heather Hintze | ||||||||||||||
29 | Best Government or Political Reporting | Boyd Huppert | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Run, Forrest, Run | Story showed commitment over time. Such a story demanded strong photojournalism, and this one had it. Great work. | John Thain | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Sullivan Struggles for Words | Well focused and well paced. | Caslon Hatch , Dave Brooks | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Last Minute Push | Caslon Hatch, Dave Brooks | ||||||||||||
30 | Best Reporting on Health | Phil Galewitz | Daily Sitka Sentinel | Health Care Dilemma Hits Home for Sitkans | Reporter did a nice job of weaving personal stories about President Obama's health law and the many policy details. Strong lead anecdote helped grab your attention. Many good specifics about the health law and how Alaska was dealing with it. | Tom Hesse | Petersburg Pilot | Making sisters out of strangers: A kidney transplant brings two Petersburg women together | Nicely told tale of kidney transplant in a small town. Clear, concise writing that let the two women tell their story from their view. | Mary Koppes | None Selected | ||||||||||||||
31 | Best Reporting on Health | Phil Galewitz | Alaska Dispatch News | In Anchorage, November named Menkes Awareness Month for one sick but energetic toddler | Rich and colorful details about young child living with a deadly disease and how her family is coping. Strong writing helped move reader for personal anecdotes ot facts about disease and the many unknowns. | Tegan Hanlon | Alaska Business Monthly | Alaskans Like to Eat Their Cake, Up to a Point: Healthcare overview in the 49th State | Comprehensive assessment about the challenges facing Alaska's health system with many good and different voices expressing their perspective. | Natasha Von Imhof | Alaska Dispatch News | The 'quiet health care revolution' that has nothing to do with Obamacare | Laurel Andrews | ||||||||||||
32 | Best Page Layout & Design | Heather Goodwin-Henline | The Northern Light | Red Zone: Freshmen at risk at start of semester | Great use of color, graphics and white space to effectively convey the story. The subject matter wasn't an easy one, but the designer did an excellent job making an impact. This page truly stood out in a good way among the entries. | Stefanie Vigoren | The Northern Light | NSLS: The details behind deactivation | Tulsi Patil, Stefanie Vigoren, Kierra Hammons, Kelly Ireland | Homer News | Front page, Nov. 20, 2014 Homer News | Lori Evans, Kari Odden | |||||||||||||
33 | Best Breaking News Story | Brad Hicks | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Midtown blaze burns six-plex | This story stood out because of the raw emotion captured by the reporter... the situation was still fluid, which is a pinnacle of a story falling under the category of breaking news. The story told us the nuts and bolts about the fire but also captured the human element of the story. | Shannon Ballard, Stephan Mazurek | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | I hope it happened fast, so that he wasnt scared or hurting | Kyle Hopkins | None Selected | |||||||||||||||
34 | Best Alaska History Story | Stacey Woelfel | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Unstable Ground | KTUU really takes us back to the quake by combing its archives and other sources to give us moving images of the disaster and its aftermath. | Scotty Smith, Grace Jang, Lacie Grosvold, Steve Mac Donald, Corey Young, Eric Sowl, Rick Schleyer, Gary Lamar, Mike Nederbrock, Kim Daenke, Jeff Dowd, Colin Lamar, Felix Rodriguez, Tom Coomer, Brad Hilliwig, Tom Orrigo, Tracy Sabo | First Alaskans Magazine | The Other Red Meat | Michael Engelhard | Anchorage Press | The Hired Gun | Mike Gordon | |||||||||||||
35 | Best Page Layout & Design | Michael Roehrman | Forum (the magazine of the Alaska Humanities Forum) | Diamonds from Wilderness | A beautifully minimalist page. Its simplicity belies the amount of thought that had to have gone into it. The diamond motif that follows from the brackets to the shape tie the page together in a beautifully thematic way. Well done. | Dean Potter, Katherine Ringsmuth, David Holthouse | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | The Big Draw | Deedee Hammond, Gary Black | Juneau Empire | Arts September 11, 2014 | Sarah Cannard, Amy Fletcher | |||||||||||||
36 | Best Series | Press Club of Cleveland | Capital City Weekly | Urban Decay | Good, comprehensive, street-level look at problems, people and their efforts to make downtown Juneau thrive economically and socially. | Mary Catherine Martin | Mountain View Post | Working in Mountain View | Well-written view of improving economy in this Anchorage neighborhood, told through personal stories of ordinary people who have benefited. | Kirsten Swann | Homer News | Slipping away: Homeowners seek solution to erosion; Slipping away: Homer: city on the move; Slipping away: Ditch work may give some relief to erosion-plagued subdivision; | Interesting look at how massive rapid erosion problems are affecting residents in Homer. | McKibben Jackinsky | |||||||||||
37 | Best Reporting on Science | Press Club of Cleveland | Anchorage Daily News | How to find a wolf: Scientists use CSI-style tests to count Alaska packs | Thorough, well written and compelling piece. | Kyle Hopkins | Anchorage Press | HAARP plays one last song | Great combination of scientific and human elements. | Mary Lochner | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Blowing (up) bubbles: The rich Alaska tradition of igniting methane gas for fun | Just the right tone and a fun read. | Sam Friedman | Lots of talent here. This was an extremely difficult choice. | ||||||||||
