EVERETT — The Daily Herald received six awards — two first-place and four second-place honors — in the 2024 Northwest Excellence in Journalism Awards from the Region 10 Society of Professional Journalists.
The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. The Herald competed in the Large Newsroom division.
The “After the Slide” series, published in March 2024, took first place in the Environment and Natural Disaster Reporting category.
The series, which marked the 10th anniversary of the Oso slide, included an oral history from families, survivors and first responders, a story on what the new memorial means to survivors and a third story on how lessons from the disaster affect emergency response today.
The “What’s Up With That?” column by Andrea Brown, which published weekly in 2024, won a first-place award in the Column Writing category.
Sound & Summit magazine, produced quarterly by The Daily Herald, received second place for General Excellence in magazines. The award was based on a selection of stories about people, places, arts and food in Snohomish and Island counties.
Former Herald employees Janice Podsada and Brown, who oversee coordination of Sound & Summit, were also honored for their writing in 2024.
The awards are listed below, including comments from judges.
Environment & Natural Disaster Reporting
First Place
“After the Slide”
By Maya Tizon, Jordan Hansen, Sophia Gates, Ta’Leah Van Sistine, Sydney Jackson, Aina de Lapparent Alvarez, Jonathan Tall and Jenelle Baumbach
Judge’s comments: “Incredible teamwork to pull all the pieces together for this look back at a disaster of immense proportions. The reflections are vivid. The pain is real even a decade later. Importantly, there’s a focus on changes made in disaster response, communication and logging. Well done.”
Column Writing
First Place
Andrea Brown — “What’s Up With That?”
Columns: Highway Baby, Coffee Without Cleavage, Ice Cream Scream
Judge’s comments: “Great job! Effective and compelling storytelling.”
ice cream
LGBTQ+ Equity Reporting
Second Place
By Jordan Hansen, Sydney Jackson and Aina de Lapparent Alvarez
“A look into LGBTQ+ fights and joys in Everett and rural Snohomish County”
Stories: LGBTQ+ health care, a covert battle waged by Arlington churches and the story of Stanwood-Camano Pride organizer Michelle Huntley.
Arts & Culture Reporting, Second Place, and Feature (soft news), Second Place
By Janice Podsada, Andrea Brown and Brenda Mann Harrison
“Roadtrip to Moclips: Razor clam digging with fries and grunge”
Judge’s comments: “It’s hard not to feel as if you’re along for the road trip in this well-written feature. There are good sidebars included throughout the story. It’s a fun story to read.”
oceanshores
Magazine: General Excellence
Second Place
Sound & Summit Magazine – The Daily Herald
Submissions included a pet detective, dance revue, coffee roaster, light rail adventure, meal at the “Twin Peaks” diner and music lessons at any age.
Judge’s comments: “Really great mix of content representing topics that are very local and of interest to their audience. Really strong narrative writing with nice photographs.”
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