In advance of Election Day, Jacob Fenton from the Sunlight Foundation is holding a training for anyone who is interested in following the midterm money trail (regardless of technical expertise) using Sunlight’s Real-Time Federal Campaign Finance tracker  on Oct. 15 from 1 p.m–2 p.m. ET. We will show you how to download the data as well as get up-to-the-minute alerts on reports filed by super PACs and other outside groups with the Federal Election Commission.

To register for the training, go to: http://training.sunlightfoundation.com/events/follow-midterm-money-trail-real-time/.

Linda Hall sends the following from the home office :

SPJ prez Dana Neuts writes….

“Our International Committee has been fairly dormant the last couple of years. It hasn’t been disbanded, so to speak, but nothing is really happening. We have an inactive blog, a Twitter account and some other tools that aren’t really being utilized. There has not been a significant amount of interest in our recent history — until now. After reading my diversity post yesterday, a member of the St. Louis chapter urged me to devote some SPJ resources to addressing international journalism issues. He’s willing to chair the committee and he’s already got a list of ideas…but he’ll need a team to help. I heard from one or two others at EIJ that they would like to be involved too.

“If you, your colleagues, students or chapter members have an interest in international journalism, please let me know or share this email with them. Thank you!

Contact Dana at    spj@virtuallyyourz.com

From our friends at the Rio Grande chapter:

A great way to cut down on the cost of obtaining public records is to make your own copy.

In the past, that would have meant bringing in your own portable photocopier or one of those 110 spy cameras like they show in old movies on late-night TV. But today, with high-resolution digital cameras, cellphone cameras and tablet computers, it’s really easy.

So easy that Durango, Colo., wants to outlaw it.

The Durango Herald reports the city is going to vote on an ordinance Tuesday to bar records requesters from taking pictures of the documents they are seeking. City Clerk Amy Philips said the practice is costing the city money, in that the staff takes time to assemble “the records and let people come in and observe the records and tag which ones they want copies of, but we’re finding out now that people are able to come in with a phone and just (photograph) the copies.

“Then we don’t retrieve the money we spent.”

Along with banning photography, the city is planning to charge people $30 an hour for records requests to cover staff time spent filling the request on top of the 25-cent fee for copies.

The Durango City Council will vote on the proposal at the June 17 meeting.

We saw a similar argument in Utah, when that state’s legislature pushed through a bill gutting the state’s Government Records Access and Management Act. One of the changes it proposed was to add overhead costs — employee benefits, building utilities, rent, etc. — to the fees charged for records.

There are a couple problems with calls to “recoup” fees for public documents.

The fees charged for copying usually go well above and beyond the actual costs. When adding the costs of paper, toner and depreciation on the photocopier, the actual cost is about 1.5 cents per copy, which explains how copy centers can charge 7 cents a copy and stay in business.

I’ve personally seen a 911 dispatch center in Utah charge $20 for a recording of an emergency call on a compact disc. Depending on where you shop, a CD can cost about 25 cents a copy, and if Apple can get away with selling songs for 99 cents, a $1.25 would be a reasonable cost.

As far as the employees’ time, filling a records request, especially if it is a request that benefits the public, is just part of their job, which the public is already paying for through their taxes. Essentially, a records requester is being asked to pay twice for the same employee.

High fees can be used as a tool to deny access, especially for people of modest means.

A real-life example of this happened when the Utah Democratic Party sought records and correspondence releated to the Republican-dominated Legislature’s redistricting efforts. The Legislature charged them almost $15,000 for three boxes.

Officials only backed down when media outlets asked for the records.

A records fee could be justified in cases where a business is making the request solely for self-interest. But bureaucrats shouldn’t use public records as a revenue stream.

The Top of the Rockies contest, our unofficial regional contest, were recently announced. Congratulations to those who entered.

CLASSIFICATION D: Circulation Less than 10,000

 

Info Graphic

Third Place: Chad Collins and Molly Armbrister, “Inside the Max,” Northern Colorado Business Report

Second Place: Mike Reid, “Market Snapshot,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

First Place: Mike Reid, “Memorial: the constant topic and blockbuster deal that shaped 2012,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Single Page Design

Third Place: Robert L. Ortiz, “Thunderstorms jump page,” The Southern Ute Drum

Second Place: Chad Collins, “2012 Energy Book,” Northern Colorado Business Report

First Place: Mike Reid, “More retail steps up to fill Tejon vacancies,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Feature Page Design

Second Place: Robert L. Ortiz, “Tribal Fair,” The Southern Ute Drum

First Place: Mike Reid, “People who shaped the year,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Front Page Design

Third Place: Mike Reid, Colorado Springs Business Journal

Second Place: Travis Kelly, Four Corners Free Press

First Place: Travis Kelly, Four Corners Free Press

 

Headline Writing:

First Place: Ace Stryker, “Bluegrass grows in Ignacio sun/Bearly hanging on/Glomerulonephritis,” The Southern Ute Drum

 

Special Section

Second place: Staff, “Discoveries 2012: Universities, Labs and the Economy,” Northern Colorado Business Report

First Place: Rowdy Tompkins, Rob Larimer, “Engage Colorado Springs,” Colorado Business Journal

 

Sports Photography

Third Place: Jeremy Wade Shockley, “Tri-Ute athletes face off in Towaoc,”The Southern Ute Drum

Second Place: Jeremy Wade Shockley, Christopher R. Rizzo, “Youth bull riding finals come to Ignacio,” The Southern Ute Drum

First Place: Jeremy Wade Shockley, “Dancers welcome top cyclists,” The Southern Ute Drum

Feature Photography

Third Place: Christopher R. Rizzo, “Youth workers clock out as summer’s end nears,” The Southern Ute Drum

Second Place: Robert L. Ortiz, “Cabin fever takes hold in Ignacio,” The Southern Ute Drum

First Place: Randy Siner, “Joe Badal,” New Mexico Business Weekly

 

News Photography

Second Place: Jeremy Wade Shockley, “20th Ignacio Bike Week kicks into gear,” The Southern Ute Drum

First Place: Jeremy Wade Shockley, “Hozhoni Days Powwow rocks the Fort,” The Southern Ute Drum

 

Spot News Photography

Third Place: Robert L. Ortiz, “Walking together,” The Southern Ute Drum

Second Place: Jeremy Wade Shockley, “Southern Ute Tribe rings in spring with traditional Bear Dance,” The Southern Ute Drum

First Place: Robert L. Ortiz, “Thunderstorms prompt worries of new fire starts,” The Southern Ute Drum

 

Blog

First Place: John Hazlehurst, Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Health: Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Amy Gillentine, “Mental Illness: It’s the elephant in our room,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Health: General Reporting

Second Place: Sonja Horoshko, “Living with poison,” Four Corners Free Press

First Place: Amy Gillentine, “Mental health task forces to address gaps in care,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Environment: Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Jim Mimiaga, “Ute tribe challenges uranium-mill license renewal,” Four Corners Free Press

 

Environment: General Reporting

Third Place: Gail Binkly, “A balancing act for Sand Canyon,” Four Corners Free Press

Second Place: Anne Minard, “A bird on the brink,” Four Corners Free Press

First Place: Amanda Miller, “Green building LEEDs way to a sustainable future,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Legal: Enterprise Reporting

Second Place: Amanda Miller, “Burglary? Investors seize houses before they officially own them,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

First Place: Amy Gillentine, “Religious lawsuits fill court dockets,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Legal: General Reporting

