2018 S.C. Press Association News Contest Winners

2018 NEWS CONTEST Recognizing the Palmetto State’s best journalism

Open Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 All Weekly Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6 All Daily Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9 Weekly Under 4,500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10 Weekly Under 4,500 & Over 4,500 Combined . . . . . . . 11 Weekly Over 4,500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-13 Weekly Over 4,500 & 2-3 Times Weekly Combined ...13 2-3 Times Weekly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15 Daily Under 12,000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16-18 Daily Under 12,000 & 12,000-30,000 Combined . . . . 22 Daily 12,000-30,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-24 Daily 12,000-30,000 & Over 30,000 Combined . . . . . 25 Daily Over 30,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-29 Top Honors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-21 Associate & Individual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-32 Collegiate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33-37 Annual Meeting Sponsors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Special thanks to Charleston Print Authority/ Evening Post Publishing Newspaper Group, Inc. for printing this special winners tabloid.

Additional copies of this publication are available from the S.C. Press Association. To order free copies, contact jfaulkner@scpress.org.

View digital winners presentations at scpress.org 2 | 2018 News Contest Winners

PRESIDENT'S AWARD for Excellence DAILY WINNERS Under 12,000 – Index-Journal 12,000-30,000 – Herald-Journal Over 30,000 – The Post and Courier

WEEKLY WINNERS Under 4,500 – TIE: The News, Kingstree & Pageland Progressive Journal Over 4,500 – Myrtle Beach Herald 2-3 Times Weekly – The News & Reporter

JUDSON CHAPMAN award for public service

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Tony Bartelme, “Power Failure” Judges’ Comments: The Post and Courier has resources few other papers have, but the newsroom has leveraged those resources to produce exceptional reporting, and this story is no different. It also clearly lays out the sort of hold Southern Company's subsidiaries and other utility companies have on some state legislatures. The Edison anecdote was a nice touch.

SECOND PLACE: The State, Avery G. Wilks, “High pay and expensive perks: Has ‘absolute power’ corrupted SC electric co-ops?”

THIRD PLACE: The Sun News, Charles Duncan, “Forgotten victims: How police failed to investigate sex crimes against children”

ON THE COVER (From top left, clockwise) First Place Photo Series or Photo Story, Daily 12,000-30,000: Jason Lee, The Sun News; Third Place Feature Photo, Daily Under 12,000: Ariel Gilreath, Index-Journal; Third Place General News Photo, Daily Over 30,000: Wade Spees, The Post and Courier; Second Place Feature Photo, Daily Over 30,000: Andrew J. Whitaker, The Post and Courier; Second Place Personality Photo or Portrait, Daily Under 12,000: Larry Hardy, The Times and Democrat; Second Place Sports Feature Photo, Daily Over 30,000: Bart Boatwright, The Greenville News; Daily Photojournalist of the Year: Ken Ruinard, Independent Mail; Weekly Photojournalist of the Year: Will Crooks, Greenville Journal; Second Place Sports Action Photo, Weekly Under 4,500: Pete Cochran, Union County News; First Place Photo Series or Photo Story, Weekly Under 4,500: Bill Bengtson, The Star, North Augusta

S.C. Press Association

OPEN DIVISION open to all newspapers, regardless of circulation or frequency CARTOON

FIRST PLACE: Aiken Standard, Al Goodwyn, “Overcrowding at Aiken Animal Shelter; Prolonged construction of an Aiken road takes its toll; Cot Campbell“ Judges’ Comments: Beautiful cartoons that stand out because they feature local issues that matter to the community. Well done!

SECOND PLACE: The State, Robert Ariail, “Ralph Norman; Plastic pollution; Lindsey Graham” THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Mike Beckom, “Give us back the House; Great… more immigrants; Years from now“

ILLUSTRATION

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Brandon Lockett, “Where’s Bill?“ Judges’ Comments: Clever! Fun illustration that surely made readers smile.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Zak Dennis, “Colleges see more demand for mental health services“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Chad Dunbar, “Online coloring book: Charleston bump“

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Chad Dunbar, Brandon Lockett, Thad Moore and Jennifer Berry Hawes, “A widening gulf“ Judges’ Comments: Multiple graphics tell the story well. Easy to follow and informative.

