2009 Sunshine State Awards Winners
Announced May 30, 2009.

Includes judges’ comments and links to winning entries, where available.

(To download a PDF version of the winner’s list, click this link: 2009 Sunshine State Awards Winners List – PDF.)

Skip to:
BATTEN AWARD
NEWSPAPER & MAGAZINE REPORTING
NEWSPAPER & MAGAZINE COPY EDITING, PHOTOGRAPHY, & GRAPHICS
BROADCAST
INTERNET
STUDENTS

ALL MEDIA

JAMES BATTEN AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE
1) The Miami Herald; Jack Dolan, Matthew Haggman & Rob Barry; Borrowers Betrayed
Comments: The Herald’s series on crooked mortgage traders is good, old-fashioned investigative journalism involving a lot of time and resources—the very thing rapidly disappearing from our profession. The series reflects the big mess afflicting the whole country. It also brought very swift action that one hopes will prevent catastrophe for more Floridians.
2) The News-Press; Amy Bennett Williams; Tomato Pickers and Burger King
Comments: This series was ambitious, original and deeply protective of the public interest. It focused on an issue that had not already made headlines everywhere–the definition of enterprise. The tomato series followed the activism of a workers’ advocacy group, but it didn’t just report on the group’s complain–tit investigated them and, in a sense, verified them, giving voice to folks trying to address injustice.
3) Bradenton Herald; Donna Wright & Staff; Surviving the Squeeze
Comments: The Batten Award is for public service and that’s what the Herald’s series delivered. It demonstrated how the economic meltdown was affecting local citizens and outlined what services and options were available to people in trouble. It also moved readers to help their neighbors and replenish stocks at food banks and the like.

NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES

DEADLINE NEWS REPORTING – LARGE
1) The News-Press; Rachel Myers, Denes Husty III, Pat Gillespie & Gabriella Souza; Death of Officer Andrew Widman
Comments: It had been 78 years since a Fort Myers police officer had been killed in the line of duty. The News-Press staff rose to this tragic occasion and responded with a compelling and thorough report for its print and online audiences. Reporters painted a complete picture of the event, adding a level of detail and nuance to the story that would have been impressive even if it hadn’t been done on deadline. Readers came away knowing not just the officer but also his attacker, who was killed by police that same night. Online, the News-Press continued to advance the story with smart multimedia add-ons including an audio account from a witness who tried to revive the fallen officer. In the weeks after the killings, the News-Press stayed with the story as questions arose about the attacker’s previous encounters with the criminal justice system. All in all, this was an impressive piece of work.
2) The Miami Herald; Diana Moskovitz; Holocaust Love Tale a Fabrication
Comments: Herman Rosenblat’s true tale of how he survived imprisonment at a Nazi concentration camp was compelling enough. When he embellished it into a love story — and parlayed it into a book and a movie deal – it seemed too good to be true. And it was. Moskovitz’s account of the “Angel at the Fence” fabrication was powerful and well-reported, giving readers a critical yet sympathetic look into the complicated life of a complicated man.
3) Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers; Colleen Wixon; Autistic Student Voted Out of Kindergarten
Comments: The flabbergasting tale of how an autistic boy was voted out of school by his classmates came fully loaded with built-in drama. Wixon’s reporting captured the outrage while also adding insight to the difficulties teachers and parents face when working with special-needs kids. Wixon presented the facts clearly and fairly, assembling a compelling story that resonated with readers across the country.

DEADLINE NEWS REPORTING – SMALL
1) Naples Daily News; Staff; Death of Police Officer Andrew Widman
Comments: This strong, meaty coverage of the shooting death of a police officer by a career criminal reflects excellent teamwork among reporters. They hit the ground running and at the same time dug deep, going way beyond talking to officials and witnesses in order to provide important context as well as a well-painted picture of what happened.
2) Naples Daily News; Staff; Deputies Shoot Man Nine Times
Comments: The reporting team responded quickly to this story, delivering strong first-day content; they then stayed tenaciously on top of it in the following days. The overall package offers careful, balanced reporting on the often-controversial areas of use of police force and illegal immigrants.
3) Bradenton Herald; Staff; Interstate Meltdown: Inferno Shuts Down I-75
Comments: The staff of the Bradenton Herald were quick and thorough in delivering news of this tragic event to the community; beyond describing what happened they offered a wealth of practical information for motorists and shoppers; their persistence over six consecutive days of reporting brought a record response to get the roads open. With the tanker driver critically injured from burns, reporter Maura Possley found another person who had been similarly injured three years earlier and wrote about him; this provided readers with an important personal dimension. (The tanker driver later died.)

DEADLINE BUSINESS REPORTING
1) Daily Business Review; John Pacenti; Broken Rules, Broken Fortunes
Comments: These are comprehensive, lively stories on cleanup from the fall of financier Bernard Madoff. The “Damage control” article is well written and reads easily; the Jewish angle is handled sensitively. Interestingly, Mr. Pacenti quotes a source who uses a somewhat tortured metaphor: “They may have gotten out of the Titanic alive, but the ship may come back and sink them down the road.” The second article gives an excellent overview of what the lawyers are planning.
2) The News-Press; Mary Wozniak, Dick Hogan & Tim Engstrom; Chinese Drywall
Comments: These are compelling stories about an issue that affected homeowners and construction companies, with good follow-up on readers’ complaints as evidence grew of where the problem was occurring.
3) NO AWARD

NON-DEADLINE BUSINESS REPORTING – LARGE
1) Florida Times-Union; Matt Galnor; The Baron Who Went Bust
Comments: Big-time real estate developers, especially when they swoop into town in a helicopter, are not just master salesmen, they are dreammakers. Jacksonville believed in Cameron Kuhn’s vision of a transformed downtown, but the reality– as documented by Matt Galnor in the Florida Times-Union — never materialized. Foreclosures did, however. Galnor’s article, without cooperation from Kuhn, tells the story of Kuhn’s failure and its impact on Jacksonville with vigor, perspective and detailed reporting.
2) The Miami Herald; Elaine Walker; Safe to Eat?
Comments: Last year’s salmonella scare frightened the public away from tomatoes, but suspicion eventually turned toward jalapenos, frustrating both consumers and Florida’s tomato growers, who lost millions of dollars. The Herald provided a helpful public service by focusing on the broader debate over the nation’s food safety system as a whole, and the need to improve how items like produce are tracked from the fields to kitchen tables. The technology is there but the political will may not be, the Herald notes in a timely, strongly reported story.
3) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Staff; Beyond the Bailout Series
Comments: For five weeks last fall, the staff of the News-Journal took a story of national significance and localized it, using local interviews and anecdotes to paint a picture of how the financial crisis was hitting home, and looking at whether the government’s first major initiative to stave off a deep recession – the $700 billion Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 — would help. Ambitious in scope, the series of stories took just the right approach for a local audience hungry for explanations at a time of confusion.

NON-DEADLINE BUSINESS REPORTING – SMALL
1) Bradenton Herald; Brian Neill & Duane Marsteller; Foreclosed Dreams
Comments: Excellent package of six stories that were well-written and well-researched by the writers. Good use of photos and graphics. While there is much focus on losses suffered by financial institutions, these stories explore the toll on families and neighborhoods, as well as aggressive subprime lenders that fueled the mortgage.
2) South Florida Business Journal; Staff; South Florida’s Wake-Up Call
Comments: Thorough review of several aspects of South Florida’s economy and the challenges that the region faces in this recession. Well-written and well-researched. Great use of photographs of people interviewed and graphics to tell the story of the region’s economy.
3) Orlando Business Journal; Bill Orben, Anjali Fluker, Chris Kauffman & Tiffany Beck; Graying Workforce
Comments: Well-written and well-researched package of stories on an important issue to people in Manatee County. Great use of graphics tie the package to together.

LIGHT FEATURE REPORTING – LARGE
1) The Associated Press; Kelli Kennedy; Pen Pal Love
Comments: Kennedy’s piece is a moving and timely tale that exposes the human side of war. It’s a delightful story with a few surprises and a hopeful message: When one reaches out to do good–in this case, becoming a pen pal to a far-away soldier–the benefits go both ways. At the same time, this story reveals the harsh realities and the tough choices facing Americans living in a strained economy at a time of war.
2) The Tampa Tribune; Donna Koehn; Pup’s Devotion is Good Medicine
Comments: Koehn’s piece reveals how a little girl with a genetic disorder—and her entire family—can be healed with the help of a dog. Readers can relate to the challenges this family faces—trying to make ends meet and making every sacrifice for the good of their children.
3) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Jordan Kahn; Surfing’s Lost Chapter
Comments: Kahn’s well-reported story puts surfing in historical perspective through rare interviews with surfing pioneers of the 1930s. The men’s recollection of that time are vivid and compelling. The story traces the genealogy of the sport to reveal that Florida surfing was born in Daytona Beach before World War II, a heritage that’s all but erased.

LIGHT FEATURE REPORTING – SMALL
1) Naples Daily News; Jonathan Foerster; Mark Salem is NOT a Psychic
Comments: Jonathan Foerster turned what could have been a shallow, routine profile of an entertainer coming to town into an engaging, intriguing peek inside the mind of a fascinating character. Gems of quotes like “Once something is in your consciousness, it doesn’t leave. I just know how to find it,” and little details and descriptions of Salem as having “the demeanor of a mad scientist” paint a vivid picture for the reader.
2) Miami New Times; Gus Garcia-Roberts; Faux-Bama!
Comments: Gus Garcia-Roberts’s inside look at the world of Gerardo Puisseaux as “Faux Bama” was funny, illuminating and touching. It gave readers a great sense of a day in the life of Puisseaux as Obama and at the same time introduced readers to the real man behind the impersonator.
3) Charlotte Sun; Pamela Staik; Dear Santa
Comments: Short, simple and sweet, this story touched my heart. Pamela Staik’s writing allowed the story to unfold on its own without added drama – the story itself and quotes were enough.

SERIOUS FEATURE REPORTING – LARGE
1) The News-Press; Francesca Donlan; Amazing Grace: A Dream Comes True
Comments: Donlan’s prose breathes life into the incredible wish of a dying youth who wouldn’t take no for an answer when the Make-A-Wish folks told him his dream of an orphanage in Africa was beyond its means. She shows us how the community came together to make John Halgrim’s wish a legacy. Later, she takes us to Africa and we see how Halgrim’s legacy affected the lives of 51 desperate children in a Nairobi slum.
2) The Florida Times-Union; Mark Woods; Football Changed His Life
Comments: It’s all about heart and Mark Woods makes that clear as he takes us on a journey of tears and transformation with Milton Oshay Johnson, a promising high school football player who was paralyzed in a pre-season tackle gone terribly wrong. We want to cry for the young man who is cut down just as his life is blooming. Then Woods makes us want to cheer as Johnson proves there was so much more to him than anyone ever realized.
3) The Florida Times-Union; Bridget Murphy; Swinging for Redemption
Comments: Strong quotes elevate this tale of a onetime baseball great’s reach for redemption above the norm. Murphy shows us how steroids helped hometown hero Rusty Tillman slide from a career in major league baseball to life in a tent in the bug-infested Florida woods. We wait with him anxiously as he visits his child and waits for the call for a job.

SERIOUS FEATURE REPORTING – SMALL
1) Naples Daily News; Katy Bishop; Forgotten, Hidden, Neglected
Comments: In a highly competitive category, this gripping story just stood out as the most unforgettable, and the topic is just so unique and fascinating. The writer thoroughly reported and beautifully told the story of these anonymous black ancestors, who sadly have been forgotten by so many as modern society moves on above them in a shopping center. Katy Bishop makes the reader care deeply about these strangers, and she ensures that they won’t be forgotten.
2) The Villages Daily Sun; Katie Tammen; Rapid Response
Comments: The writer did an excellent job narrating the crisis, as if the readers were watching it happen. She also combined the narrative with practical information that is useful to readers.
3) Miami New Times; Francisco Alvarado; Missing Peace
Comments: The writer makes readers feel as if they know this otherwise unknown woman who was so troubled, and apparently forgotten by the law.

GENE MILLER AWARD FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING – LARGE
1) The Miami Herald; Jack Dolan, Matthew Haggman & Rob Barry; Borrowers Betrayed
Comments: This series builds a devastating indictment of the lax government oversight that allowed criminals to fleece innocent individuals in brazen mortgage frauds. Thoroughly researched and peppered with memorable anecdotes, “Borrowers Betrayed” is a compelling example of investigative journalism that makes a difference.
2) Sun Sentinel; Andy Reid & Megan O’Matz; Officials’ Air Time Costs Taxpayers
Comments: This one-two punch effectively demonstrated how public officials were getting personal benefit from their jobs in the form of free travel and luxury accommodations, shining a light on practices that should be changed.
3) The Palm Beach Post; Michael LaForgia; Fatal Crashes, Close Calls
Comments: Delving into an unexplored world, these reporters revealed the dangers lurking at a troubled flight school. Their in-depth reporting sounded a warning and put pressure on public officials.

GENE MILLER AWARD FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING – SMALL
1) Bradenton Herald; Robert Napper, Natalie Alund & Duane Marsteller; Loophole Exposed in Predator Law
Comments: These clearly written, solidly investigated reports revealed a hidden risk and put pressure on legislators to tighten rules on sexual predators. This is a compelling example of taking a local story and finding its larger meaning.
2) The Villages Daily Sun; Matt Dixon, Meta Minton & David R. Corder; Pruitt Investigation
Comments: Dogged reporting and daily enterprise exposed the improper activities by a well-known candidate.
3) Miami New Times; Amy Guthrie; Drink Up
Comments: This in depth exploration of contaminated water at a trailer park deconstructed a health risk through the eyes of the people most affected.

ELECTION REPORTING – LARGE
1) Orlando Sentinel; Jim Stratton; Letters from Florida
Comments: Stories exploring the moods of voters are often predictable and dull. Not Stratton’s work. His well-written “Letters from Florida” were innovative, insightful and fun to read. He presented the voters in their own voices, where they offered complex and nuanced views of what they were looking for in a presidential candidate. What I liked best: None of the characters in his stories felt like stereotypes or fit into neat political categories.
2) The Associated Press; Brendan Farrington & Laura Wides-Munoz; Minority Voters
Comments: With strong use of demographic material, the reporters offered readers a clear picture of the challenges facing Obama and McCain as they sought to capture slices of Florida’s diverse electorate. The stories contained lots of telling detail and useful analysis.
3) NO AWARD

ELECTION REPORTING – SMALL
1) The Ledger; Bill Rufty, Cary McMullen & Gary White; The Homestretch: Polk’s Mood
Comments: This is election coverage to admire. In the runup to the presidential election, The Ledger truly listened to voters, tracking the views of young voters, veterans and others. The community comes to life in this series, and the reporting seamlessly integrates national polling and other information with portraits of local people and emerging local trends. Together with the photographers and graphics staff, these reporters gave the kind of intelligent, thorough look at election-year politics that makes you glad and grateful for a newspaper.
2) Miami New Times; Gus Garcia-Roberts; Redemption Run
Comments: To be sure, many Floridians had probably heard a lot about Elton Gissendanne–but likely years ago. Gus Garcia-Roberts takes this old pol hoping for a comeback, and gives readers a fresh, page-turning tale. The writing is top-notch, the pacing terrific. This is a smart story.
3) Naples Daily News; Ryan Mills; Collier Sheriff’s Race
Comments: These stories, on a curious collection of sheriff’s candidates, provided readers a true service. The reporter, Ryan Mills, showed initiative and persistence in trying to get to the bottom of these candidates’ backgrounds and their qualifications for office. Mills also let the readers really hear from the candidates–for better and worse. Plain and simple: These stories helped voters learn.

CIVIL LAW REPORTING
1) Miami New Times; Tim Elfrink; Black October
Comments: Elfrink takes us on a gripping journey from a tiny village in the highlands of Bolivia to a federal courtroom in Miami where a trio of Aymara Indians have come seeking justice for family members they say were slain by the Bolivian military five years earlier in an uprising known as Bolivia’s “Black October.” His story provides an incisive and compelling look at how far the American courts can go to meet the demands of this lawsuit against a former Bolivian president and defense minister who fled to Miami after the uprising that claimed 67 lives.
2) National Law Journal; Julie Kay; Vetting Jurors Via MySpace
Comments: Kay shows us how technology is changing the rules in jury selection. Her thoroughly researched work looks at the impact online sites such as MySpace and Facebook have had on jury selection and trial tactics. She shows us how anything, ranging from lottery prizes to Internet rants can become a crucial consideration for attorneys and jury consultants selecting juries in high stakes trials.
3) Daily Business Review; Billy Shields; Taken for a Ride?
Comments: Shields takes us inside a little-known corner of the courts–the world of litigation advance companies. Citing the tale of an injured cruise ship worker, Shields shows us how these companies operate in a virtually unregulated wild west. We see how they can pay desperate, unsophisticated plaintiffs cash advances against potential lawsuit settlements and then charge huge fees when settlements are awarded.

CRIMINAL LAW REPORTING
1) Orlando Sentinel; Henry Pierson Curtis; Gun Law Firing Blanks
Comments: This story tore through the hype of tough gun laws to show that few people who wield weapons in crimes in Florida get mandatory sentences. The analysis used thousands of arrest cases to make its overwhelming argument that the laws are falling short. In a companion piece, Curtis documented the widespread use of weapons across the state.
2) Sun Sentinel; Staff; Danger at the Mall
Comments: The Sun Sentinel scoured thousands of crimes over five years to give readers a portrait of the dangers lurking in local shopping malls. The work is impressive for its breadth and its practical uses, arming shoppers with information they can use to stay safe.
3) Orlando Sentinel; Amy Edwards; Did Hospital Nurse Prey on Patients?
Comments: This story documented how a nurse accused of sexually abusing patients was able to slip through the cracks and get rehired, where he allegedly abused again. Through stories of victims, the reporting showed the heartbreaking damage done when the system failed.

MEDICAL/HEALTH CARE/SCIENCE REPORTING
1) The Miami Herald; Jay Weaver; South Florida’s Medicare Racket
Comments: This thoroughly researched series of stories was the judges’ definite favorite for its clear writing, attention to detail and findings. This was a very informative project, and Medicare officials should take notice.
2) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Anne Geggis; Baby Justine
Comments: This touching, heartfelt story exposes a societal problem that is too often overlooked.
3) Sun Sentinel; Bob LaMendola; How Competent is Your Doctor?
Comments: This story not only highlighted a serious incident but gave readers the tools to evaluate their own physician. The judges were particularly impressed with the newspaper’s commitment to creating an interactive database.