Third Place: Ace Stryker, “Fiscal limbo,” The Southern Ute Drum

Second Place: Jim Mimiaga, “Reefer gladness,” Four Corners Free Press

First Place: Gail Binkly, “A taxing situation,” Four Corners Free Press

Politics: Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Ace Stryker, “Mr. Olguin goes to Washington,” The Southern Ute Drum

 

Politics: General Reporting

Second Place: Gail Binkly, “All Republican, all the time,” Four Corners Free Press

First Place: Sonja Horoshko, “A dispute over representation,” Four Corners Free Press

 

Agriculture: Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Amy Gillentine, “Industrial hemp could jump-start economy,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Agriculture: General Reporting

First Place: Anne Minard, “Oil-seed crops take root in the region,” Four Corners Free Press

 

Education: Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Monica Mendoza, “UCCS: Driving the region’s economic growth,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Education: General Reporting

Third Place: Gail Binkly, “Far-reaching teaching,” Four Corners Free Press

Second Place: Jeremy Wade Shockley, “’Secret Garden’ teaches kids about health, stewardship,” The Southern Ute Drum

First Place: Deb Hurley Brobst, “A Strong Soul,” Evergreen Newspapers

 

A&E: Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Sonja Horoshko, “An identity crisis for the cultural center?,” Four Corners Free Press

 

A&E: General Reporting

Third Place: Sonja Horoshko, “Native filmmakers share the spotlight,” Four Corners Free Press

Second Place: Gail Binkly, “Part Libertarian, part granola-cruncher, Fayhee offers a distinct perspective,” Four Corners Free Press

First Place: Monica Mendoza, “Forbes gives nod to remake of Jay-Z, Beatles‚ mash-up,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Business: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Amy Gillentine, “Mayor Bach sets aggressive jobs goal, but is it possible?” Colorado Springs Business Journal

Second Place: Monica Mendoza, “City of Fountain pitching itself to national retailers,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

First Place: Steve Lynn, “Abound Solar plagued by defective panels,” Northern Colorado Business Report

 

Business: General Reporting

Third Place: Monica Mendoza, “Women’s Chamber plots new strategy,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

Second Place: Steve Lynn, “Refugees place big burden on schools,”Northern Colorado Business Report

First Place: Amy Gillentine and John Hazlehurst, “Marijuana: Economic stimulant, or just a can of worms,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

Sports: General Reporting

First Place: Christopher R. Rizzo, “Sun Ute lifeguard laces up for international championships,” The Southern Ute Drum

 

Personal or Humor Column

Third Place: Suzanne Strazza, Four Corners Free Press

Second Place: John Hopkins, Four Corners Free Press

First Place: David Fryxell, Desert Exposure

 

News Column

Third Place: Gail Binkly, Four Corners Free Press

Second Place: Katharhynn Heidelberg, Four Corners Free Press

First Place: Allen Greenberg, Northern Colorado Business Report

 

Editorials

Third Place: David Fryxell, Desert Exposure

Second Place: Ralph Routon, Colorado Springs Business Journal

First Place: Gail Binkly, Four Corners Free Press

 

News Feature

Third Place: Amanda Miller, “Developers opting not to build apartments downtown,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

Second Place: Deb Hurley Brobst, “A Century of Fortitude,” Evergreen Newspapers

First Place: Deb Hurley Brobst, “When all winds become ill winds,”Evergreen Newspapers

 

Investigative/Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Dennis Domrzalski and Steve Ginsberg, “Labs in the balance,”

New Mexico Business Weekly

 

General Reporting: Series or Package

Third Place: Monica Mendoza and Amanda Miller, “The business of aging,” Colorado Springs Business Journal

Second Place: Jeremy Wade Shockley and Ace Stryker, “Southern Ute wildlife series,” The Southern Ute Drum

First Place: Ace Stryker, “Utes bless Christmas tree destined for U.S. Capitol/Tribal members tour Meeker historical sites,”The Southern Ute Drum

 

Breaking News

Second Place: Ace Stryker, “It’s official: Chimney Rock a national monument,” The Southern Ute Drum

First Place: Megan Kamerick, “Sony Pictures Imageworks to leave New Mexico,” New Mexico Business Weekly

 

General Reporting: Single Story

Third Place: Ace Stryker, “Pair of Christmas trees blessed by Ute elders arrives in D.C.,” The Southern Ute Drum

Second Place: Sonja Horoshko, “A firestorm over water,” Four Corners Free Press

First Place: Jeremy Wade Shockley, “Traditions live on in Buffalo Harvest,”The Southern Ute Drum

 

 

Public Service

First Place: Amy Gillentine and John Hazlehurst, “City hasn’t learned from long-ago wildfires,”Colorado Springs Business Journal

 

CLASSIFICATION: RADIO

 

Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Storee Powell, “Women’s Education,”Utah Public Radio

Second Place:Grace Hood, “Overworked and Underpaid? Teacher Staffing at Colorado Virtual Academy,”KUNC

First Place: Grace Hood, “With District Changes Looming, Colorado’s Largest Online School Considers Split,” KUNC

 

Feature Reporting

Third Place: Grace Hood, “A Day in the Life of a Wildfire Evacuee,” KUNC

Second Place: Megan Kamerick, “ISEA artists explore intersections of nature and technology,” KUNM

First Place: Nathan Heffel, “El Sistema: Transforming Youth Through Classical Music,”KUNC

 

Multimedia Story

First Place: KUNC News Staff, “Nano Beer Series,” KUNC

 

General Website Excellence

First Place: KUNC

 

Political Reporting

First Place: Storee Powell, “Democratic Congressional Candidates Debate this Week: Get to Know Them Before the Primary,” Utah Public Radio

 

A&E Reporting

First Place: Storee Powell, “Introducing the Logan Film Festival,” Utah Public Radio

 

News Feature

First Place: Storee Powell, “From New York to Utah: An Eyewitness Account of Hurricane Sandy,” Utah Public Radio

 

News Reporting

Third Place: Storee Powell, “Analyzing Women Voters: How They’ll Vote and Why,” Utah Public Radio

Second Place: Nathan Heffel, “The High Park Fire Base Camp: A Respite From The Blaze,”KUNC

First Place: Grace Hood and Nathan Heffel, “High Park Fire Displaces People, Animals,” KUNC

 

Public Service

Second Place: Storee Powell, “Concerns Raised for Seniors Over Voter ID Laws,” Utah Public Radio

First Place: Storee Powell, April Ashland, Kerry Bringhurst and Ryan Cunningham, “Mental Illness Awareness,” Utah Public Radio

 

General Broadcast Excellence

First Place: Megan Kamerick, “Public Square: Bullying,” KNME

 

CLASSIFICATION: TV

Feature Reporting

First Place: Ben Winslow, “Brigham Young’s Secret Wife?”KSTU FOX 13

 

News Reporting

First Place: Ben Winslow and Paul Sanchez, “Steven Powell Guilty,” KSTU FOX 13

 

Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Keli Rabon and Jason Foster, “Moving Mess,” KMGH 7 News

Second Place: Gadi Schwartz, Peter St. Cyr and Laurie Passman, “4 On Your Side: Campaign workers caught offering alcohol to voters” KOB TV

First Place: Keli Rabon and Jason Foster, “Testing the System: Justice for Rape Victims,” KMGH 7 News

 

 

CLASSIFICATION C: Circulation between 10,001-29,999

 

Info Graphic

Third Place: Luis Uribe, “Denver Home Market,” Denver Business Journal

Second Place: Boots Gifford, “Regulatory Reform Progress,”Denver Business Journal

First Place: Kiah Staley, “Beer cruise,”Wyoming Tribune Eagle

 

