Hello, all. Thanks to everyone who has called or emailed about the contest this evening. I understand that the contest system switched “off” at 9 pm, which is 12 am EST. I have changed this temporarily to allow entrants to continue to submit and pay for entries up until 11:59 pm tonight. At midnight, I will turn the system off again…so please submit your entries NOW.

If you have trouble uploading files, the server is quite busy with other last minute entrants. Please wait a few minutes and try again. To give you an idea of activity, we’ve had 800 entries submitted in the last 24 hours, so the system is quite busy. Ruth and I have handled dozens of phone calls and email queries during that time.

If you have any technical difficulties with uploading files or making payments, email me TONIGHT by 11:59 pm. I will trouble shoot your problems tomorrow. If I do NOT receive an email from you that you are having problems, I will not accept your late entries or payments.

NOTE:  It is 9:37 pm when I am posting this. I will not be taking any more calls or emails tonight, nor will Ruth Pettis. Send your email and we will get back to you tomorrow.

Thanks for your understanding (and next year, please, please, please don’t wait until the last minute.)

Dana Neuts
Regional Director

The deadline to submit entries in the 2010 SPJ NW Excellence in Journalism contest is fast approaching – Wed., Feb. 23, 2011 at 11:59 pm. Please register for your free account and submit your entries today!

Please also note that Ruth Pettis and Dana Neuts, contest administrators, are getting numerous requests for assistance during this last week of the contest, so DO NOT WAIT until the last minute to ask your questions or submit your entries.

See the right hand side of this page for Quick Contest Links.

For more info., contact Ruth Pettis or Dana Neuts.

[Note:  Winners will be announced on Sat., May 21, 2011.]

Registrations are now being accepted for the 2011 Region 10 Conference, April 8-9 at Washington State University Tri-Cities in Richland, Wash.

This year’s conference will go “Back to (New) Basics” — helping journalists get back to the essentials of the craft while keeping an eye on technology. Here’s a peek of the programming offered during the conference:

* Tucson and Lakewood shootings: lessons in accuracy and ethics

* Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom Hallman Jr. of The Oregonian

* Technology and the frazzled journalist

* WSU Edward R. Murrow College of Communication Dean Lawrence Pintak

* Hyperlocal in the digital age

* Résumé critique

* How I got the story: A look at the award-winning KING 5 series “Waste on the Water” with investigative reporter Susannah Frame

The conference costs $35 for professional SPJ members, $25 for student SPJ members, $40 for professional non-members and $30 for student non-members. Registrations will be accepted both online and via mail or fax. For more information or to register, please head to the conference site.

Hope to see you there!