CONSUMER REPORTING
1) New Times Broward Palm Beach; Amy Guthrie; Drink Up
Comments: This article was clearly the best of the bunch. It was informative, compelling and written exceptionally well. I was actually sad to get to the end!
2) Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers; Adam L. Neal; Fraudulent Charity
Comments: This expose on a Port St. Lucie-based charity was the epitome of top-flight journalism with its thorough reporting and good writing. Kudos on a job well done!
3) Orlando Sentinel; Richard Burnett; Collection
Comments: What struck me about this collection of stories is how reader-friendly they are. Burnett has the ability to take what would be a complicated subject for someone and boil it down to something that would be easily understood. His advice is sound and informative.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTING
1) The Miami Herald; Jacqueline Charles; Haiti Battered
Comments: Comment: This series of stories from Haiti in the aftermath of Hurricanes Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike provide an amazingly vivid and compelling look into the devastation that slammed that impoverished country. The writer brings the reader right into the mud, death and grief, and the human stories of desperation and loss are unforgettable.
2) Sun Sentinel; Mike Clary; Out of Cuba
Comments: A fascinating look at the tough realities awaiting those who escape to Florida from Cuba. Well-written and accessible, this story puts a human face on the reported explosion in Cuban immigration, a topic that is highly relevant to the residents of South Florida.
3) The Associated Press; Jennifer Kay & Jonathan Katz; Rotting Cargo
Comments: The lead of this story grabs the reader by the eyeballs, and the outrage just grows from there. Any reader who has donated to an anti-hunger cause would be interested in seeing this report on how bureaucracy leaves food to rot while Haitians starve.

STATE & FEDERAL POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT REPORTING
1) Orlando Sentinel; Robert Block & Mark K. Matthews; America’s Troubled Space Program
Comments: Block and Matthews penetrated the insular world of NASA engineers, tight-lipped aerospace companies and Washington bureaucrats to paint an alarming portrait of America’s space program. While mindful of their series’ national and even international importance, they never lost sight of the fact that NASA’s woes threatened to leave 4,000 Floridians without jobs. Mixing dogged reporting and FOIA power, they outsmarted NASA spies and told an important story unmatched by other media outlets.
2) Daily Business Review; Jordana Mishory; Selection Shuffle
Comments: Mishory skillfully exposes a politically steeped selection process that threatened the integrity of Florida’s judicial system. The Daily Business Review forced discussions on the selection process to be open to the public, a move which ultimately forced the governor to back down from his plans and appoint the commission’s preferred candidate. An example of watchdog journalism at its finest.
3) The Ledger; Dave Schultz; CSX Mystery Train
Comments: Compelling account of how a massive commuter rail project won state funding without any public hearings or open discussion by the state legislature. The Ledger spent two months examining public documents, memos and letters, an arduous task that ultimately showed readers how more than $1.5 billion was being spent without their knowledge and against their wishes.

LOCAL POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT REPORTING – LARGE
1) The Miami Herald; Larry Lebowitz; Taken For a Ride: How the Transit Tax Went Off Track
Comments: This collection of stories is a powerful piece of watchdog reporting that showed taxpayers in Miami-Dade how and why their tax dollars were wasted in what was billed as a major expansion of public transit in the region. Lebowitz demonstrated how politics and mismanagement thwarted the effort.
2) The Florida Times-Union; Mary Kelli Palka & Timothy J. Gibbons; Jacksonville Port Authority Vice Chair
Comments: These reporters were relentless in their pursuit of documents and interviews about the questions raised by Tony Nelson’s business and government ties. They did a thorough and fair job with a complex subject.
3) Orlando Sentinel; Mark Schlueb; Booting Cars in Downtown Orlando
Comments: These articles are a classic example of public service reporting that has a big impact. Schlueb showed the problems caused by what many downtown residents and businesspeople viewed as the overly aggressive actions of a towing company. He also was fair to the company’s controversial owner.

LOCAL POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT REPORTING – SMALL
1) South Florida Business Journal; Brian Bandell & Oscar Pedro Musibay; North Miami CRA
Comments: This series untangles the colossal mess that is the North Miami CRA. It’s watchdog reporting like this that readers truly count on from journalists–and that should be rewarded. Congratulations.
2) NO AWARD
3) NO AWARD

EDUCATION REPORTING
1) Orlando Sentinel; Erika Hobbs; Can Evans High Be Saved?
Comments: Hobbs’ work on this series was compelling and moving. Not often in our business will you read a series about something as day-to-day as a school that will give you chills–but this series did. Hobbs coverage of this issue allowed her to illustrate larger themes in education, and brought to light the struggles of those children who are being left behind.
2) Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers; Colleen Wixon; Teacher Lets Students Vote Out Classmate
Comments: This entry really dug into what started out as a shocking story to uncover a bigger issue. The writing was straight-forward, and the attention brought to the issue because of these stories will impact children for many years.
3) New Times Broward Palm Beach; Deirdra Funcheon; Simmer Down, Kids!
Comments: The story really captured some vignettes of what’s going on in sex ed, a topic often shyed away from in mainstream media. The facts are presented in an interesting manner, and the interweaving of student reaction and thoughts made this piece stand out.

SOCIAL POLICY REPORTING
1) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Deborah Circelli; Dignity Lost?
Comments: Gutsy reporting with an edge and results. Circelli passionately advocates for the mentally imprisoned, a group all too often neglected by news outlets.
2) The News-Press; Janine Zeitlin; Group Homes Are Often No Haven
Comments: Excellent use of open records to tackle social issues often left undocumented.
3) The News-Press; Melanie Payne; Black Burial Sites Trashed, Untended
Comments: Outstanding investigation of a topic that’s rarely explored, with results.

DEADLINE SPORTS REPORTING
1) Orlando Sentinel; Iliana Limon, Kyle Hightower & Lynn Hoppes; UCF Football Player’s Death
Comments: Solid reporting and storytelling.
2) Naples Daily News; Liam Dillon; Ave Maria U. Men’s Basketball Coach
Comments: The reporter did a good job of reporting and continually digging to find the real story.
3) The Palm Beach Post; Charles Elmore; Marathoner Finishes on Bare Rims
Comments: Good description of a athlete’s refusal to quit.

NON-DEADLINE SPORTS REPORTING – LARGE
1) The Miami Herald; Linda Robertson; A Racing Legend Relives Glory and Sorrow
Comments: Linda Roberton’s profile of Bobby Allison takes us on an exhihilarating, gritty ride through the life of one of NASCAR’s legends. The subject life is sometimes heroic and sometimes tragic, but the writing is always sharp and the reporting and research impeccable.
2) Orlando Sentinel; David Whitley; Reggie Williams
Comments: An agonizing, unflinching look at the damage the brutal game of pro football inflicted on one of its own, and the courage it takes to keep going after the money and cheering end.
3) The Florida Times-Union; Bridget Murphy; Swinging for Redemption
Comments: This painstakingly documented profile of former baseball star Rusty Tillman shows how quickly and quietly an athlete can fall. His fight to overcome homelessness is inspiring without being maudlin.

NON-DEADLINE SPORTS REPORTING – SMALL
1) The Villages Daily Sun; Gary Corsair; Florida Baseball Beginnings
Comments: I found it very interesting and enlightening about the early orgins of baseball in your area. It was obviously well researched and written.
2) Miami New Times; Francisco Alvarado; No Fear
Comments: This was a subject I knew nothing about and was really pulled in by all the details and insight. I liked how the story completed itself at the end when it answered the beginning question.
3) New Times Broward Palm Beach; Amy Guthrie; Switch Hitter
Comments: I liked how the story developed from “I played on a lesbian softball team” to a history of how the sport and lesbians have affected each other over the years. I also liked that it was written first person with the writer’s history adding nice touches.

SPANISH-LANGUAGE PUBLICATION
1) El Nuevo Herald; Staff
Comments: El Nuevo Herald is an engaging publication that well combines local and international coverage with an attractive presentation. Its dramatic use of color, photos and graphics engages the reader from the cover. The cover fronts guide the reader through a complete publication that manages to effectively cover South Florida as well as the nation and the world with emphasis in Latin America.
2) El Sentinel – Broward; Staff
Comments: El Sentinel is a strong runner-up. It uses a modern format to cover local news as well as stories from a variety of Latin American countries. It design is appealing effectively using photos and graphics. El Sentinel provides an all-around good reading experience.
3) La Palma; Staff
Comments: La Palma’s coverage leading up to the 2008 election was compelling. Focusing on the Hispanic vote, La Palma brought to light the complex issues that concern a diverse community. La Palma’s presentation is attractive with good use of color.

TRADE/SPECIAL INTEREST PUBLICATION
1) Welding Journal; Staff
Comments: We can’t judge the technical and research aspects but this monthly magazine has a good mix of stories that seem well-targeted to its audience, and a reader-friendly design.
2) Florida Catholic of Miami; Ana Rodriguez-Soto, Ann Borowski Slade, Denise O’Toole Kelly & Christopher Gunty
Comments: A good packaging of local, national and international news and features of interest to this weekly’s readers.
3) NO AWARD

SPECIAL PUBLICATION/SECTION
1) Orlando Sentinel; Sports Staff; Football 2008
Comments: Clever theme. Creative, fun and interesting in its writing and design.
2) Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers; Staff; Football Annual
Comments: Crisp, clean and easy to follow in both writing and presentation. Packed a lot in a small amount of space without overwhelming the reader.
3) The Palm Beach Post; Bruce Moore, Eliot Kleinberg & Staff; Storm 2008
Comments: Comprehensive and commendably uber-reader-friendly in writing and presentation. Good use of graphics (judicious and not overwhelming). Making this a booklet, versus broadsheet or tabloid, was smart.

EDITORIALS
1) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; David Wiggins
Comments: These editorials offer strong, informed arguments with a sense of place. Wiggins writes in clear prose that allows outsiders to grasp local issues such as the tensions between rural private property owners and stricter subdivision regulation. Light and clarity are shed on an impressive range of topics from water management to undeveloped waterfront property. A foundation of strong reporting lends depth to the editorials.
2) Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers; Ken Ward
3) The Florida Times-Union; Joe Adams

EDITORIAL CARTOONING
1) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Bruce Beattie
Comments: Beattie’s cartoons have a strong news value, especially to local readers. He takes his viewpoint beyond the obvious–and gives it a sharp spin. For instance, his panel on Amendment 2 was particularly biting, and literally hit home for readers.
2) Orlando Sentinel; Dana Summers
Comments: Sharp political commentary, with a strong point of view. The panel with the bowling ball drop was especially witty.
3) Sun Sentinel; Chan Lowe
Comments: Lowe tackles some complicated political issues with a sharply focused viewpoint. His images are simple, his commentary sophisticated.

RELIGION REPORTING
1) Naples Daily News; Liam Dillon; Ave Maria Church Dedication Coverage
Comments: With determined and balanced reporting, Dillon pulls back the curtain on the business and bureaucracy of organized religion with his tale of how the Ave Maria “oratory” finally earned recognition from the official church. Dillon takes a clear-eyed approach to the story, gradually peeling away the layers and laying out the facts as he finds them. Readers get a rare insight into what makes a church a Church with a capital “C,” and they learn how that distinction affects a community’s experience with its chosen faith.
2) The Ledger; Cary McMullen; Finding Christmas
Comments: Through the stories of three separate people who found Christianity, McMullen deftly defines the role of faith in modern society. What need does religion fill in our lives? For Annie Nilsson, the church provides a sense of belonging and direction. For Gary Weiss, it’s comfort after a deeply personal loss. For Luthricia Henderson, it’s hope in hard times. McMullen stands aside and lets these subjects tell their stories – each of them small in scale, but large in scope – and the result is a total greater than the sum of its parts.
3) The Associated Press; Travis Reed; Lakeland Revival
Comments: Red hot faith and cold hard facts collide wonderfully in this story of Pentecostal preacher Todd Bentley, whose claims of healing the sick don’t stand up to Reed’s reportorial scrutiny. Reed methodically tries to substantiate Bentley’s “miracles,” but finds no tangible evidence. Are the miracles and healings evidence in themselves? That’s what Bentley would want you and his followers to believe, but Reed unblinkingly presents the facts and does so without cynicism or malice.

REAL ESTATE REPORTING
1) Daily Business Review; Polyana Da Costa; Condo Meltdown
Comments: There’s no denying the news value to readers whose condos may have become victims of banks blacklisting their buildings, sticking it to desperate homeowners who want to renovate or simply want to get out. They’re stuck in the very realest sense of the term. This story broke that news and explained in fine detail how and why these kinds of events occurred.
2) Orlando Sentinel; Mary Shanklin & Vicki McClure; Series
Comments: This exhaustive series of stories gave readers real the stories of their neighbors, breaking the myth of all of those “other” high-risk folks, and shed unflinching light on unscrupulous appraisers who couldn’t even be bothered to measure a few rooms, costing homeowners thousands in overpriced homes. The online component complements the print package well.
3) The Tampa Tribune; Shannon Behnken; Foreclosure Crisis
Comments: This reporter does an exquisite job putting real human faces on the real estate bubble’s burst. Readers can feel the outrage and sympathy for the homeowner working through her options with a lender–only to find out the note on the house was sold. Clearly, it strikes at the heart of what so many are facing. And the writing looks clear-eyed at its subjects, with just the right amount of sensitivity to their situation without becoming maudlin.

ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING
1) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Dinah Pulver; Got Water?
Comments: If you took water for granted, you won’t after reading this exhaustive, refreshing report. Stories are well-crafted, thoroughly reported and nicely organized. Series not only digs deep into this fascinating topic, but graphics and sidebars provide useful, practical information and advice. This hits you where you live.
2) Orlando Sentinel; Dan Tracy & Mary Shanklin
Comments: Well-executed, watchdog reporting of a clever and simple idea. Reporting is solid, writing is clear and provocative. A good read.
3) New Times Broward Palm Beach; Deirdra Funcheon; Mud in Your Eye
Comments: In-depth look from the front-lines of the environmental wars. Hard-nosed, thorough reporting told in textured feature writing style.

ARTS REPORTING
1) The News-Press; Mary Wozniak; Trash or Treasure: the Debate Rages
Comments: Part crime reporting, part visual-art criticism, this comprehensive piece has something for a variety of readers, which justifies its page-one play. Very well written, researched and documented.
2) Naples Daily News; Katy Bishop; Adrift No More
Comments: Reading the feature, one quickly realizes that the eventual merit of the subject’s work is much less important than his emerging story of triumph. Excellent example of the writer making back story important for the reader.
3) Miami New Times; Carlos Suarez de Jesus; Basel Invasion!
Comments: An instance of an advance of an event being almost as interesting as the event itself. The work is pertinently grounded in the reality of a bad economy, with an acknowledgment that art may be even more important during lean times.

FOOD/BEVERAGE WRITING
1) Creative Loafing; Brian Ries; Anywhere But Here
Comments: Addresses what may be the most critical socio-economic and health-care issue of our time. The piece leaves open the promise of further reporting — and editorializing– about the need for better nutrition among all Americans, mainly the poor.
2) The Miami Herald; Evan S. Benn; Putting It On the Line
Comments: Not quite as exciting as George Plimpton’s stint with the Detroit Lions, this instance of a non-professional trying the chef’s life nonetheless is a terrific read, especially for home cooks who labor in anonymity.
3) MIAMI Modern Luxury; Jen Karetnick; The New Sushi?
Comments: Very informative, especially for readers who may not have a regional appreciation for the cuisine. Very well-sourced.

CRITICISM
1) Naples Daily News; Harriet Howard Heithaus; Musical Ride Exhausting, Invigorating
Comments: The critic’s lead: “Howard Shelley is an active verb.” So is seemingly every other word of her writing, which is every bit as kinetic as the music and histrionics she describes and explicates.
2) Creative Loafing; Mark E. Leib; Speed Demons
Comments: The critic has what all should: a high tolerance for ambiguity. He also shows an appreciation for the original source material and finds fitting reasons to pan an ambitious dramatic departure.
3) Creative Loafing; Brian Ries; Small Plates, Big Tastes
Comments: A timely idea when many are finding reason to turn away from large portions. The writer also clearly has an excellent sense of his subject matter.

HUMOROUS COLUMN WRITING/COMMENTARY
1) Miami New Times; Elyse Wanshel; A Pregnant Pause
Comments: Edgy comedy that has the reader laughing at both the premise and at his/her inability to stop reading. Like being willfully ambushed by an anarchic comic mind.
2) Naples Daily News; Brent Batten; Don’t Let the Joke Be On You
Comments: Readers probably never get tired of practical-joke material, not with this column, in any case. The reader gets a good sense of nature of the jokester here.
3) NO AWARD

SERIOUS COLUMN WRITING/COMMENTARY
1) The Miami Herald; Fred Grimm
Comments: Grimm obviously is not a columnist comfortable with pontificating from his desk. He weaves thorough street reporting into nuanced columns that never overlook the human element at the center of the complex and divisive issues he tackles.
2) The Florida Times-Union; Mark Woods
Comments: Woods’ richly detailed piece on a group affluent teenagers savagely attacking a trio of homeless men for kicks was as compelling as it was disturbing. The minute particulars in his work provide clear evidence of how deeply Woods mines his territory to craft a riveting column.
3) Charlotte Sun; John Hackworth
Comments: Hackworth chronicles the struggles of ordinary people in trying circumstances with dignity and sensitivity. Unlike many other columnists, he is particularly adept at staying out of the way and letting the subject of his columns tell their absorbing tales.