Agriculture: Enterprise

First Place: Joel Dyer, “Monsanto’s point of no return,”Boulder Weekly

 

Agriculture: General Reporting

Third Place: Pamela Hasterok, “Shares of LOVE Small-scale farms supply healthy, organic produce,”Durango Herald

Second Place: Elizabeth Miller, “Sprayed trespass,”Boulder Weekly

First Place: Cathy Proctor, “Coming up dry: Companies adjust as drought boosts food prices / Lack of water ripples through economy,”Denver Business Journal

 

Single Page Design

Third Place: Boots Gifford, “Single page 9-28-12,”Denver Business Journal

Second Place: Boots Gifford, “Single page 3-2-12,”Denver Business Journal

First Place: Angela St. Clair, “Jake Byrd presents,”Wyoming Tribune Eagle

 

Front Page Design

Third Place: Cynthia Miller, “Slices of History”Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

Second Place: Kristina Dunham, “Red-letter moment,”Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

First Place: Brian Barker, “Obama,” Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

 

Headline Writing

Second Place: Bruce Goldberg, Denver Business Journal

First Place: Dave Shelles, Spencer Elliott, Wyoming Tribune Eagle

 

News Column

Third Place: Joel Dyer, “Is City Council above the law?” Boulder Weekly

Second Place: Neil Westergaard, “Gaylord’s proposal wasn’t right from the start,” Denver Business Journal

First Place: Jefferson Dodge, “Papers, please: An attempt to infiltrate a closed meeting of a Boulder County board” Boulder Weekly

 

Feature Page Design

Third Place: Carlos Lopez, “Taste,” Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

Second Place: Carlos Lopez, “Turn up the steam,” Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

First Place: Angela St. Clair, “The monster in us,”Wyoming Tribune Eagle

 

Special Section

Third Place: Staff, “Forty under 40,”Denver Business Journal

Second Place: Staff, “Power Book,” Denver Business Journal

First Place: Staff, “Outstanding Women in Business,” Denver Business Journal

 

Sports: Enterprise Reporting

Second Place: Alex Riley, “South bound for success,”Wyoming Tribune Eagle

First Place: David Accomazzo, Jefferson Dodge, “Colorado football players collected scholarship money despite legal troubles,”Boulder Weekly

 

Sports Photography

Third Place: James Brosher, “East beats the clock,”Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Second Place: Steve Lewis, “STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS,” Durango Herald

First Place: Michael Smith, “Lassoed by the lens,”Wyoming Tribune Eagle

 

Feature Photography

Third Place: Kathleen Lavine, “Jetlinx,”Denver Business Journal

Second Place: Miranda Grubbs, “You know what you’re doing, right?”Wyoming Tribune Eagle

First Place: Jane Phillips, “Cozy Coats for Kids,”Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

 

News Photography

Third Place: Jane Phillips, “Slow Burn”Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

Second Place: Jane Phillips, “Best from behind the lens,”Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

First Place: Michael Smith, “Defender of democracy,”Wyoming Tribune Eagle

 

Spot News Photography

Third Place: Jerry McBride, “Search on for shooter,” Durango Herald

Second Place: Jane Phillips, “2 Killed ‘execution style’ in Rio Arriba,” Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

First Place: Jane Phillips, “Smoky Skyline,” Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

 

Multimedia Story

Second Place: Staff, “Forty under 40 multimedia,” Denver Business Journal

First Place: Staff, “Outstanding Women in Business multimedia,” Denver Business Journal

 

Mobile Applications

First Place: Staff, “Outstanding Women in Business multimedia,” Denver Business Journal

 

Blog

Second Place:Neil Westergaard, Denver Business Journal

First Place: Mark Harden, Denver Business Journal

 

General Website Excellence

Third Place: Staff, “WyoSports,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Second Place: Staff, Durango Herald

First Place: Staff, Denver Business Journal

 

Health: Enterprise Reporting

Second Place: Ed Sealover, “Proposed trauma center changes spark worry,” Denver Business Journal

First Place: Deborah Busemeyer, “A cannabis catch 22,”Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

 

Health: General Reporting

Third Place: Bruce Krasnow, “Doctor’s dismissal leaves questions,”Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

Second Place: Hadley Vandiver, “Penny wise,” Boulder Weekly

First Place: Ed Sealover, Keeley Blakely, Allison Sylte, “Health Care Quarterly: Looking toward the future,”Denver Business Journal

 

Environment: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Cathy Proctor, Kathleen Lavine, “College student’s filing blocks Gates’ demolition,” Denver Business Journal

Second Place: Elizabeth Miller, “A road too far,”Boulder Weekly

First Place: Joel Dyer, ”Fracking lessons,” Boulder Weekly

 

Environment: General Reporting

Third Place: Cathy Proctor, “Initiatives worry water world,”Denver Business Journal

Second Place: Elizabeth Miller, “Blue Colorado,” Boulder Weekly

First Place: Joel Dyer, Jefferson Dodge, “Waste injection wells: The Earth’s invisible dump,”Boulder Weekly

 

Science: Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Greg Avery, “Why Accelr8 left Colo. for new Tucson home,”Denver Business Journal

 

Science: General Reporting

Second Place: Paul Weideman, “Disgruntled Ancestors: Scott G. Ortman on the conflicts that drive migration” Santa Fe New Mexican – 1

First Place: Greg Avery, “Ball picked for first private deep space project,”Denver Business Journal

 

Legal: General Reporting

Third Place: Steve Weishampel, “Boxed in: Resident says he turned to shipping containers after pressure,” Boulder Weekly

Second Place: Jefferson Dodge, “Trampled anti-war veteran gets his day in court,” Boulder Weekly

First Place: David Accomazzo, “A tale of two predators,” Boulder Weekly

 

Politics: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Jefferson Dodge, “Heavy hitter to fight Longmont fracking ban,”Boulder Weekly

Second Place: Jefferson Dodge, “Can your vote be traced?,”Boulder Weekly

First Place: Jefferson Dodge, Joel Dyer, “Unzipped,” Boulder Weekly

 

Politics: General Reporting

Second Place: Trevor Brown, “Hunting RINOs,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle

First Place: Staff, “Election 2012: What happens next?” Denver Business Journal

 

Education: Enterprise Reporting

Second Place: Robert Nott, “When you are hungry and you are tired, how can you learn?”Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

First Place: Jefferson Dodge, “Fracking and academic freedom,”Boulder Weekly

 

Education: General Reporting

Third Place: Bruce Goldberg, “Tomorrow’s workforce STEMs from today’s young students,” Denver Business Journal

Second Place: Aerin Curtis, “We have a bullying problem,”Wyoming Tribune Eagle

First Place: Chase Olivarius-McAllister, “DHS aims to work some magic,” Durango Herald

A&E Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: David Accomazzo, “In the heart of Cirque du Soleil,”Boulder Weekly

Second Place: Joel Dyer, “Pilgrims of the stage,” Boulder Weekly

First Place: Elizabeth Miller, “The reintroduction of Clyfford Still,” Boulder Weekly

 

A&E Criticism

Third Place: Elizabeth Miller, “Written with a needle,” Boulder Weekly

Second Place: Elizabeth Miller, “Of adverbs and experimentation,” Boulder Weekly

First Place: Adele Oliveira, “Faith in Love: Paloma at Teatro Paraguas,”

Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

 

A&E Single Story

Third Place: Paul Weideman, “First Faces: Native American portraits at the New Mexico History Museum,” Santa Fe New Mexican – 1

Second Place: Josh Rhoten, “Jake Byrd presents,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle

First Place: Adele Oliveira, “A Wild Domesticity: Randall Davey and the Audubon Center,” Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