38 | Public Service Award | Tom Condon | Anchorage Daily News | State of Intoxication: FASD | Heartbreakingly effective multi-media examination of a complex problem. It does what a newspaper is supposed to do, and that is to hold a mirror up to its community. | Marc Lester, Kyle Hopkins, Pam Dunlap-Shohl, Anne Raup, Patrick Dougherty | Juneau Empire | Preparing for the worst / Playing the victim | Melissa Griffiths | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Public meetings and the firing of the Fairbanks schools superintendent | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | |||||||||||||
39 | Best Series | Press Club of Cleveland | Anchorage Daily News | State of Intoxication | Outstanding journalism. Well-written, informative stories, compelling video and photos rivet the reader's attention. The series paints a sprawling, yet intensely human panorama of the many facets alcohol abuse and attempts to deal with it in Alaska. Stories on fetal alcohol syndrome are especially heartbreaking. | Kyle Hopkins, Marc Lester | Ketchikan Daily News | Ketchikan's Drug problem | Well-written, human and compelling look at the devastation of heroin and methamphetamine abuse in Ketchikan and efforts to overcome it. Excellent. | Andrew Sheeler | Juneau Empire | KSM: A river runs through it, and that's the problem | Good comprehensive examination of concerns that a massive proposed mining project in Canada may negatively affect Alaskan fishing and environmental interests. | Mary Catharine Martin, Katie Moritz | |||||||||||
40 | Best News Photo (Small) | Barrett Stinson | Daily Sitka Sentinel | World Cup Loss | James Poulson | Daily Sitka Sentinel | Herring Harvest | James Poulson | KNOM | Watching the Firefighters | David Dodman | ||||||||||||||
41 | Best Scenic Photo (Large) | Barrett Stinson | Alaska Dispatch | Wilderness marathon | Jumped out immediately as the winner to all three judges. We liked the angle and composition of the photo and how the runner stands out because he's wearing red. Just a clean well seen photo in an unusual setting. | Loren Holmes | Juneau Empire | Mendenhall kayaking | Michael Penn | Juneau Empire | Orca | Michael Penn | |||||||||||||
42 | Best Sports Photo (Small) | Barrett Stinson | Capital City Weekly | Solstice Slam | Nice tight shot with good expression on the fighter's face that's in the headlock. A consensus winner. | James Brooks | The Northern Light | Women's Basketball Fall | Probably the cleanest action photo. | Adam Eberhardt | Petersburg Pilot | Hard sprint to the finish | Nice moment at the end of a foot race with a little tension between the runners. Not sure what the lady with the flag is doing there, but she adds a bit of drama also. | Mary Koppes | |||||||||||
43 | Best Sports Photo (Large) | Barrett Stinson | Alaska Dispatch | Skiers | We like the framing and the lines of the skiers. Nice light and technically well done. Just has a nice feel to it. A consensus winner. | Loren Holmes | Alaska Dispatch | Mount Marathon | Great background and seeing really places the participants in a harsh environment were you know right away why they're struggling. | Loren Holmes | Anchorage Daily News | Gotta Laugh | Best straight action photo with a nice expression on the girl's face, Clean photo well cropped. | Erik Hill | |||||||||||
44 | Best Short Feature | Denver Press Club | Anchorage Press | Big Love: Soldotna pours its heart out for evacuees, fire responders | Great job of capturing the sense of urgency, the worry and the fear that people endure when given an evacuation order. The article also captures the host community's wonderful hospitality. | Mary Lochner | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Fairbanks Demolition Derby celebrates a smashing 10 years | Gary Black | Anchorage Daily News | 'There's a nanuq outside!': Kaktovik woman chases polar bear from tent | Kyle Hopkins | |||||||||||||
45 | Best Sports Game/Event Story | Elizabeth Zaremba | Juneau Empire | Hero wins game, gets prom date | This was a very difficult group to judge. The top six stories all could have placed. With that said, this one stuck out because of the great detail of the game as well as the human factor. Glad the prom date worked out! | Klas Stolpe | Alaska Dispatch News | Gnarly trail brings top Iditarod mushers like Sorlie, Jonrowe to their knees | Suzanna Caldwell | Juneau Empire | Klawock takes 1A state title | Klas Stolpe | |||||||||||||
46 | Best Reporting on Crime or Courts | Tom Banse | KTOO TV-Radio | Juneau police reach community one cup of coffee at a time | Nice balance of official voices and real people. Best tape quality of the entries in this category by gathering all interviews in person. | Casey Kelly | KNBA Radio | K9 survives stab wounds | The story included the most drama of any of the year's submissions. Nice rhythm in the storytelling and tape cuts, but merits only second place because the whole tale relies on a single source. Good photos to illustrate web text. | Joaqlin Estus | KCAW Radio (Sitka) | Robiou's Defense Examines School's Party Culture, Relationships | Challenging story to tell since it involved sexual assault allegations. The reporter made good choices in how to bring this story to air. | Robert Woolsey | |||||||||||