SECOND PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Kristin Coker, “Alshon Jeffery: From St. Matthews to the Super Bowl“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Chad Dunbar and David Slade, “Flipping the naval hospital“

REVIEW PORTFOLIO

FIRST PLACE: Charleston City Paper, Maura Hogan, “Revisiting the artist-audience contract after Spoleto 2018; From MOJA to MAGA: Staging the African-American experience; PURE’s ‘Straight White Men’ offers a new angle on privilege“ Judges’ Comments: Loved the “artist-audience contract” story. Wonderful point was made about exposure to things outside your comfort zone/realm of knowledge without being too preachy. Art can be a good starting point for growth. Thank you for the details from each show and the reminder that life doesn’t need to be comfortable to be good. The other articles were also enlightening. You don’t see too many reviews for edgy shows.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Hanna Raskin, “Charleston’s Parcel 32 caps tumultuous year with exceptional debut; Revival, The Vendue’s new signature restaurant, has some kinks to work out; Cannon Green restaurant in Charleston misfires while reloading its concept, menu“ THIRD PLACE: Free Times, Chris Trainor, “It’s the Perfect Moment for Coco; Shades of Dwayne: With Rampage, Johnson Peddles in Now-Familiar Thrills; Green’s Halloween is a Brutal, But Effective, FollowUp to the Original“

FEATURE HEADLINE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: Morning News, Don Kausler Jr., “Bee Cause; Life after death; Power rangers“ Judges’ Comments: Headlines are well written, match stories well and are large enough to catch the eye of the reader. Good job!

SECOND PLACE: The News & Reporter, Nancy Parsons, “Bags packed; F3 = Fitness, Fellowship and Faith; Biscuits, bacon and ‘shooting the bull’“ THIRD PLACE: The Lancaster News, Brian Melton, “Clippers go silent after half century on Grace Avenue: Barber Francis Faile dies at 92; Holy Harleys: Bikers drop in to praise God, donate to local congregation; Hometown cinematic rollouts don’t get no better than this“

SPORTS HEADLINE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “A running feud; The Genesis of a program; Three times a Lady (Lion)“ Judges’ Comments: All three headlines were strong overall, especially “Three Times a Lady (Lion).”

SECOND PLACE: Laurens County Advertiser, Nick Herman, “Storey writing farewell tale with Presbyterian; Presbyterian women check into heartbreak hotel; Defeat by 1,000 cutbacks“ THIRD PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Chris Clark, “The Brice is Right; Tee for 1: Double the Johnsons; Wright shot to win“

LIFESTYLE/FEATURE SECTION OR SPECIAL EDITION

FIRST PLACE: Aiken Standard, Staff, “Summer Fun Guide 2018“ Judges’ Comments: Beautifully designed and meticulously laid out, this publication provides a very valuable service to young and old looking to keep their summer days enriched and active. Complemented with eye-catching, well-timed advertising propelled this publication into first place against other very close first placements. In short, AWESOME JOB! SECOND PLACE: Coastal Observer, Staff, “Beaches“ THIRD PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Staff, “Honoring All Who Served Veterans Day“

ENTERTAINMENT SECTION

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Staff, “Charleston Scene: Bill Murray Edition“ Judges’ Comments: I had no idea Bill Murray was associated with Charleston, but from the quality of the coverage provided in this submission it is clear how important Murray is to locals. Very well done with just about every celebrity birthday celebration angle possible covered and covered well.

SECOND PLACE: The Voice of Blythewood, Staff, “Holiday Entertaining” THIRD PLACE: Herald-Journal, Linda Conley and Dan Armonaitis, “Escape, March 1, 2018“

INNOVATION

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Kelly Poe, Matthew Clough and Bryan Brussee, “Newsletter Reinvention“ Judges’ Comments: It’s yet to be proven whether newsletters have a staying power or are passing fad.

However, the results of The P&C’s newsletters speak for themselves, and the content of the newsletters show a sort of value-added journalism that is clearly attractive to readers.

SECOND PLACE: The Summerville Journal Scene, Staff, “Best of 2018 Prep Sports“ THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Gabe Cavallaro, “Translating stories into Spanish“ FIRST PLACE FEATURE PHOTO, Daily Over 30,000 Division: Andrew J. Whitaker, The Post and Courier

S.C. Press Association

2018 News Contest Winners | 3

THIRD PLACE SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO, Daily 12,000-30,000 Division: Scott Chancey, Morning News

FIRST PLACE SPORTS ACTION PHOTO, Daily Under 12,000 Division: Micah Green, The Sumter Item

FEATURE MAGAZINE

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier for My Charleston, Stephanie Harvin, Angie Blackburn, Krena Lanham and Staff Judges’ Comments: Comprehensive guide with consistently high quality editorial lists and photos.