 

Business: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Ed Sealover, “Pinnacol’s pricey push / Insurer paid Huggins’ salary as chairman,”Denver Business Journal

Second Place: Heather Draper, “The New Janus: CEO of battle-hardened money manager plots comeback,” Denver Business Journal

First Place: Emery Cowan, “SUDS & CRAFTS As appreciation for microbrews grows, makers rewarded for exploring and pushing boundaries,”Durango Herald

 

Business: General Reporting

Third Place: Bruce Krasnow, “Charter school bonds: A day of reckoning,” Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

Second Place: Heather Draper, Dennis Huspeni, “With Amendment 64 law, what’s next for Colorado?,” Denver Business Journal

First Place: Ed Sealover, “Behind United’s Tokyo deal,” Denver Business Journal

 

Sports: Columns

Third Place: Dale Shrull, Cortez Journal

Second Place: Alex Riley, Wyoming Tribune Eagle

First Place: Robert Gagliardi, Wyoming Tribune Eagle

 

Sports: General Reporting

Third Place: Jayme Moye, “New Heights” Women’s Adventure Magazine

Second Place: Elizabeth Miller, “One stage to rule them all,” Boulder Weekly

First Place: Josh Rhoten, “A big night at Big Country,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle

 

Editorials

First Place: Reed Eckhardt, Wyoming Tribune Eagle

 

Personal or Humor Column

Third Place: Neil Westergaard, Denver Business Journal

Second Place: John Peel, Durango Herald

First Place: Dale Shrull, Cortez Journal

 

Public Service

Third Place: Joel Dyer, Jefferson Dodge, Elizabeth Miller, “The Ghosts of Valmont Butte series,” Boulder Weekly

Second Place: Emery Cowan, “A HISTORIC PROMISE,” Durango Herald

First Place: Heather Draper, “Denver Public Schools bonds,” Denver Business Journal

 

News Feature

Third Place: Julie Ann Grimm, “Chief at Crossroads,” Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

Second Place: Elizabeth Miller, “Chasing the White Horse,” Boulder Weekly

First Place: Joel Dyer, “Motive behind the madness in Sikh shooting,” Boulder Weekly

 

Investigative/Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: James Chilton, “Secret agenda at city hall?” Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Second Place: Joe Hanel, “The state’s No. 1 dangerous pass is … Herald looks at snow, accidents, switchbacks to make determination,” Durango Herald

First Place: Julie Ann Grimm , Geoff Grammer, “Small Change Hustle,” Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

 

General Reporting- Series or Package

Third Place: Jefferson Dodge, Don Tartaglione, Michael Callahan, Travis Mannon, “Crews continue battling Flagstaff Fire outside of Boulder,” Boulder Weekly

Second Place: Dale Rodebaugh, Jordyn Dahl, “Missionary Ridge 10 Years later 39 DAYS OF DESTRUCTION,” Durango Herald

First Place: Staff, “The changing face of patriotism,” Boulder Weekly

 

Breaking News Story

Third Place: Shane Benjamin, “Family of 3 survives explosion,”Durango Herald

Second Place: Heather Draper, “Michael Van Gilder steps down as brokerage CEO amid trading probe,” Denver Business Journal

First Place: Becky Orr, Trevor Brown, Josh Mitchell, “American Eagle leaving,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle

 

News Reporting- Single Story

Third Place: Josh Rhoten, “Homeless in the Capital City,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Second Place: Nico Roesler, “Jury watches interview with man charged in child‚Äôs death,” Santa Fe New Mexican – 2

First Place: Ed Sealover, “Bidding on this state contract may cost your company 7 iPads,” Denver Business Journal

 

 

CLASSIFICATION B: Circulation between 30,000-74,999

 

Single Page Design

Third Place: Joshua Joye, “We Can be Queereos, Just For One Day,” SLUG Magazine

Second Place: Joshua Joye, “Ross Imburgia,” SLUG Magazine

First Place: Joshua Joye, “INVDRS,” SLUG Magazine

 

Feature Page Design

Third Place: Joshua Joye, “Super Top Secret,” SLUG Magazine

Second Place: Joshua Joye, “Torche,” SLUG Magazine

First Place: Joshua Joye, “Handcrafted Hacking,” SLUG Magazine

 

 

Front Page Design

Third Place: Robin Banks, “April 2012 – Record Store Day,” SLUG Magazine

Second Place: Joshua Joye, “November 2012 – A Place To Bury Strangers,” SLUG Magazine

First Place: Sean Hennefer, “June 2012 – Torche,” SLUG Magazine

 

Sports Photography

Third Place: Andy Wright, “Parker Duke,” SLUG Magazine

Second Place: Weston Colton, “Devin York,” SLUG Magazine

First Place: Lindsay Pierce, “Rocky Mountain Scottish Athletes practice,” YourHub Arvada

 

Feature Photography

Third Place: Seth A. McConnell, “Franktown students ride horses to school,”YourHub Douglas County

Second Place: Lindsay Pierce, “Preparing Hercules, a 290-pound pig, for JeffCo Fair,”YourHub Arvada

First Place: Seth A. McConnell, “Colorado Vintage Base Ball Association,” YourHub Douglas County

 

News Photography

Third Place: Seth A. McConnell, “Westernaires Practice,” YourHub Golden

Second Place: Lindsay Pierce, “Aurora Police program steps up DUI enforcement efforts,” YourHub Aurora

First Place: Seth A. McConnell, “Northern Arapaho Tribe at Arapahoe High School,” YourHub Arapahoe County

 

Mobile Application

First Place: Staff, SLUG Magazine iPhone App

 

Blog

Second Place: Gavin Sheehan, “Gavin’s Underground,” Salt Lake City Weekly

First Place: Colin Wolf, “The Secret Handshake,” Salt Lake City Weekly

 

Multimedia Story

Third Place: Candida Duran, “Summer of Death – Roughside 3,” SLUG Magazine

Second Place: Staff, “African-American infants die twice as often,” Colorado Public News

First Place: Matt Pothier, “Joshua James Album Release,” SLUG Magazine

 

General Website Excellence

Third Place: EdNews Colorado

Second Place: Colorado Public News

First Place: SLUGMag.com

 

Health: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Erika Gonzalez, Carol McKinley, “Be healthy, win a bonus from the boss,” Colorado Public News

Second Place: Erika Gonzalez, Carol McKinley, “Bankruptcies up as medical costs soar,” Colorado Public News

First Place: Staff, “Drug prices in Colorado all over the map,” Colorado Public News

 

Health: General Reporting

Third Place: J. Adrian Stanley, “In a smoke-filled room …” Colorado Springs Independent

Second Place: Ann Imse, Carol McKinley, “State touts healthy population to entice companies, boost jobs,” Colorado Public News

First Place: Cara DeGette, Carol McKinley, “Dental issues in pregnant women put babies at risk,” Colorado Public News

 

Environment: Enterprise Reporting

Second Place: Stephen Dark, Jason Crosby, “Toxic Secret in Sandy: Dry-cleaning chemicals fester beneath Canyon Shopping Center,” Salt Lake City Weekly

First Place: J. Adrian Stanley, “Fifty shades of green,” Colorado Springs Independent

 

Environment: General Reporting

Third Place: Ann Imse, Drew Jaynes, “Colorado has backlog of 1,800 air pollution permits for oil and gas,” Colorado Public News

Second Place: Jayme Moye, “Cry Wolf,” Elevation Outdoors

First Place: Laura Paskus, “Death By A Thousand Cuts: Will Santa Fe’s campaign to buy up water rights kill the Rio Grande?,”Santa Fe Reporter

