FINAL SPJ Region 10 2023 Contest Judging Results.xlsx

	B	C	D	E	G	H	I	J	K	L	M
1	Division Name	Division Sub Name	Category Name	Award	Organization	Circ Group	Column	Entry Title	Credits	Judges' Comments	Competition Comments

2	Writing	Extra Large	Crime & Law Enforcement Reporting	First Place	The Seattle Times		Washington	The puzzling rise of defendants too sick to stand trial in WA	Esmy Jimenez
3	Writing	Extra Large	Editorial & Commentary	Second Place	The Seattle Times		Washington	Stop, listen to voices for peace	Naomi Ishisaka
4	Writing	Extra Large	Feature- Hard News	Second Place	The Seattle Times		Washington	How WA's mental health labyrinth claimed a life	Esmy Jimenez
5	Writing	Extra Large	Feature- Soft News	Second Place	The Seattle Times		Washington	Tuesdays with Murray: 5 life lessons from a Seattle bartending folk hero	Tan Vinh	The writing makes the reader feel as though they're sitting at the Zig Zag with the author, listening to a friend.
6	Writing	Extra Large	Government & Politics Reporting	Second Place	The Seattle Times		Washington	How WA's plan to transform its mental health system has faltered	Esmy Jimenez
7	Writing	Extra Large	Health Reporting	First Place	The Seattle Times		Washington	Not Sick Enough	Hannah Furfaro, Lauren Frohne, Jennifer Luxton	Excellent. Clearly shows that psychiatric illnesses still lack parity with physical illnesses and that insurance providers can place unnecessary and potentially harmful barriers in the way of patients getting the level and type of treatment that a doctor deems appropriate. Well written. Also liked being able to hear the audio from the patient profiled in the piece.
8	Writing	Extra Large	Poverty & Homelessness Reporting	Second Place	The Seattle Times		Washington	Fentanyl has devastated King County's homeless population	Anna Patrick
9	Writing	Extra Large	Review	First Place	The Seattle Times		Washington	The top 30 best tacos in Western Washington. Our food critic ate 500 tacos to come up with this list	Tan Vinh	This ranking was a massive undertaking but the results were worth it.
10	Writing	Large	Sports Feature	Second Place	The Daily Evergreen		Washington	WSU volleyball's G.O.A.T through talent, dedication, humility: Magda Jehlárová	Brandon Willman
11	Writing	Large	Sports Reporting	Second Place	The Daily Evergreen		Washington	Volleyball coverage by Brandon Willman	Brandon Willman
12	Writing	Small	Review	Second Place	Portland Mercury		Washington	SportsBox Is a Strip Club Reborn as a Vegan Esports Bar	Tim Gruver
13	Writing	Medium	Racial Equity Reporting	First Place	Kitsap Sun		Washington	Latino parents accuse North Kitsap schools of discrimination	Pei-Yu Lin	This is a complex series told skillfully and smoothly, backed up by data and investigative reporting. I was engaged throughout. I commend this reporter for the outstanding work.
14	Writing	Small	Sports Column	Second Place	CougFan.com		Washington	Crimson Commentary	Greg Witter	Great storytelling. Intelligently written and informative. And there's nothing wrong with including a $5 word or two in a story.
15	Writing	Small	Sports Reporting	First Place	CougFan.com		Washington	How Jen Greeny built WSU's No. 4-seed Cougar volleyball team	Jamey Vinnick	Solid reporting. Solid writing.
16	Writing	Medium	Sports Reporting	First Place	425 Magazine		Washington	Speaking from Experience: Inside the Moyer Baseball Academy	John Stearns
17	Writing	Small	Health Reporting	Second Place	Washington State Standard		WA	For children exposed to alcohol before birth, services are in short supply	Grace Deng	An outstanding report on an issue that is rarely discussed: fetal alcohol syndrome. Clearly, the reporter built trust with sources. The writing is excellent. Images are solid. Great work!
18	Writing	Small	Editorial & Commentary	Second Place	Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber		WA	Writing about orcas? Dive deeper	Elizabeth Shepherd	The story takes a while to get where it's going, but it's worth the wait.
