2019 Winners and Judges' Comments NEWSPAPERS DIVISION III
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2019 Winners and Judges’ Comments NEWSPAPERS DIVISION III: Multimedia First Place A solid effort and a textbook example of how (Gulfport) Sun Herald multimedia can expand the story well beyond Anita Lee and Justin Mitchell the printed page. The videos -- hearinG the "'Brain drain' on the Coast has voices of millennials for perspective -- and Potential to Get Worse, Experts the Graphic showinG the hard numbers were Warn. Can it be Fixed?" a Great use of resources. Second Place This report really brouGht home the impact (Gulfport) Sun Herald of the spillway's openinG -- an event that has Anita Lee and Alyssa Newton become the new normal. The video of the "The Power to Open Bonnet Carré oyster farmers Gave the issue a personal Spillway Rests 200 Miles from impact, and the video about why the Gulf 'StruGGlinG' Gulf Coast" Coast is powerless -- presentinG the history -- was important, too, answerinG the policy "why". Features First Place Baker had a Great source with a Grisly but (Gulfport) Sun Herald important story to tell. And she made the MarGaret Baker most of it, unfoldinG the story in her own "'There is a way out.' After Cycle voice while makinG sure that Courtney of Abuse Nearly Killed Her, Coast Schouest's voice was front and center. Woman Shares Her Story." ìI kept thinkinG he would chanGe,î she said. ìI wanted to believe him. I kept GoinG back. I donít want this to happen to anyone else.î And Baker did the leGwork, verifyinG elements of the story throuGh police reports and text messages Schouest saved. What resulted was a report that has the potential to save lives, to convince women in similar, dire circumstances to take that step and flee a danGerous relationship. Second Place The breadth of Keith Spera's coverage -- and The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ the power and authority of his voice -- is New Orleans Advocate impressive. He knows the New Orleans music Keith Spera scene -- and its movers and shakers and "New Orleans Music" music makers. Third Place (Gulfport) Sun Herald Justin Mitchell did it all on this story about Justin Mitchell drag queens appearinG outside the realm of "'We're just like them.' Meet the Gay clubs, in a compellinG story, video and Drag Queens ChanGinG Minds and images. Hearts on the Coast" Breaking News Photography First Place Captured the urGency in the panicked faces The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ of workers escapinG the debris from the New Orleans Advocate collapsed buildinG in the backGround. Scott Threlkeld "Hard Rock Collapse" Second Place The number of yellow numbered placards The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ dottinG the crime scene showed the enormity New Orleans Advocate of the shootinG. The stillness of one David Grunfeld investiGator on the sidewalk captured the "NOPD InvestiGates" solemnity of the crime. Third Place Captured the sorrow and Grief on the (Gulfport) Sun Herald riverbank. Alyssa Newton "Coroner Identifies Three Teens Pulled from Biloxi River After Accidental DrowninG" General News Photography First Place Great reaction in this photo that captures a The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ moment this younG lady will remember for New Orleans Advocate years to come! Smart composition to include Travis SpradlinG the doctor's reaction as well. "Brees Visit" Second Place The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ New Orleans Advocate Scott Threlkeld "Family Members React" Third Place The Advocate/Times- Picayune/New Orleans Advocate Scott Threlkeld "Bad Call" Feature Photography First Place StrateGic placement of photoGrapher to The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ capture the joy on the kids faces as they New Orleans Advocate jump into the lake -- unicorn intertube and Bill FeiG all. "Pond Jump" Second Place The love and tenderness expressed on the The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ nuns faces is priceless. New Orleans Advocate Brett Duke "Birthday Kiss" Third Place Nice timinG to Get the tiGer jumpinG up in the The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ water. New Orleans Advocate Bill FeiG "TiGer Reacts" Sports Feature Photography First Place Great reactions all around in this photo that The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ captures the heart and spirit of colleGe New Orleans Advocate athletics. David Grunfeld "Home Run Celebration" Second Place The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ New Orleans Advocate Max Becherer "It's All About the Hair" Third Place The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ New Orleans Advocate David Grunfeld "ComfortinG Coach" Sports Action Photography First Place Crisp and clean peak action with a Great The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ expression to Go alonG with it. Solid sports New Orleans Advocate shootinG! Hilary Scheinuk "Airborne" Second Place The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ New Orleans Advocate Hilary Scheinuk "Safe at Second" Third Place The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ New Orleans Advocate David Grunfeld "In Your Face" Breaking Sports First Place So many voices and so much detail on a