SPORTS COMMENTARY
1) Orlando Sentinel; Mike Bianchi
Comments: Good writing on tough subjects.
2) The Florida Times-Union; Gene Frenette
3) The Gainesville Sun; Pat Dooley

NEWSPAPER & MAGAZINE COPY EDITING, PHOTOGRAPHY & GRAPHICS

BREAKING NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY – LARGE
1) The Miami Herald; Patrick Farrell; A People in Despair: Haiti’s Hurricane Season
Comments: Comments: Patrick’s picture is beautiful and compelling. He captured a tragic moment during a horrific time that truly spoke to the struggle of the Haitian people. This man, embracing his lifeless daughter, is an emotionally engaging picture that was sure to stop readers’ in their tracks.
2) The Florida Times-Union; Bob Self; Woman Shot
Comments: Bob’s photo captures a moment of sheer anguish for Tishawn Jones. Bob did what great photographers can do, unintrusively being in the moment and capturing the unfortunate pain of the situation with a single frame.
3) NO AWARD

BREAKING NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY – SMALL
1) The Ledger; Rick Runion; I-4 Crash
Comments: A good detail frame from a horrific accident on I-4. It fit in well with the other photos from the scene.
2) NO AWARD
3) NO AWARD

SPORTS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY
1) Sun Sentinel; Robert Duyos; Up, Up and A Wade
Comments: We’ve seen this shot a thousand times, but it’s not easy to do it well, and that’s what Robert did in this frame. The composition is excellent and the timing is impeccable. It’s a beautiful sports photo.
2) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Peter Bauer; Chills, Spills at Daytona 200
Comments: Peter took a great action shot at the Daytona 200 race. It is a fascinating sports moment that draws the reader in. It’s not a typical motorcycle crash and the juxtaposition of rider and bike adds energy and excitement.
3) NO AWARD

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
1) Sun Sentinel; Carey Wagner; When this First Happened…
Comments: Very compelling images with strong emotion and moments. The photographer became a fly on the wall without intruding on the subjects in order to share these personal up close images with the readers.
2) Sun Sentinel; Carline Jean; Tender Moment
3) Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers; Alex Boerner; Community Wishbook

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY SERIES
1) Sun Sentinel; Carey Wagner; She Made a Promise
Comments: The judges were touched by the subject matter and the elegance of the photos. While it is a sad situation the photographer was able to show the joy the couple shares through their love for each other.
2) The Miami Herald; Carl Juste, Charles Trainor, Jr. & John Van Beekum; Illegal Immigration: Changing Course
Comments: A sweeping and powerful story on illegal immigration. The entry shows a consistently high level of photography throughout the entire story.
3) Sun Sentinel; Andrew Innerarity; Haiti Prison
Comments: A view into the world of forgotten and forsaken men. Powerful photography that covers all the bases in telling this story.

ART/PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
1) Tampa Bay Business Journal; Abe Rios
Comments: We found Abe’s work strong and varied. In dealing with business concepts that are often difficult to illustrate, he managed to create interesting visuals and pair them with solid headlines.
2) Orlando Sentinel; Rich Pope
Comments: Rich’s attention to detail is remarkable, and he has a great eye for color. His style and talent varies greatly in these three submitted pages, something we didn’t expect from a single artist.
3) The News-Press; Stephen Hayford
Comments: Stephen’s entry was a striking “photograph” that we assume was digitally manipulated. Great lighting and color. We would have liked to see a page number for the article, but otherwise great effort.

MAGAZINE COVER DESIGN
1) South Florida Business Journal; Jason D’Auria
Comments: Design catches the reader’s eye and clearly conveys the idea behind the spread. Headlines also effectively convey this theme well and go well with the design. Overall, covers are fun, creative, and have spunk to them. They maintain a “business” feel without being bland or boring.
2) The Villages Daily Sun; Marianne Lobaugh & Rob Wilkerson
Comments: Images match the idea of “Florida’s friendliest hometown.” Designs are warm and welcoming, thus effectively embodying the magazine’s mission statement.
3) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Octavio Diaz
Comments: Clever headline and nice wordplay. Design is interesting in that it takes an overused image and tweaks it in a unique way.

MAGAZINE SPREAD DESIGN
1) The Villages Daily Sun; Marianne Lobaugh & Rob Wilkerson
Comments: All three spreads have an unfussy, bright quality which is quite inviting. The designs both draw the reader in and enhance the story content, helping to move the narrative forward. The layout featuring a juxtaposition of close-up and overhead shots of a dragon boat was particularly arresting visually. The designer showed creative use of limited art in the hot-air balloon spread, repeating the image multiple times buy varying the intensity of color to create the illusion of depth.
2) South Florida Business Journal; Stacey Shervan
Comments: Creative layout gives the reader the sense of having a street-level view of the skyscrapers, which hugely complements the story content. The accompanying graphs are clear and easy to read. The overall effect is clean and inviting.
3) The News-Press; Lindi Daywalt-Feazel
Comments: In the Christmas toy story, a variety of cut-out images creates colorful, inviting pages that illustrate the products. The spread in the baby story employs talk bubbles as an effective solution for laying out a page of quotes in a fun way. In the thrift store spread, we are taken inside the world of serious thrift shoppers through a well-curated selection of photos.

FRONT PAGE DESIGN – LARGE
1) Orlando Sentinel; Staff
Comments: Three strong and uniquely different covers. Loved the double-truck impact of the election cover and the 20 pages of expanded coverage ref box. And you made it work with the front-page ad. Also loved the look of the 50 years of NASA cover and the memorable quotes. The Patriotic IQ test was fun, energetic. Nice work.
2) The Miami Herald; Paul Cheung, Ed McDonald & Zach Folzenlogen
Comments: Pretty straightforward approach to the election, but it was clean. Loved the “Borrowers Betrayed centerpiece,” and the Wall Street cover let graphics do the work. Overall, nice work.
3) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Scott Turick
Comments: While I didn’t see any particularly unqiue design approaches here, what I appreciated was the energy. Lots of reader-entry points. Loved the “Moonlight Murders” layout.

FRONT-PAGE DESIGN – SMALL
1) The Ledger; Laurie Lawrence, John Pitts & Steve Antley
Comments: The Ledger is creative in its front-page presentation. The use of photos and illustrations is dramatic and the design backs-up the content. Good layering of the A1 skybox treatment, and the use of color and graphics is visually stunning.
2) Bradenton Herald; Brent Conklin
Comments: Great use of graphics on the Bradenton Herald front pages. Integrated use of photos, charts and maps as visual storytelling breaks from traditional front-page design. A simple color palette keeps the pages clean and crisp.
3) La Palma; Emily Mendez
Comments: The La Palma front page design is simple and playful. Good use of illustration and graphics as storytelling devices, and judicious use of whitespace around the quote at the bottom of each front page.

LOCAL FRONT DESIGN
1) Orlando Sentinel; Staff
Comments: Engaging local fronts that present quick nuggets of information in a sophisticated format. Whether designing a cover about the wardrobe of astronauts, endangered species or a quiz about Labor Day, the staff made smart choices to create stunning pages.
2) The Miami Herald; Presentation Department
Comments: Clean and newsy visual presentation. The “Thanksgiving Dinner Emergency-Repair Kit” centerpiece is a favorite. It’s useful and fun for readers.
3) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Ruth Oneufer
Comments: Utilizing typography and photos to create straight-forward local fronts.

BUSINESS FRONT DESIGN
1) The Miami Herald; Paul Cheung, Zach Folzenlogen, Michael Babin & Chris Melchiondo
Comments: The cream of the crop. Beautifully executed themed Money covers. The design was spectacular; the content perfect for these trying economic times. The Illustrations were sophisticated and complemented the subject content. Very well done.
2) The Ledger; Laurie Lawrence
Comments: Very sophisticated design for small newspaper. Rivaled many of the larger newspapers. Clean and restrained use of typography. Great use of photography.
3) The Florida Times-Union; Staff
Comments: The creative use of illustrations on their covers propelled them above all others.

SPORTS FRONT DESIGN
1) Orlando Sentinel; Sports Staff
Comments: Great planning and execution while literally juggling a political football for the Football 2008 covers. The visuals were effective, and the please-turn-this-section-over art element at the top was a nice — and given the political balance issue — a needed touch. The Southwestern style illustration for the NCAA Tourney cover was different and well-executed. The middle of the Florida-Alabama cover provided a nice change-of-pace: A game story front. While it had impact, it was busy at the top (flag, but that’s probably your newspaper style) and bottom (the college icons looked like an extension of the ad). But overall, very nice work.
2) The Miami Herald; Zach Folzenlogen, Ana Larrauri, Chris Melchiondo & Robert Cohn
Comments: The red-and-gold Beijing cover was a grabber, especially considering you didn’t have great visuals to work with. Liked the way red light in the stadium related to the red background lower on the page. Although the all-Dade winter sports cover had an eye-catching poster page feel, the winter sports theme didn’t translate easily. The Super Bowl illustration was nicely done. It was ironic, however, that the Giants player was the small person in the illustration. But overall, nice work.
3) The News-Press; Robyn George
Comments: It was the Belmont Stakes cover that earned you the bronze. It had impact. But more significantly, it carried useful information. While the other two covers weren’t anything dynamic, they were clean and organized.

FEATURE FRONT DESIGN – LARGE
1) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Laurie Sterbens
Comments: Wonderful, clean design. We love the styling on the “Healthy for Less” page. Visual concepts pair perfectly with the copy. We also like Laurie’s type styling and use of color where it matters.
2) The News-Press; Lindi Daywalt-Feazel
Comments: Lyndi’s entries show stunning use of type as visuals. Her pages are so visually interesting, and she uses color very effectively. It was tough to choose a first-place winner in this category.
3) The Palm Beach Post; Jessica Jordan, Rebecca Vaughan & Jenna Lehtola
Comments: The entrants chose great art to illustrate the content, and what a lot of content! It’s a lot of copy to digest, and they made it easy to follow without any distractions or too much decoration.

FEATURE FRONT DESIGN – SMALL
1) The Villages Daily Sun; Anthony Casto
Comments: Anthony’s entries demonstrated a broad range of talent. The bold designs made good use of color. Definitely the stand-out entry in this category.
2) The Ledger; John Pitts
Comments: John’s Hulk page was a favorite, especially with the character ripping up the page. His pages are very bold and use color and type effectively.
3) The Gainesville Sun; Jean Fleetwood
Comments: Jean’s pages seem to have a lot of visual content, and she manages to balance all the competing components. Nice concepts and easy-to-read centerpieces.

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHICS/SPECIAL PAGE DESIGN
1) Sun Sentinel; Cindy Jones-Hulfachor, Karsten Ivey, Len De Groot & Tim Frank; Amendments: Voice of the People
Comments: There were many fine graphics in this category, but only a few combined news value, rigorous enterprise and thoughtful execution. This graphic gives valuable perspective on state government told in an inventive way keyed to nine initiatives set to be voted on in last November’s elections.
2) The Florida Times-Union; Patrick Garvin & Denise Reagan; Escape from Death
3) The Miami Herald; Paul Cheung & Samantha Riepe; Tracking Picks by Clicks

GRAPHIC DESIGN
1) The Florida Times-Union; Denise M. Reagan
Comments: From the insanity of the annual Florida-Georgia football game to the gravity of an historic presidential election, these presentations demonstrate a remarkable range and a keen sense of tone. The images are powerful and confidently played. The typography is sharp and elegant, and it never overwhelms the visuals. In all cases, the design stands aside and lets the content come forward, a telltale sign that skillful and ego-free visual editing is taking place here.
2) NO AWARD
3) NO AWARD

HEADLINE WRITING
1) Florida Catholic; Denise O’Toole Kelly
Comments: These headlines are conversational and lively but also informative. They are clever, yet avoid the pitfall of forced puns–there are some real gems in here. Most importantly, these headlines employ key words from the story without fail, a characteristic of the best headlines.
2) Orlando Sentinel; Liam Miller
Comments: Good use of key words. These provocative headlines point out the story’s conflict, an effective way to get people to try the story.
3) The Palm Beach Post; Mike Tighe
Comments: Good news headlines with a twist. Not overdone with the cleverness, but just enough to pique curiosity.

BROADCAST

DEADLINE REPORTING – TELEVISION
1) WFTS-TV; ABC Action News Staff; I-4 Disaster
Comments: Great effort by the entire WFTS news team. News team enterprise, persistence and resourcefulness was evident. The breaking story was covered well and presented in a straight forward and interesting manner.
2) WFOR-TV; Peter D’Oench, Yuzeith Osorio & Adrienne Roark; Kite Surfer
Comments: Great work by photographer Yuzeith Osorio in capturing video of a kite surfer suddenly pulled by a burst of wind. Yuzeith saw a breaking news story and captured it and then stayed with it, which enabled the reporter to tell the entire story with this video.
3) NO AWARD

FEATURE REPORTING – TELEVISION
1) WTSP-TV; Preston Rudie & Adam D. Vance; Scoreboard Keeper
Comments: An uplifting profile about a college basketball scorekeeper born without arms or legs. Good use of soundbites and game shots. The reporter’s tone hits the right notes by showing what an inspiration he is without overstating the obvious. Nice job.
2) WTVJ-NBC6; Julia Yarbough; Black Divers
Comments: This story about a little known aspect of Florida diving–that slave ships sailed in those waters–and the divers who are mapping it is informative and original. Great underwater photography showing the divers at work. This would make an interesting longer feature.
3) WINK News; Kyle Jordan; Daytripping: Gatorama
Comments: This close-up look at the alligator tourist attraction is a somewhat edgy (will he or won’t he get bitten?) and interesting look at the creators as well as the family who run the place. The in-your-snout view of the alligators is exciting and scary at the same time. Clever alligator “wrestling” ending.

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING – TELEVISION
1) WTSP-TV; Mike Deeson & Paul Thorson; Jed Pittman: Full Time Pay, Part Time Job
Comments: I live in Illinois, the so-called “State of Corruption,” and I was appalled at what Clerk of Court Jed Pittman is pulling within the boundaries of Florida law. Good for WTSP for exposing this scam, and hopefully protecting taxpayers of the future. Since Pittman’s not running for re-election, I have to ask: will the taxpayers get stuck with the cost of retirement party number 2? I smell follow-ups until the laws are changed.
2) WINK News; Matthew McConico, Chris Cifatte, Steve LaFranc & Brad Dotson; Guilty Until Proven Innocent
3) WTSP-TV; Tammie Fields & Adam D. Vance; Sweetheart Swindler

SPORTS REPORTING – TELEVISION
1) Bay News 9; Laurie Davison & Jonathan Haas; High School MVP
Comments: This report is a winner because it so clearly found the story’s emotional center. Laurie Davison & Jonathan Haas did a nice job helping us get to know “Eddie,” both as a kid and as an adult. Eddie is definitely someone I’d like to meet, and with his personality will continue to touch the lives of those lucky enough to cross his path.
2) WTSP-TV; Grayson Kamm; Rays Find Success After Dropping the “Devil”
3) WTSP-TV; Angela Jacobs & Adam D. Vance; Major League Tryout

ELECTION REPORTING – TELEVISION
1) WESH-TV2NBC; Greg Fox & Pete Delis; Truth Tests
Comments: Political Reporter Greg Fox and Photographer/Editor Pete Delis have created a series that should be copied by every market in America! Not only do the segments cut through the cheesy chest beating that comes with campaigns… the journalists found a way to convey the truth in a compelling and entertaining way. I love the truth meter, and the sound effects help emphasize how ludicrous or right on some of these spots can be. Nice work!!
2) NO AWARD
3) NO AWARD

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REPORTING – TELEVISION
1) WPLG-TV; Roger Lohse; Sex Offenders Under Bridges
Comments: It takes guts to stand up for a group as unsympathetic as registered sex offenders. But forcing them to live under bridges so it’s convenient for the Dept. of Corrections to check up on them, come on! The twists and turns of this story became more bizarre with every report. Roger Lohse does an excellent job of talking to everyone impacted by these policies, and directing viewers to the sex offender registry was a nice public service. South Florida should be safer thanks to top notch reporting like this.
2) WTSP-TV; Mike Deeson & Adam Vance; Jail House Justice
3) WINK News; Matthew McConico, Chris Cifatte, Steve LaFranc & Brad Dotson; Guilty Until Proven Innocent

CONSUMER REPORTING – TELEVISION
1) WFTS-TV; Kerry Kavanaugh & Frank Barrera; Taking Action for Your Money
Comments: Every entry in this category was strong. This series won because of the variety and timeliness of each report. Kerry Kavanaugh and Frank Barrera did a wonderful job finding stories to save viewers money and didn’t come across as blatantly self promoting. And who doesn’t like that? Nice job!
2) WFTS-TV; Jackie Callaway & Matt McGlashen; Taking Action for You
3) WTSP-TV; Mitchell Wallace & Kathryn Bursch; Duckin’ Around
Comments: This story was a pure joy to watch. The photography and writing were exceptional. I loved the built in suspense of the script, making viewers wait to see the tour bus was also a boat. The story captures Florida tourism for us Northerners and I have to believe locals as well.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTING – TELEVISION
NO ENTRIES

POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT REPORTING – TELEVISION
1) WTSP-TV; Mike Deeson & Tim Burquest; Bob Henriquez: It Pays to Know People in Power
Comments: Classic, defensive, doublespeak from a powerful official with a guilty conscience. This appears to be thorough reporting from Mike Deeson who obviously has been around, is connected, and who can turn an important story quickly. This was a tough category, but this story stood out because it pointed out a pattern of patronage, not just a single case.
2) WTSP-TV; Mike Deeson & Paul Thorson; Jed Pittman: Full Time Pay, Part Time Job
3) WINK News; Matthew McConico, Chris Cifatte, Steve LaFranc & Brad Dotson; Guilty Until Proven Innocent

PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM – TELEVISION
1) PRC Digital Media; Bill Retherford, Chris Linke & Ray Hays; Kiss of Life – The 40th Anniversary
Comments: “Kiss of Life” tells many stories–the wonderful life photographer of photographer Rocco Morabito, how an unexpected news shot earned him a Pultizer Prize, the men whose pictures were taken, and how the photo is not only still used, but resonates today. Good use of interviews and achival photos, this well-produced program was also timely, especially given Morabito’s recent death.
2) WINK News; Matthew McConico, Chris Cifatte, Steve LaFranc & Brad Dotson; Guilty Until Proven Innocent
Comments: This performs a public service by letting the public know why the state of Florida is refusing to pay, as required by law, restitution to a man proven to have been wrongly imprisoned for a crime. Hopefully, the station will keep following this story of this one case and beyond. It is a law worth watching.
3) News 13; Scott Harris & Jennifer Cook; For the Record
Comments: This is a local news/editorial discussion program that is actually interesting and has production values beyond studio shots of talking heads pontificating each week. The discussion of NASA’s proposed use or protected wetlands for landing areas was enhanced by it taking place in the actual area and the wonderful scenic shots. The actual discussions were also lively and interesting.

