The Daily Herald stories and photos win 11 journalism awards

EVERETT — Reporters and photographers from The Daily Herald received 11 awards in the 2018 Northwest Excellence in Journalism competition, which recognizes news coverage in a five-state region.

Additionally, a long-time Herald journalist received the June Anderson Almquist Lifetime Achievement Award. The special recognition went to Scott North, who left The Herald last month after more than 30 years as a reporter and editor.

Results from the judging, conducted by the Society of Professional Journalists regional chapter, were announced Thursday evening. The Herald competed among organizations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska with between 17 and 39 news employees.

“It’s terrific to see other journalists recognize the smart and spirited news coverage that The Herald’s loyal customers have come to expect every day of the year,” said Publisher Josh O’Connor. “I’m proud to see the value of our journalism celebrated.”

Also this month, The Herald won three awards from the national Society for Features Journalism.

Overall in the SPJ competition, The Herald had winning entries in five categories and was runner-up in six others. In two categories, The Herald was both winner and runner-up.

The award for General Excellence in the region went to Willamette Week in Oregon, and The Herald was runner-up.

Herald writers and photographers were recognized in these categories:

• Short-form feature reporting: Winner, Caleb Hutton for “Cliffhanger”; runner-up, Andrea Brown, “Some ’dos (and don’ts) for the POTUS.”
• Food, drink, lifestyles, travel reporting: Winner, Andrea Brown, “The cycles of life”; runner-up, Andrea Brown, “DMZ: Epicenter of mystery and misery.”
• Crime and justice reporting: Winner, Eric Stevick, “The wrong place.”
• Arts & entertainment reporting: Winner, Caleb Hutton, “Cascade serenade.”
• Feature photography: Winner, Dan Bates, “Wobble the bison.”
• Photo essay: Runner-up, Ian Terry, “Cascade serenade.”
• General news photography: Runner-up, Dan Bates, “Good people.”
• Sports columns: Runner-up, Nick Patterson, “The trade tree”; “Constantine deserved better”; and “Trader Jerry needs to chill.”
• June Anderson Almquist Lifetime Achievement Award: Scott North was recognized for more than 30 years as a reporter and editor at the newspaper. In May, he moved to a job in Snohomish County government. In their nominating letters, North’s newsroom colleagues said he possessed “boundless energy (and) patience, and would doggedly pursue information important to the story he was telling.”
• Society for Features Journalism contest: Two of the Herald’s three awards for features journalism went to reporter Andrea Brown. A story in which she dared local hair stylists to suggest modifications for the president’s hair-do won second place in Short Feature Writing. And a collection of her work won second place in General Commentary Portfolios.
• Washington North Coast Magazine, a leisure and lifestyle magazine produced by The Herald staff, was a national runner-up for Best Niche Product.