Nevada Press Association The best in Nevada journalism since 1924
General Excellence
- David Jacobs, Noah Cusick, Jeffrey Meehan, Robin Hebrock, Selwyn Harris, Jessica Beaudoin
Pahrump Valley Times
Judge’s comment: Good, wide ranging journalism. Excellent typography. Strong advertising design. Great paper! - Elko Daily Free Press
Judge’s comment: Great use of visual elements. Solid journalism. Great page designs. - Lahontan Valley News
Judge’s comment: Top notch photography. Great typography. Solid design. Not an easy contest to judge. Nevada should be quite proud of their community papers!
Community Service
1. Jeff Mullins, Toni Milano
Elko Daily Free Press
City of Elko: The First 100 Years
Judge’s comment: This is what community newspapering is all about! It is great to see Nevada is so well served. Keep up the good work.
2. Lahontan Valley News
Greenwave Hall of Fame
3. RC Staff
The Record-Courier
Fixing local roads
Best Breaking News Reporting
1. Taylor Pettaway
Nevada Appeal
Kings Canyon crash
Judge’s comment: The reporting did a great job of following the development of the crash and how it affected the community. It included all the necessary details of the crash. The inclusion of how the reporter obtained the information and the follow-up on the vigil and fundraisers really rounded out the breaking news story.
The reporters in this category did an excellent job of providing timely coverage of breaking news and producing coverage that kept the public informed.
2. Selwyn Harris
Pahrump Valley Times
Pahrump area youths burned by gasoline-fueled fire
Judge’s comment: The reporter really followed the breaking news story as it developed. The interviews with the first responders, the victims’ family members and the individuals who were fundraising rounded out the story and made the reader realize why this story was important.
3. Kurt Hildebrand
The Record-Courier
Grand Jury report blasts county controls
Judge’s comment: This reporter waded through the grand jury report and proceedings to produce coverage that contained a concrete timeline that the public needed to know about. This coverage is an excellent example of journalism’s duty to shine light on corruption and the flaws in a system.
Best Feature Writing
1. Joyce Sheen
Humboldt Sun
Giving a 5-year-old a chance to walk
Judge’s comment: The writer did an outstanding job of conveying this little girl’s resilience.
2. Steve Ranson, Laci Thompson
Lahontan Valley News
Holocaust
Judge’s comment: Nicely done. It’s important to tell these types of stories before the people who lived through this are all gone.
The only reason I didn’t rank this first is the lede. The story is about holocaust survivors, not necessarily the people who rescued them. I would have much preferred a lede that put me behind the wire in one of the camps when the soldiers arrived.
3. Robin Hebrock
Pahrump Valley Times
Warm experience at a chilly Chili Cook-Off in Pahrump
Judge’s comment: Nice play on words.
Best Nonstaff Story
1. Robin Flinchum
Pahrump Valley Times
Amargosa Opera House, linking past with present
Judge’s comment: Interesting topic, looked at from a variety of angles. Well researched and written.
2. Timothy Vaughan
Humboldt Sun
Local couples celebrate over 90 years of love
Judge’s comment: Fun topic and good detail on both couples. Well written feature.
3. Adella Harding
Elko Daily Free Press
City suspends brothel license
Judge’s comment: Clear and concise reporting on news meeting. Well written story.
Best Business Spot News Story
1. Shanna Cummings
Humboldt Sun
Greyhound strands northern Nevada
Judge’s comment: I enjoyed the angle from which this was approached and the thorough fact-finding.
2. Aly Lawson, Steve Ranson
Lahontan Valley News
Enel geothermal
Judge’s comment: Well written and comprehensive.
3. Anne Knowles
Nevada Appeal
Empire Ranch
Judge’s comment: A lot of great detail for a spot news story.
Best Business Feature
1. Suzanne Featherston
Elko Daily Free Press
A new lease on oil?
Judge’s comment: Brilliant opening prepares the reader for a whole lot of well-researched information.
2. Suzanne Featherston
Elko Daily Free Press
Drone technology elevates mine operations
Judge’s comment: Superb choice of structure, telling a true story from the reporter’s perspective and sprinkling in valuable info.
3. Steve Ranson
Lahontan Valley News
Kent’s 125th birthday
Judge’s comment: Meaningful look at a local business, written with affection.