CONTINUING COVERAGE – RADIO
1) WUSF 89.7 News; Bobbie O’Brien; The Learning Curve at Just Elementary
Comments: Great idea for continuing coverage: following one school in its journey from failure in the eyes of the state to significant improvement. Stories were rich with voices and had good use of sound – particularly the hip-hop song about multiplication tables.
2) Under the Sun; Ruth Morris, Kenny Malone, Dan Grech & Alicia Zuckerman; Penny Per Pound
Comments: Stories enganged the listener from the start, beginning with the plight of one particular farm worker. Followed the six-month effort to have restaurant chains pay an extra penny per pound for tomatoes to benefit farm workers.
3) WUFT-FM; Donna Green-Townsend & Staff; UF Budget Woes
Comments: Thorough coverage of budget woes at the University of Florida that included interviews with key administrators.

FEATURE REPORTING – RADIO
1) Under the Sun; Tristram Korten, Alicia Zuckerman, Dan Grech & Peter J. Maerz; An Old World Craftsman
Comments: We’re introduced to a true old world craftsman whose work making quality pool cues has stood test of time. Good description of shop by reporter and great use of sound from subject and those who appreciate his work. Great choice for a feature – a Holocaust survivor whose work literally saved his life.
2) WUSF Radio; Bobbie O’Brien; Everything is Coming Up Rosa
Comments: Story brings us the wonderful voice and personality of Rosa Rio with her stories of more than 90 years in show business. Good use of music and good writing.
3) WLRN Radio’s South Florida Arts Beat; Adrienne Kennedy, Ed Bell & Charles Greenfield; Mana Zucca
Comments: Good use of music to start piece on classical pianist/child prodigy who had a significant impact on Florida. Interesting to have classical contributor interview his mother, one of Mana Zucca’s earliest students. It worked for this piece — she was a great talker who had great stories about the history of music in Miami.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM – RADIO
1) WUFT-FM; Jon Levy; Water Wars
Comments: Well-researched public affairs series. Good use of natural sound to keep listener enganged. Series included interviews from a broad spectrum of interests to cover this significant environmental issue.
2) WUSF Public Broadcasting; Joshua Stewart; Florida Matters: Brain Drain
Comments: Well-assembled roundtable of guests discussing a very important topic in higher education.
3) NO AWARD

NEWSCAST – RADIO
1) WLRN – Miami Herald News; Phil Latzman, Michael Hibblen & Tandaleya Wilder; WLRN-Miami Herald News
Comments: Well written newscast with good use of sound. Very thorough coverage of local angles on the eve of the presidential election.
2) NO AWARD
3) NO AWARD

INTERNET

NEWS WEB SITE
1) Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers; Staff; TCPalm.com
Comments: TCPalm.com strikes a great balance between a beautifully designed site and the constant state of news. In addition to enjoying the entire layout, I really appreciate the integration of Web-only elements like comments, rotating centerpieces, videos, updating headline feeds and more. Nicely done.
2) Orlando Sentinel; Staff; OrlandoSentinel.com
Comments: Whether it is through their nicely designed news ticker or the traditional news centerpiece, OrlandoSentinel.com is the reliable, no-nonsense news source you can count on. I get a real sense of the diversity of content on the homepage.
3) Creative Loafing; Staff; CLTampa.com
Comments: This is not your typical news site. cltampa.com represents a new way of presenting news and information to its reader/user. Through a simple design, Creative Loafing offers a wide collection of headlines from just as many distinct sources.

ORIGINAL REPORTING FOR INTERNET
1) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Staff; Tropical Storm Fay: The Storm That Wouldn’t Leave
Comments: Breaking news is a natural for online, but too often stops with a “just the facts’’ treatment. The Daytona Beach News Journal team dug deeper, finding the personal stories, the experts and the next day angles to engage as well as inform. And in covering a storm that wouldn’t leave, they demonstrated hard work and imagination that didn’t give up and didn’t fall back on tired cliches.
2) NO AWARD
3) NO AWARD

BLOG – AFFILIATED
1) Creative Loafing; Wayne Garcia; The Political Whore
Comments: Don’t let the title fool you: Aside from local and national politics, this blog takes on a long list of hot-button topics ranging from the economy to “Octomom.” And with a quick-hit style that includes podcasts and embeded video, it’s never boring.
2) New Times Broward Palm Beach; Staff; The Juice Blog
Comments: This blog is a nice mix of localized pop culture and news items. The snarky tone of the writing that comes with the territory at news weeklies is particularly appropriate for a blog like this.
3) Sun Sentinel; Anthony Man, Scott Wyman, Brittany Wallman & Russell Small; Broward Politics
Comments: Political junkies in the Fort Lauderdale area are well served by this blog and the reporting staff behind it.

BLOG – UNAFFILIATED
NO ENTRIES

MULTIMEDIA PROJECT
1) Orlando Sentinel; Staff; Rising Seas
Comments: This project took a very global phenomenon, climate change, and made it relevant for its own communities. Using straightforward graphics and animation to explain the science and making use of photography and topographical maps, this project explained in detail just how much Florida would be affected. Excellent use of the medium, using animation to further the story. Great design and usability.
2) The Florida Times-Union; Jon M. Fletcher, Bridget Murphy, Kelly Jordan & Joe Allen-Black; Hitching at the Crossroads
Comments: This project used vignettes to tell a powerful story in audio, photography and text of a world most of us can only guess at. Presented in black and white, it allowed each hitchhiker to tell their story in their own words, without a lot of embellishment. Restrained use of music set a mood without interfering with the journalism. A well-executed presentation.
3) The Tampa Tribune; Lindsay Peterson, Kathy Moore, Vidisha Priyanka & Andy Dorsett; Disaster on I-4
Comments: This project took the story of a huge interstate crash and broke it down into digestible segments to tell the individual tale of one man’s rescue. Using photography, audio and video, it made use of news video and dispatch calls from the day, weaving them into a complete story with interviews with the victims. Along with supplemental material like 911 calls, updates, and text stories, this presentation told the story of this day. Great use of photography and supporting material to make the main presentation feel fully complete.

WEB DESIGN
1) New Times Broward Palm Beach; Staff; The Juice Blog
Comments: Good, clean design. Thorough navigation and use of the area above the scroll. The Juice Blog’s personality shines through via design.
2) Orlando Business Journal; Staff; Orlando Business Journal
Comments: Clean, open design with access to nearly all of the content above the scroll. But needs some polish and detail work to take it to the next level.
3) The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Chrissy Clary; three8six.com
Comments: The site makes a good attempt at organization, but would benefit from style changes–particularly in fonts and colors–to complement the content. Lose some of the clutter.

STUDENTS

COLLEGE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
1) University of Miami; Greg Linch
Comments: The package of material Greg submitted was very polished. We were impressed to see that he could tell a strong story in different media platforms. In addition, his experience as editor-in-chief of The Miami Hurricane and as an intern at the Miami Herald shows that he is dedicated to journalism and is doing all he can to better prepare himself for an eventual career in the industry. We wish him the best of luck.

To review the list of finalists, go to this page of our website: 2009 Finalists.

And, we invite the finalists, their colleagues, friends, and family to attend the Sunshine State Awards ceremony on Saturday, May 30th at the Art & Culture Center of Hollywood. For only $25.00 per person, you’ll get to enjoy a cocktail party, networking, and a condensed awards ceremony. So, please join us to celebrate our peers and promote excellence in journalism. More information about the Awards ceremony, including how to RSVP, is available on this page of our website: Sunshine State Awards – 2009 Ceremony.

We have encountered some unanticipated delays in receiving judging results for several categories in this year’s competition. We hope to be able to release a partial list of finalists this week, with the remainder to follow soon thereafter. We apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience.

In the meantime, please mark your calendar for Saturday, May 30, the date of this year’s Sunshine State Awards ceremony. We’re moving to an exciting new venue — the Art & Culture Center of Hollywood — and unveiling a fresh cocktail-party format and condensed awards presentation, all at a substantially lower price of $25.00 per person. More details will follow shortly.

If you have questions, please contact Chapter Administrator Tim Dodson at tim@timdodson.com or 305-756-0735

Best regards,

Tim Dodson

The minutes of the previous board meeting were discussed briefly. Tim Dodson suggested that we forgo reading them at meetings since they are posted online so rapidly. Jaime Danielson suggested board members who spot errors in minutes posted online simply email her with corrections that need to be made.

Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Hirschman reported that the chapter had approximately $26,000 in its checking account, $12,000 in its savings account, and $32,000 in a CD that rolls over this month. He also expected $19,000 more in income from the Sunshine State Awards to go into the chapter’s coffers soon. Hirschman also reported that the chapter is caught up on paying bills due.

Julie Kay announced that Martha Sternberg had resigned from the chapter board due to personal reasons.

Tim Dodson launched into a discussion of the chapter budget for 2008-2009. He presented the board with two spreadsheets. One spreadsheet detailed overall income and expenses for the period, and one spreadsheet detailed income and expenses for this year’s Sunshine State Awards. Dodson pointed out that the chapter budget was incomplete because he still needed additional information from Michael Koretzky.

Dodson said, as expected, income from the Sunshine State Awards was way down. He had $19,000 in entry fees in hand, and there were several outstanding entry fee payments due. Total revenues should total $20,000. John Hopkins asked for last year’s total. Several board members put it at around $25,000.

Since revenues are down, Dodson and Julie Kay have been planning a more frugal event this year. It will be a cocktail reception. They expect a total of 90 guests and will charge about $35 for tickets. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and two drink tickets will be provided to attendees for that cost. Tim also expects some income from duplicate awards sales.
Dodson said he expects expenses for the awards ceremony to be around $30 per person. He and Julie Kay believe the Art & Culture Center in Hollywood to be the best place to hold the ceremony this year.

They also looked at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, Cinema Paradiso, and the Girl’s Club Gallery. Of all four options, Dodson and Kay believe the Art & Culture Center to be the best for its charm, price, and free parking.

The board unanimously approved holding this year’s Sunshine State Awards Ceremony at the Art & Culture Center in Hollywood. Dodson said the date will probably be Saturday, May 30th.

John Hopkins made a suggestion that Dodson look for ways to get ticket price down a bit lower. Dodson said he would look into it.

Darcie Lunsford wondered if Phil Latzman should still host this year’s awards ceremony, but said it could be decided at a later time.

After the discussion of the Sunshine State Awards budget, Dodson returned to discussion of the Chapter’s general budget. Income from membership dues was examined. Lunsford said she wouldn’t be surprised if the Chapter gets fewer membership renewals this year. Dodson said we should go after new members to make up the loss. Dodson also noted that SPJ National will begin to automatically invoice members for local dues, which could help push membership and membership revenue higher.

Dodson and Hirschman also pointed out that interest income will be lower this year. They will go to bank to review other means of generating interest income.

Next, Dodson reviewed Chapter expenses. The Sunshine State Awards, Chapter Management, National Meeting and Event Attendance will be the largest expenses.

The Board then discussed how many delegates it should send to this year’s SPJ National Convention in Indianapolis. Lunsford said the chapter needs to figure out how many members it has because that determines the minimum number of delegates to send. Lunsford wondered if members who had their local dues waived were actually being counted on local membership rolls. Lunsford and Kay said they would check with Linda at national headquarters to get the answer to that question.

Hopkins said the chapter shouldn’t send more than 3 people, regardless. Those people would be Julie Kay, Darcie Lunsford, and Michael Koretzky – who all must attend the convention. The Board had general agreement on this point.

Next, Stacey Singer of the Palm Beach Post presented a proposal to the board to organize a way to help out-of-work journalists monetarily. She said she is driven to help colleagues who have lost their jobs during this tumultuous time in the media industry. She said it is obvious many of these journalists will have to turn to other industries to find employment. They’ll need money to go to school or just to pay rent for a couple months. She has seen larger companies donate for such causes, and she suggested partnering with FSNE to create a tax deductible organization to collect and distribute funds to displaced journalists. She also suggested we hold fundraisers to add to the funds.

The board immediately agreed this was a good idea. They discussed a need for a committee to head up such a non-profit corporation and also deal with ethical concerns about determining who would be awarded the funds. Singer pointed out that the organization will need buy-in from leading journalists in South Florida, and she suggested the organization might be called “After the Jump.” Dodson pointed out that creating a 501 3c corporation can be difficult and involve a lot of legal paperwork, so he suggested that we might want to look into getting a group like the Dade Community Foundation to handle the money. Singer said she would look into it. In addition, Lunsford suggested Singer call Board member Sam Terilli, who has legal background, for insight.

Next, the Board reviewed Michael Koretzky’s scholarship proposal. The proposal was presented on paper, since Koretzky could not attend the meeting. Kay asked why there weren’t any scholarships for out of work journalists in the proposal. Danielson and Dodson said Koretzky didn’t want to get into that complicated matter this year and would consider it for next year.

Hopkins opposed #2 in Koretzky’s list, which discussed offering two $250 instant online scholarships at the regional convention. There was general agreement among board members that it sounded like a lottery and it should not be approved. The Board wants scholarships only given out for meritorious reasons.

The Board also agreed it would increase the total amount of scholarship money from the $2,500 in Koretzky’s proposal to $3,000. Board members would like to see two $1,000 scholarships, one $500 scholarship, and two $250 scholarships (if they are awarded for meritorious reasons). Danielson pointed out that next year the chapter should consider offering a scholarship to the Sunshine State Awards College Journalist of the Year.

The Board also decided that Hopkins will write bios of the people behind the chapter’s named scholarships, so the information (along with photos) can be posted in a special section of the website. The suggestion was also made to build a chapter history section of the website. Gurinsky said she would try to find an old video she had that could offer insight into chapter history.

Kay asked, on behalf of board member Merwin Sigale, for volunteers to judge a high school essay contest. Roberts and Odiduro agreed to help out.

Dodson reminded everyone to register for the Regional Convention. He said they can do it via the convention link on the chapter website.

The board also decideed that Danielson and one of her colleagues from Nightly Business Report would judge the College Journalist of the Year Award this year because the entries received were broadcast entries.

The board then discussed ideas to offer grants or some other assistance to journalists working to create local community news websites. Coastal Star was offered as an example of such a site. Lunsford wondered if a Knight Foundation grant could be obtained to help fund such a project.

Odiduro offered an update on her Trauma Reporting event. She said there have been obstacles in her efforts to get speakers committed. The board agreed that now might not be the right time for this topic, so the idea was tabled.

Hopkins suggested the chapter put its efforts into creating support meetings for out-of-work journalists. The board had general agreement that this would be a fabulous idea. Kay offered to organize the first meeting in Hollywood next week, and suggested that they be organized in each of the three counties.

The meeting adjourned at 9:15 PM.

Minutes respectfully submitted by:
Jaime Danielson

The minutes of the previous board meeting (posted online) were approved, after several corrections (typos and John Hopkins’ suggestion that Sunshine State award “winners” might be linked to our chapter website).

Treasurers Report: Treasurer Hirschman reported that the Chapter had $ 28,247.68 in its checking account, $12,135.25 in its savings account and $32,151.71 in a CD. Levitt moved and Danielson seconded a motion to approve the report. Unanimous.

Dodson reminded the Board that the Chapter is currently on a calendar year for its fiscal responsibility while national By-Laws mandated all chapters be on the same fiscal year as National – ending July 31. He recommended a bylaw change to reflect an August 1 calendar year and that it should be taken up at the next meeting. It also was suggested that all by-laws should be looked at to see if there is a need to update or correct any items. Dodson reported our current tax return (which had been on an extension) had been filed.

Dodson presented the Board with a spreadsheet of income and expenses covering a six months period ending 31 January 2009. However, members were urged to use this for informational purposes only as it did not include income and expenses covering last year’s Sunshine State Awards.

There was a general discussion on SPJ Chapter finances and the general effect our income might be affected by the economic downturn. Several points were made:

Money in bank should be used for education, scholarships; scholarships could be set up in a local Foundation; sheltering of resources needs to be studied meticulously; we need to know the income generated from the 2009 contest before we spend any funds indiscriminately.

Lunsford suggested we need to work out a 2009 budget because we are currently working from an “imperfect document.” Koretzky and Levitt suggested that there needs to be a budget established with “priorities” before spending is approved and scholarships are awarded.

President Kay appointed a Budget Committee of herself, Hirschman, Tim Dodson and Koretzky to report on expected revenue ($38,000 in 2007) and expenses for the Sunshine State Awards, regional meeting, regular chapter events and scholarships.

Koretzky reported on the Aprl 3-4 regional event – a joint project of South Florida SPJ and FCPA. Cost is anticipated at $2,000, with $1,000 from a grant and the balance from the Chapter. The registration will include all meals including a dinner in a homeless shelter. Otherwise, plans are being made for a restaurant in Hollywood for those who prefer it (extra charge). Help is needed at a registration table Friday, April 3 – 4 to 6 p.m. and around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 4. SUGGESTED INFO AVAILABLE ON http://www.spjchapters.org/southflorida/ LOOK UNDER UNCONVENTIONAL 2009.

Koretzky gave an upsate on the scholarship program, including the ability needed to apply online (He will work with Danielson on this program). A discussion was held on the program…we need to determine if awards can be made to both high school and college students; the explanation that recipients must live in South Florida; the subject of whether scholarships should be partly based on need, and how do we handle two existing “name” scholarships – the Jack Kassewitz Community College Scholarship and the Garth Reeves Scholarship. It was decided this subject needs furether discussion and members are asked to bring their ideas and thoughts to the next Board meeting. Koretzky was asked to form a committee to come up with some suggestions.

Program Ideas: Julie Kay will look into a possible program with J.B. Harris on the “Implosion of TV Mergers and Sales in South Florida.”

Reisner and Odiduro will look into a possible program for late March on “Trauma Reporting…How to talk to victims.” We may be able to piggyback with FIU which has a March 26 daytime event, with a victims advocate speaker. Reisner will look into this possibility.

Sunshine State Awards: Dodson reported that 4 out of the 5 chapters (Seattle, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Maryland) who judged our entries last year have confirmed to do it again in 2009. We also have 2 of judges confirmed for the Batten Awards.

We are looking into the Hollywood Arts Center as a possible venue for this year’s event. The location has both an area for a reception and a theatre for the awards ceremony.

A discussion on a possible media directory was tabled.

It was agreed to have Board meetings the second Monday of the month – April 13 June 8.

Koretzky requested $200 for a UF sponsored First Amendment Food Festival. After a discussion, John Hopkins moved and Bill Hirschman seconded a motion to provide half that amount – $100 – for the event. Lunsford said she might be able to make up the difference from her SPJ regional funds.