 

Science: General Reporting

First Place: Beth Potter, “Biotech on quest to market gel,” Boulder County Business Report

 

Legal: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Stephen Dark, “Lost in the Hole: Mentally ill felons are locked in their own circle of hell,” Salt Lake City Weekly

Second Place: Eric S. Peterson, “The Wild Bunch: Public lands office goes in guns blazing, hiring cronies and sparing no taxpayer expense fighting the feds,” Salt Lake City Weekly

First Place: Chet Hardin, “Blood and circus; the vapor trail,” Colorado Springs Independent

 

Legal: General Reporting

Third Place: Ann Imse, Carol McKinley, Stephen Swofford, “Marijuana arrests up despite medical cards,” Colorado Public News

Second Place: Stephen Dark, “Warped Desire: A look inside the mind of a child pornographer,” Salt Lake City Weekly

First Place: Steve Knopper, “After Columbine,” Super Lawyers

 

 

Special Section

First Place: Staff, “InSider: 2012 Annual Manual to the Pikes Peak Region,” Colorado Springs Independent

 

Sports: Enterprise Reporting

Second Place: Joe Vaccarelli, “Denver’s Yvonne Phan climbs ranks in growing sport of roller derby,” Your Hub Denver,

First Place: Staff, “USA Pro Challenge preview,” Colorado Springs Independent

 

Sports: General Reporting

Third Place: Joe Vaccarelli, “New Denver minor league hockey team has passionate fan base,” YourHub Denver

Second Place: Katie Panzer, “Julian Carr,” SLUG Magazine

First Place: Dylan Chadwick, “Ultra Championship Wrestling,” SLUG Magazine

 

Politics: Enterprise Reporting

Second Place: Chet Hardin, “Liar, liar,” Colorado Springs Independent

First Place: Stephen Dark, “An Audit They Couldn’t Refuse: To help a church friend, Utah Lt. Gov. Greg Bell put DCFS on the hot seat,” Salt Lake City Weekly

 

Politics: General Reporting

Third Place: Bill Forman, “Western Tradition Partnership reporting,” Colorado Springs Independent

Second Place: Chet Hardin, “Left out,” Colorado Springs Independent

First Place: Jonathan Thompson, “Red State Rising,” High Country News

 

Agriculture: General Reporting

Third Place: Emilie Rusch, “Jeffco considers allowing backyard chickens, bees in residential lots,” YourHub Lakewood

Second Place: Tanya Ishikawa, “Veterans to Farmers – Iraq Vet Finds a Fresh Start in the Greenhouse,” Boulder Magazine

First Place: Matt Jenkins, “Water Warrior,” High Country News

 

Education: Enterprise Reporting

Second Place: Clayton Woullard, “Douglas County teachers react to uncertainty,” YourHub Douglas County

First Place: Staff, “Medical marijuana and K-12 schools,” EdNews Colorado

 

Education: General Reporting

First Place: Nancy Mitchell, Rebecca Jones, Burt Hubbard, Todd Engdahl, “State investigating two Denver schools,” EdNews Colorado

 

A&E Enterprise Reporting

Second Place: Scott Renshaw, “Funny Business,” Salt Lake City Weekly

First Place: Colin Wolf, “Heavy Metal: With swords at the ready, Utah history re-enactors wage a protest against the 21st century,” Salt Lake City Weekly

 

A&E Criticism

Third Place: Bryce Crawford, “Appetite reviews,” Colorado Springs Independent

Second Place: Bill Frost, “True TV Guide Fall Preview,” Salt Lake City Weekly

First Place: Scott Renshaw, “Shhhhhh!” Salt Lake City Weekly

A&E Single Story

Third Place: Mike Furness, “The Mormon Masterpiece,” Salt Lake City Weekly

Second Place: Kirsten Akens, Matthew Schniper, Sara Michael, “How to succeed in film,” Colorado Springs Independent

First Place: Colin Wolf, “Latter-Day Reality: Reality TV shines a spotlight on Utah stereotypes,” Salt Lake City Weekly

 

Business: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Joe Vaccarelli, “Denver’s Rockbar losing liquor, cabaret licenses,”

YourHub Denver

Second Place: Eric S. Peterson, “Deserted News: From family values to Windergate, the Deseret News, one year after mass layoffs,” Salt Lake City Weekly

First Place: Pam Zubeck, “Close UP,” Colorado Springs Independent

 

Business: General Reporting

Third Place: Greg Hanscom, “The Hardest Climb,” High Country News

Second Place: Matthew Schniper, “Adventures in crowdfunding,” Colorado Springs Independent

First Place: Jason Stevenson, “Why Outdoor Retailer and its $40 million convention may be about to “Take a Hike””Salt Lake City Weekly

 

 

Personal or Humor Column

Third Place: Rich Tosches, “Ranger Rich,” Colorado Springs Independent

Second Place: Doug Storum, Boulder County Business Report

First Place: John Rasmuson, “Man of Words,”Salt Lake City Weekly

 

News Column

Third Place: Laura Paskus, “First Person,” Santa Fe Reporter

Second Place: Rebecca Walsh, “Wright Wrong, Women’s Work, Rich Mitt,” Salt Lake City Weekly

First Place: Ralph Routon, “Between the Lines,” Colorado Springs Independent

 

Editorial

First Place: Boulder County Business Report

 

News Feature

Third Place: Pam Zubeck, “Cracks in the code,” Colorado Springs Independent

Second Place: Eric S. Peterson, “What I Saw: A reporter’s eyewitness account of the Main Street police standoff,” Salt Lake City Weekly

First Place: Leticia Steffen, “THE END IS NEAR … or maybe not,” Pueblo Chieftain

 

Investigative/Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Carolyn Campbell, “Sweetheart Swindlers: In the pursuit of love, smart women can be easy prey for scoundrels,” Salt Lake City Weekly

Second Place: Colin Wolf, “Steal this Bike: What does it take to get someone to steal a bike in this town?” Salt Lake City Weekly

First Place: Eric S. Peterson, “Campaign Confidential, Dialing for Dollars and Phone Predators,” Salt Lake City Weekly

 

General Reporting- Series or Package

Third Place: Joey Kirchmer, “Brighton pit bull remains in quarantine after reported attacks; Detained Brighton pit bull, Dre, set to go home,” YourHub Adams County

Second Place: Joey Kirchmer, “More budget cuts heading to Adams 12 Five Star Schools,” YourHub Adams County

First Place: Staff, “Waldo Canyon Fire coverage,” Colorado Springs Independent

 

News Reporting- Single Story

Third Place: Joey Kirchmer, “Aurora Police program steps up DUI enforcement efforts,” YourHub Aurora

Second Place: Joey Kirchmer, “Fundraiser for victims of Aurora theater shootings,” YourHub Aurora

First Place: Josie Klemaier, “Denver-Glenwood Springs bike path nearing reality,”YourHub Golden

 

Public Service

Second Place: Joey Kirchmer, “Aurora Warms the Night cools down homeless during heat wave,” YourHub Aurora

First Place: Jason Stevenson, Joseph Jarvis, “The Great Obamacare Scare: Ten reasons Utahns greatly fear the Affordable Care Act, even if none is true,” Salt Lake City Weekly

 

CLASSIFICATION A: Circulation more than 75,000

 

Info Graphic

Third Place: Cathryn Cunningham, “Spring Fling,”Albuquerque Journal

Second Place: Severiano Galvn, “”We weren’t novices”: Getting out of hand”Denver Post