19	Writing	Small	Business & Economics Reporting	Second Place	Tri-City Herald		WA	Contracts Crushed	Wendy Culverwell
20	Writing	Small	Crime & Law Enforcement Reporting	Second Place	Tri-City Herald		WA	"What caused his rage?"	Cameron Probert	An easy-to-read narrative peeling back the curtain on an unconscionable crime, an impressive job given the number of records involved.
21	Writing	Medium	Arts & Culture Reporting	Second Place	The Stranger		WA	How Jeff Bezos and Amazon Haunt the Dutch Golden Age: Artist Alex Sandvoss Puts a Baby-Faced Bezos Where He Longs to Be, at the Center of a Capitalistic 17th Century	Charles Mudede	Nice! Interesting story with a fun twist. Well written and captures your attention.
22	Writing	Extra Large	Arts & Culture Reporting	Second Place	The Seattle Times		WA	At this Green Lake dive bar, karaoke is a cathartic, unifying experience	Nathalie Graham	This was a nice, humanizing feature about a fascinating part of culture. The reporting here does a great job at characterizing the people mentioned.
23	Writing	Extra Large	Business & Economics Reporting	First Place	The Seattle Times		WA	The last 747	Dominic Gates, Mark Nowlin, Jennifer Buchanan	Terrific reflective story on the economic vitality the 747 gave to the Seattle area. Great focus on the generations of workers who made it happen and how the plane changed their lives. Well done!	Incredible reporting on so many solid business stories. Tough choice for the winning entries. Journalism well represented in Region 10.
24	Writing	Extra Large	Education Reporting	First Place	The Seattle Times		WA	Segregation in Seattle Schools	Dahlia Bazzaz, Lauren Flannery, Katherine Long
25	Writing	Extra Large	Education Reporting	Second Place	The Seattle Times		WA	Pistols have no place at track meets, Ingraham students say	Claire Bryan
26	Writing	Extra Large	Health Reporting	Second Place	The Seattle Times		WA	Lost Patients	Sydney Brownstone, Taylor Blatchford	Excellent. Well written. A sad and touching story about the dark days of psychiatric "hospitals" and the indignity the patients endured. Was good to read that relatives have finally been allowed access to records from the "hospital" and at least some are finding answers about their loved ones.
27	Writing	Extra Large	Racial Equity Reporting	Second Place	The Seattle Times		WA	Renton brothers seek reparations decades after sale of family land	Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks	Outstanding storytelling. Excellent mix of descriptive language with hard documentation. Cleanly written. Very good visuals. Particularly appreciated the use of historical photos. Great work!
28	Writing	Extra Large	Sports Column	First Place	The Seattle Times		WA	Inside The NHL columns	Geoff Baker	I enjoyed reading these takes on the business that surrounds the NHL, taking a look at the league from a different perspective.
29	Writing	Extra Large	Sports Feature	First Place	The Seattle Times		WA	UW folk hero Joe Jarzynka's last hurrah - and his family's path forward	Mike Vorel	Strong writing to tell the story of Joe. I love how his legacy lives on through his family. This was nicely done.
30	Writing	Extra Large	Sports Feature	Second Place	The Seattle Times		WA	How Ben Arbuckle went from punching numbers and delivering food to WSU coordinator at age 27	Scott Hanson
31	Writing	Extra Large	Sports Reporting	First Place	The Seattle Times		WA	Reports on mysterious disappearance of Colorado Avalanche star Valeri Nichushkin from Kraken playoff series	Geoff Baker
32	Writing	Medium	Editorial & Commentary	First Place	The Daily News		WA	It's time to use Cowlitz County's millions earmarked to combat homelessness	Rob Schubert , Hayley Day, Penny Rosenberg	Used clear writing to make the case that money should be spent on homelessness and not sit idly in bank accounts.
33	Writing	Medium	Racial Equity Reporting	Second Place	The Daily News		WA	WA bill to address housing discrimination, including previously in some Longview neighborhoods	Katie Fairbanks	Nice exploration of a generational issue, tying a current legislative measure to history and backed up by data. Tight writing and excellent sourcing.
34	Writing	Medium	Sports Column	Second Place	The Daily News		WA	Mark Morris boys laugh their way to State championship game	Jordan Nailon
35	Writing	Large	Business & Economics Reporting	Second Place	The Columbian		WA	Stores suppress shoplifters	Sarah Wolf, Becca Robbins	Very thorough treatment of a vexing industry-wide problem.