The meeting ended at 9:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Levitt, Secretary

The minutes of the previous board meeting (posted online) were approved.

Treasurers Report: Treasurer Hirschman reported that the Chapter had 426,769 in its checking account, $12,134 in its savings account and $32, 117 in a CD.

Dodson reminded the Board that the Chapter is currently on a calendar year for its fiscal responsibility while national By-Laws mandated all chapters be on the same fiscal year as National – July 31, This will need a bylaw change. It was suggested that all by-laws should be looked at to see if there is a need to update or correct any items. Dodson reported our current tax return (which had been on an extension) will be filed immediately.

The Board discussed the Sunshine State Awards and agreed to spend time at this meeting to go over “Categories” including possibly combining or eliminating some and considering recommendations in the Broadcast and Web categories, (The updated version will be posted on our Web page within the next few days. Dodson took the notes regarding suggested changes and additions).

Hopkins suggested that, when possible, entries might be linked to our chapter Web site. Suggestion approved, when feasible.

It was suggested and a preliminary discussion/poll of members was held on the “event” site (possibility of a museum) and type of event (banquet, lunch or cocktail reception). Preisdent Kay appointed a committee to come up with details the event. The committee will inclue Kay, Levitt, Hirschman, Gurinsky and Odiduro.

It was determined to keep pricing for the Sunshine State Awards the same as 2008.

Dodson presented the Board with a calendar, including a distribution of materials on Jan. 9, an entry deadline of Feb, 20, sorting entries on Feb, 21 and then shipping entries by Feb, 23. Other key dates include April 6 for “judging deadline,” April 15 for announcing the finalists and the actual event on May 16. The timeline was approved.

Alana Roberts was elected as the 12th member of the Board.

Regional Conference: Koretzky deferred discussion of the event until the February meeting (information on the April 3-4 event is on the Web ). www.spjchapters.org/southflorida and in the right hand column of our site (spjsofla.net) as posted by Jaime George Danielson, our web administrator.

A discussion was held on future programming, Among possible progarms are Blogging, A workshop on interviewing grieving individuals, one on part-time public relations/journalism conflicts, one on freelancing.

Hopkins briefed the Board on National’s request for our feelings on a proposal to contribute to National for dues of unemployed / laid off employees in 2008 and 2009, A discussion was held on the growing reduction in journalism work forces and how possibly a reduction in dues might be done on both national and chapter levels, The Board was in general agreement to help with the economic situation but wanted more specific numbers and how other Chapters would be participating, (Hopkins reminded the Board that the problem was nationwide and that some 15 States do not have SPJ chapters), The consensus of the Board is that “we want to help..and favor supporting this effort in principle.”

Outreach to international journalists. Hopkins proposed the Chapter seek ways to work with non-American journalists. President Kay will designate someone to look into how we can accomplish such an effort and Dodson said he would help in this undertaking. President Kay appointed Sergy Odiduro as membership chair to work on this project.

Gurinsky reminded the Board that 2009 is the 100th anniversary of SPJ, The regional conference and Sunshine State Awards will reflect that milestone event.

Tim Dodson gave a post mortem of the Sunshine State Awards dinner and said the financials were still being finalized. There were 120 people at the dinner.

D Lunsford expressed concern about lack of attendance and suggested we consider ways to enhance participation next year. There were several suggestions re more networking opportunities for the chapter which might stimulate greater participation.

A decision was made to take a survey in order to find out what we are doing right and what might need to be changed. Julie Kay, Jaime George and Tim Dodson agreed to survey for future input.

Julie Kay suggested we might want to consider a Chapter Administrator. Tim Dodson’s name was suggested and he agreed to consider what costs might be involved,

A motion was made by R Levitt, seconded by D Lunsford, to consider a proposal from Tim at a future board meeting.

Several programs were suggested, including one to discuss buyouts, layoffs, staff reductions and potential free lancing. The chapter agreed to host such a program over the summer.

The meeting closed at 9 p.m.

Fainaru-Wada and Williams, the San Francisco Chronicle investigative team that exposed the explosive BALCO steroid scandal in 2003, took turns talking about the investigation that made them famous…and infamous. As Fainaru-Wada reminded the Sunshine State Awards audience, the stories he and Williams wrote met much public resistance, particularly in San Francisco. Yet, he and Williams continued to investigate and to write because they felt “athletes were getting a free pass.”

Williams talked about the resistance they faced from another corner – the government. When the government subpoenaed the duo to reveal a key source, both men refused. Williams said the decision was easy to make because “if you promise a source that you won’t give them up, you have to mean it.” Williams wrapped up the speech by expressing support for a Federal Shield Law. The law, which would protect journalists who refuse to testify about their sources, is only one vote shy of approval in the Senate. President Bush has threatened to veto it, but Williams is hopeful and urged journalists in the audience to start writing about the need for the law.

After Williams and Fainaru-Wada took some questions from the audience, Master of Ceremonies Phil Latzman of WLRN-Miami Herald News revealed the many winners of the 2008 Sunshine State Awards. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel investigative team of Megan O’Matz and John Maines took home the top prize — the James Batten Award for Public Service — for their “Florida Gun Law” series. The series also captured the Gene Miller Award for Investigative Reporting in the Large Papers division.

“Thanks to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, we know that burglars, child molesters and even murderers are allowed to carry concealed weapons,” said Bob Edwards of XM Satellite Radio, one of a trio of nationally recognized journalists who judged the Batten Award entries. “We also know that this news doesn’t bother the legislature nearly as much as the publication of the gun toters’ names. This is why we must continue to have newspapers — to warn us of threats to public safety and the foolishness of public officials. The Sun-Sentinel sounded the alarm — and just in the nick of time.”

The Miami Herald, with 10 first-place awards, took home the most wins of the evening. The Tampa Tribune, with seven first-place awards, finished second. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel and The Florida Times Union tied for third, with six first-place awards apiece.

In the Deadline News Reporting category, the staff of The Palm Beach Post took first place in the Large Papers division for its story of the community’s grief over two sheriff’s deputies who died in the line of duty. The Villages Daily Sun won the award in the Small Papers division for coverage of the tornadoes that ripped through The Villages in February 2007.

First place in the Serious Feature Reporting category, Large Papers, was won by Konrad Marshall, of The Florida Times-Union, for his story about a mentally ill, homeless man in Jacksonville. In the Small Papers division, Tamara Lush won for her Miami New Times story “Rapture of the Deep,” about the death of three divers near Key Largo.

The Gene Miller Award for Investigative Reporting, Small Papers, went to Isaiah Thompson, of Miami New Times, for his “Under the Bridge” series about convicted sex offenders living under the Julia Tuttle Causeway.

Orlando’s WKMG-TV took home three first-place awards, the most of any broadcaster. Channel 9 Eyewitness News, also of Orlando, won for Best TV Newscast. WUFT/Mid-Florida Public Radio won the Radio Deadline News Reporting award for coverage of a wildfire in North Florida’s Columbia County.

John W. Cox, a student at the University of Florida, was named College Journalist of the Year.

*Professional photographer Carlos Miller took photos of most of the award winners who attended the 2008 Sunshine State Awards. To inquire about getting copies of photos, please go to Carlos Miller’s website: www.magiccitymedia.com

• 2008 Sunshine State Awards Winners List (html)
• 2008 Sunshine State Awards Winners List (doc)

Includes judges’ comments.

(To download a DOC version of this list, click here.)

Skip to:
BATTEN AWARD
NEWSPAPER & MAGAZINE REPORTING
NEWSPAPER & MAGAZINE COPY EDITING, PHOTOGRAPHY, & GRAPHICS
BROADCAST
INTERNET
STUDENTS

ALL MEDIA

James Batten Award for Public Service
First Place: The South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Megan O’Matz & John Maines; Florida Gun Law
Comments: Thanks to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, we know that burglars, child molesters and even murderers are allowed to carry concealed weapons. We also know that this news doesn’t bother the legislature nearly as much as the publication of the gun toters’ names. This is why we must continue to have newspapers — to warn us of threats to public safety and the foolishness of public officials. The Sun-Sentinel sounded the alarm — and just in the nick of time.
Second Place: The Palm Beach Post; Tom Dubocq; Palm Beach County’s Culture of Corruption
Third Place: The Florida Times-Union; Staff; Homicide 360

NEWSPAPER & MAGAZINE REPORTING

Deadline News Reporting – Large
First Place: The Palm Beach Post; Staff; Pahokee Deputies Killed
Comments: This was a compelling piece of narrative writing describing several snapshots of a grieving community. Writers used quotes sparingly, but effectively. Readers were able to experience a community’s pain and strength at the same time.
Second Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Staff; Devastation
Comments: A mother and daughter clinging to the bedroom floor. An elderly couple being flung around their home. A mother snatching her child of a crib. These are just a few of the images the staff put together in the aftermath of a tornado that swept the community. They wrote compelling narrative while still gathering details on a developing story.
Third Place: The Miami Herald; Staff; Officer Somohano: Manhunt
Comments: Just hours after a suspect was apprehended in connection with a murdered police officer, the staff pieced together a detailed account of the last moments of a manhunt that unfolded while many of its readers were sleeping. Great job of deadline reporting and writing.

Deadline News Reporting – Small
First Place: The Villages Daily Sun; Staff; Tornado Rips Through Area
Comments: The coverage of the tornado was outstanding from the Extra Edition published the day of the disaster that included a full page map, vital information for storm victims, picture pages and up-to-date stories to the same extensive effort by the staff on the aftermath. Stories continued day after day, month after month, keeping residents informed. All angles were covered.
Second Place: Bradenton Herald; Staff; 9-year-old Slain in Gang Gunfire
Comments: The stories on the child killed in the gang gunfire were excellent not only because of the news coverage of the tragedy but the follow-up on the effect the death had on others — family members, school, NAACP, the community as a whole. The human touch added so much to the coverage. Also, there are columns plus articles on efforts to curb violence.
Third Place: The Gainesville Sun; Staff; Wildfire Coverage
Comments: The newspaper provided thorough coverage of the wildfires that struck Florida. Informational graphics, sidebars on road closures, shelters, emergency lists, what to do if smoked out, how to battle a brush fire plus updates on the web kept the readers aware of all that was going on and how to prepare for the danger. The photos were outstanding. This certainly had to be a tired staff having to be everywhere to keep up with the situation.

Deadline Business Reporting – Large
First Place: The Miami Herald; Staff; Miami Mega-plan
Comments: This story begins as a keyhole look into a project that has huge importance for the area and the reporters quickly recognized its significance, documented its status and assembled a powerful package of analytical and explanatory data.
Second Place: The Florida Times-Union; Timothy J. Gibbons; Port Ready to Land Major Deal
Comments: It isn’t often that reporters get to work a story that has transformational significance to a city. Gibbons broke a story that officials tried to keep under wraps and coaxed reaction and interpretive comment from a wide range of knowledgeable sources.
Third Place: The Miami Herald; Elain Walker, Niala Boodhoo, & Hannah Sampson; Black Friday Madness
Comments: The Black Friday story is as old as the hills — and more than dull — usually. The reporters not only walked into a new angle but put an edge on it—a whole new level of greed and shopping madness.

Deadline Business Reporting – Small
First Place: Tampa Bay Business Journal; Michael Hinman; Chump Tower
Comments: The writing made Chump Tower a winner. Instead of the dry, statistical approach, the creative leads drew the readers’ attention. By writing simply instead of technically, the writer got even the non-business buff to read his stories.The articles were quite thorough.
Second Place: Bradendon Herald; Brian Neill; Coast Bank Derails
Comments: Straightforward coverage enables the readers to understand the why and how Coast Bank went downhill. The timeline is an added bonus to help readers follow the events that transpired.
Third Place: Tampa Bay Business Journal; Margie Manning; FBI Raids WellCare Health Plans
Comments: Extensive coverage of WellCare’s woes plus stories that are not overwritten make this entry a winner. The coverage is like everything you ever wanted to know has been touched upon by the writer. Good reporting of the situation.

Non-Deadline Business Reporting – Large
First Place: The Palm Beach Post; Kristi E. Swartz; American Power
Comments: Excellent series of eight stories on the challenges facing Florida as it charts a path to providing sufficient energy to meet the state’s needs. The series provides the reader with a balanced look at energy sources such as coal and nuclear power, as well as alternative sources such as wind, solar energy, wind and biomass. Well-researched and well-written.
Second Place: The Palm Beach Post; Pat Beall & Jeff Ostrowski; Carcks in the Foundation: The Rise in Foreclosures
Comments: Excellent series localizing what is a national home loan crisis. Pat Beall and Jeff Ostrowski did a thorough job in researching the problem in Palm Beach from various angles, and its impact on residents and the region’s economy.
Third Place: The Miami Herald; Niala Boodhoo, Angela Tablac, Patrick Danner & Gregg Fields; Eye on South Florida’s Economy
Comments: Thorough reporting on the state of South Florida’s economy, spread across 11 months of 2007. The series covered all important aspects of the economy, from businesses, to workers, to the housing market and consumer spending. Excellent use of graphics helps reader understand the economic picture.

Non-Deadline Business Reporting – Small
First Place: New Times Broward*Palm Beach; Thomas Francis; Heartbreak Hotel
Comments: Descriptive, compelling writing with much research about the struggle of small motel owners against the developers of high-rise, luxury hotels on Hollywood Beach. A well-organized and balanced — if not always a pretty — picture.
Second Place: Tampa Bay Business Journal; Margie Manning; Collection
Comments: Clear, strong coverage of a variety of subjects. Her topics included hospital/health issues, stem cell banking, compliance officers, corporate governance and unauthorized data accessing.
Third Place: Bradenton Herald; Staff; Manatee’s Money Squeeze
Comments: This series of articles deals with the housing market, jobs, insurance, retirement, wages and consumer prices. “Survival 101″ tips were boxed into each subject to help readers find simple solutions. Charts, pictures, input from community members and experts helped put the troubling economy into perspective. Liked the coverage of “half-backs,” who moved to nearby states, because of rising Florida costs. A good community service by half-dozen staffers.

Light Feature Reporting – Large
First Place: The Tampa Tribune; Donna Koehn; When Dust Clears, Friendship Remains
Comments: Development, suburban sprawl and dessication of open space are common themes. Donna Koehn reported this piece so thoroughly that those issues became a backdrop to an unlikely story of friendship between a tall, coiffed developer and the 15th son of struggling Spanish immigrants. With her solid reporting to rely on, Koehn crafted the piece carefully, using present tense, excellent pacing and fresh, apt description. As she writes, “This is a cowboy story, but one in which nobody wears a black hat…”
Second Place: The Miami Herald; Fabiola Santiago; My Door is Always Open — It’s a Cuban Thing
Comments: Fabioloa Santiago sets an unsettled mood with her opening paragraph about a restless night at a B&B, where she and her youngest daughter are staying the night before the teenager starts college. Again, a common theme, the tug on parents who look forward to their freedom when children leave home, but paradoxically are devastated when they go. With details particular to this family and to the Cuban-American experience, this tale becomes universal, and the writer manages to tie in the lead with a satisfying final paragraph.
Third Place: The South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Rhonda J. Miller; Minoring in Manners
Comments: Rhonda Miller immediately sets a light, bright tone with her opener: “Eeeek!! Crumbs…” and continues this approach throughout the tightly written feature on college etiquette lessons designed to help students invited for a meal as part of a job interview. Miller manages to keep this light touch going throughout the story with good, snappy quotes and pacing. Here’s one example from the middle of the piece: “No problem for Nick Paris, 20, an FAU football player and criminal justice major, who came based on two common student priorities. Free. Food.”

Light Feature Reporting – Small
First Place: Ocean Drive; Brett Sokol; The New Face of Miami Beach Politics
Comments: In a sea of “light” feature entrants, Sokol’s piece marries the investigative spirit of all good watchdog journalism with an easy, breezy style that is both easy to read and entertaining. The piece is newsworthy, timely and relevant to readers interested in Miami’s political future –- and its past.
Second Place: Key West Magazine; Editorial Staff; The Redeemers
Comments: Stimulating narration and wonderful quotes set this piece apart: “Church ain’t built for a fashion show. If that’s what you got in mind you better go somewhere else.” Yet the entertaining prose doesn’t detract from the larger discussion of the role of the modern church and how it is boosting its dwindling numbers.
Third Place: Key West Magazine; Editorial Staff; Sexy and Single
Comments: A smart, snappy version of the Valentine’s Day feature we’ve all written. This piece proves that a fresh approach that includes the question “why” can turn a tired standby into a colorful package that truly benefits the reader.

Serious Feature Reporting – Large
First Place: The Florida Times-Union; Konrad Marshall; In Full View
Comments: Stuart Irving’s story is riveting and timely because it could be our story. Mr. Marshall’s journey toward identifying and ultimately humanizing this mentally ill homeless man some YouTube viewers and Times-Union readers know as “Knothead” is a fascinating exploration of the system that fails people like Irving. Tightly written and edited –- a good read, and daring use of the first person. I also appreciate the work of the page designers and the use of the consecutive booking photos –- nice work, everyone!
Second Place: The Associated Press; Melissa Nelson; U.S. Bomb School Suffers Worst Year Since ‘45
Comments: It’s so difficult to write a story about troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan without being maudlin, but Ms. Nelson’s account of the deaths of the young men and woman of Team Lima in Iraq gives us a rare glimpse into the training they went through and the important work these young heroes did. Well-written and researched, and sadly, the kind of story we need to see more of so we remember that our children are at war, even if we’re not.
Third Place: The Florida Times-Union; David Hunt; It’s Really Humiliating — But will it be a Deterrent?
Comments: Mr. Hunt delivers a tight, fast-paced great read on Putnam County’s version of “The Scarlet Letter” –- my stomach churned in sympathy for these folks who probably wish they had never walked into the store that day. I especially enjoyed the “Crimes and Their Creative Punishments” box at the end. Entertaining and informative. Nice work!