First Place: Severiano Galvn, ““Missile” Missy ready for launch” Denver Post

 

Agriculture: General Reporting

Third Place: Steve Raabe, Tender Wagyu muscles onto meat scene, makes stock-show exhibition debut, Denver Post

Second Place: Marjorie Cortez, Cattle branding ritual endures as Western ranchers await new regulations on animal ID, Deseret News

First Place: Carol McGraw, Still tall in saddle, Colorado Springs Gazette

 

Single Page Design

Second Place: Elizabeth Trujillo, Last Bell, Albuquerque Journal

First:Jenna Busey, BYU Passing Offense: 40 years in the air, Salt Lake Tribune

 

Front Page Design

Third Place: Leah Derrington, Duke City’s ‘Bad’ Boy, Albuquerque Journal

Second Place: Leanna Efird, A BRIGHTER DAY IS GOING TO COME, Denver Post

First Place: Staff, All eyes on the sky; ‘Something better awaits us’;’This was just evil’; Emilie, the way she was, Salt Lake Tribune

 

Headline Writing

Third Place: Dale Ulland, Denver Post

Second Place: Dale Ulland, Denver Post

First Place: Dale Ulland, Denver Post

 

News Column

Third Place: Peg McEntee, Salt Lake Tribune

Second Place: Barry Noreen, Colorado Springs Gazette

First Place: Joline Gutierrez Krueger, Albuquerque Journal

 

Feature Page Design

Third Place: Jennifer Swanson, Rising to a crescendo, Albuquerque Journal

Second Place: Francisco Kjolseth, Salt Lake Tribune

First Place: Rudy Mesicek, Salt Lake Tribune

 

Special Section

Third Place: Staff, “New Mexico — 100 Years of Statehood,” Albuquerque Journal

Second Place: Staff, “Fire Heroes,” Colorado Springs Gazette

First Place: Staff, “Heroes Among Us,” Denver Post

 

Sports: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Benjamin Hochman, “Larry Eustachy, CSU Rams basketball coach, past addiction, problems,”Denver Post

Second Place: Benjamin Hochman, “Nuggets GM Ujiri works overtime in pursuit of greatness,” Denver Post

First Place: Mark Smith, “Kenny Thomas Foundation,”Albuquerque Journal

 

Sports Photography

Third Place: Bryce Boyer, “Golden Girl,” 5280

Second Place: Mark Reis, “color run,” Colorado Springs Gazette

First Place: Helen H. Richardson, “Cowboy Wave,” Denver Post

 

Feature Photography

Third Place:Dana Romanoff, “The Happy Shrewdness of John Hickenlooper,” 5280

Second Place: RJ Sangosti, “Snow Day,”Denver Post

First Place: Joe Amon, “Heroin in Denver,” Denver Post

 

News Photography

Third Place: Francisco Kjolseth, Border agent laid to rest in Utah, Salt Lake Tribune

Second Place: Staff, “Colorado Fire Season,” Denver Post

First Place: Staff, “Aurora Theater Shooting,” Denver Post

 

Spot News Photography

Third Place: Mark Reis, The President’s Shoes, Colorado Springs Gazette

Second Place: RJ Sangosti, Neighborhood on Fire, Denver Post

First Place: Al Hartmann, “’Wall of fire’ devastates,”Salt Lake Tribune

 

Multimedia Story

Second Place: Staff, “Titanic Anniversary: 100 years later,” Denver Post

First Place: Staff, “Heroin in Denver,” Denver Post

 

Mobile Applications

Second Place: Staff, Ski Guide, Denver Post

First Place, Staff, Denver Post

 

Blog

Third Place: Staff, “The Spot,” Denver Post

Second Place: Staff, “First Drafts,” Denver Post

First Place: Staff, “Plog,” Denver Post

 

General Website Excellence

Second Place: Staff, Denver Post

First Place: Staff, Salt Lake City Tribune

 

Health: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Heather May, Julia Lyon, Melinda Rogers, “Who is Nicola Riley?” Salt Lake Tribune

Second Place: Kirsten Stewart, “A Prescription for Health,” Salt Lake Tribune

First Place: Michael Booth, “Heroin in Denver,” Denver Post

 

Health: General Reporting

Third Place: Barbara Cotter, “Victims of violence fine relief from pain, fears at hands of fornsic nurses,” Colorado Springs Gazette

Second Place: Lois M. Collins, “Life’s final journey series,” Deseret News

First Place: Kirsten Stewart, Scott Sommerdorf, “Saving Buddy,” Salt Lake Tribune

 

Environment: Enterprise Reporting

Second Place: Brandon Loomis, “Our Dying Forests,” Salt Lake Tribune

First Place: Amy Joi O’Donoghue, “The fight for water: Here’s why the West’s oldest battle could hit you at the tap,” Deseret News

 

Environment: General Reporting

Third Place: Scott Rappold, “See Colorado’s glaciers while you still can,” Colorado Springs Gazette

Second Place: Andrew Wineke, “Drilling requires water – lot’s of it,” Colorado Springs Gazette

First Place: Amy Joi O’Donoghue, “Clearing the air: That air you’re breathing may be slowly killing you,” Deseret News

 

Science: General Reporting

First Place: Andrew Wineke, “Wastewater disposal after drilling a nagging problem,” Colorado Springs Gazette

 

Legal: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Aaron Falk, “Roman trial: Doubt takes hold,” Salt Lake Tribune

Second Place: Brooke Adams, Melinda Rogers, “Warrants built case against husband,” Salt Lake Tribune

First Place: Nate Carlisle, Cimaron Neugebauer, “UHP’s blind spot: patrolling itself,” Salt Lake Tribune

 

Legal: General Reporting

Third Place: Marjorie Cortez, “Homeless court metes out justice in accessible setting,” Deseret News

Second Place: Sara Israelsen-Hartley, “Colliding causes: gay rights and religious liberty,” Deseret News

First Place: Aaron Falk, “The Price of Freedom,”Salt Lake Tribune

 

Politics: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Matt Canham, “The birth of a politician; 1977: Hatch takes office as a freshman fighter,” Salt Lake Tribune

Second Place: Peggy Stack, Lee Davidson, Matt Canham, “Will black Mormons vote their race or their religion?” Salt Lake Tribune

First Place: Nic Garcia, “Anger spurs action,” Out Front

 

Politics: General Reporting

Third Place: Benjamin Wood, “Cedar Hills residents look for healing and a fresh start following decade of controversy,” Deseret News

Second Place: Lynn Bartels, Jessica Fender, Tim Hoover, “Civil Unions,” Denver Post

First Place: Sara Israelsen-Hartley, “Mending Marriages: States Consider Divorce Reform in Attempt to Preserve Families,” Deseret News

 

Education: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Celia Baker, “Flipped classrooms: Turning learning upside down,” Deseret News

Second Place: Celia Baker, “Credit hours vs. competency debate continues for classes,” Deseret News

First Place: Celia Baker, “Crushing debt: Students finding solutions to avoid or survive loans, Deseret News

 

Education: General Reporting

Third Place: Kevin Simpson, “Hickenlooper’s 2004 pledge to students of Denver’s Cole Middle School fulfilled, failed,” Denver Post

Second Place: Kevin Simpson, “Rise in student plagiarism cases attributed to blurred lines of digital world,” Denver Post

First Place: Hailey Heinz, “Diploma Costs Weekend and $200,” Albuquerque Journal

 

A&E Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Karen Schwartz, “THE PASSION OF THE CHRISTO: Monumental artist talks about unbreakable bond with late wife Jeanne-Claude,” The Daily