47 | Best Investigative Reporting | Lois Norder | Anchorage Press | National Guard Series: "Comander Untouchable," "Three-Headed Monster," General Allegations" | Wow! Anchorage Press built a damning indictment in an almost unbelievable scandal. There is so much here to admire, from its efforts to obtain records to compelling writing that guides readers through the complexities of the case. By laying out evidence for the public to examine, Anchorage Press addresses questions about what the governor knew and when he knew it. | David Holthouse | Alaska Public Radio Network | Alaska National Guard coverage | APR not only provided solid, aggressive coverage of this scandal, it also fought for records and worked to hold public officials accountable. What iced its work was its webpage that sorts through the players, the issues and developments. | Alexandra Gutierrez, Jennifer Canfield | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Courthouse prayers: New confessions, old secrets & the Fairbanks Four | It takes an incredible journalist to continue to dig over years in the cause of justice, as O'Donoghue has done, working with his journalism students. These stories, built on work in previous years, provides a possible answer to those who ask who committed a 1997 murder, if the teens convicted didn't do it. | Brian Patrick O'Donoghue, Rod Boyce, UAF Journalism students, Julia Taylor, Kendell Newman Sadiik, Grace Bieber, Kelly Logue | Strong investigative work by various news organizations made this a tough contest to judge. I'd like to give an honorable mention to KHNS for its entry about the incident commander for the state ferry system. | ||||||||||
48 | Best Daily News Program | Corey Flintoff | KNOM | KNOM Update News | KNOM offers a lively, informative news program with lots of local voices. Controversial issues were treated in a fair and comprehensive way. | Matthew Smith, KNOM News Staff | KHNS | KHNS Local News | This was a well-written and well-delivered news program with good attention to local and regional issues. | Margaret Friedenauer, Emily Files | None Selected | ||||||||||||||
49 | Best Documentary | Corey Flintoff | KSKA Radio | Earthquake Closer Look | This is really compelling radio. Great use of interviews and archival audio to tell the story. | Ellen Lockyer | None Selected | None Selected | |||||||||||||||||
50 | Best Alaska Outdoor Story | Christina Myer | Juneau Empire | To camp or not to camp? | Miller's writing is compelling without being unnecessarily fancy. Writer and environment make a fantastic match. Reading Miller's work was a pleasure. | Emily Miller | Alaska Dispatch News | Riding herd on Kenai's wacky, wonderful fish-killing rodeo | Excellent ability to bring readers to the event being covered. | Sean Doogan | Chilkat Valley News | Wolf kills, eats dog during daylight ordeal | The detail and balance here turned what could have been a blurb into a page-turner. | Tom Morphet | Miller's work was outstanding, and the clear winner. Both Doogan and Morphet, however, did top notch detail writing that brought readers into the story. Nice entries from everyone -- it was not easy to pick only three deserving of recognition. | ||||||||||
51 | Best Arts Reporting | Marriane Combs | KSKA Radio | Anchorage Museum Stays Up Late To Reach New Members | Great piece! It immediately draws in the listener with the marriage scene. The story featured smooth and tight writing and a natural read by the reporter. Loved the museum curator yelling over the rock music - great juxtaposition! | Zachariah Hughes | KTOO TV-Radio | Christy NaMee Eriksen braids words and music to effect change | The reporter did a great job of setting up the interview and then getting out of the way, letting the artist and her work speak for themselves. A skilled mix and an eloquent interviewee made this piece stand out. | Scott Burton | KTOO TV-Radio | Amid modern building construction, Tlingit carver keeps traditional method alive | I enjoyed the contrast between the sounds of the modern tools and the adze. A simple piece with a lot of heart. | Lisa Phu | It was a pleasure to listen to these stories. I was particularly struck by the wealth of native art and culture, from carving to weaving to language. Glad to see so much work being done to document these riches. | ||||||||||
52 | Best Talk Program | Atlanta Press Club | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Alaska's Political Pipeline | Very informative and a great use of visuals. | Steve Mac Donald, Tracy Sinclare, Adam Pinsker, Austin Baird, Jason Jeffords | KSKA Radio | Outdoor Explorer | A good variety and very informative. | Charles Wohlforth, Monica Gokey, Pat Yack | KSKA Radio | Line One: Your Health Connection | A wide variety of good information that audience could relate to. | Dr. Thad Woodard, Prentiss Pemberton, Monica Gokey, Pat Yack, Bede Trantina, Kristin Spack | |||||||||||
53 | Best Specialty News Program | Atlanta Press Club | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Last Frontier Honor Flight | Incredible amount of background information. Great following these people through their journeys. | KTVA Staff | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | KTUU Mount Marathon Coverage July 4th 2014 | talking to the young athletes was a great inclusion. A lot of effort very obvious. | Ashleigh Ebert, Channel 2 Staff | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | KTUU Iditarod Celebrating Tradition March 2014 | Well done on the logistics! | Channel 2 Staff | |||||||||||
54 | Best Multimedia Presentation | LA Press Club | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Election 2014 | Within hours following the 2014 state-wide election, KTUU posted an effective, easy to use interactive map of voting returns | KTUU Staff | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | 'Mad' Scientist, Senator Fight to Save HAARP | Austin Baird, Kuba Wuls | KYUK | Fire Burns Bethel Alcohol Treatment Center Construction Project | Dean Swope, Daysha Eaton | Highly competitive category with many examples. Great usage of dramatic graphics, videos, still photos and documents | ||||||||||||
