Review-Journal, GateHouse take home 91 awards in Better Newspaper Contest
The Las Vegas Review-Journal and other GateHouse Media publications earned 91 awards — including 31 for first place — in the Nevada Press Association's annual Better Newspaper Contest.
Five current and former GateHouse staffers were awarded the organization's top honors.
Laura Myers, who died in June after a fight with cancer, was inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Nevada native was a longtime Associated Press reporter and editor who also did humanitarian work in Africa. She came to the Review-Journal as a political reporter in 2010.
Review-Journal reporter Yesenia Amaro was named Outstanding Journalist. R-J reporter Bethany Barnes, View Neighborhood Newspapers reporter Sandy Lopez, and former Boulder City Review reporter Steven Slivka each were named Journalists of Merit, an award given to writers who have five or fewer years of professional experience.
Winners were announced Friday during a banquet at the Nevada Press Convention at the Sparks Nugget.
"It is great to see the hard work of our news team being recognized by the industry," said Jason Taylor, publisher of the Review-Journal and president of GateHouse's Western U.S. Publishing Operations.
Review-Journal Editor Mike Hengel said his staff deserved the recognition.
"I am so proud of the Review-Journal's team of journalists," Hengel said. "It took a lot of talent, but more than that, a lot of perseverance on their part to do such outstanding work and win these awards."
Other GateHouse winners were:
Las Vegas Review-Journal
— Best Feature Story, Henry Brean, first place; John Przybys, second and third place.
— Best Critical Writing, Christopher Lawrence, first place; Heidi Rinella, second place; Mike Weatherford, third place.
— Best Feature photo, David Becker, first and third place; Chase Stevens, second place.
— Best Multiple Photo Essay, Jeff Scheid, first and third place.
— Best Sports Story, Mark Anderson, first place; Steve Carp; third place.
— Best Sports Photo, David Becker, first place.
— Best Advertising Innovation, Nate Rodriguez and Lyn Collier, first place; Nate Rodriguez, Hal DeKeyser and Maria Cristina Matta, second and third place.
— Community Service, Yesenia Amaro.
— Best Sports Column, Ron Kantowski, first place; Ed Graney, second place.
— Best Illustration, Mark Antonuccio, first and second place.
— Best Special Section (Editorial), Las Vegas Review-Journal staff, first and second place.
— Editorial of the Year, Patrick Everson.
— Advertising General Excellence, Las Vegas Review-Journal staff, first place.
— General Excellence, Las Vegas Review-Journal staff, first place.
— Best Entertainment Writing, Carol Cling, first place; Christopher Lawrence, second place.
— Best Editorial Writing, Patrick Everson, first place; Glenn Cook, second place.
— Best In-House Promotion, Las Vegas Review-Journal staff, first place; Marthe Winner and Angela Johnson, second place.
— Best Overall Design, Las Vegas Review-Journal staff, first place
— Best Multimedia Story, Michael Quine, first place.
— Best Headline Writing, Matthew Crowley, first place; Steve Bornfeld, second place.
— Best Non-staff Story, Sandra Chereb, Chris Kudialis and Kimberly De La Cruz, second place; Sandra Chereb, third place.
— Best Local Column, Mike Weatherford, second place; John L. Smith, third place.
— Best Spot News Story, Las Vegas Review-Journal staff, second place.
— Best Page One Design, Melissa Nunnery, second place.
— Best Sports Feature, Steve Carp, second place.
— Best Portrait, Chase Stevens, second place.
— Freedom of the Press, Las Vegas Review-Journal staff, second place.
— Best Editorial Page, Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial staff, second place.
— Best Business News Story, Jennifer Robison, second place.
— Best Sports Feature, Ed Graney, third place.
— Best Portrait, Erik Verduzco, third place.
— Best Multiple Photo Essay, Jeff Scheid, third place.
— Best Business Feature, Jennifer Robison, third place.
— Best Special Section or campaign, Melissa Graves, Ria Reodica and Kristy Totten, third place.
— Best Web Site, Las Vegas Review-Journal staff, third place.
— Best Explanatory Journalism, Ben Botkin, third place.
— Best Investigative or In-depth Story or Series, Bethany Barnes and James DeHaven, third place.
— Best Page Design, George Riggle, third place.
— Best Online Writing, Kristen DeSilva, third place.
Las Vegas Business Press
— Best Business Feature, Linda Simpson, first and second place.
View Neighborhood Newspapers
— Best Multimedia Story, Michael Quine, first and second place.
— Best Local Non-staff Column, Deborah Wall, second place; Herb Jaffe, third place.
Boulder City Review
— Best Local Column, Hali Bernstein Saylor, first place.
— Best Business News Story, Steven Slivka, first and second place.
— Best Sports Story, Steven Slivka, first place
— Best Overall Design, staff, first place.
— Best Explanatory Journalism, Steven Slivka, second place.
— Best News Photo Coverage, Hali Bernstein Saylor, second place.
— Best Headline Writing, Hali Bernstein Saylor, second place.
— Best Non-staff Story, Andy Saylor, second place.
— Best Feature Story, Steven Slivka, second place.
— General Excellence, staff, third place.
— Best Portrait, Hali Bernstein Saylor, third place.
— Best Sports Feature, Pedro Fonteboa, third place.
— Best Spot News Story, Steven Slivka, third place.
Pahrump Valley Times
— Best Illustration, Heather Ruth, first place.
— Best Black & White Ad, Brandy Minnick, second place; Brandy Minnick, third place.
— Best Multi-Color Ad, Heather Ruth, second place; Heather Ruth, third place.
— Best Large-Space Ad, Heather Ruth, second place.
— Best Sports Story, Vern Hee, second place.
— Best Special Section (Editorial), Heather Ruth, Arnold Knightly, Selwyn Harris, Charlene Dean and Mark Waite, third place.
— Best Sports Column, Vern Hee, third place.
— Best In-House Promotion, Brandy Minnick, third place.
To reach reporter Cassandra Keenan, email ckeenan@viewnews.com or call 702-383-0278. Find her on Twitter: @CassandraKNews.