Serious Feature Reporting – Small
First Place: Miami New Times; Tamara Lush; Rapture of the Deep
Comments: A satisfying read, even if at the end, the question of why three divers died in the Spiegel Grove can’t be fully answered. The writer spins an engrossing tale that effortlessly teaches readers about the lures and perils of diving. It’s written with the authority that comes when a skilled writer works with material gathered through thorough reporting.
Second Place: Creative Loafing; Alex Pickett; Second Life
Comments: The writer’s point of view is clear, but restrained enough to let the reporting speak for itself. Larger questions about the judicial system are woven through a story of how two men’s lives intersected and became more purposeful as a result. Readers are left examining their own beliefs — a sign of a provocative, thought-provoking piece.
Third Place: Naples Daily News; Katy Bishop; Paying the Price
Comments: There are a lot of numbers in this story, but numbers — the economics driving the mix of businesses on Naples’ Fifth Avenue South — are changing the character of a main street. It’s easy to tell such a story in hindsight; news organizations do their communities a far greater service to try to tell it while there’s still a chance to make decisions that can change the outcome. An ambitious effort to make complicated material meaningful to readers.

Gene Miller Award for Investigative Reporting – Large
First Place: The South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Megan O’Matz & John Maines; Florida Gun Law
Comments: Kudos to Megan O’Matz and John Maines for their exhaustive reporting on a timely topic that garnered national attention — and with good reason. Too often media outlets report on a law passing but never go back to analyze whether it’s working. O’Matz and Maines did just that, revealing to readers that hundreds of their neighbors have a license to carry a concealed weapon despite having criminal records. The series combines impressive data analysis with compelling personal stories. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s work is a model for other media outlets wanting to serve their readers, viewers and listeners.
Second Place: The Palm Beach Post; Tom Dubocq; Palm Beach County’s Culture of Corruption
Comments: Tom Dubocq’s two-year investigation shows the importance of watchdog journalism. His persistence and tenacity over months of records analysis and interviews ensured readers of The Palm Beach Post were well informed about how some of their elected officials were conducting business. Senior federal Judge Kenneth Ryskamp was right in praising the paper’s work when he said, “In a free country, we need a very diligent media.”
Third Place: The Miami Herald; Larry Lebowitz, Oscar Corral, & Debbie Cenziper; House of Lies — Miami’s Crisis
Comments: Readers were no doubt outraged when they learned about the way Miami housing officials were doing their jobs. Reporters Debbie Cenziper, Oscar Corral and Larry Lebowitz are to be commended for their thorough reporting, especially in tracking down the victims who were languishing in squalid housing.

Gene Miller Award for Investigative Reporting – Small
First Place: Miami New Times; Isaiah Thompson; Under Bridge Series
Comments: Isaiah Thompson’s story was too riveting to put down. Thompson, with the help of photographer Jacek Gancarz, tell a story that few readers will know but should. Thompson did an excellent job getting sources on the record and confronting elected officials about actions they had taken. This is the kind of journalism more news outlets should be doing.
Second Place: South Florida Business Journal; Brian Bandell & Darcie Lunsford; Business Incentive Letdowns
Comments: The South Florida Business Journal’s analysis of business incentives offered readers substantive information about an issue that too often gets glossed over by journalists. Readers need to know whether the tax breaks being given to businesses result in the jobs that were promised.
Third Place: none

Election Reporting – Large
First Place: South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Sally Kestin, Peter Franceschina, John Maines & Mike Clary; Fast Fortune, Big Spending
Comments: Wow! This series was a well-thought-out, greatly constructed project. A wonderful read throughout! This work is the epitome of good investigative journalism — something, sadly, that isn’t done often enough. Great job!
Second Place: none
Third Place: none

Election Reporting – Small
First Place: Creative Loafing; Wayne Garcia; The Next President
Comments: I really enjoyed reading these sketches. They provided a comprehensive portrait of all the candidates, offering information key to the campaigns but adding personal facts that I found interesting. These stories would serve as a great guide for someone still unsure for whom they’re going to vote.
Second Place: none
Third Place: none

Civil Law Reporting
First Place: Daily Business Review; Jordana Mishory; Behind the JQC Curtain
Comments: This well written piece shines a thorough light on the Broward County judiciary’s formal watchdog group in a way that is compelling and easy to read and understand. It exudes clarity, as well as nuance, both in just the right dose. Mishory demonstrates a perfect pairing of solid reporting and a heartfelt edge.
Second Place: Daily Business Review; John Pacenti; Legal Superstars
Comments: Pacenti has taken a mysterious aspect of the legal arena — the world of big fees — and shows it to be a topic that can be discussed intelligently by the media. Using a sharp ability to report on a sensitive topic, he points out many ironies when it comes to enormous legal fees; and he showcases arguments that give readers much to think about.
Third Place: Daily Business Review; Julie Kay; Charity Challenge
Comments: Kay delved into a probate case that encompasses an unusual amount of drama — and she demonstrates quite an ability to pull every aspect of this case into relief. Leaving no stone unturned, Kay is able to plug away at the humanity, the finances, the politics, the worldliness and the justice of this will contest.

Criminal Law Reporting
First Place: The Florida Times-Union; Staff; Homicide 360
Comments: This is an example of old-fashioned journalism at its best: an exhaustive collection of statistics and other information shining light on murders committed in Jacksonville in a three-year period. In this multi-story series, readers have the opportunity to thoroughly understand the harrowing problem–apparently the worst homicide rate in the state many years over–from several engrossing and riveting angles.
Second Place: Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers; Gabriel Margasak; Office Escapes DUI Charge
Comments: When a reporter is able to uncover instances of unfairness and injustice, journalism has a banner day. And this three-part story nicely accomplishes that task. When an off-duty police officer escaped arrest even though he was caught “too intoxicated to drive,” Margasak’s stories led to a tougher DUI policy instituted by Stuart Police. Due to these fairly simple, diligent and readable stories, an opportunity for greater fairness is now in place.
Third Place: Daily Business Review; Jordana Mishory & Billy Shields; Conflict Counsel
Comments: The right to counsel is one of the bedrocks of the American criminal justice system. Mishory and Shields thoroughly explain to readers what happens when budget problems interfere with that crucial right for poor people/defendants who rely on the government to provide them access to counsel. The pieces dealing with this important subject exude thoroughness, diligence and commitment to journalism’s role in overcoming injustice.

Medical, Health Care or Science Reporting
First Place: The Tampa Tribune; Getchen Parker; Echo of an Epidemic
Comments: You got me at “bowed like a banana.” Skillfully written narrative that weaves in the necessary medical information, and the cosmically unfair outcomes of their struggles, without the least bit of sentimentality. Clear, honest and true writing.
Second Place: The Palm Beach Post; Staff; Diabetes: The Invisible Epidemic
Comments: Talk about scared straight! If this doesn’t get people up and moving, nothing will. Really effective package that doesn’t let go. A great public service that let’s hope gets through to kids early.
Third Place: Daily Business Review; Julie Kay; Better Than Bank Robbery
Comments: Great lead, and a deceptively simple conclusion — Medicare fraud “has eclipsed narcotics as the hottest and most lucrative field of crime” — a major trend that costs us all.

Consumer Reporting
First Place: The Tampa Tribune; Mary Shedden; Toxic Trinkets
Comments: The enterprise and amount of research the reporter put into this story is obvious. She tackled it from a variety of angles over a long period of time. The visual presentation of toys the Tribune itself had tested for lead is compelling.
Second Place: The Miami Herald; Martha Brannigan, Jennifer Lebovich, & Matthew Haggman; Property Taxes
Comments: The reporters took a creative, engaging approach to a common topic, using excellent graphics (especially in the story “The Tax Imbalance”) to make it engaging. They made it very relevant to the average homeowner by zeroing in on specific homes and also covered the story from a variety of angles, including residents who are downsizing and buying second homes.
Third Place: South Florida Sun-Sentinel; McNelly Torres; Is Your Nail Salon Safe?
Comments: This investigation showed initiative in looking into a major industry that is generally ignored. The story spurred new legislation to regulate inspections, which the reporter also followed through on in her coverage. The paper took extra steps by creating its own database on salons and using creative graphics to showcase the story, summarized statistics and information on what to look for in salons.

International, War or National Security Reporting
First Place: The Miami Herald; Casey Woods, Typer Bridges, Phil Gunson, & Casto Ocando; Venezuela Referendum
Comments: Solid deadline and contextual reporting gives readers a full picture of what happened and why. Separating this entry from the competition is its strong focus on the personalities of the main actors.
Second Place: Tallahassee Democrat; Julian Pecquet; Fighting Without Guns
Comments: A vivid slice-of-life look at conditions for U.S. forces on the ground outside the well-publicized zone of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Third Place: The Miami Herald; Carol Rosenberg; Guantanamo
Comments: Efficient contextual reporting that offers readers who may not closely follow the issue a useful basic picture of current conditions at Guantanamo.

State & Federal Political or Government Reporting
First Place: Bradenton Herald; Nick Azzara; Tax Reform — The True Impact
Comments: A fine example of public service journalism rooted in the everyday coverage of a traditional beat. The Herald offers readers a comprehensive, locally oriented examination of why the tax situation is as it is, how officials are debating to resolve it, and how such proposals have fared in other jurisdictions. Potential referendum voters would cast their votes with a solid grasp of the issues.
Second Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Deborah Circelli & Jim Saunders; State’s Disabled Citizens Facing Care Crisis
Comments: A sensitive but hard-hitting examination of how the state may be abandoning some of its weakest citizens.
Third Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Melissa Griggs & Anne Geggis; FAA Bans Radios From Towers
Comments: Solid coverage of an alarming disconnect between air traffic controllers and their regulators in Washington.

Local Political or Government Reporting – Large
First Place: The Florida Times-Union; Beth Kormanik; Do You Know When and Where Your City Council is?
Comments: In a state known for its strong public access laws, reporter Beth Kormanik managed to show that Florida’s open meetings law may have been repeatedly violated by the Jacksonville City Council. The reader-friendly presentation of her dogged reporting made the story a pleasure to read. And her work underscores the crucial role journalists must continue to play in keeping government honest. Beth and The Florida Times-Union are to be commended.
Second Place: The Florida Times-Union; Mary Kelli Palka; Mayor’s Ex-aide Wrongly Won Jobs
Comments: Mary Kelli Palka’s investigation of the city of Jacksonville’s procurement practices demonstrates the importance of checking records and holding officials accountable for their actions. Her clear, direct writing is a model for other government reporters.
Third Place: The Miami Herald; Ronnie Green & Todd Wright; Hollywood Inc.
Comments: Miami Herald reporters Todd Wright and Ronnie Greene’s tale of lobbyist influence on Hollywood, Florida, is a fine example of watchdog reporting. Thanks to Wright and Greene’s work, readers know the story behind the story.

Local Political or Government Reporting – Small
First Place: South Florida Business Journal; Oscar Musibay; Political Payoff?
Comments: Oscar Pedro Musiabay’s dogged reporting and clear writing ensure readers will stay with these stories all the way though. Congratulations to Oscar and the South Florida Business Journal on giving readers the watchdog journalism they want and deserve.
Second Place: Tallahassee Democrat; Jeff Burlew & Julian Pecquet; Severance Pay Nears $1 Million
Comments: Bravo to the Tallahassee Democrat’s Jeff Burlew and Julian Pecquet for their fine reporting that revealed that taxpayers were on the hook for $1 million in severance pay. The well-written prose combined with the helpful chart made this a must read.
Third Place: Creative Loafing; Wayne Garcia; The Athletic Supporter
Comments: Wayne Garcia’s well-timed analysis of a proposed sports complex hits all the bases. The reporting is solid, the writing is smooth and the context provided to readers adds much.

Education Reporting
First Place: The Miami Herald; Donna Gehrke-White & Fred Tasker; State Colleges Getting Choosier
Comments: Not a glamorous story but well written, comprehensive and very useful information for aspiring college students to know – a great public service.
Second Place: Tallahassee Democrat; Staff; Turning Nims Around
Comments: A really readable and acutely observant account of a principal’s efforts to turn around a failing school.
Third Place: Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers; Margo Susca, Colleen Wixon & Kelly Tyko; Are School Grad Rates Simply an Illusion?
Comments: I’ve never read about this, really learned something new. Helps cut through the obfuscation of graduation rates that some schools resort to and sheds lights on a group of students living and working out of the spotlight.

Age Beat Reporting
First Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Ray Weiss; Boxes Tell the Stories of Their Lives
Comments: Good piece of enterprise reporting on a subject that affects almost every family. No-frills writing style works for me. It was touching.
Second Place: South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Lois Solomon; Aging Holocaust Survivors Get Help
Comments: A nice job telling a story worth telling. Writer maybe could have used a little more emotion in her telling it.
Third Place: none

Social Policy Reporting
First Place: South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Megan O’Matz & John Maines; License to Carry
Comments: none
Second Place: The Miami Herald; Lisa Arthur & Nuri Vallbona; Mean Streets
Comments: none
Third Place: The Florida Times-Union; Staff; Homicide 360
Comments: none

Deadline Sports Reporting – Large
First Place: Orlando Sentinel; Ed Hinton; Franchitti Finds Hollywood Ending to His Indy 500 Journey
Comments: This was hysterical. It had me laughing aloud as I was reading on. I was almost convinced it really was a movie script, or treatment therefore. The elements couldn’t have come together more perfectly — the celebrities, the event, the weather, the drama of the race — than if it was really a movie. The story was an Academy Award winner.
Second Place: Orlando Sentinel; Dave Curtis & Lynne Hoppes; Donovan Wants Out
Comments: Once again the stars aligned just right to produce a great piece of reporting and to beat everyone else to it as well. This is the kind of reporting we need more of, while leaving the “expert analysis” and “commentary” to the self-labeled experts at an unnamed network whose intials are ESPN, who use stories like this to fin dout what happened in the first place.
Third Place: none

Deadline Sports Reporting – Small
none

Non-Deadline Sports Reporting – Large
First Place: Orlando Sentinel; David Whitley; Journey of Self-Discovery Leads to Football Player’s Gender Switch
Comments: Talk about non-traditional sports reporting, this take the cake. Actually, this cuts it, literally. A fascinating examination into the feelings, physical and emotional, that gave cause to a young football star becoming a female via medical transformation to satisfy a long-time, secret biological desire. No two minute-drill/game-winning drive here. Just a two-decade-long self reflection, and self admission.
Second Place: The Palm Beach Post; Hal Habib; Death Match
Comments: Some don’t consider professional wrestling a sport. Just entertainment. Sport competes for the entertainment dollar and wrestling competes for the sport dollar. To the death, from time to time, unfortunately. This story details the lives, the motivations and the blameless system that allows these men and women to drive themselves to their own deaths via drugs designed to make them perform better or mental motivation that drives them over the edge, all the way to suicide. But this can’t be sports because they don’t do that in other sports, do they?
Third Place: The Associated Press; Tim Reynolds; Miami Player’s Slaying Remains Unsolved
Comments: I know what you’re thinking: this is about Sean Taylor, right? Not. Bryan Pata is not Sean Taylor, is not a multimillion-dollar NFL superstar who has run afoul of the authorities. The $21,000 offered as a reward for information in his killing is pocket change for the likes of the late Sean Taylor, the all-pro Washington Redskins defensive back killed in his Miami home. Pata was a gentle giant off the field who “pancaked” guys on the firld. He was respected by his teammates, his coaches, his friends, loved by his girlfriend and his family. And his dog. His death and how it happened didn’t give cuase to moments of silence before NFL games or flyovers by the Blue Angels as after the death of Pat Tillman. But after you read this, you’ll think there should’ve been.

Non-Deadline Sports Reporting – Small
First Place: The Ledger; Mike Cobb & Dick Scanlon; 100 Years of High School Football in Polk County
Comments: What a piece of research. The names, the dusty old yearbooks to pore over, the hunt for the oldest fans and participants still around, the memories, the great ones who have come and gone. Impressive. So was the five-part story.
Second Place: New Times Broward*Palm Beach; Bob Norman; Gang Tackled
Comments: Hard to resist awarding this piece its due. Just the kind of story you never want to hear about, see or read. But just the kind of story you can’t put down once you start it.
Third Place: Miami New Times; Isaiah Thompson; Grady and the Champ
Comments: Little-known, forgotten boxer, but a bit-time local influence. Who knew? Muhammad Ali (nee Cassius Clay), that’s who. And now the rest of us, thanks to this article.

Spanish-Language Publication
First Place: Vision Latina / The Ledger; Staff
Comments: Solid balance between pictures, stories and layout. Pictures popped off the page, and illustrated the stories well. Strong cover stories that touched on topics of importance.
Second Place: El Sentinel / Orlando Sentinel; Staff
Comments: Great layout. Balanced sections, with good mix of stories from the local, national and the Americas. Eye-catching life section, with interesting features.
Third Place: Gaceta Tropical / The News-Press; Fernando Zapata, Efrain Salmon & Adriana Libreros-Purcell
Comments: none

Trade or Special Interest Publication
First Place: Lakeland Magazine; Staff; Lakeland Magazine
Comments: Great mix of stories that had strong and obvious ties to the area served by the publication, not just a passing relationship. Beautiful art. And, as these types of publications go, the judges had no trouble differentiating the stories from the ads.
Second Place: Florida Catholic Inc.; Ana Rodriguez-Soto, Denise O’Toole, Kelly & Christopher Gunty; Florida Catholic of Miami
Comments: Interesting to Catholics and non-Catholics. The July 6 issue was well written and edited. The panel agreed that had the second issue submitted for judging been equally strong, this would have been a first place finisher.
Third Place: South Florida Business Journal; Staff; Miami Real Estate
Comments: Good overall consistency and stuck to particular themes that all were brought back to have strong ties to the niche the publication serves. Judges also were impressed that the publication was willing to write about subjects, such as down markets, that might make the reader uncomfortable rather than taking the easy tack of writing nothing but cheerleading pieces. The panel also liked the cover art for the May 2007 edition.

Special Publication or Section
First Place: Orlando Sentinel; Sports Department; Football is King: 2007 Football Preview Section
Comments: Simply impressive. From the writing to the photography to the design, amazing barely seems to cover it. The section covered every yard needed to get everyone ready for the upcoming football season at every level but Pop Warner. They crowned football King, but I’d say they take the crown themselves.
Second Place: The Palm Beach Post; Eliot Kleinberg, Bruce Moore & Sandy Nortunen; Storm 2007
Comments: We’ve all seen sections like this that turn out to be more “advertorial” than “editorial.” This one wasn’t one of those. Plenty of useful information, well packaged and written. Graphics ease the reader through what they should do and be prepared for in the coming storm season. Great job by the staff.
Third Place: Charlotte Sun; Staff; Disturbing the Peace
Comments: Solid reporting, simple, but informative writing, beautiful layout. This section did a great job of boiling down the issues from the state report into how it affects everyone. Good job.