36	Writing	Large	Crime & Law Enforcement Reporting	First Place	The Columbian		WA	Deaths fuel oversight questions; Records detail actions in disappearance, deaths of woman, girl; Aggravated murder charge planned by prosecutors for man accused in deaths of Melendez, daughter	Jessica Prokop, Becca Robbins	Thorough reporting of such a tragic case.
37	Writing	Large	Editorial & Commentary	First Place	The Columbian		WA	Labor Day has worked its way to honored status; Website good tool, but child care still needs help; Respite beds for homeless compassionate, vital	Colleen Keller	The commentaries "In Our View: Website good tool, but child care still needs help' and 'Respite beds for homeless compassionate, vital" highlight not local, but national issues. Kudos for a commendable body of work.
38	Writing	Large	Feature- Soft News	First Place	The Columbian		WA	Freedom in fins	Monika Spykerman	Freedom in Fins is a fun feature that was filled with strong writing and solid images. Nicely done.
39	Writing	Large	Health Reporting	First Place	The Columbian		WA	For people experiencing homelessness, health care can be out of reach; Bringing care to the streets	Mia Ryder-Marks	Excellent reporting and presentation. A well-written piece that draws the reader in with compelling storytelling. Imagery is very good. Most important, the reporter gives a voice to the voiceless: the homeless who so often lack critical health care.
40	Writing	Large	Sports Column	First Place	The Columbian		WA	Another banner year at WSD; Cvitkovich has a lot to play for at Fort; Coming home to give back	Tim Martinez	Great topic choices, snappy writing. Superior work.
41	Writing	Large	Sports Feature	First Place	The Columbian		WA	Ukrainian teens find solace in soccer	Meg Wochnick
42	Writing	Large	Sports Reporting	First Place	The Columbian		WA	Evergreen to cut athletic directors; Athletic directors react to layoffs	Meg Wochnick	Solid reporting here. I love the reaction piece.
43	Writing	Medium	Sports Reporting	Second Place	The Chronicle		WA	Rochester rules in Scatter Creek Showdown	Dylan Wilhelm
44	Writing	Small	Government & Politics Reporting	First Place	The B-Town (Burien) Blog		WA	Kennedy Catholic High 'tremendously disappointed' it was not actively consulted by City of Burien despite numerous outreach efforts over proposed nearby Pallet Village encampment	Scott Schaefer
45	Writing	Medium	Crime & Law Enforcement Reporting	First Place	Tacoma News Tribune		WA	Manuel Ellis trial	Peter Talbot	This entry is a complete package of reporting. It's not only balanced, but it sticks with the impact of a decision. The story didn't end with a verdict as there were consequences even with an acquital. Whether it's a court action or elected bodies, stories like this never really end.
46	Writing	Medium	LGBTQ+ Equity Reporting	Second Place	Tacoma News Tribune		WA	Transgender Pride	Becca Most	Really illuminating reporting. Well-written profiles. Important work.
47	Writing	Medium	Poverty & Homelessness Reporting	First Place	Tacoma News Tribune		WA	The Jungle	Shea Johnson
48	Writing	Small	Editorial & Commentary	First Place	South Seattle Emerald		WA	Debunking the Defunding Myth	Gennette Cordova	The writer pulls no punches and has the receipts to back it up.
49	Writing	Small	Feature- Hard News	First Place	South Seattle Emerald		WA	Facing Parole Expiration, Many Afghan Refugees Lack Guarantee of a Future in the U.S.	Daniel Hart
50	Writing	Small	Arts & Culture Reporting	Second Place	Sound Publishing		WA	Federal Way student goes viral on 'American Idol'	Alex Bruell	The writer hits all the right notes with a touching feature on local high school student Iam Tongi and his "American Idol" journey. It's well-written and well-organized and offers just the right amount of insight into this young man's path to success. The two follow-up stories round out the entry nicely.
51	Writing	Small	Feature- Soft News	First Place	Sound Publishing		WA	Corey Nettles brought Federal Way together - and inspired a new book for grieving youth	Alex Bruell	Well-written feature. Great main characters and readers leave knowing Corey, even though he's not interviewed in the story.