55 | Best Government or Political Reporting | Corey Flintoff | Alaska Public Radio Network | Will Alaskans Vote To Repeal State's Tax Cut On Oil Production? | This well-written, sound-rich piece used next-door neighbors with dueling yard signs to frame an important issue. Excellent radio! | Alexandra Gutierrez | KTOO TV-Radio | Alaska becomes second state to officially recognize indigenous languages | Good use of sound in this piece about recognition for Alaska's Native languages. It conveyed the emotional impact of the decision very well. | Casey Kelly | KNBA Radio | Could Alaska Natives Decide the U.S. Senate majority? | The candidates for Alaska Senate as seen in the context of Alaska Native issues. Well-written and well-presented. | Joaqlin Estus | I know it's a cliche and even a bit of a cop-out for judges to say that the field was strong and the choice of winners was difficult, but in this case, it's true. I am heartened to hear so many reports in which the issues were clearly and fairly laid out for the voting public. It's in the best tradition of public-service journalism. | ||||||||||
56 | Best Sports Columnist | Elizabeth Zaremba | Skagway News | Fish This! | Andrew Cremata | Alaska Coast Magazine | COAST Toast | John Woodbury, Melissa devaughn, meranda carter, jill tillion | Juneau Empire | Pure Sole columns by Klas Stolpe | Klas Stolpe | ||||||||||||||
57 | Best Sports Game/Event Story | Elizabeth Zaremba | Nome Nugget | Iditarod 42 is underway | Very enjoyable story to read and overall great coverage of the annual event. | Diana Haecker | Nome Nugget | Collins first to emerge from fog at 36th Anvil Mountain run | Keith Conger | Daily Sitka Sentinel | Sitka Wins State Championship | Tom Hesse | |||||||||||||
58 | Best Sports News Story | Elizabeth Zaremba | Juneau Empire | Yakutat superintendent defends canceling season | Very interesting topic to have to cover. The story was extremely detailed and informative. Great work! | Klas Stolpe | Anchorage Daily News | Dallas Seavey pushes through windstorm to win Iditarod | Casey Grove, Beth Bragg, Kyle Hopkins | Juneau Empire | Yakutat cancels boys basketball season | Klas Stolpe | |||||||||||||
59 | Best Newscast | Atlanta Press Club | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Channel 2 NewsHour- Nov. 10, 2014 | Good variety of stories. great use of graphics and file video. | Reba Lean, Carly Schreck, Maria Downey, Steve Mac Donald, KTUU Staff | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | KTVA Evening News Nov. 19 | Good variety of stories and a clean look. I find some of the graphics, like the moving ones behind the anchors a bit distracting. | KTVA Staff | None Selected | ||||||||||||||
60 | Best Online Breaking News | Atlanta Press Club | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Funny River fire scorches thousands of acres | Good sense of urgency along with the facts. | KTVA Staff | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | 18-year-old charged in connection with youth facility riot | A lot of good information. | Hope Miller | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Tanana teen arrested in connection with trooper murders | KTVA Staff | ||||||||||||
61 | Best Breaking News Story | LA Press Club | CoastAlaska | BCs KSM mine nears environmental approval | Breaking environmental story with wide array of sources | Ed Schoenfeld | KTNA Radio (Talkeetna) | Magnitude 6.2 Earthquake Shakes Upper Valley | Phillip Manning | KHNS | Magistrate waives waiting period for first Haines same-sex wedding | Margaret Friedenauer | |||||||||||||
62 | Best Comprehensive Coverage | Jeff Stein | Anchorage Daily News | State of Intoxication: Alcohol in Alaska | Wonderful personalization, great writing and a fascinating piece with lots of research. Well done. | Kyle Hopkins, Marc Lester | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Season of Sacrifice | Great story-telling, great personalization, wonderful writing. Nicely done. | Rhonda McBride, Jacob Curtis | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Fairbanks schools superintendent fired over handling of sex assault case | I loved reading and following along as this story unfolded. Well written pieces. | Weston Morrow | |||||||||||
63 | Best Single Story Reporting | Bob Collins | KYUK | Tragedy Renews Faith for Bethel Family | Daysha Eaton | KRBD Radio (Ketchikan) | Black bear interrupts Southeast cross country race | Emily Files | CoastAlaska | Yakutat prepares to try out wave power | Ed Schoenfeld | ||||||||||||||
64 | Best Business Reporting | Phyllis Fletcher | KSKA Radio | AK: Amazon in the Arctic | Business stories pop when someone deftly explains someone doing something for a reason we can all understand: money! Would have sounded great on Marketplace or NPR. Congratulations, Zachariah. | Zachariah Hughes | KTOO TV-Radio | Alaskan Brewing Co. now selling beer in cans | The taste test is a great idea, because that's what people want to know: is it any good? The practical aspect of cans was also explained well and in a sonically memorable way. Congratulations, Casey. | Casey Kelly | KUCB Unalaska Community Broadcasting | Aleutians East Scrambles for Cheaper Link to Akutan Airport | It's very important in rural areas to have journalists willing, able and emboldened to dig. Congratulations, Annie. | Annie Ropeik | |||||||||||