Editorials – Large
First Place: The Florida Times-Union; Joe Adams; City Council’s Lost Episodes
Comments: This winning entry is an example of what the best editorials should do – uncover misdeeds and create change. The year-long investigation by Joe Adams uncovered open meetings abuses in Jacksonville and led to a grand jury probe and a new ordinance to ensure compliance with Florida’s Sunshine Law.
Second Place: The News-Press; David Plazas, Dan Warner, Mark Stephens & Doug MacGregor; Lee County Commission
Comments: This series examined the squabbling and dysfunction of the Lee County Commission. It revealed their pettiness and their inability to do their jobs and called on them to work together for the public interest. Newspapers have a duty to hold their elected officials accountable and this series accomplished that.
Third Place: none

Editorials – Small
First Place: Miami Today; Michael Lewis; Let’s Decide What will Keep Miami Alive after Castro
Comments: The writer demonstrated an impressive sense — supported by facts and clear analysis — of the negativity that defines Miami politics, an anti-Castroism that deprives the region of leadership. This is a great example of how perspective grown through years upon years of observation is developed into a compelling argument for people to step out of the shadows and lead.
Second Place: Naples Daily News; Todd Pratt & Karie Partington; Reforms Must be Tangible to Protect At-risk Children
Comments: A well-written call for ensuring that the deaths of two children returned to abusive homes galvanize the public and child-welfare officials to see to it that no youngster is ever again abandoned to such a shocking fate.
Third Place: Naples Daily News; Jeff Lytle; We Can All be on Lookout for Those in Need of Help
Comments: The piece is a timely and appropriate reminder that senior citizens can be among the most vulnerable members of the community. Having a heart is all it takes to make their shortening lives just a bit better.

Editorial Cartooning
First Place: Florida Today; Jeff Parker
Comments: All three cartoons creatively and cleverly address some of the most important issues of our times, civil liberties, immigration and the mortgage crisis. Parker slams home the issues with wit, grace and a fierce use of color.
Second Place: South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Chan Lowe
Comments: Lowe’s cartoons highlight how soldiers lives are gambled over in the conflict in Iraq while another draws parallels between slavery and guest worker programs. These cartoons make you wince with their biting truth.
Third Place: The Florida Times-Union; Ed Gamble
Comments: Gamble creates eclectic characters to draw us into local to national issues with multi-panel cartoons. The results are hilarious.

Religion Reporting
First Place: The Tampa Tribune; Michelle Bearden & Baird Helgeson; Without Walls
Comments: In fascinating detail, the series follows the Whites as they build a megachurch. The series focuses on money — what the Whites do, and don’t do, with it. Bearden’s and Helgeson’s coverage leads to a hearing on church finances in the U.S. Senate on how churches raise and spend money. Well researched, well organized and well written.
Second Place: South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Lois Solomon; A Personal Path to God
Comments: In a time when fewer young men are choosing to become Catholic priests, Solomon talked to seminarians about why they have chosen to train for the priesthood. Enlightening and moving.
Third Place: The Ledger; Cary McMullen; Alternate Churches
Comments: An informative look at the growth in small and informal congregations as alternatives to more traditional churches.

Real Estate Reporting
First Place: The Miami Herald; Monica Hatcher & Matthew Haggman; Mortgage Fraud
Comments: This group of articles did an excellent job of investigative reporting on the devastating Florida mortgage crisis and mortgage fraud. The work was well-researched, well-written and not only newsworthy but useful. It went one step further than other entries which is why it was selected as the first place winner. Not only did report on the hows and whys of the problem, but it offered useful tips to readers on how to do their own research and what red flags to watch for. I enjoyed reading and learning from the journalists. Well done!
Second Place: Daily Business Review; Oscar Musibay & Billy Shields; Real Estate Fraud
Comments: This entry included solid reporting on real estate fraud which can be confusing with all of the players involved. However, the journalists did a good job of focusing on one topic at a time, and putting it in terms that any reader can understand. Nice job.
Third Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Staff; Housing Slump
Comments: This collection of articles on the mortgage crisis took a slightly different approach than the others; it included a variety of personal stories about how ‘average’ homeowners and investors got caught up in the mortgage crisis, some unwittingly and some ignoring red flags to get into the home of their dreams. This series showed how easily – and how often – this occurred in Florida, painting a dismal picture of the preference for financial gain over human morality in the mortgage industry.

Environmental Reporting
First Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Dinah Voyles Pulver; Our Natural Treasures
Comments: Great stories overall in this category. Lots of explanation of the problems facing the state in the future. Very tough choices along the way. The winner created the kind of package that we all wish we could do. And to not only do it, but to do it on such a grand scale, with superb writing and research. The packages brought the environment to the people.
Second Place: Florida Trend; Cynthia Barnett; Salty Solution?
Comments: A cautionary tale, with solid reporting and writing. Covers all the bases it needs, and breaks down why exactly the reader should care what they’re doing with their money.
Third Place: The Associated Press; Brian Skoloff; Everglades Restoration
Comments: This entry tackles an issue that may seem like just a Florida problem, but is really does hit home nationally. Money promised, but not delivered seems to be a consistent issue with the federal government, and how it’s ruining a stretch of land that holds so much life…amazing.

Arts Reporting
First Place: Miami New Times; Rob Jordan; Artist as Prisoner
Comments: This piece was excellent in every aspect. The writing was superior, as was the reporting. The close attention to detail really put me into the story, held my focus, and actually made me sad when I was finished because it was so compelling. Great job!
Second Place: The Florida Times-Union; Judy Wells; Can You Spot a Real Original?
Comments: What an interesting piece! It was well-written, and the reporting was excellent — a great use of sources! The accompanying fact boxes provided educational information that would be very valuable to the reader.
Third Place: The News-Press; Mary Wozniak; What has He Done to Those Beanie Babies?
Comments: This was a very fun article written in the perfect tone. The accompanying column was the perfect complement! The package was a delightful read and undoubtedly resonated with lots of readers!

Food and Beverage Writing
First Place: The Tampa Tribune; Jeff Houck
Comments: There are no tired clichés in Jeff Houck’s food stories. His well-crafted, off-beat food features made me want to read more of his work. It is an exercise in fun.
Second Place: The News-Press; Drew Sterwald
Comments: Readers get a two-fer when they head to the food pages of the News Press. Drew Sterwald entertains and educates his readers. His writing left my mouth watering and planted a seed that maybe, just maybe I could pull off some of the culinary feats he explains so well.
Third Place: Creative Loafing; Brian Ries
Comments: In a well-researched look at the food stamp program, Ries gives a voice to those who are rarely heard. Instead of the typical first-person “how-I-got-by-and-you-can-too” he introduces the reader to families who must live on a food stamp budget, provides the reader with a thorough look at the program and then gives us his experience eating on $21 a week.

Criticism
First Place: St. Petersburg Times; Eric Deggans
Comments: Deggans does more than just review what’s on television. He taps into issues that make us question why we watch television and what that says about our society and culture.
Second Place: St. Petersburg Times; Josh Korr
Comments: Korr writes about music by dissecting trends and whether subculture means anything at all in this technological age. He does so with sass and seriousness.
Third Place: The Miami Herald; Glenn Garvin
Comments: The Miami Herald’s Garvin is no couch potato even though he jokes that he is. His witty writing captures what we’re watching from Ken Burns war documentary to our obsession with Anna Nicole Smith.

Travel Writing
First Place: The Miami Herald; Jane Wooldridge; Compilation
Comments: Jane Wooldridge’s three travel stories, about Greenland, Israel and China, flow easily between giving the reader vivid pictures of the landscape and a taste of the joys and traumas of travel abroad. We also get a sense of what “real life” is like for the locals, as Wooldridge deftly acknowledges the gap between the pampered traveler and those who live there day to day. Wooldridge has the advantage of more space to fill than some and exotic locations, but her fluid writing style and conscientious delivery of historical details and current-day surprises made her a clear winner.
Second Place: The Associated Press; Travis Reed; Cinderella and Me
Comments: Travis Reed’s portrayal of a freebie night in Disneyland’s Cinderella Castle is so real and so funny it’s a close runner-up. Every shiver of embarrassment, indulgence and paranoia that any good-living journalist might experience on such an implausible night is spelled out in stark and honest detail. I smiled from start to finish and knew exactly why I could live without sharing his over-structured and eerily-monitored experience as Cinderella for a night.
Third Place: The Associated Press; Adrian Sainz; Keys at a Crossroads
Comments: I particularly enjoyed Adrian Sainz’s story about the gap between the rich and not-so-rich in Florida Keys because it introduced me to an area I don’t know with a bit of heart. The facts that led to this yawning gap in lifestyles are there, the stories of the frustrated local people are there, and the inevitability of the developers’ bulldozers is there. This side of paradise is far more interesting than white beaches and palm trees. The story has great quotes and is compellingly written.

Humorous Column Writing or Commentary
First Place: The Palm Beach Post; Frank Cerabino
Comments: The way he deftly slices and dices his targets, had he not become a columnist Cerabino would have made an excellent steakhouse chef. He displays an innate ability to take South Florida’s silliest people and situations and craft columns that make them appear even sillier.
Second Place: St. Petersburg Times; Stephanine Hayes
Comments: What could have been mundane features on spray tanning, shoes and microwave lunchtime options are given a pulse, Frankenstein-style, courtesy of Hayes’ electric observations. Her witty asides occasionally veer off the subject, but usually at the crucial moment when the subject desperately needs such treatment.
Third Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Mark Lane
Comments: It’s not easy to draw chuckles over typically coma-inducing topics such as the need for civics classes or the bureaucratic phrasing of government proclamations. Lane does it, however, and does it in a manner that inspires readers to think as well as smile.

Serious Column Writing or Commentary
First Place: Naples Daily News; Brent Batten
Comments: His writing is emotional without being maudlin. His subjects are serious. His research is thorough. His outrage is clear and justified.
Second Place: Creative Loafing; Wayne Garcia
Comments: Maybe not a problem-solver but certainly an adept problem-citer. Perhaps Greater Tampa-St. Pete should hire him as a consultant.
Third Place: Florida Trend; Mark Howard
Comments: Nothing wrong with good, old-fashioned column-writing when it’s clearly written, well-documented and this constructive.

Sports Commentary
First Place: The Tampa Tribune; Martin Fennelly; Dungy’s Loved Ones are With Him Tonight
Comments: A well-written piece that opens up a window to a public figure who is worth knowing. It was touching without being maudlin.
Second Place: Key West Citizen; Ralph Morrow; It is Bonds’ Turn to be Acclaimed
Comments: A nice dose of reality that many of us needed, and told with an honest style.
Third Place: The Florida Times-Union; Sam Borden; Public School Coaches Should Teach, Not Preach
Comments: Risky material shows courage on the part of the writer, who gave everyone a chance to share views on important issue. A little long, but not a subject that can be dispatched easily.

NEWSPAPER & MAGAZINE COPY EDITING, PHOTOGRAPHY & GRAPHICS

Breaking News Photography – Large
First Place: The Miami Herald; Carol Juste; Veteran’s Funeral
Comments: The picture was simply wonderful. It was one most impacting photographs from a veteran’s funeral that I have seen since the beginning of the Iraq war. Each corner of the photograph is layered with emotion from the family’s loss. The images are so powerful it could have been cropped into two different pictures.
Second Place: The Palm Beach Post; Staff; Two Home-grown Heroes Lost
Comments: The photojournalist did an excellent job in properly reporting the tragic of the story with his collection of photographs. What makes this well-done photo essay solid is the newspaper’s committment to use photographs well and larger enough to have visual impact.
Third Place: The Tampa Tribune; Michael Spooneybarger; Cooter Pond Tornado
Comments: The picture shows real compassion between a mother and son after losing their home and half of their family to destruction. There is an empty look by the subjects that makes the picture visually striking.

Breaking News Photography – Small
First Place: The Villages Daily Sun; Bill Mitchell, George Horsford, Mark DiOrio & Katie Derksen; Tornado Rips Through Area
Comments: Great team coverage of a significant local news event. Some very fine photos, especially the reverend holding Sunday services atop his ruined church. The paper backed it all up with outstanding play and design.
Second Place: The Ledger; Ernst Peters; Dog Rescued During Fire in Apartment Complex
Comments: A very nice moment in the midst of chaos cause by the apartment fire.
Third Place: The Gainesville Sun; Doug Finger; Wildfires
Comments: The woman covering her face from the smoke of a wildfire humanizes the destruction of property by the fire. One can see the tension in her eyes and through her body language.

Sports Action Photography
First Place: The Florida Times-Union; Rick Wilson; Eye-Poking Defense
Comments: Great peak action with a clean background. This photo stood out among the contenders. The image received nice play.
Second Place: The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Jim Tiller; Spectacular End to the Ride
Comments: The photographer captured the surfer at the perfect momeny. All of the elements came together for this photo.
Third Place: South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Robert Duyos; Three and Out
Comments: This photo captured a game-telling moment from a game that had little to offer, considering the 3-0 score.

Feature Photography
First Place: Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers; Alex Boerner; This Could be a Bumpy Ride
Comments: Great creative shot, first comment was WOW — perfect way to display this photo subject. Photographer stepped outside the box and created a photo that displays what a feature photo is all about. Taking the elements around them and creating a great creative photo. The photographer waited for the perfect moment to turn a dinosaur sculpture that would have been just a sculpture shot into a hungry dinosaur looking to eat an airplane. Nice job.
Second Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Jim Tiller; Great Dane
Comments: This photo brought a laugh to the newsroom. Photographer used the subject at hand to create a great feel-good photo. Great job working with the subject at hand.
Third Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Pam Lockeby; The World Awaits
Comments: Very nice tight shot. Photographer created a nice shot with the subject. Photographer found the picture within the picture to create this award winning photo. Nice work.

Feature Photography Series
First Place: South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Carey Wagner; Bracing for Change in Panama
Comments: Very moody, excellent composition, real moments, great use of color. Of all the entries, the camera is the least obvious, the photographer is least apparent.
Second Place: The Palm Beach Post; Uma Sanghvi; Walking with Angels
Comments: This entry tells a complete story from A to B. Part of the photographer’s job is to earn the trust of the family and they let this photographer stay there for the whole thing.
Third Place: The Palm Beach Post; Gary Coronado; HIV: Heroes of the Epidemic
Comments: The photos have a Diane Arbus street-like quality.

Art/Photo Illustration
First Place: South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Josh Ritchie & Emily Olson; All-County Class Fall 2007
Comments: This entry tells a variety of stories. There are many points of interest to draw the eye. Judges were impressed with the staging of a single, chaotic moment.
Second Place: The Florida Times-Union; Jon M. Fletcher; All First Coast Athletes
Comments: Very cohesive style, looks almost like a high fashion shoot.
Third Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Octavio Diaz
Comments: Very unique, well-executed design. Eye catching and it tells a story.

Front-Page Design – Large
First Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Kelly Ann Markowitz, Jennifer Cason & Scott Turick
Comments: The paper looks very newsy. It offers readers lots of different types of information. Makes the audience feel they are getting a lot from their paper. I am not in love with the display typography but these are pages that jump to readers.
Second Place: The Miami Herald; Marco Ruiz, Ana Lense-Larrauri & Wilhelm Gerdts
Comments: This is a beautifully designed newspaper. Their fronts present clear and beautiful typography and a clean hierarchy of elements. The pages have labels that make it easy to navigate though them.
Third Place: The Tampa Tribune; Mark McDaniel
Comments: The three were Sunday edition pages with a more magazine design approach. It makes use of powerful, nicely edited photography, which makes a joy to look at and to read.

Front-Page Design – Small
First Place: The Gainesville Sun; Staff
Comments: Never underestimate the power of a big headline and a great photo. These cover pages not only convey what is happening, they also make it look interesting. As piquing reader interest is the principal goal of a cover page, these pages are a success. Well done.
Second Place: Bradenton Herald; Jennifer Yeoman
Comments: Going the other direction, Jennifer uses illustration and infographics to capture reader interest, with eye-grabbing (and thus newspaper grabbing) above-the-fold information, well presented.
Third Place: The Villages Daily Sun; Heather Weinsheimer
Comments: Lots of information appears on these pages, but they never look cluttered—no small feat! Again, great photos, headlines and an occasional information made for a compelling first look at the days news and invited further reading.

Local Front Design
First Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Kelly Ann Markowitz & Jaime Bender
Comments: Smart design. Great use of photography and illustrations. It seems to address its audience appropriately.
Second Place: The Miami Herald; Chris Melchiondo
Comments: Very well organized within the design. The central packages are attractive and interesting to look at. They definitely get your attention. Headlines are very catchy.
Third Place: Tampa Bay Business Journal; Pam Langan
Comments: It does look like a very informative biz newspaper. Condensed typography allows for the display of longer headlines. The format is very manageable and the publication seems to know its readers.

Business Front Design – Large
First Place: The Miami Herald; Chris Melchiondo
Comments: Excellent use of illustration and color makes these pages spring to life, not only adding visual interest to the features, but also helping to more clearly tell the story. Very well done.
Second Place: The Florida Times-Union; Monty Zickuhr, Colleen Flannery, Kyzandrha Z. Pratt & Denise M. Reagan
Comments: Disproving the notion that nothing good comes out of a committee, these pages compel you to look at the news differently…literally. By switching up the layout from a vertical format to a horizontal one, these artists do things that can’t be done when thinking “tall.” The 10 balloons used to illustrate rising costs in the “Up, up and away” feature is a perfect example of this kind of work, and it makes for a more active reader experience.
Third Place: The News-Press; Bianca V. Camano
Comments: Fine layout work, with great use of photography and clever sizing and placement. Bianca would benefit, however, from thinking bigger or smaller. The “Japan loves Minicars” feature would have been more eye-catching if the text and photo were even smaller. The pink flamingo looked fine on the gray background, but would have had more eye-grab with no background and dark pink text. Push the envelope more!

Business Front Design – Small
First Place: The Ledger; Laurie Lawrence
Comments: Laurie understands the maxim “size matters”: Big pictures + big use of color = big reader draw on the front page.
Second Place: Tampa Bay Business Journal; Pam Langan
Comments: Pam’s effective use of the grid makes information easy to find, while altering between wide horizontal and narrow vertical articles keeps the page looking interesting.
Third Place: South Florida Business Journal; Stacey Shervan
Comments: Stacey comes in a very close third, with good photos and article placement, but she needs to push herself and take more risks with the layout. Right now, it feels too “safe,” which is okay for a business magazine, but not terribly compelling. Zoom in (or out) more on pictures, push boundaries on the grid, and if you’re going to place a picture up near the masthead, go all the way up, not just half-way.