Second Place: John Wenzel, “Behind the velvet rope: Getting into Denver’s hottest nightclubs can be a controversial process,”Denver Post

First Place: Rachel Lowry, “The telling of a tale: Christmas stories teach, persuade, define us,” Deseret News

 

A&E Criticism

Second Place: Scott D. Pierce, Salt Lake Tribune

First Place: Sean P. Means, Salt Lake Tribune

 

A&E Single Story

Third Place: Adrian Gomez, “Duke City Bad Boy,” Albuquerque Journal

Second Place: Lindsey B. Koehler, “The Battle Hymn of OneRepublic,” 5280

First Place: Ben Fulton, “The Business of ‘Les Miz’:Why are Utahns so in love with the epic musical?” Salt Lake Tribune

 

Business: Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: Luc Hatlestad, “The Strangest Show on Earth,” 5280

Second Place: Staff, “UTOPIA: Fiber-optic nirvana or nightmare with no way out?” Salt Lake Tribune

First Place: Staff, “Will City Creek’s opening help downtown SLC reclaim its glory,” Salt Lake Tribune

 

Business: General Reporting

Third Place: Derek P. Jensen, Dawn House, “LDS mall rules bad for biz?” Salt Lake Tribune

Second Place: Mark Jaffe, “Xcel’s SmartGridCity plan fails to connect with Boulder,” Denver Post

First Place: Tony Semerad, “Records: Incidents at Utah refineries numerous,” Salt Lake Tribune

 

Sports: Columns

Third Place: Paul Klee, Colorado Springs Gazette

Second Place: Kurt Kragthorpe, Salt Lake Tribune

First Place: Mark Kiszla, Denver Post

 

Sports: General Reporting

Third Place: Bill Oram, “Letters to Lily: Utah football player writes his own story,” Salt Lake Tribune

Second Place: Benjamin Hochman, “Ty & Chico: Lawson, alter ego playing star roles with Nuggets,” Denver Post

First Place: Robert Sanchez, “Golden Girl,” 5280

 

Editorials

Second Place: Sharon Hedrix, Albuquerque Journal

First Place: D’Val Westphal, Albuquerque Journal

 

Column Personal/Humor

Third Place: Jay Evensen, “On Second Thought,” Deseret News

Second Place: Bill Vogrin, “Vogrin columns,” Colorado Springs Gazette

First Place: Robert Kirby, “Robert Kirby columns,” Salt Lake Tribune

 

Public Service

Third Place: Jeff Proctor, “Officers Get Union Checks After Shootings,” Albuquerque Journal

Second Place: Julie Dugdale, Chris Outcalt, “Beneath the Surface,” 5280

First Place: Staff, “Failed To Death,” The Denver Post

 

News Feature

Third Place: Robert Sanchez, “Chasing A Ghost,” 5280

Second Place: Barbara Cotter, “Victims of violence find relief from pain, fears at hands of forensic nurses,” Colorado Springs Gazette

First Place: Kevin Simpson, “Denver woman feels the power of restorative justice after son murdered,” Denver Post

 

Investigative/Enterprise Reporting

Third Place: John Ingold, “Decade after Hayman fire, questions linger about fire’s start,” Denver Post

Second Place: Mike Gallagher, “New Mexico’s love affair with drugs,” Albuquerque Journal

First Place: Jennifer Brown, “Grades out on consultants,” Denver Post

 

General Reporting- Series or Package

Third Place: Staff, “Coming to our Census,” Deseret News

Second Place: Olivier Uyttebrouck, Charles Brunt, Rene Romo, “Returning Veterans Need Help To Heal Invisible Wounds,” Albuquerque Journal

First Place: Lois M. Collins, Jamshid G. Askar, “The war on boys/Losing ground,” Deseret News

 

News Reporting- Single Story

Third Place: Brooke Adams, “Adoption ordeal: Hope, doubts,” Salt Lake Tribune

Second Place: Dennis Romboy, “In search of hope along the U.S.-Mexico border,” Deseret News

First Place: David Montero, Kimball Bennion, “Emilie, the way she was,” Salt Lake Tribune

 

Breaking News Story

Third Place: Staff, “Waldo Canyon fire,” Denver Post

Second Place: Staff, “This was just evil’,”Salt Lake Tribune

First Place: Staff, “Midnight Massacre,” Denver Post

This blog entry also appears on the SPJ FOI blog

It’s been a bit of a roller-coaster ride in Laramie for open-government advocates.

First, in January a district court judge ruled in favor of media organizations that the names for the finalists for the University of Wyoming’s presidency should be public record. The university was planning a secret selection process, using the shop-worn argument that good candidates wouldn’t bother applying if their current employers knew they were looking for a job.

But the ink on the court ruling was barely dry when Wyoming House Majority Leader Kermit Brown, R-Laramie, introduced legislation that would make the finalists information secret. At a committee hearing, university officials testified that four of the eight semi-finalists for the job withdrew after the court decision. The fact that the bill went through the Minerals Committee instead of either a higher-education or judiciary committee raises questions about intent.

SPJ’s FOI Committee weighed in, with Chairwoman Linda Petersen and National President Sonny Alborado writing a letter urging the bill’s veto.

The bill passed through the legislature quickly, and Gov. Matt Mead allowed the bill to become law without his signature, on Feb. 8 due to the veto-proof majorities in the Legislature that passed the bill. There was a glimmer of hope in Mead’s warning that the Legislature should not further erode the state’s open-records law.

But it looked like the presidential search would be shrouded in secrecy. Then, as the Student Press Law Center reported Feb. 22, the university decided that it would make the finalists public.

But the law is still on the books, which means the Wyoming media may have to fight this battle again. But at least it can rely on this presidential search to show that sunlight did not scare off qualified candidates.

It was great seeing fellow Region 9 members at the Excellence in Journalism conference in Fort Lauderdale. Three of our four pro chapters were well represented, and I saw a few of our student members there.

Like other SPJ conventions, it was a great time to meet with folks from other parts of the country, build up the network and renew friendships. But we also got a lot of work done as well.

One great piece of news that came up during the convention was Rio Grande Pro’s decision to host the 2013 regional convention. As those of you who have hosted a regional conference know, this is not a light undertaking. I’ve been there.  I’ve pledged my support to help in any way I can, and I want to urge everyone in the region to pitch in, whether it is expertise, planning assistance or even money. While the folks in New Mexico are gracious enough to host the chapter, let’s remember it is a regional conference and work together to again demonstrate why this is one of SPJ’s greatest regions. If you are interested in helping, contact Julie Ann Grimm in New Mexico or me. And our good friend and now immediate past-president John Ensslin said he would try to adjust his schedule to come to the regional to represent SPJ’s executive committee.

Here’s a recap of what happened at the national board meeting.

The board voted to create a traveling Ted Scripps Leadership Institute. SPJ used to conduct this great training program at IUPUI’s hotel/conference center in Indianapolis, but the university is closing it to use the space for classrooms and dorms. To replace it, the board voted to give staff the go-ahead to launch a traveling program. The goal is to visit four regions a year, at a place that will be no more than eight hours’ drive for any SPJ member in the region. The program will allow for more people from chapters to get the leadership training and bring it home to strengthen the chapters. Those of you who have been through the training know what a valuable resource this is, so it is exciting to see that it will continue in a way that will make it accessible to more SPJ members than before.

Starting in January, you’ll be able to pay for your SPJ membership with a credit card. Joe Skeel, our national director, told us the office finally has the software package in place to make this possible. This will allow people to set up an automatic renewal on their membership, as well as to pay their dues on a monthly basis rather than yearly. That should make membership a bit affordable. However, you’ll have to opt in to the program, and it will cost an extra $5 a year to cover the cost of processing credit cards. But it has the potential to reduce dues to a $6.67 monthly payment. I’ll post more details as they become available.

