Review-Journal staff members receive national recognition

Staff members of the Las Vegas Review-Journal received four national awards in the 2009 American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors Excellence in Feature Writing contest.

The awards will be presented at the association's annual convention Sept. 23-26 in Portland, Ore.

Competing against newspapers with circulations ranging from 90,001 to 199,999, the Review-Journal received two honors for arts and entertainment commentary. Music critic Jason Bracelin won a third-place award, while television columnist Steve Bornfeld was chosen for an honorable mention.

Business copy editor Matthew Crowley garnered second place for headline writing, while feature writer Sonya Padgett received an honorable mention for general feature.

The four awards are the most received in a single year by the Review-Journal, although the newspaper has accumulated seven other national honors -- six of them first-place awards -- from the group since 2001.

Bracelin's award was given for a series of three concert reviews on Janet Jackson, the Sex Pistols and Fergie. Bornfeld received his honor for three columns on local television.

Padgett was honored for a story on urban legends, and Crowley was judged on three headlines he wrote for the newspaper's business section.