Design is clean.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News for TALK, September 2018, Staff THIRD PLACE: Herald-Journal for Spartanburg Magazine, Summer 2018, Staff

MIXED MEDIA ILLUSTRATION

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Brandon Lockett, “Flounder fishing“ Judges’ Comments: Great infographic illustration. Type is easy to read and trivia is interesting to learn!

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Chad Dunbar, “The ultimate Charleston playlist“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Chad Dunbar, “Progress South Carolina“

DIGITAL PROJECT

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Deanna Pan, Jennifer Berry Hawes and J. Emory Parker, “An undying mystery“ Judges’ Comments: A thought provoking report that speaks volumes about the importance of digging for truth and facts in storytelling.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Staff, “Minimally Adequate“ THIRD PLACE: The State, Sammy Fretwell, “Illegal wildlife trade series“

4 | 2018 News Contest Winners

SPORTS PAGE DESIGN PORTFOLIO

FIRST PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Zack Mauldin Judges’ Comments: Clean designs that jump right off the page. Really nice work.

SECOND PLACE: Daniel Island News, Jan Marvin THIRD PLACE: The Greer Citizen, Julie Holcombe

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

FIRST PLACE: Charleston City Paper, Scott Suchy, “Charleston cityscape“ Judges’ Comments: Great use of Photoshopped signage to illustrate the growing tourism in Charleston.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Wade Spees, “Ingredients for making fresh sauces at Nathalie Dupree’s“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Wade Spees, FIRST PLACE FEATURE PHOTO, Daily 12,000-30,000 Division: “Shabazi pizza at Renzo restaurant“ Tim Kimzey, Herald-Journal

NEWSPAPER’S USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Brooks Brunson, Matthew Clough and Bryan Brussee Judges’ Comments: Remarkable portfolio that showcases how a news organization should use social media to share news, facilitate discussion and build a digital community of engaged users. Team uses multiple channels well – making posts interesting and shareable.

Instead of just pushing headlines, The Post and Courier focuses on sharing high-quality, memorable content and even asks readers to interact with the newsroom and contribute items including photos.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Staff THIRD PLACE: Herald-Journal, Staff

INDIVIDUAL USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

FIRST PLACE: The State, Avery G. Wilks Judges’ Comments: The breadth of coverage that Wilks provides on Twitter is nearly unmatched. Follower stats and analytics show the level of engagement Wilks has built with his followers. He provided really thorough examples of the kind of news he shares and the reach he has. Wilks is very personable, dogged and relatable all in one Twitter account. The extent at which he uses his platform is a stellar example of using social media as a tool to connect deeper as a journalist.

SECOND PLACE: Free Times, Chris Trainor THIRD PLACE: Herald-Journal, Todd Shanesy

S.C. Press Association

ALL WEEKLY DIVISION OBITUARY

FIRST PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Don Worthington, “Mount Croghan loses a civic treasure“ Judges’ Comments: A perfect opening for a perfect moment encapsulating the life of a “civic treasure.”

SECOND PLACE: Charleston City Paper, Adam Manno, “Remembering and recreating Muhiyidin d’Baha“ THIRD PLACE: Free Times, Kyle Petersen, “With Adam Cullum’s Death, Columbia Loses One of Its Most Dynamic and Active Musicians“

EDITORIAL OR COLUMN IN SUPPORT OF FOI/OPEN GOVERNMENT ISSUES

FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “A Free Consultation“ Judges’ Comments: The offer of advice to public officials on FOI compliance moves the focus from what was done illegally to how to conduct public business lawfully.

SECOND PLACE: Laurens County Advertiser, John Clayton, “Keeping the light in the sunshine laws“ THIRD PLACE: Union County News, Graham Williams, “Closed-door meeting violated state’s FOI“

EDITORIAL WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Clinton Chronicle, Vic MacDonald, “It is not funny; PC Promise pricetag; When freedom isn’t free“ Judges’ Comments: Clear, conversational English that gets straight to the point and marshals the facts in support make the best editorials, and that’s what we find here. I like the no nonsense attitude and irreverence for government and its fees and shenanigans. The Founding Fathers would be proud!

SECOND PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Fuzzy Memories; Rules and Consistency; We need your voice“ THIRD PLACE: Laurens County Advertiser, John Clayton, “What’s the reason for Clinton City Council’s rush?; Pitts’ heavy-handed tactics show worst way to begin consolidation conversation; Reach out to leaders on immigration“

HEALTH BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Summerville Journal Scene, Jenna-Ley Harrison Judges’ Comments: Really enjoyed the heart story; brings much-needed attention to cardiac issues which sometimes get overlooked until it’s too late. Found the fiber releases piece to be informative. Could sense the imperative nature of it for the community, considering the releases have been reported since 2001. Good story on the children’s ambulatory service. Area consumers (parents/guardians of children) are better informed because of it. Overall, great variety, effectiveness and writing quality.