The board also voted to roll out an institutional membership program. This will allow a news outlet to join SPJ and get its employees a $15 discount on annual dues. The program will have three tiers  — bronze, silver and gold — with additional benefits for the higher levels. For example, a gold member would pay $1,250 a year and get a free national convention registration for one person and an in-person in-house training program for all employees. Other benefits include a free regional conference registration, free job postings and customized webinar, which would be available to gold and silver institutional members. If you weigh the costs of sending one employee to Poynter, SPJ National or other training programs, the gold membership can be a bargain when you figure you can bring in a high-quality training program for your entire staff each year. Joe Skeel said the program came about after interviewing newsroom managers about what they wanted out of SPJ. One of the goals is to get the SPJ culture into more newsrooms.

SPJ also prepared guidelines for the best practices in chapter finances in the wake of the embezzlement scandal that rocked Region 8 this year. I will send out copies to the chapter leaders, but essentially it calls for additional oversight of chapter accounts and recommends such things as having second signers on checks and regular reviews of the finances.

The board also adopted procedures for creating chapters overseas. This is a response to journalists overseas who see what SPJ stands for and want to see it in their countries.

During our Sunday meeting, the SPJ national board voted to give each of the national committees that meet during the national convention one free convention registration. This is a measure I fought hard for. At points, I felt like Benjamin Franklin working the salons of Paris trying to convince the French to support American independence. But I believe that the national committee chairs are some of the hardest-working people at SPJ’s national level. And for many of them, it is a serious sacrifice to take time away from jobs and families to come to the convention to conduct committee meetings and other tasks at the convention. While a free convention registration doesn’t fully make up for that, it is a way to thank these people for their service. We’re going to do it for one year, with the option to review it at next year’s convention, which will be at the Anaheim Marriott, next door to DisneyLand.

Utah Headliners and Colorado Pro were both recognized in SPJ’s Circle of Excellence for work in FOI and campus relations respectively. Congratulations to those chapters.

I also want to thank you all for your support. You all are the people who truly make SPJ a worthwhile organization. You are the ones in the trenches fighting the battles for open government, encouraging students that journalism is a worthy profession at a time when others are writing its epitath and carrying SPJ’s standards into newsrooms around the region. You are the folks who make SPJ great, and I consider it a privilege to serve as your representative and voice on the national board.

The Sanpete Messenger, a weekly newspaper serving the communities in Utah’s rural Sanpete County, was in an open-records fight with the Utah Highway Patrol.

Christian Probasco, a reporter with the Messenger, was seeking information on an accident where a teenage boy who wandered away from a group home was hit and injured by a car on a rural highway at night. The UHP provided the information, but redacted the information on the boy. Probasco said he was told that the patrol had a policy to not release minors’ names, despite state laws saying that the media had access to accident reports.

Probasco wasn’t willing to let it go, especially with the possibility that the denial was politically motivated; he and his publisher said the investigating officer might be the co-owner — with a local mayor —of the group home the boy was living at.

Probasco appealed this denial through the Department of Public Safety and was denied, all claiming that releasing the boy’s name would constitute an “unwarranted invasion of privacy.” The next level of recourse was the Utah State Records Committee, a body that hears appeals under the state Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA). Appearing before the committee can be intimidating for the average person. Those who speak have to swear to tell the truth under pain of perjury charges. They have to present their cases in about a half-hour. And they have to face the people withholding the records and their attorneys.

In this case, Probasco and his publisher, Suzanne Dean, were facing an assistant Utah Attorney General. And, they had to take off an entire day to make the trip to Salt Lake City.

Adding to the potential stress level were the consequences if they lost. If the board agreed with the highway patrol, it would set a precedent for withholding minors’ names, and embolden bureaucrats to further shroud records in secrecy.

Fortunately, Dean and Probasco didn’t go in alone. SPJ was at their side.

SPJ National FOI Chairwoman Linda Petersen was there, testifying that the state’s arguments for privacy were a ridiculous twisting of GRAMA. “It is a very dangerous thing when law enforcers become interpreters of the law,” Petersen said.

Sheryl Worsley, president of the Utah Headliners Chapter was there as well. She told the committee that having information like Probasco sought is what helps journalists tell the stories that make a difference, that put human faces on problems and motivate people to right wrongs.

Joel Campbell, a former National FOI chairman, also reminded the committee that the state Legislature said journalists could have all names listed in a motor-vehicle accident report, giving them the historical background on the legislation.

I was there as part of the contingent of reporters covering the hearing, many of whom were alerted by Campbell, Petersen and Worsley to the significance of the hearing.

The good news is that Probasco won. The committee ruled that the state, which even went as far as to suggest the teen should not be named because there was a possibility he might be criminally charged for walking in the road at night, failed to prove the request was a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy. I can’t say if SPJ’s presence tipped the scales, but it showed that someone was watching and willing to stand up for the public’s right to know.

The case is not over just yet; the state is mulling a possible appeal to district court. But Dean and Probasco know if that should happen, they have friends in SPJ who will stand beside them at the barricades.

And that is why I’m an SPJ member.

The Utah Judicial Council is considering new rules that would allow electronic media, including video and audio, coverage of trials in the state. Currently, the state only allows still photography in district court cases. Another rule  allows for the use of computers, cellphones and other electronic devices in courtrooms, with the judge’s permission. These rules represent a significant change. The comment period is open until Aug. 14. You can comment here. I posted the following there:

As regional director for the Society of Professional Journalists, the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, I fully support adopting Rule 04-0401.01, which would allow electronic media coverage of court proceedings.
The rule would allow the public to see and hear more accurately what actually takes place in Utah’s courtrooms. For many Utahns,this might provide their first look into the judicial system. This rule change will place Utah’s courts at the forefront of transparency, which benefits the courts, those who appear before its bar and the public it serves.
An open court has been one of the hallmarks of American society. Our nation’s founders understood the abuses of England’s Star Chamber and secret tribunals, and made sure that trials would be for the most part open to the public. Indeed, the U.S. Supreme has recognized the First Amendment right of the public and press to attend court proceedings. Increasing accessibility is a logical extension of the right.
Today, the judicial branch is one of the more powerful branches of government. It not only defines and enforces the laws, but it also has the power to deny people of property, liberty and — in some cases — life. But it is one branch that is partly shrouded in mystery. Most people usually do not have occasion to go to a courtroom. And past rules on media coverage have helped further obscure the court’s operation from the public eye. Permitting journalists’ video cameras and audio recorders into courtrooms will allow people to see better how the courts operate, giving them a better perspective than they would otherwise have.
The court is currently engaged in a campaign to encourage more Utahns to perform their civic duty as jurors. Opening up the courts to digital media would help advance that effort as people would have a better understanding of what happens at a trial, rather than having to rely on what they see in entertainment media.
Openness would also further ensure a defendant’s right to a fair trial. With more people being able to watch or hear a trial, it would allow the public to see whether a defendant truly had his day in court and that the justice that was being administered in their name was done without fear or favor.
This rule, and 04-0401.02, recognize the realities of our modern digital age. It makes sense to allow journalists to use the modern tools of their profession to provide the public with an accurate account of the court’s proceedings. Utah’s journalists have demonstrated their professionalism in following the rules governing still photography, and they will do so with electronic technology as well.
I respectfully urge the judicial council to adopt these rules and allow Utah to serve as an example of transparency.