65 | Best News Photo (Large) | Ted Warren | Alaska Dispatch | Inauguration day | I kept coming back to this photo because it captures a genuine "moment" that sometimes isn't present in news photos. There is also a strong level of visual reporting going on, and this photo coveys information about Alaska and Alaskan government that would take many words to so artfully explain. Kudos also to the photographer for getting the behind-the-scenes access and yet working in a way that allowed the subjects to appear to be not camera conscious. | Loren Holmes | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Uncasing Ceremony | Difficult to select 2nd over third, but this photo won out for lens use and composition that simply and directly lined up all of the elements needed to tell this story. A nice framing of the eyes of the child with the salute as well. | Eric Engman | Alaska Dispatch | Firefighter memorial | As mentioned, it was difficult to choose between 2nd and 3rd places here. A nice photo from a memorial that doesn't center on the usual flag-transfer or other official activity, yet carries a lot of emotion and information through the careful composition. | Loren Holmes | |||||||||||
66 | Best Scenic Photo (Small) | Ted Warren | The Delta Discovery | H-Marker Lake Auroras | Very nice first place winner. Working on or being fortunate to find something visually interesting and complimentary for the foreground such as this cabin really pays off, as does the composition that put the horizon line in the lower third and the cabin not dead center helped this great image stand out from the pack. | Greg Lincoln | Daily Sitka Sentinel | Whale Sunset | Love the layers of this as well as the contribution of the whale tail. Perhaps a slightly tighter crop would make the tail a quicker read, but still a nice moment hoped for and captured. | James Poulson | The Northern Light | Sea Kayaking: A weekend at sea | A nice frame showing the world what your state has to offer. Perhaps a more horizontal crop would have strengthened the visual appeal, but I love the fact that you took this from your own boat, and you kept it's nose in the photo. Might try a few frames where the boat is even more prominently represented. | Evan Dodd | |||||||||||
67 | Best Same-Day Feature | Karen Larsen | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Lumberjacks | Fun, light-hearted story made even stronger with great video and natural sound. Nice live intro with food "prop". Great use of Go-Pro. Photographer helped make the piece along with reporter's writing and pacing. | Dave Leval, Emily Landeen | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Return to Mt. Marathon | Great pacing, nats and use of sound to deliver the emotion of the day. | Emily Carlson, John Thain | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Memorials bring back Emotional Memories | Wonderful use of natural sound and file footage at appropriate places. Reporter let interview "breathe" and develop compelling sound. | Joe Vigil, John Thain, Bert Rudman | |||||||||||
68 | Best Ongoing Public Affairs | Tom Banse | KNOM | KNOM's Story49 | Displays enterprise. High quality sound recording and production design. | Emily Bieniek, Kristin Leffler | KMXT Radio, Kodiak | The Alaska Fisheries Report | Thoroughly professional. | Jay Barrett | KSKA Radio | Addressing Alaskans | Segment featuring the biographer of a WWII Attu teacher and POW was particularly memorable. | Monica Gokey, Evan Erickson, Kristin Spack, Bede Trantina, Connie Huff, Pat Yack | |||||||||||
69 | Best Business Reporting | LA Press Club | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Shell suspends 2014 Arctic offshore drilling in Alaska | Comprehensive coverage of a breaking business news story. Excellent team reporting. | Chris Klint | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Beeswax Beauty | Excellent videography | Lauren Maxwell, Nick Swann | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Alaska grown potato sales decline | Shannon Ballard, John Thain | ||||||||||||
70 | Best Arts Reporting | Ashley Parrish | Anchorage Press | A Voice Heard | A gripping profile. Well-written. | Debra McKinney | Anchorage Daily News | Alaska Natives 'escape' from the state in new TLC reality show | An intelligent look at what many Alaska residents are probably talking about. | Kyle Hopkins | Juneau Empire | Behind the camera | Interesting historical piece. | Amy Fletcher | |||||||||||
71 | Best Breaking News Story | Ashley Parrish | Alaska Dispatch News | Pair of state troopers shot, killed in Tanana; local man arrested after standoff | Clear retelling of events with interesting narrative details. Solid effort. | Jerzy Shedlock, Loren Holmes | Anchorage Press | Big Love: Soldotna pours its heart out for evacuees, fire responders | Interesting narrative approach. Impressive reporting. | Mary Lochner | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Two troopers killed: What happened in Tanana? | Sam Friedman | ||||||||||||
72 | Best Breaking News Story | Ashley Parrish | Alaska Commons | The Struggle for Marriage Equality Comes Home to Alaska | John Aronno | Skagway News | Car slides into lake after train derails on summit | Katie Emmets, Aimee O'Connor, Jeff Brady | Homer News | Man injured in house fire Home total loss; cause unknown | McKibben Jackinsky | ||||||||||||||
73 | Best Feature | Atlanta Press Club | KTOO TV-Radio | When missing person isnt found, Juneau SEADOGS search for happy ending | This story was very powerful, because of it's creative use of sound to tell a rather tragic story. The writing was strong and, the tape emotional. It kept the listener engages. | Lisa Phu | CoastAlaska | Large crowd greets Celebration paddlers | This story surprised in its simplicity and creativity. The sound and interviews were strong and the non-rnarrated format really worked for the piece. Wonderful sense of place. | Ed Schoenfeld | KTOO TV-Radio | Koocheitaa: Teaching the Tlingit language through basketball | This story was insightful and well produced. Some wonderful tape gives this story a lot of dimension. Nice use of sound. | Casey Kelly | |||||||||||