The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ touGh story told on deadline. Terrific New Orleans Advocate reportinG. Wilson Alexander "Steve EnsminGer's StrenGth After Tragic Accident" Second Place Some really nice backGround and The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ explanations in here. New Orleans Advocate Brooks Kubena "HirinG of Scott Woodward at LSU" Third Place Good use of public records request, Good The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ context both within the LSU community and New Orleans Advocate the broader NCAA investiGation. Bryn Stole "Will Wade Suspended" Sports Enterprise/Feature First Place Really clean, simple and interestinG The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ explanation of colleGe transfers and how New Orleans Advocate they've evolved. Clean. Brooks Kubena "NCAA Transfer Portal" Second Place AmazinG and impressive number of The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ sources/interviews for this story. New Orleans Advocate Brooks Kubena "Joe Burrow" Third Place Some really nice color and detail in a well- The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ reported profile. New Orleans Advocate Nathan Brown "The Pelicans' David Griffin" Personal Columns First Place Stephanie Grace writes with authority and a The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ Great voice. In one of the winninG columns, New Orleans Advocate she wrote about President Trump sayinG: Stephanie Grace "Nobody knew health care could be so complicated." Then she wrote: "Actually, a lot of people knew. Pretty much everyone who had seriously considered the subject - and who understood that providinG health benefits that most people want is expensive - knew.". Editorials First Place Hard-hittinG but conversational writinG style The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ to keep the reader enGaged. Loved the New Orleans Advocate 'Where's Waldo' approach to one, and the what could money buy approach to a second one. Well done! Second Place The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ New Orleans Advocate Business First Place Mary Perez knows that the barrier islands are (Gulfport) Sun Herald important to her readers. She took the Mary Perez opportunity to tell that story, and the story of "Camille Cut is No More. A Look the other islands. Her lede: "It’s time to order at New ChanGes to the Barrier new siGns and update the brochures, because Islands of the Mississippi Coast." for the first time in 50 years, there’s no lonGer a Camille Cut or an East and West Ship Island." Second Place Mary Perez also wrote about efforts to save (Gulfport) Sun Herald the historic SaenGer Theater in Biloxi, the Mary Perez neGlected siblinG of Grander venues in New "Will Anyone Restore Biloxi's Orleans and Mobile. She chronicled the SaenGer Theatre Like They Did in history - it was believed to be Biloxi's first New Orleans and Mobile?" buildinG with air-conditioninG - but also the present, addressinG the thrivinG theater community in the area. Investigative Reporting First Place In "Louisiana: Polluter's Paradise," The Times- The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ Picayune and The Advocate, with ProPublica, New Orleans Advocate looked at an alarminG rise in emissions from "Polluters Paradise" chemical plants and its impact across Louisiana. They found that some of the areas already at hiGh risk will bear the Greatest burden of the buildinG boom. The series of stories looked at the issue throuGh macro and micro lenses, from tax incentives that fueled the boom to lax enforcement that made it work. It is a stunninG work of journalism, told with breadth, depth and authority. Second Place John Simerman, Andrea Gallo and Katie The Advocate/Times-Picayune/ Moore told the story of a state Supreme New Orleans Advocate Court justice who was the subject of a five- Andrea Gallo, John Simerman and year FBI probe into his actions in a child- Katie Moore custody case. A tale of twists and turns that "JudGe Jeff HuGhes" had everythinG, includinG two judGes named HuGhes. Third Place MarGaret Baker doGGedly pursued the story (Gulfport) Sun Herald of a state lawmaker arrested on a domestic- MarGaret Baker violence charGe. She fouGht for, and won, "Mississippi Lawmaker Was Drunk access to 911 tapes and video footage from When He 'Punched' His Wife in police officers' response to the scene. The the Face Over Sex, Report Says" lawmaker's wife eventually testified on her husband's behalf, resultinG in a not-Guilty decision, but the judGe pointed out that the woman was obviously afraid of her alleGed abuser. Continuing Coverage First Place After reportinG the shootinG death of (Gulfport) Sun Herald Patrolman Robert 'Mac' McKeithen, the Sun "Biloxi Officer 'Ambushed' Herald staff was everywhere the story took and Shot to Death Outside them: the manhunt; a solid profile of the of Police Station" officer; an arrest; the funeral; and an interview with a family he helped to save durinG Hurricane Katrina. The Sun Herald Gave its readers every twist and turn of the story, producinG photo Galleries and videos that parlayed their access to officials who wanted to share the story. A staff of fewer than 10 crankinG out story after rivetinG story to cover an event that tore at their community's heart.