52	Writing	Small	Racial Equity Reporting	Second Place	Sound Publishing		WA	Renton family seeks reparations from school district	Bailey Jo Josie	Rich reporting held back by a slow introduction.
53	Writing	Small	Review	First Place	Sound Publishing		WA	'Beyond this flesh:' Prog-rock immortals Tool play the Tacoma Dome	Bailey Jo Josie	A personal story and colorful descriptions make this review an engaging read.
54	Writing	Small	Sports Feature	Second Place	Sound Publishing		WA	Federal Way boxer wins first professional fight by TKO	Ben Ray	Heartwarming portrait of a determined young boxer looking to build on his amateur success he turns pro. This author had a very nice touch. Great work
55	Writing	Small	Sports Reporting	Second Place	Snohomish County Tribune		WA	Semi-pro soccer team to play in Nationals	Michael Whitney	Good reporting and a skillful reporter.
56	Writing	Large	Editorial & Commentary	Second Place	KUOW		WA	Could ChatGPT write for Today So Far?	Dyer Oxley, Stephen Howie	This in-depth piece delves into the good, bad and the ugly about ChatGPT. A well-written educational commentary.
57	Writing	Large	Education Reporting	First Place	KUOW		WA	About the gun that killed a boy at Seattle's Ingraham High School	Ashley Hiruko, Isolde Raftery	Reporting like I've never read before. Fantastic all around work, emotional in all the right places -- as a reader I'm stunned, and as an education editor I'm impressed.
58	Writing	Large	Education Reporting	Second Place	KUOW		WA	A music teacher left two jobs following allegations of sexual harassment. Kent School District hired him anyway	Diana Opong, Liz Brazile	Clearly written, well organized, TENACIOUS reporting. I was hooked. Well done.
59	Writing	Large	Health Reporting	Second Place	KUOW		WA	Opioids on the Peninsula	Eilis O'Neill, Liz Jones	A beautiful, heartfelt package that effectively uses scrollytelling to tell the story. Excellent imagery. Solid writing. Good graphics. An all-around excellent effort.
60	Writing	Large	Series	Second Place	KUOW		WA	State of the Cart	Ruby de Luna	Fascinating look at a complex issue from the perspective of different affected parties.
61	Writing	Large	General Excellence	First Place	KUOW		WA	KUOW General Excellence	Ruby de Luna, Monica Nickelsburg, John Ryan, David Hyde, Gustavo Sagrero Alvarez	A great variety of strong topics and solid writing.
62	Writing	Small	Crime & Law Enforcement Reporting	First Place	InvestigateWest		WA	Evading justice: How sex traffickers walk free as victims struggle to get help	Kelsey Turner	Great use of data, public records and interviews to reveal how a law intended to help sex trafficking victims is failing.
63	Writing	Small	Education Reporting	First Place	InvestigateWest		WA	How A Seattle-Area School District Ignored Repeated Warnings Of 'Grooming-Like Behavior'	Kelsey Turner	A harrowing look at how a school district failed its students and a glaring omission in the state's disciplinary process that leaves the door open for reoccurrence.
64	Writing	Small	Environment & Natural Disaster Reporting	Second Place	InvestigateWest		WA	In A Battle For Truth In A Small Montana Mining Town, Newly Revealed Records Show How The EPA Sided With Polluters	Wilson Criscione	Good exposé of how EPA works with industry to protect industry. Clear and well-written.
65	Writing	Small	Investigative Reporting	Second Place	InvestigateWest		WA	In the Wrong Hands: How Idaho allows rape, abuse and cruelty to flourish inside the state's youth residential facilities	Wilson Criscione	A great deep dive into the kind of government neglect that calls for investigation.
66	Writing	Small	Poverty & Homelessness Reporting	First Place	InvestigateWest		WA	Housing Restrictions Are Leaving More Northwest Sex Offenders Homeless	Kelsey Turner	Well reported and well reported story on little-known aspect of the homeless crisis.
67	Writing	Medium	Arts & Culture Reporting	First Place	Inlander		WA	Pretty in Plastic	Chey Scott	Good details, reads well and brings interesting tidbits that go beyond the doll trends.
68	Writing	Medium	Environment & Natural Disaster Reporting	First Place	Inlander		WA	Diversity Defenders	Samantha Wohlfeil	Nice coverage of the issue. Written well with a personality while still providing informative details about the topic.