74 | Best Magazine Feature | Michael Taylor | Alaska Coast Magazine | COAST Adventure Unlimited | Excellent imagery and organization. | John Woodbury | Alaska Business Monthly | Ketchikan's KPU Local Television Goes National | This article had everything readers like in a good business feature--an interesting profile, good quotes from many sources, evidence of strong reporting, and loads of surprising facts, with some of the best held back for the end of the piece. | Will Swagel | Every Day with Rachael Ray | Cruise Alaska for Less | Jenna Schnuer | ||||||||||||
75 | Best Feature Photo (Large) | Ted Warren | Juneau Empire | Horsing around | Just a great feature. Crazy kids, a funny mask, making memories. It's a clicker as soon as you see the horse mask, and the spirit of being young and just doing something like this because you can keeps the view. | Michael Penn | Peninsula Clarion | Fishing in the Dark | Nice work in little to no light and showing readers something they may not know is happening at night. Kudos for not just blasting away with the flash and trying to make it work. I imagine there was some patience involved in waiting for two good fish silhouettes as well. | Rashah McChesney | Alaska Dispatch | Runners | Working with shapes and reflections such as this can make a photo of a routine race visually compelling and interesting. | Loren Holmes | |||||||||||
76 | Best Feature Photo (Small) | Ted Warren | Capital City Weekly | Bobbing for fish heads | James Brooks | None Selected | Petersburg Pilot | Fourth of July fun in Petersburg | Mary Koppes | ||||||||||||||||
77 | Best Feature | Deborah Horne | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Aurora Wish List | I so loved this piece. What a wonderful marriage of words and pictures. So moving. So beautifully told. | Blake Essig, David Brooks | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | 1st Jump, Last Jump | This story was very nicely done. Beautiful pictures. But a terrific story, too. | Bonney Bowman, John Thain | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Homer Cartoonist | This story was a very nice surprise. I thought it was just about laughter -- but it was much more. | Shannon Ballard, John Thain | |||||||||||
78 | Best Sports Reporting | Tom Goldman | KCAW Radio (Sitka) | Sitka Sound Slayers: A Women's Movement on Wheels | So much good about this piece: voicing, production, good tape, interesting foray into roller derby history with archival tape and a great ending. Loved the detail throughout especially the final character with the tatoo of the little girl praying to Barbie. I really liked that Emily focused on the motivations for these non-athlete/athletes, instead of the nuts and bolts of the competition. She brought out some really important issues about girls and women who didn't consider themselves "athletes" but now did through this experience. Excellent. | Emily Kwong | KSKA Radio | Six-Day Race at the Alaska Dome Goes Heavy on the Ultra | Monica had it all going on in this piece as well. Her voicing was really nice. Putting herself in running and interviewing Dave Johnston worked really well - she didn't overdo it....just enough to give us something different. I liked the writing and the way Monica varied the pace of the script with a quick track between two acts. Nice humor throughout and the puking at the top was very...real shall we say? Really great piece | Monica Gokey | KHNS | Tough Travel Schedules For Alaskan Sports Teams | This piece was really interesting and provided the listener with a great look into a unique part of Alaskan sporting life. I particularly liked the section about the challenges of playing opponents and then housing with them. great tape throughout. well done. | Emily Files | |||||||||||
79 | Best Humor | Tom Goldman | Alaska Dispatch News | Who needs a man once an Alaska girl has mastered the chainsaw? | Wonderful slice of Alaskan life with great detail. Humor category easy to judge - does the entry make you laugh, or at least smile often? answer is "yes" to both with this piece. Well done Laureli and thanks for the primer on chainsaws. Not that we use them much in the lower 48. Mainly used in horror movies. | Laureli Ivanoff | KCAW Radio (Sitka) | Santahack! | This one tickled my funny bone. Some good deadpan humor, especially from host Rob Woolsey. | John Straley, Finn Straley, Robert Woolsey | Juneau Empire | Slack Tide columns by Geoff Kirsch | Great observations! learned a lot (both good and bad) about the great city of Juneau. | Geoff Kirsch | |||||||||||
80 | Best User-Submitted Online Package | Tom Goldman | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Gallery: Whaling In Alaska | Fascinating photo gallery of something few of us rarely see. interesting detail illustrates a unque way of life. | Jeff Rivet, Chris Klint, Staff | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | December in Alaska | Gorgeous photos. Well done. | Kyle Hopkins, Jeff Rivet, Chris Klint, Staff & Viewers | None Selected | ||||||||||||||
81 | Best Editorial Cartoon | Tom Goldman | Homer News | Editorial cartoons by Michael O'Meara | Michael O'Meara | The Mudflats | The Palins' Drunken Rumpus | Jeanne Devon | None Selected | ||||||||||||||||
82 | Best Solo Journalism | Lam Vo | Alaska Commons | John Aronno - Alaska Commons | John Aronno's work not only spans various media but also incorporates an approach to delivering the news that is both approachable and very effective. He knows when to break from traditional article formats to make information more accessible, strikes different tones in his writing to engage his audience and is a talented photographer. | John Aronno | Peninsula Clarion | Rashah McChesney Solo | Rashah McChesney is a truly gifted photographer, who's not afraid to get close to get the best shots. Her writing brings to life stories that are of importance to her community! | Rashah McChesney | KTUU TV (Anchorage) | Lacie Grosvold Solo Reporter | Lacie Grosvold is a true storyteller. Her writing paints wonderful portraits of her characters, her shooting is as beautiful as it is informative and her skilled and at times playful editing gives her stories a nice flow. | Lacie Grosvold | |||||||||||
