27 Awards: The Journal staff earns WNPA honors

Three members of the Ritzville Adams County Journal were honored with 27 awards during the 126th Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Convention on Friday, Oct. 4, in Olympia.

The staff earned 14 news photography awards, seven advertising design awards and six news writing awards. All of the entries in the WNPA’s Better Newspaper Contest were judged by members of the Tennessee Press Association.

Janis Rountree collected a third place in the Best Personality Profile – Long category for her feature of Emilee Moeller. The judge wrote: “Not your typical Hollywood actress story which made this all the more fascinating and refreshing.”

A first place award in the BW Feature Photo Category went to Rountree for Hard Red, an image depicting wheat kernels. “I really liked the texture that comes across in the photo that turns a simple subject into something interesting and pleasing to the eye,” the judge wrote.

Rountree was also awarded a third place for her Coppelia Doll Dance photograph in the BW Feature Photo category.

In the BW Photo Essay category, Rountree and Stephen McFadden shared a first place award for Out in the Field, a photo feature of the 2012 harvest.

Rountree, McFadden and Katelin Davidson received a second place award in the BW Photo Essay category for their coverage of the 25th Lind Combine Demolition Derby.

Davidson picked up several awards during the banquet.

In the writing category of Best Health or Medical Story she earned a second place for her article about the Whooping Cough epidemic. “… well written and a nice job of interviewing the child’s family to add an element that will entice readers rather than taking the easy way out by just running the info provided by the health department,” the judge wrote.

In the category of Best Business News Story, Davidson earned a third place for “Try Shopping Locally,” an article about supporting small businesses during the holidays.

Davidson also collected a second place in the Best General Feature Story-Long category for the “Kulm reunion welcomes more than 200.”

In photography, Davidson earned a second place for BW Feature Photo for Drive Thru, an image of a horse and rider at the drive thru window of Starbucks. Judge’s comment: “Viewers will get a chuckle out of this one simply because it’s rather unique.”

Davidson earned a third place in BW Sports Photo Action or Feature for Blocked Ball. “Good tight composition and good stoppage of the motion. The use of a flash helped light the face of the player,” the judge wrote.

A third place award for Spot News BW or Color went to Davidson for “Morleys” an image that captured the celebration of the state championship football victory.

In General News Photography BW or Color, Davidson was given a second place for “Sliding In,” an image of the water slide at the library’s annual summer reading party.

In Best Color Feature Photo, Davidson won a second place for the “Great Pumpkin,” an image that shows Charlene Hoeft hosting a large pumpkin. “Good composition and color. Good expression demonstrating heaviness of pumpkin,” the judge wrote.

Davidson won second place in the Color Pictorial category for “Healthy harvest.” This was a full color image of wheat waiting to be harvested. “The photograph of the wheat provides an excellent use of a narrow depth of field to get close and reveal the wheat,” the judge wrote.

McFadden, publisher of The Journal and a member of the WNPA Board of Trustees, collected 13 individual awards.

In the news writing categories, he earned a first place in Best Government Reporting for “Build new or renovate, hospital district must make a decision.” Judge’s comment: “Great detail and input from parties involved.”

McFadden earned a second place in Best Sports News Story for his article “Broncos win, 21-19; Big effort earns state championship.” The judge said “The quotes from players and coaches enhance the details and stats for a complete game story. Well done.”

In photography, in the Color Sports Photo Action category, McFadden earned a first place award for “Talk to the hand,” an image that captures football player Cort Ruzicka. “‘Talk to the hand’ is a very good action shot even without the extended hand, but the hand really makes it special. We see one of football’s consummate man-on-man moments, with the ball carrier right at the point where he is making a sharp cut inside, giving his would-be tackler a hand to stare into while he tries to run by,” the judge wrote.

In BW Sports Photo Action of Feature McFadden earned a first place award for “Advancing to state,” an image of wrestler Keanu Niezwaag.

McFadden also won first place in Best Spot News BW or Color for “Searching,” an image depicting local law enforcement searching for a fugitive. “This photograph shows the intensity and danger involved in the foot chase. It also shows the photographer was willing to place himself in harm’s way to get the story. Good composition. It gives the three officers room to look into the photograph as if they are peering in the direction of the person evading them,” the judge wrote.

In Best Spot News BW or Color, McFadden also won second place for “Attacking,” which was taken during the Presnell Road fire. “Very intense photograph that portrays the story through visual means. It also reveals the severity of the fire as it approaches the roadway. Good framing. The photographer was in a good spot to capture the men, truck and smoke,” the judge wrote.

The advertising design, McFadden received seven awards, including sweeping all three places in the category Use of Process Color Smaller than Half Page.

In the category he received a first place for his visitor’s guide advertisement for the Adams County Fair. “I love this ad. It was a good use of a great photo. It really made me want to go to the fair,” the judge wrote.

In the same category McFadden won second place for the Wheat Land Communites’ Fair and third place for the Welcome to Lind advertisement.

In Best Single Ad for Single Advertiser the judges gave McFadden a second place for his advertisement calling for entries in the fair’s annual talent show.

In the same category he earned a third place for a Ritzville Hardware advertisement.

In Best Branding Ads McFadden earned a third place for The Ritz Roadhouse.

In the category of Use of Process Color in a Full Page, McFadden received a third place for the Ritzville Rodeo.