Best Explanatory Journalism
1. Taylor Pettaway
Nevada Appeal
Mental health in Carson City
Judge’s comment: Meaningful and extensive reporting on community mental health issues. diverse coverage of such an important topic. Well done!
Strong reporting- hats off to the Nevada community newspapers!
2. Aly Lawson, Steve Ranson
Lahontan Valley News
Water/flooding/flood mitigation
Judge’s comment: Great historical and current review of local water issues and mitigation. What a community effort to manage the pending runoff and flooding. Love the photos and cover image integration to drive visual attention.
3. Toni Milano
Elko Daily Free Press
Marijuana shop serves rural Nevada
Judge’s comment: Thorough reporting on a nuanced (and new) marijuana shop that acts as a resource for the community. Now I know all the details!
Best News Feature Story
1. Selwyn Harris
Pahrump Valley Times
Parole for driver arrested in fatal DUI crash in Pahrump
Judge’s comment: Excellent reporting, timely, moving and complete with both sides. The addition of the resolution to the dispute over restitution tipped this into 1st for me.
It was a toss-up for me… very, very difficult to choose the top 3! there are some excellent articles in this category that show definite compassion and caring for each writer’s “community” –
2. Taylor Pettaway
Nevada Appeal
Las Vegas mass shooting survivor: ‘I had no idea if I was going to live’
Judge’s comment: Excellent reporting, the terror comes through; very timely and great effort put into setting the scene.
3. Toni Milano
Elko Daily Free Press
School safety nets
Judge’s comment: Excellent timely look at one of the hugest “small-town” issues that affects every school across the west and country.
Best Investigative Story
1. Toni Milano
Elko Daily Free Press
Drug use in the shadows
Judge’s comment: Important, timely, well-researched and carried an emotional impact with multiple personal stories
Great reads. A bit annoying that one entry contained eight stories that had to be read online, and access was cut off after only six of the eight unless a subscription was purchased!
2. Kurt Hildebrand
The Record-Courier
Embezzlement costs county $1 million in tires
Judge’s comment: Huge story with huge implications for the county, along with good, clean writing.
3. Toni Milano
Elko Daily Free Press
Is Indian Colony ready for big business?
Judge’s comment: Nice, clear writing and important story. Lacking some of the emotional punch or huge implications of the top two stories
Best Local Column
1. Steve Ranson
Lahontan Valley News
Judge’s comment: It’a always great to see a newspaper editor supporting the student press. Great argument against the censorship of year books.
Solid entries overall. Great writing throughout all of the entries.
2. Jeffry Mullins
Elko Daily Free Press
Jeffry Mullins weekend columns
3. Kurt Hildebrand
The Record-Courier
Best Local Non-staff Column
1. Tim Burke
Pahrump Valley Times
2. Jeanette Strong
Lahontan Valley News
3. David C. Henley
Lahontan Valley News
Best Sports Spot News Story
1. Steve Ranson
Lahontan Valley News
Lady Wave wins 2nd straight basketball title
Judge’s comment: Good job weaving in the game story with the larger implications of the win.
Good reporting defined the three winners.
2. Vern Hee
Pahrump Valley Times
Marine combat veteran dies in Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno off-road race
Judge’s comment: Having the personal account to go along with the main story of the fatal accident makes the story better.
3. Tom Rysinski
Pahrump Valley Times
Perfect game thrown by Pahrump baseball player
Judge’s comment: Good lead with nice quotes from player and coach, especially the coach’s comment on the ball in his pocket.
Best Sports Feature Writing
1. Thomas Ranson
Lahontan Valley News
Wonder Woman
Judge’s comment: Good story and nice to hear from people in all aspects of her life.
All three of these entries stood out in their reporting. All had a good range of voices without an over-reliance on big quotes to fill space.
2. Thomas Ranson
Lahontan Valley News
Otuafi cousins mix Polynesian way of life with basketball
Judge’s comment: Good story and a nice wrap-up at the end.
3. Dave Price
The Record-Courier
Treatment of head injuries serious business
Judge’s comment: A wide array of voices from different areas of the issue helped a lot.