69	Writing	Medium	Feature- Hard News	First Place	Inlander		WA	Out of Afghanistan	Samantha Wohlfeil
70	Writing	Medium	Sports Feature	Second Place	Inlander		WA	Welcome to the Age of $tudent Athlete$	Seth Sommerfeld	The writer did a deft job taking a very hot national topic and applying it to popular local teams and athletes. The story is well-written and well-sourced with local interviews, as well as industry experts who speak to the big picture.
71	Writing	Medium	Technology- & Science Reporting	First Place	Inlander		WA	Artificial Inception/Daniel vs. MechaDaniel	Chey Scott, Daniel Walters	Interesting topic well-written.
72	Writing	Extra Large	Review	Second Place	IGN.com		WA	The Zone of Interest Review	Chase Hutchinson
73	Writing	Large	Breaking News	Second Place	Everett Herald		WA	Stillaguamish River flood breaks record after 6 inches of rain, Why are Snohomish County rivers susceptible to flooding?, 'As the water recedes,' Snohomish County grapples with record flood	Jordan Hansen, Jonathan Tall, Aina de Lapparent Alvarez, Ta'Leah Van Sistine, Maya Tizon	In-depth look at effects of climate change on one community.
74	Writing	Large	Crime & Law Enforcement Reporting	Second Place	Everett Herald		WA	'Relief and closure' for family of Spencer Island John Doe from 1979	Caleb Hutton	This story was handled with thought and sensitivity in remembering this forgotten man in a manner he deserved -- as a human being, not just a cold case.
75	Writing	Large	LGBTQ+ Equity Reporting	Second Place	Everett Herald		WA	'We can't let hate scare us'	Kayla Dunn	Very solid story with clear writing and interesting details that tell it in a way that matters to a community.
76	Writing	Large	Poverty & Homelessness Reporting	Second Place	Everett Herald		WA	'Instead of helping us, they just want to put us in jail,' She feeds Everett's homeless; 'no sit' ban makes her mission harder, For those who lived through addiction, a split on whether jail can help	Sophia Gates
77	Writing	Medium	Breaking News	First Place	Cascadia Daily News		WA	Terminal Building fire	Audra Anderson, Ralph Schwartz, Charlotte Alden	The Cascadia Daily News really knows how to cover an issue that is important to the community. Well done.
78	Writing	Medium	Breaking News	Second Place	Cascadia Daily News		WA	Lake Whatcom fire	Audra Anderson, Andy Bronson, Ralph Schwartz	Solid reporting on a devastating fire.
79	Writing	Medium	Editorial & Commentary	Second Place	Cascadia Daily News		WA	CDN endorsements	Ron Judd, Cynthia Pope	Logically guided votes who had to decide between two qualified candidates.
80	Writing	Medium	Series	First Place	Cascadia Daily News		WA	Beyond Bars: The future of justice in Whatcom County	Ralph Schwartz, Hailey Hoffman, Jenelle Baumbach	Engaging, important series on intertwined problems of mental illness, homelessness, incarceration and drug use and how a community is attempting to cope. Engages readers in a major policy debate through the human lived experience.
81	Writing	Medium	Sports Feature	First Place	Cascadia Daily News		WA	Our Boys in the Boat	Meri-Jo Borzilleri	This ambitious, multipart project sheds new light on local Olympians whose fame gained a national boost thanks to a major motion picture. Through diaries and interviews, Meri-Jo Borzilleri explores the true story of "The Boys in the Boat," a crew of University of Washington rowers who won Gold in 1936 in Germany. But she also brings the story to modern day, with a nicely told feature on the sport of rowing and a useful factbox on how readers can get involved with the sport. The package has great visual elements, too.
82	Writing	Extra Large	Arts & Culture Reporting	First Place	Cascade PBS		WA	A Seattle artist and the auction frenzy that sparked an FBI tip	Margo Vansynghel	This was a great way to tie a narrative about a Seattle artist to the larger issues with art plagiarism. It's well reported and written with a great narrative structure.
83	Writing	Extra Large	Investigative Reporting	First Place	Cascade PBS		WA	WA mobile home communities organize against 'economic eviction'	Farah Eltohamy, Mai Hoang, Genna Martin	Deeply researched and reported, this investigative report exposes weaknesses in oversight and regulation that puts the vulnerable elderly population at risk. Important work.