83 | Best Business Reporting | Ashley Parrish | Homer News | "Homer boasts marine trades of world-class proportions" | Great personal detail interwoven with story of the evolution of Homer's maritime trade industry. Enterprising and informative. | McKibben Jackinsky | Chilkat Valley News | Leaders explain support, opposition of power rate increase | Karen Garcia | Alaska Commons | Supreme Court Checks Executive Recess Power, NLRB and Anchorage Hotel Workers Caught in Crossfire | Craig Tuten | |||||||||||||
84 | Best Education Reporting | Ashley Parrish | Homer News | Nikolaevsk celebrates historic moment | Informative, well-written story that clearly identifies the historic nature of the event. Additionally, the story includes enough personal information that the reader gets a clear picture of the student and school community. | McKibben Jackinsky | Alaska Commons | Pencils, Books, and No Home: Alaskas Homeless Students Number In the Thousands | Rebecca Barker | Catholic Anchor | Alaska's school choice advocates answer critics | Joel Davidson | |||||||||||||
85 | Best Business Reporting | Ashley Parrish | Juneau Empire | Costly candidates | Very revealing piece of journalism that delves into the little-known practice resulting in static board membership. | Matt Woolbright | Alaska Dispatch News | Donlin gold mine brings hope of jobs -- and fear of destruction | Lisa Demer | As films disappear, state subsidies explode for Alaska-based reality shows | Kyle Hopkins | ||||||||||||||
86 | Best Illustration | John McCabe | Alaska Journal of Commerce | Halibut Deep Freeze | The Alaska Coastal Journal's Halibut illustration really pops, and made me curious enough to go read the accompanying story. An easy-to-read design, quality presentation and an interesting topic made this an easy choice for top honors. | Nadya Gilmore | Alaska Journal of Commerce | Nadya Gilmore-Politicos playing poker | Nadya Gilmore | The Northern Light | Star Wars Commencement Cover | Stefanie Vigoren, Jenna Roosdett | |||||||||||||
87 | Best Food Story | Brad Wilson | KTVA TV (Anchorage) | Homer Oyster Farm | This was a well-constructed, visually fascinating report on a subject that isn't that well-known. We loved the clear, concise explanations. | Lauren Maxwell, John Thain | Anchorage Press | Seafood Sublime | Almost the perfect restaurant review. A treat to read. | Susy Buchanan | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Tamale making becomes a family event in North Pole | Good feature on a food most would be unfamiliar with. Flowed nicely. | Gary Black | |||||||||||
88 | Best Headline Writing | Brad Wilson | Alaska Commons | Fleener’s Flub Starts Avalanche of Fail in Governor’s Race Hey, Alaska: It’s Phil Donahue. From the ’90s. I’d Like to Talk to You About Pot. Alaska’s Wild Ride to Marriage Equality Continues, and No One’s Quite Sure Why A Win for Marriage Equality not an Automatic Ride Over the Rainbow in Alaska Alaska Votes 2014: Begich Down, Walker Up, and Everybody Wants to get Stoned | Headlines that told the reader what was coming in a clever yet still clear fashion. The writer avoided cliches in favor of fresh constructions. | John Aronno | None Selected | None Selected | |||||||||||||||||
89 | Best Headline Writing | Brad Wilson | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Natalie Duleba's Headline Writing entry | Headlines that caught the eye and made us want to read the stories. Clear and crisp. | Natalie Duleba | Ketchikan Daily News | Lime Aid | The horrible puns are very much to our taste but perhaps not to all's. Still, love the cleverness. | Alex Bosworth | Ketchikan Daily News | Huffing a habit K-town hasn't whipped | Alex Bosworth | ||||||||||||
90 | Best Reporting on Crime or Courts | Brad Wilson | Alaska Dispatch News | Death behind bars: Corrections officials keep investigations shrouded in secrecy | A comprehensive, compelling story, extremely well-sourced, on a heartbreaking, important, and infuriating topic. This is public-interest journalism at its absolute best. Prisoners are not a sympathetic subject but this story makes us care deeply about what happened to them. Coverage like this would make any branch of government better. | Michelle Theriault Boots | Anchorage Daily News | Call him 'Minimum Mike' if you like | What's heartbreaking here is having to award this terrific, colorful and sympathetic tale second place. In any other year this would a winner. Loved the videos as well. It was SO close between this and first prize. | Kyle Hopkins | Anchorage Daily News | State of Intoxication: Daily Breathalyzer to be used statewide | The sourcing and depth of reporting are terrific and it's such a smooth read. | Kyle Hopkins | WOW! A lot of very, very powerful stories here. Wish there were Honorable Mentions. Some really fine work did not make the top three. | ||||||||||
91 | Best General News Story | Brad Wilson | Anchorage Daily News | After 14 years, Russians boat across Bering Strait to visit Alaska relatives | The reporting here is absolutely first-rate. The depth of historical detail provides context. Listening to these people tell their stories is simply a joy. This could not have been an easy story to report. A real pleasure in every way to read. | Kyle Hopkins | Alaska Dispatch News | Woman says she tried to cross avalanche-clogged road to Valdez to save her cat | Absolutely riveting story, kept me reading just pulling me along. The detail in the story made it come alive. | Laurel Andrews | Juneau Empire | High school hazing series | Well-sourced read on a timely and important topic. | Klas Stolpe | Strong competition. Hard to choose. | ||||||||||