Best Sports Column
1. Vern Hee
Pahrump Valley Times
Sports columns by Vern Hee: kneeling at pledge and more
2. Thomas Ranson
Lahontan Valley News
Behind the plate – Thomas Ranson
Best Entertainment Writing
1. Toni Milano
Elko Daily Free Press
Toni R. Milano entertainment writing
Judge’s comment: Engaging writing style.
2. Jeffrey Meehan
Pahrump Valley Times
Entertainment history, youths-culture, pets
Judge’s comment: Good eye for a local story.
Freedom of the Press
1. Nevada Appeal , Lahontan Valley News
Lahontan Valley News
New Voices /First Amenment
Judge’s comment: Excellent coverage and focus on the issue. What an important time and opportunity to report and opine on a critical first amendment issue in Nevada. Timely coverage and clear message from the editorial board. Well done!
2. Staff
The Record-Courier
Best Editorial Writing
1. Steve Ranson
Lahontan Valley News
Our View
Judge’s comment: Beautifully written and researched. The One Nevada column in particular shows great sensitivity while still making an important point.
2. Jeffry Mullins
Elko Daily Free Press
Jeffry Mullins editorial writing
Judge’s comment: Great topic choices, well researched and well put together.
3. Kurt Hildebrand
The Record-Courier
Judge’s comment: To cover this issue editorially was a good choice – and well handled.
Best Editorial Page
1. Staff
Elko Daily Free Press
Elko Daily Free Press editorial page
Judge’s comment: I enjoyed looking through these pages. I also liked the strong editorials.
Very good submissions overall. Great work!
2. Staff
Nevada Appeal
Judge’s comment: Very good submissions overall. Great work!
3. R-C Staff
The Record-Courier
Judge’s comment: Very good submissions overall. Great work!
Best Overall Design
1. Jessica Beaudoin
Pahrump Valley Times
Judge’s comment: Crisp layout with a nice flow and presentation of information from front to back. Good separation of elements so each gets a chance to be seen.
2. Staff
Nevada Appeal
Judge’s comment: Great front pages with awesome photos! With the tab layout you are more able to use each page as a feature layout, very appealing. Nice big ads with good contrasts between them.
3. LVN Staff
Lahontan Valley News
Judge’s comment: Great photo selection and layouts.
Best Page One Design
1. Jessica Beaudoin
Pahrump Valley Times
Judge’s comment: Nice use of white space. Really like the rail down the side with a few highlighted stories, weather and inside this issue. Clean flag for good branding for the newspaper. Nice large photos without taking over the whole page.
The top two were quite close. The deciding factor was the rail on the side breaking up the very tall page and no ads at the bottom to distract from the stories, the purpose of our publications.
2. Staff
Elko Daily Free Press
Judge’s comment: Great use of white space! Nice and open that makes it very easy to look at and gives the reader a chance to see whats on page. Huge lead photos are wonderful and will get picked up quickly!
3. Laci Thompson, Rachel Guthrie
Lahontan Valley News
Judge’s comment: Really like the feature story layout. Rail is a good break up for the page since there is so much going on at the top and bottom of the page.
Best Graphic Designer
1. Laci Thompson
Lahontan Valley News
Judge’s comment: Nice use of powerful imagery. Good eye for balance.
2. Kyler Klix
Nevada Appeal
Judge’s comment: Eye-catching pages. Nice use of color.
3. Lauren Solinger
Lahontan Valley News
Best Headline Writing
2. Jeffry Mullins
Elko Daily Free Press
Judge’s comment: Very clever use of headlines on these – very difficult decision between first and second
Super fun category to judge – lots of clever use of words and puns – laugh out loud funny. Top four were all very, very close – but all 3 headlines in each of the top entries were great
Best News Photo Coverage
1. Brad Coman
The Record-Courier
Bombs Away
Judge’s comment: In a category with several other tanker drop submissions, this one stood out above the rest. Great shot.
2. Jim Grant
Nevada Appeal
Memorial Day
Judge’s comment: The emotion in this photo can be felt by the reader. Nice framing.
3. Cynthia Delaney
Elko Daily Free Press
Honoring the fallen
Judge’s comment: Narrowly missed second place. Great picture.