84	Writing	Extra Large	General Excellence	First Place	Cascade PBS		WA	Cascade PBS 2023 General Excellence Entry	Cascade PBS Staff
85	Writing	Extra Large	Series	Second Place	Cascade PBS		WA	Joe O'Sullivan's coverage of "Legislative Privilege"	Joseph O'Sullivan	Tremendous and important series that demonstrates investment in quality watch-dog journalism.
86	Writing	Extra Large	Investigative Reporting	Second Place	Bloomberg News		WA	No Testing, No Inspections: Contaminated Eyedrops Blinded and Killed Americans	Peter Robison, Priyanka Pulla	This exposé shines a light on a situation that is just plain crazy and should not exist. Thorough reporting, great organization.
87	Writing	Extra Large	Technology- & Science Reporting	First Place	Bloomberg News		WA	Inside Amazon's Effort to Challenge Musk's Starlink Internet Business	Matt Day	Wow! This journalist crushes a story of international significance with smooth writing, intricate research, and excellent sourcing. It tells human stories interwoven with the technology aspects while also covering the potential impacts. Fabulous story.
88	Writing	Medium	Business & Economics Reporting	First Place	Willamette Week		Oregon	Junk Ambulances	Anthony Effinger, Lucas Manfield	This is an incredible work of journalism all around, from sourcing to writing to the research backing up the narrative. Simply remarkable -- a really great job. Connects real-world outcomes of ambulance response times to the companies that own and manage them -- remarkable.
89	Writing	Medium	Business & Economics Reporting	Second Place	Willamette Week		Oregon	The Death List	Anthony Effinger	Massive undertaking for a reporting team. The writing is tight and crisp, and puts a big issue into local and digestible terms. Great sourcing. A true accomplishment.
90	Writing	Medium	Crime & Law Enforcement Reporting	Second Place	Willamette Week		Oregon	Life in Hell	Lucas Manfield	This is a problem, at some level, most every community faces. Nice work on the storytelling and showcasing reporting skills.
91	Writing	Medium	Feature- Hard News	Second Place	Willamette Week		Oregon	They Left	Anthony Effinger
92	Writing	Medium	Government & Politics Reporting	First Place	Willamette Week		Oregon	Up in Smoke	Sophie Peel
93	Writing	Medium	Government & Politics Reporting	Second Place	Willamette Week		Oregon	Track Addicts	Nigel Jaquiss
94	Writing	Medium	Health Reporting	Second Place	Willamette Week		Oregon	Free Fall	Nigel Jaquiss	Well written. The article shows through one person's experience the consequences of the inadequate availability rehabilitation facilities with the appropriate level of care for persons with TBIs. The article also highlights how money and profit can get in the way of the availability of appropriate care.
95	Writing	Medium	Investigative Reporting	Second Place	Willamette Week		Oregon	Strange Budfellows	Sophie Peel
96	Writing	Medium	LGBTQ+ Equity Reporting	First Place	Willamette Week		Oregon	They Arrived	Anthony Effinger	Compelling portraits of "gender refugees" who moved to Portland from other states to escape anti to new states because of anti-trans laws and hostility. Very well done. An excellent read with plenty of context.
97	Writing	Medium	Review	First Place	Willamette Week		Oregon	Sorce Code	Bennett Campbell Ferguson	A really engaging look at what went into the creation of this play. (The headline did have me worried for a second, though!)
98	Writing	Medium	General Excellence	First Place	Willamette Week		Oregon	May 2023 Outstanding Work	Lucas Manfield, Nigel Jaquiss, Sophie Peel, Anthony Effinger, Rachel Saslow
99	Writing	Small	Arts & Culture Reporting	First Place	Underscore		Oregon	Indigenous People Press on to Indigenize Museums	Brian Bull	Brian Bull has crafted an insightful, informative story about the use of Indigenous items in museums and how local consultants are helping to educate these institutions. The story is enjoyable to read, well-written and sheds light on an issue important to the publication's readership.
100	Writing	Small	Racial Equity Reporting	First Place	Underscore		Oregon	A 'Land Back' Achievement in Portland	Carrie Johnson	Great mix of voices in this story, which shows readers what the Land Back movement is while explaining it with nuance.