92 | Best Arts Reporting | Brad Wilson | Alaska Robotics | Latitude: 2014 Alaska Arts Convergence | Dazzling creativity, colorful, well-crafted. Tells story better than any story would. | Patrick Race | Homer News | Ray DeMeo, Anchor Points hidden luthier | Simple, straight-forward storytelling, using more than one source, on a very interesting subject. Good read. | Sarah Richardson | What Do I Know? blog | AIFF-2014-Questions (and-answers) People Should Be Asking About The Festival. | Steven Aufrecht | ||||||||||||
93 | Best Government or Political Reporting | Brad Wilson | Alaska Commons | A Win for Marriage Equality not an Automatic Ride Over the Rainbow in Alaska | A really thorough review of a complex and contentious issue. Well-localized and nicely sourced. | John Aronno | Petersburg Pilot | Who's on the hook for PMC building? A look at borough-hospital relationships around the state | Good, solid, traditional reporting, well-explained and well-sourced. | Kyle Clayton | Catholic Anchor | Faith can't help but inform politics, governor tells teens | Joel Davidson | ||||||||||||
94 | Best Arts Criticism | Brad Wilson | Alaska Dispatch News | 'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike' misses mark, but offers big laughs | The hardest reviews to write are the in-between ones; pans and praises are simple, but when the judgment is more nuanced the task of the reviewer is more complex. That complexity is well-handled here. Here the writer makes it clear the production has problems but also makes it clear the audience enjoyed the play, and the difference is split well. A fair and fun review. | Egan Millard | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | Theater review: To fu or not to fu? Yes, definitely go fu. | A terrific job of explaining just what the unusual piece is. | Gary Black | Daily Sitka Sentinel | The Movie Review: The LEGO Movie | Could use a little more editing. But the enthusiasm of the author is infectious and might actually make us see the film. Loved (most) of the humor here. | Daniel Olbrych | |||||||||||
95 | The Suzan Nightingale Award for Best Columnist | Press Club of Cleveland | Homer News | Best Bets | Very much enjoyed your writing style...short and sweet often is the best way to go...especially in the fast-paced world we all live in. You gave me a nice flavor of Alaska. | Michael "The Betster" Armstrong | The Northern Light | Orange Rhymes With | Keep writing. You have a nice style. A unique voice is what all writers aspire to. | Evan Dodd | The Mudflats | Alaska Girls/Cruz to Wasilla/Palin Brawl | Loved your style. You told great stories without trying to over-awe the reader with "hey, look how smart I am." Enjoyed it. | Jeanne Devon | |||||||||||
96 | Best Profile | Brad Wilson | Alaska Commons | Faces of Equality: Susan Tow and Chris Laborde | Compelling work on a difficult subject. Puts faces on an abstract subject (discrimination). The reporter's ability to get the family to open and discuss their lives in detail makes this story a terrific read. | John Aronno | Catholic Anchor | Deacon finds God's grace at death's doorstep | Good story, told directly. Well-sourced. | Joel Davidson | Homer News | Students, coaches fondly remember Steve Wolfe | Lovely remembrance that makes the man come alive to an unfamiliar reader. | McKibben Jackinsky | |||||||||||
97 | Best Short Feature | Brad Wilson | Chilkat Valley News | Pampered fowl gets girlfriend, moves out of house | This is such a charming story and so well-told that it can overcome some writing and editing faults. The level of detail is impressive, and the author has an eye for good nuggets of information. Just the kind of story that will brighten up any issue of the newspaper. | Eileen McIver | Alaska Contractor | University Construction Management Programs Build Dreams, Lifelong Careers | Makes a potentially deadly-dull subject interesting. | Van Williams | Skagway News | Arizona pit bull finds solace with Skagway family | Elise Giordano | ||||||||||||
98 | Best Reporting on Crime or Courts | Abraham Hyatt | Chilkat Valley News | One year later, no charges in car break-ins | Tenacious reporting, good writing, public officials being held accountable -- Garcia's investigation has all the elements of great journalism. | Karen Garcia | Alaska Commons | Superior Court Judge Says Panhandling Laws Violate Free Speech | An exhaustive analysis of a court case that on the surface is mundane but in fact has important free speech implications. | Craig Tuten | Daily Sitka Sentinel | Trial Defense Attacks Credibility of Accuser | Well-written court coverage on a very tight deadline. | Tom Hesse | |||||||||||
99 | Best Sports Feature | Scott Griffin | Alaska Commons | Feeling the Burn: Intense Bodybuilding Pays Off For Extreme Muscle Girls | Kokayi Nosakhere | Homer News | Ski your age proves valuable in reversing post-holiday slump | McKibben Jackinsky | Daily Sitka Sentinel | Sitka Debater Now Mixed Martial Arts Pro | Tom Hesse | ||||||||||||||
100 | Best Social Media Package | Abraham Hyatt | Fairbanks Daily News-Miner | News-Miner social media | It's 2015 and it's surprising to see news organizations still treat social media as a one-way conversation. Almost none of the social media entrants in this year's contest directly engage with commenters on a day-to-day basis. The exception: the News-Miner's reporters and editors. Twitter analytics show the journalists with staff accounts interact with their followers 10 times, sometimes 15 times, more than other news sites in the contest. Their approach is genuine, conversational and above all.... social. | Staff | None Selected | None Selected |