Best Feature Photo
1. Jim Grant
The Record-Courier
Summer Day
Judge’s comment: This photo edged out some tough competition in this category. Excellent capture with strong reader appeal.
2. Brad Coman
The Record-Courier
Ryoku
Judge’s comment: The top three pictures in this category all deserved first place. Reader appeal and the element of surprise edged this one into second.
3. Anthony Mori
Elko Daily Free Press
Mutton busting
Judge’s comment: The top three pictures in this highly competitive category all deserved first place. Great capture.
Best Multiple Photo Essay
1. Thomas Ranson, Brad Comen
Lahontan Valley News
Back to back champs
Judge’s comment: The stand-out of the category with the most diverse and well-composed group of images.
2. Anthony Mori
Elko Daily Free Press
Silver State Stampede
Judge’s comment: A good collection of action photographs from what is clearly a popular event.
3. Steve Ranson, Laci Thompson
Lahontan Valley News
Memorial Day
Best Portrait
1. Jim Grant
Nevada Appeal
Inventor
Judge’s comment: A very interesting angle of what could have been such a bland shot. Well done.
2. Jim Grant
The Record-Courier
Young Magician
Judge’s comment: Great capture of his personality.
3. Jim Grant
Nevada Appeal
Halloween Face Paint
Judge’s comment: A beautiful shot that earned third only because it lacked some of the creativity of first and second.
Best Illustrated Photo
1. Jim Grant
Nevada Appeal
High School Mental Health
Judge’s comment: These issues are tough to illustrate but this was effective and creative.
2. Toni Milano
Elko Daily Free Press
A voice for the elderly
Judge’s comment: A straight-forward illustration but suitable for the subject matter.
Best Sports Photo
1. Thomas Ranson
Lahontan Valley News
Greenwave aims to qualify 10 wrestlers at regional tournament
Judge’s comment: This image immediately jumped to the top and left us wondering what happened immediately following this moment.
2. Brad Coman
The Record-Courier
Breaking the surface
Judge’s comment: A nice, graphic image that immediately has viewer appeal.
3. Jim Grant
The Record-Courier
Goal
Judge’s comment: Good sports images often have good faces, and this image is no exception. Could have benefitted from a tighter crop.
Best Special Section (Editorial)
1. Staff
Nevada Appeal
Peak NV
Judge’s comment: I really liked all of the entries in this category, but the winners clearly did the best job of promoting their community or event with a balance of editorial content and advertising. I envy the support you all have from your business communities!
2. Bobbie Sakurada, Rhonda Coleman, Emily Swindle, Joe Plummer, Carmen Kofoed
Humboldt Sun
101 Things to do
3. Suzanne Featherston, Toni Milano
Elko Daily Free Press
Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Best Print Ad
1. Heather Ruth
Pahrump Valley Times
Leaks Optometry Back to School
2. Barby Bridges
The Record-Courier
President’s Day Weekend Sale – Carson Car Center Hyundai
3. Barby Bridges
The Record-Courier
Even Tough Guys Like a Good Deal! – Ahern Hardware
Best Black & White Ad
1. Heather Ruth
Pahrump Valley Times
Preferred RV Movie Night
Judge’s comment: LOVE the film reel look! Movie Night font really stands out. Popcorn graphic at the bottom really pulls the whole ad together.
Very tough competition. All ads used a good balance for the graphic and information. The graphic was big enough to be used to draw attention to the ad and the information was then laid out in a very easy to follow format. Nice job Nevada!
2. Heather Ruth
Pahrump Valley Times
Our Lady of the Valley Fish Fry
Judge’s comment: The goofy fish graphic is great! Nice clean fonts that are easy to read. One to clip out and save on the refrigerator for the whole calendar!
3. Heather Ruth
Pahrump Valley Times
PYSA Youth Softball
Judge’s comment: The group of graphics are very fun an grabbed my attention. Nice separation of information, easy following for the reader.
Best Advertising Innovation
1. Betti Magney, Lizz Todd, Kassidy Arbillaga, Toni Milano, Jeff Mullins, Nancy Streets
Elko Daily Free Press
Elko 100, Centennial Book
Judge’s comment: Fascinating project, which will be remembered in the community for generations.
