What brightens my outlook during dreary January is submitting the best work done by the Citizen newsroom during the previous year for provincial and national journalism awards. Here's what I've sent to the judges reflecting the Citizen's best journalism from 2015:
National Newspaper Awards:
- Presentation - Tyler Sabourin for Spin Cycle and Happy Anniversary photo illustrations.
- Long Feature - Samantha Wright Allen's three-part series, Living With Brain Injury: part 1, part 2, part 3
- Local Reporting - Samantha Wright Allen's three-part series Life After Lakeland: part 1, part 2, part 3.
- Editorial - White pride, my commentary from July 7.
- Arts and Entertainment - Christine Hinzmann's A place of peace.
- Spot News Photo - Brent Braaten's picture of dishes left on the street after Nancy O's fire.
- Sports Photo - Brent Braaten's Eau Canada.
Ma Murray awards from the 2016 B.C./Yukon Community Newspaper Association:
- Columnist - Arthur Williams for Ask Arthur.
- Arts and Culture - Christine Hinzmann (A place of peace) and Frank Peebles (Spotlight on youth)
- Environmental - Christine Hinzmann (Young farmer inspires program).
- Feature Article - Mark Nielsen (Lost at Lost Lake), Samantha Wright Allen (Nurse survives crash, straightens own legs) and Christine Hinzmann (Little hero).
- Feature series - Samantha Wright Allen (Life after Lakeland).
- Historical - Charelle Evelyn (A look back at the remaking of Prince George, part 1, part 2 and part 3.), Samantha Wright Allen (First Nations soldiers an 'untold story') and Frank Peebles (City's 100th anniversary built on village's ashes).
- Investigative - Samantha Wright Allen (Living with brain injury).
- Sports writing - Ted Clarke ('The kid was stoked to race') and Arthur Williams (Canada Winter Games questions answered).
- Feature photo - Brent Braaten (Spring swing).
- Sports photo - Brent Braaten (Eau Canada).
- Spot news photo - Brent Braaten (Nancy O's fire).
- Portrait photo - Brent Braaten (Teen living with effects of five concussions).
- Portrait photo - James Doyle ('There's a person inside me that's just struggling').
- Online innovation - Christine Hinzmann (HIV is not a death sentence).
- Community service - Seniors Christmas Hamper Program.
Canadian Community Newspaper Association:
- Best Sports Photo - Brent Braaten (Eau Canada, Opening The Vault).
- Best News Story - Samantha Wright Allen ('It was quite painful to do') and Christine Hinzmann (Little hero).
- Best Feature Story - Mark Nielsen (Lost at Lost Lake).
- Best Feature Series - Samantha Wright Allen (Life after Lakeland, Living with brain injury).
- Best National Editorial - Neil Godbout (A woman's body is her own).
- Best Local Editorial - Neil Godbout (White pride).
- Best Historical Story - Charelle Evelyn (A look back at the remaking of Prince George), Samantha Wright Allen (First Nations soldiers an 'untold story') and Frank Peebles (City's 100th anniversary built on village's ashes).
- Best Headline Writing - Arthur Williams, Tyler Sabourin (Codgers caught in copper caper, Burn It Upside Down Tour, Parks and wreck).
- Best Spot News Photo - Brent Braaten (Nancy O's fire).
- Best Photo Illustration - Tyler Sabourin (Spin Cycle and Happy Anniversary).
- Best Arts Coverage - Christine Hinzmann, Frank Peebles.
- Best Sports Coverage - Newsroom (Canada Winter Games).
- Best Multimedia Feature - Christine Hinzmann (HIV is not a death sentence).
- Best Agricultural Story - Christine Hinzmann (Young farmer inspires program).
Outstanding Community Service - Seniors Christmas Hamper Program.
All of the staff of the Citizen, not just the newsroom, made significant contributions towards making this year's Christmas hamper program for seniors such a great success.
The finalists for each of the awards will be named in March.