Feature Front Design – Large
First Place: The Miami Herald; Ana Lense-Larrauri
Comments: Colorful, loud, busy yet appropriate for the South Florida audience. It addresses it name; what Tropical Life is all about. Pages are filled with information. The designer works flawlessly with so many pieces offering hierarchy to them.
Second Place: The News-Press; Lindi Daywalt-Feazel
Comments: I particularly liked the clogs page. Quite inventive. The headline type is very well presented. All the pages define very clear points of entry.
Third Place: The Tampa Tribune; Pat Kane
Comments: Very well organized. Excellent use of white space. They all are very unified pages. Even though the designer uses different fonts for the main headlines, they don’t clash but get integrated to the overall composition.

Feature Front Design – Small
First Place: The Ledger; Laurie Lawrence & John Pitts
Comments: Nicely organized pages, very appropriate to the subject matter. They present several unexpected details that get the reader’s attention. The redesigned section front shows a lot of improvement.
Second Place: The Gainesville Sun; Jean Fleetwood
Comments: It presents a quiet, more pastel color palette, elegant typography (in two of the entries) and it is a very easy-to-follow read.
Third Place: The Villages Daily Sun; Hillary Crawford
Comments: The illustrations are very well executed. Type treatment is appropriate to the subject matter. This publication showcases pages where the headline typography is chosen according to the topic.

Sports Front Design – Large
First Place: The Florida Times-Union; Robert McGinty, Kevin Upright & Denise M. Reagan
Comments: Great design. Excellent use of proportion in photography and typography. Very well defined centers of visual impact. Appropriate use of alternative story forms and graphics.
Second Place: The Miami Herald; Kevin Scott
Comments: Beautiful typography and very well coordinated color palette. “Unconditional love” package presents such a peculiar type treatment with the use of an asterisk—the photo looks like a painting. As a page, it offers readers different news as entry points. It’s hard to design with advertising on the page but this paper does it nicely.
Third Place: Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers; Mike Bjorklund
Comments: Very elegant design. It has more of a magazine visual approach to it. The “ear” ad makes me think of a webpage. It’s easy to read and easy to navigate. Great use of white space.

Sports Front Design – Small
First Place: Bradenton Herald; Alan Bellittera
Comments: Excellent use of hierarchy—all the news are easily located and identified. The use of white space in sport pages is not too common. The paper does a good job about it. The graphics are very clear.
Second Place: The Gainesville Sun; Sports Staff
Comments: Lots of visual elements that do not look cluttered; clear focus and good use of color.
Third Place: Key West Citizen; Paul Dehner, Jr.
Comments: This publication seems to take visual risks. The design looks a little dated but I can see people behind it trying to make it look better and challenging themselves.

Informational Graphics or Special Page Design
First Place: The Miami Herald; Mark Mattern; Super Stadium
Comments: The scope of this project, while quite large, maintains extraordinary attention to detail. The sub-graphics were extremely useful and engaging. The project provides a broad wealth of information.
Second Place: The Florida Times-Union; Anna Berken, Steve Nelson & Denise M. Reagan; Conducting Business at the Orchestra
Comments: The creative use of the graphic is most impressive. The graphic portrayed a sense of motion which is unique.
Third Place: South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Karsten Ivey; The Search for Amelia Earhart
Comments: The illustration and color engage the reader. The combined use of the overall world map with enlarged detail was useful.

Graphic Design
First Place: The News-Press; Lindi Daywalt-Feazel
Comments: The overall design style is very creative, consistent and clean. It grabs the attention of the reader. Strong typography. Loved the Clog feature!
Second Place: Daytona Beach News-Journal; Scott Hiestand
Comments: The style remained consistent throughout the scope of this large, special section. The graphics and imagery is used well with the text almost as if it is illustrating the story. Great use of the page and space available.
Third Place: The Miami Herald; Zach Folzenlogen
Comments: Strong use of color, space, and graphics. Design is attention grabbing.

Headline Writing
First Place: The Tampa Tribune; Rick Mayer
Comments: Rick Mayer’s strongest headlines — “Tales From the Script,” for a story on the Ohio State marching band; “Charley Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” about a hurricane’s aftermath; and “Oh, Where, Oh, Where Have Their Little Dogs Gone?” about two globe-trotting dogs—pack a wallop. His strength is in referencing puns and cultural references in fresh ways and crafting headlines that work powerfully with accompanying artwork.
Second Place: Sarasota Herald-Tribune; Jeffrey S. Rubin
Comments: Jeffrey Rubin has a flair for writing headlines that directly address readers. The best examples of this approach are evident in two headlines: for a story on faulty memories, “You can read this. Remembering it is another story”; and “I just met a real-live rock star…Wait, didn’t I?” for a story about a scam artist. Switching gears, Rubin can also make a literary reference work, with his “Barrier to Mars? The fault lies in our stars, and in our cells” — no small feat, considering how tempting it is to force Shakespeare’s words to fit a headline. In this case, the pun works like a charm.
Third Place: The Palm Beach Post; Mike Tighe
Comments: Mike Tighe is skilled in writing punning headlines (”County leaves sacred ibis’ fate to higher authority”; “Truth revealed: ‘World’ is flat, so Boca publisher pulls plug,” about the demise of the Weekly World News) as well as compelling grabbers like the banner head he wrote in text-message-speak that’s helpfully translated into English in the deck headline. These work examples show what a flexible writer he is, able to effectively and appropriately use humor and puns for news story headlines.

BROADCAST

Deadline Reporting – Television
First Place: WKMG-TV; Erik von Ancken; Loss-of-Sand Storm
Comments: A strong, complete piece that built upon previous reports, new information and interviews with locals. The knowledge of past work at the beach, along with the impressive images of what the storm has wrought made for the top in this category.
Second Place: Bay News 9; Laurie Davison & Jonathan Haas; Ammonia Spill
Comments: Excellent information, and not to sound cliche, but the reporter showed a lot of hustle. During the unfolding situation, she mixed in interviews with someone from the neighborhood, an official police report and even a graphic that pulled it all together.
Third Place: none

Feature Reporting – Television
First Place: WPBT Channel 2; Marilu Lozada & Allan Farrell; Colombia: Musica de Mi Tierra
Comments: Amazing, amazing work. Footage is superb and stories were engaging. A fascinating look at something that ties a culture together.
Second Place: WTSP-TV; Kathryn Bursch & Mitchell Wallace; Green Cemetery
Comments: Beautifully photographed, well reported and well edited. This was definitely among the best overall pieces the judges have seen through the years (judging or not).
Third Place: CBS4 WFOR; Laurie Stein, Reizel Larrea, John Dumontell & Gani Espinoza; Pink in Paradise
Comments: Deeply personal, yet important information that affects many women. The story was strongly reported, featured personal stories along with expert information. Well done.

Deadline Sports Reporting – Television
none

Sports Feature or Commentary – Television
First Place: WINK News; Randy Scott; Deaf Softball Star
Comments: This feature is both interesting and inspirational without being heavy-handed. Use of sign language like the pitcher and her teammates use was a good touch.
Second Place: WTSP-TV; Kathryn Bursch & Larry Perkins; A Good Day
Comments: Nicely done feature.
Third Place: Bay News 9; Laurie Davison & Jonathan Haas; Tackling Stereotypes
Comments: none

Investigative Reporting – Television
First Place: WKMG-TV; Tony Pipitone, Darran Caudle & Tim Arnheim; Food Fight
Comments: A detailed, well documented report about contracts and apparent sweetheart deals when it comes to awarding tourism food contracts. Use of sound bites was especially effective as those involved repeatedly hung themselves with their own words, denials and refusals to comment. A public service that will hopefully result in some changes to save taxpayer money.
Second Place: WTSP-TV; Mike Deeson, Tim Burquest, Casey Cumley & Paul Thorson; Pasco 911
Comments: This is a sobering and frightening look at the systematic failures of a vital public service — 911 — which led to at least one death. WTSP-TV presented the facts and got results. The viewing audience should be grateful for the service the station provided.
Third Place: WKMG-TV; Tony Pipitone, Darran Caudle, Tim Arnheim & Paul Giorgio; The Guetzloe Files
Comments: A fascinating look at a political consultant whose various deeds were exposed all because he failed to pay a storage fee.

Election Reporting – Television
none

Criminal Justice Reporting – Television
First Place: WFTS ABC Action News; Staff; Couey Trial
Comments: A great job of giving us the news, getting strong interviews and enterprise on a story that was a big-time story. Good work from everyone involved.
Second Place: WINK News; Lindsay Liepman, Lauren Sweeney, Matt McConico & Sergio Munoz; Witness Test (Part I & II)
Comments: An excellent example of enterprise. Allowing viewer participation was a great touch, giving people the opportunity to find out how hard police work really is.
Third Place: WKMG-TV; Erik von Ancken & Scott Rates; Repeat Red Light Running
Comments: Very, very close choice between this one and second place. All of the entries from this reporter were considered, but this one was the tops of his group. Story puts public faces to the people who break the law every day, no matter how small the infraction seems. Having each person’s driving record was great, as well as doing the investigation/report from in front of the Highway Patrol office.

Consumer Reporting – Television
First Place: WFTS ABC Action News; Jackie Callaway & Matt McGlashen; Taking Action
Comments: (NOTE: Based on our interpretation of the rules, we only judged the first one on lottery scratch-off tickets). Interesting premise on the lack of big prizes left. Interesting stats. Nice that they provided a way on the Web site to check what prizes were left. Good scratch-off graphic showing the state lottery’s response.
Second Place: WTSP-TV; Mike Deeson & Paul Thorson; SunPass Problems
Comments: Interesting problem with the toll system. Good people examples in the package. The follow-up story did a better job of framing the issue and types of problems discovered.
Third Place: WINK News; Nadia Ramdass, Vincent Postiglione, Matt McConico & Lindsay Liepman; COL-FAKE: Bad Colgate on Store Shelves
Comments: The reporter displayed some good initiative. Good info to help consumers spot the fakes.

International/War/National Security Reporting – Television
First Place: WTSP-TV; Mike Deeson, Mitchell Wallace, Larry Perkins & Wayne Waichunas; The Spellissy Affair
Comments: This somewhat disturbing story was the clear winner. How a former Army colonel who oversaw an four billion dollar budget and ended up on trial for an alleged $4,500 bribe because he refused to hide $20 million in his budget unfolds like something out of a novel. Well paced and edited with strong interviews. After viewing this, we’d like to know how it all comes out in the end.
Second Place: WINK News; Nadia Ramdass, Vince Early & Matt McConico; Scuba Terrorist
Comments: This story fits a lot of information into a short amount of time. Good use of sound bites with dive shop owner.
Third Place: WINK News; Jeremiah Jacobsen & Jason Nguyen; Smuggling Training
Comments: Informative report about a little known national security program to stop terrorists and smugglers in international waters and how the training is not limited to American trainees. Interesting underwater shots.

Political or Government Reporting – Television
First Place: WKMG-TV; Tony Pipitone, Darran Caudle, Tim Arnheim & Paul Giorgio; The Guetzloe Files
Comments: Very thorough reporting that started with a tip into the station. The reporter and the station fought injunctions, a subpoena and lawsuit to bring the stories to the public, exposing a political consultant’s dirty tricks and secret campaign contributions. The reporter followed up on dozens of boxes of files that were uncovered with numerous interviews with all the parties involved. Perfect example of dogged political/government reporting.
Second Place: WTSP-TV; Mike Deeson & Paul Thorson; Greg Cox and the PTC
Comments: A solid political investigation that yielded results. A county investigation was launched after this report aired and the subject of the report resigned before he could be fired.
Third Place: WINK News; Melissa Cabral, Matt McConico, Sergio Munoz & Andrew Miller; Timeout Rooms
Comments: Good report that shined a light on a practice that no doubt raised a lot of questions in the minds of parents in the school district.

Spanish-Language Newscast – Television
none

Public Affairs Program – Television
First Place: PRC Digital Media; Bill Retherford, Jay Pennington, Chris Linke & Ray Hays; Revenge of the River
Comments: A very thorough and thought-provoking report that included a call to action for viewers and told them how they could make a difference. Perfect example of public affairs reporting.
Second Place: WKMG-TV; Tony Pipitone, Darran Caudle, Tim Arnheim & Paul Giorgio; The Guetzloe Files Special
Comments: Very dogged reporting that started with a tip into the station. The reporter and the station fought injunctions, a subpoena and lawsuit to bring the stories to the public, exposing a political consultant’s dirty tricks and secret campaign contributions. The reporter followed up on the files that were uncovered with numerous interviews with all the parties involved.
Third Place: WFLA-TV; Paul Gourley, Steve Jerve & Phil Hill; Hurricane 2007: Are You Ready?
Comments: Good example of public affairs reporting. The special explained why the 2007 hurricane season would most likely be more destructive than 2006 (when dire predictions were way off) and included practical tips of how viewers can prepare themselves.

Newscast – Television
First Place: WFTV – Channel 9 Eyewitness News; Staff; Channel 9 Eyewitness News
Comments: All three newscasts were excellent, but the nod went to WFTV for their newscast entry which focused on killer tornadoes moving through the area. Very well produced. Each package had a unique storyline, rather than repeating the same story in multiple locations, as often happens in such coverage. Good sound bites too. Off the top, they did a nice job of dipping into and out of a live press conference to get the key information.
Second Place: WFLA-TV; News Channel 8 Staff; News Channel 8 at 11
Comments: The second and third place newscasts focused on the same ammonia pipe breach. News Channel 8 provided a very people-oriented/viewer-focused newscast, which gave it the edge. An explainer on symptoms of ammonia exposure was one example. While the direction could have been cleaner, the judges came away feeling this newscast did a great job of providing relevant news we could use.
Third Place: WFTS ABC Action News; Staff; ABC Action News @ 6 p.m.
Comments: Clean and straightforward, this was a very tightly produced newscast with a lot of great graphics.

Deadline Reporting – Radio
First Place: WUFT-FM/Mid-Florida Public Radio; Donna Green-Townsend; Bugaboo Fires
Comments: This report made liberal use of sound bites from people affected differently (residents, Salvation Army workers, firefighter) by the fires, which brought the listener to the scene. Well produced and reported, “Bugaboo Fires” hits the mark.
Second Place: WUFT-FM/Mid-Florida Public Radio; Jessica Napolitano; Taser Fallout
Comments: Well produced and balanced report that effectively covered what was a very visual story. Reporter made good use of natural sound — the protestors — which captured the pitch of activity and tension on campus over the incident.
Third Place: none

Feature Reporting – Radio
First Place: Imagination Room Multimedia; Vanessa Williams, Aron Myers, Taylor Cox & Brett Wellman; The Life and Times of Zora Neale Hurston
Comments: The winner in an extremely competitive category. This program explores an intriguing subject and her many sides and manages to educate the listeners in an engaging way. “The Life and Times…” is a complete package of broadcast excellence. It is well written and produced with wonderful music and smooth narration. Good use of experts’ sound clips help make Hurston and her legacy come alive.
Second Place: Marketplace Americas Desk; Dan Grech; Venezuela’s 21st Century Socialism
Comments: This series represents an impressive commitment of resources and time to explore and explain the social and political changes in Venezuela and their impact upon the United States. It holds the listener’s interest throughout, which is a notable achievement give the scope of the subject.
Third Place: WUFT-FM/Mid-Florida Public Radio; Luis Hernandez; Abuela
Comments: The reporter provides a personal look at Alzheimer’s disease and its effect upon his family along with useful information from experts. A memorable feature.

Public Affairs Program – Radio
First Place: WLRN-Miami Herald News; Phil Latzman, Alicia Zuckerman, Irina Lallemand & Peter Maerz; Cuba – The Developing Story
Comments: What could have been a dull and academic public affairs program was lively and interesting due to the panelists and their various areas of expertise about Cuba. Highly informative.
Second Place: WUSF Public Broadcasting; Carson Cooper & Bobbie O’Brien; Florida Matters: State Gambling Deal
Comments: This program not only covers the pending state gambling deal with the Indian tribes, but how it will affect other gambling entrepreneurs and the counties. The historical perspective provided is critical and enables a non-Floridian to not only follow, but stay interested, in this program.
Third Place: none

Spanish-Language Newscast – Radio
none

Newscast – Radio
none

INTERNET

News Web Site
First Place: TBO.com; Staff; TBO.com
Comments: The submitted special reports area is a multimedia extravaganza featuring, video, photography and well-written text. Overall, the news site features interactive community news and a well-organized “tab” design.
Second Place: Florida Today; John Kelly, Todd Halvorson, Patrick Peterson & Dennis Lowe; FloridaToday.com – Space
Comments: The Floridatoday.com space report section successfully balances informative and technical with bright and entertaining. It is an excellent mix of live and edited video, text and interactive animation.
Third Place: The Ledger; Newsroom; LedgerTimeout.com
Comments: The youth-oriented version of The Ledger news site is bright and lively—leaning to entertainment. It meets all the stated goals of the project and presents and attractive mix of interactive content.

Original Reporting – Internet
First Place: The Miami Herald; Jim Varsallone; Chris Benoit Murder/Suicide
Comments: This series of stories, written exclusively for the Internet, dug deep into the tragic murder/suicide involving Chris Benoit and his family. The piece took readers into the world of professional wrestling, including the role of steroids and other drugs. Blogs and other interactive features brought readers closer to the story.
Second Place: The News-Press; Michelle Hudson, Jessie Vega, Kevin Lollar & Brian Fuller; Plight of the Panther
Comments: This interactive feature allowed readers to find information about the location of panthers in their community; an issue that had become a major safety issue. The piece not only featured good original reporting and creativity, but also was a service to the community.
Third Place: none

Enterprise Reporting – Internet
First Place: Florida Today; John Torres, Caroline Perez & Dennis Lowe; Justice for Junny
Comments: The staff chronicled the emotional story of the Rios-Martinez family waiting for justice for Junny Rioz Martinez who was murdered in 1992. Reporters and staff members used the Internet to tell a compelling story that spanned nearly 16 years.
Second Place: none
Third Place: none

STUDENTS

College Journalist of the Year
First Place: John W. Cox, University of Florida

Return to Top