2. Rob Fair
The Record-Courier
Alpine County
Best Ad Series
1. Rob Fair
The Record-Courier
Alpine County
2. Barby Bridges, Tara Addeo, Jessica Rackley
The Record-Courier
Bob’s Performance Center
3. Alexandria Olivares-Wenzel
Nevada Appeal
Bob Fredlund
Best Special Section or Campaign (Advertising)
1. Kassidy Arbillaga, Lizz Todd, Betti Magney, Nancy Streets
Elko Daily Free Press
Cowboy Poetry
2. Heather Ruth, Wilma Thompson, Gail Smith, Pamela Christie
Pahrump Valley Times
2017 Christmas Greetings
3. Jessica Rackley, Candice Lindsey, Tara Addeo, Pat Bridges
The Record-Courier
Best of Carson Valley
Best-In House Promotion
1. Heather Ruth
Pahrump Valley Times
Holiday & Entertainment Guide
2. Kassidy Arbillaga, Nancy Streets, Lizz Todd, Carol Mott, Toni Milano, Jeff Mullins
Elko Daily Free Press
AAA Student of the Week: Academic, Athletic, Artistic
3. Barby Bridges
The Record-Courier
Local & Trustworthy
Best Niche Magazine
1. Staff
Nevada Appeal
First Nation’s Focus
2. Nancy Streets, Betti Magney, Lizz Todd, Kassidy Arbillaga
Elko Daily Free Press
Northern Nevada Real Estate
3. Nancy Streets, Betti Magney, Lizz Todd, Kassidy Arbillaga
Elko Daily Free Press
Mining Quarterly
Advertising General Excellence
1. Seana Chapman, Carol Mott, Lizz Todd, Kassidy Arbillaga, Betti Magney, Nancy Streets
Elko Daily Free Press
2. Staff
Nevada Appeal
3. Pat Bridges, Candice Lindsay, Tara Addeo, Jessica Rackley
The Record-Courier
General Online Excellence
1. Mesquite Local News
Judge’s comment: I really looked for something different here, and the first and third place winners provided a different look- a little less cookie-cutter than some of the others. I particularly liked the story layouts for the winner. The second place entry was complete, and serves its purpose well. The third place entry was unique, and I thought the layout was very effective.
2. The Record-Courier
3. The Storey Teller
Best online advertising
1. Alexandria Olivares-Wenzel
Nevada Appeal
RE/MAX
Judge’s comment: Attractive and effective.
Best Digital Breaking News Story
1. Selwyn Harris, David Jacobs
Pahrump Valley Times
Young child killed in Pahrump
2. David Jacobs, Jeffrey Meehan
Pahrump Valley Times
Wildfire burns near Pahrump
Best Digital News Feature Storytelling
1. Taylor Pettaway
Nevada Appeal
K9 Unit serves important purpose for Carson City Sheriff’s Office
Judge’s comment: This was probably the most informative and well-produced in this category, but the video could have been edited to be a lot shorter.
2. Molly Moser
Nevada Appeal
Nevada state parks host free paranormal investigations (with video)
Judge’s comment: The subject matter was interesting and engaging but the video could have worked fine without all the added sound effects.
3. Taylor Pettaway
Nevada Appeal
Carson City trains for active shooter situation
Judge’s comment: The video was a great look inside active shooter training, however could have been improved by including some interviews from law enforcement instead of the rave music.
Best Digital Business News
1. Jeffrey Meehan
Pahrump Valley Times
Pahrump marked as extraterrestrial tourist destination
Judge’s comment: This was a good choice for a story to put together a short video to help attract an audience.
Digital Entertainment or Feature Storytelling
1. Staff
Nevada Appeal
Carson City celebrates Nevada Day
Judge’s comment: Some had really great ledes, content and draws. Other weaker entries really dragged down the good ones. Make sure to only enter the strongest content.
2. Toni Milano
Elko Daily Free Press
Basques kick off poetry gathering
3. Selwyn Harris
Pahrump Valley Times
‘Cops’ inspired program filming in Pahrump
Best Platform Writing
1. RC Staff and contributors
The Record-Courier
The R-C Running Commentary
Judge’s comment: Interesting ‘over the back fence’ commentary. I happened to log in the day some papers announced cutting print back print editions, so it was of particular interest to see the feedback.