SECOND PLACE: Daniel Island News, Elizabeth Bush THIRD PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Don Worthington

FAITH BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Lancaster News, Mandy Catoe Judges’ Comments: Perfect combination of storytelling and information, as well as very well written and easy to follow.

SECOND PLACE: Coastal Observer, Chris Sokoloski THIRD PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Vanessa Brewer-Tyson

SPORTS BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Moultrie News, Frankie Mansfield, “Porter-Gaud basketball“ Judges’ Comments: Good reporting, good writing.

Period. Writer does a great job enriching the reader in detail, presenting a story that is compelling and giving insight that a true beat reporter should provide.

SECOND PLACE: The Summerville Journal Scene, Roger Lee, “Summerville High School sports“ THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Lewisville High School sports“

NEWS HEADLINE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The News, Kingstree, Michaele Duke, “Boom!; Fly Wheels; Let us spray“ Judges’ Comments: Headlines are grabbing and well displayed. Good job!

SECOND PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Zoning exception is dead and buried; Quarry gets rocky public reception; A surprising development“ THIRD PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Klonie Jordan, “You dirty crooks! Suspects who heisted body wash, shampoo make clean getaway; Your honor, the defense rests Public defender Don Thompson calls it quits after 18 years in Cherokee County; Burglars get cookies, but no fortune“

NEWS SECTION OR SPECIAL EDITION

FIRST PLACE: The Summerville Journal Scene, Staff, “Living Here: A Newcomers Guide to Dorchester and Berkeley counties“ Judges’ Comments: Clean layout. Big photos. Makes locals feel good about their town and I like the community snapshots by zip code. Nice work.

SECOND PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Staff, “Rivertown Reeling“ THIRD PLACE: The Star, North Augusta, Staff, “2018 Outlook: Progress!“

SPORTS SECTION OR MAGAZINE

FIRST PLACE: The Voice of Blythewood, Staff, “Fall Sports Preview“ Judges’ Comments: In one word: wow! Epitome of what a fall sports preview should be. A variety of sports are covered, good photographs, excellent editorial that recaps the past and previews the future. Well-done.

SECOND PLACE: Daniel Island News, Staff, “Power Play!“ THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Staff, “Magic Makers“

ELECTION/POLITICAL COVERAGE

FIRST PLACE: The Lancaster News, Staff Judges’ Comments: Nothing beats a clown story – the other election coverage was well-done, but it’s not every day that a clown announces for public office.

SECOND PLACE: Carolina Gateway, Staff THIRD PLACE: The Manning Times, Staff

S.C. Press Association

FIRST PLACE SPOT NEWS PHOTO, Weekly Under 4,500 & Over 4,500 Divisions Combined: Janet Morgan, Myrtle Beach Herald 2018 News Contest Winners | 5

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Charleston City Paper, Dustin Waters, “Selling Charleston: Driving tourism in the midst of a battle over marketing dollars“ Judges’ Comments: Very thorough, informative, interesting, and gutsy! Awesome reporting!

SECOND PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Larry Hilliard and Cody Sossamon, “County fined multiple times for late payment of payroll taxes“ THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins and Brian Garner, “Bain collected at least $94,000 from outside consulting“

BUSINESS BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Greenville Journal, Andrew Moore Judges’ Comments: Great graphics and visuals assist in telling the stories of alternative business trends. Strong writing.

SECOND PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Don Worthington THIRD PLACE: The Lancaster News, Emily Pollok

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Lancaster News, Gregory A. Summers Judges’ Comments: Bravo for a comprehensive look at the growth Lancaster was experiencing! Summers (and Vaughn in the story about Nutramax) did a superb job giving the reader background information as well as details about each project. The writing was of superior quality, the articles were good lengths, and the effectiveness held true for this assignment’s beat.

SECOND PLACE: Daniel Island News, Elizabeth Bush THIRD PLACE: Greenville Journal, Cindy Landrum

PUBLIC SERVICE

FIRST PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Scott Powell and Cody Sossamon, “OK, here are the real election results“ Judges’ Comments: Knowing and understanding the law and taking a course of action to correct a situation is a good job and it helped the community.

SECOND PLACE: Daniel Island News, Katie Estabrook, “Intergenerational Forum“ THIRD PLACE: Daniel Island News, Elizabeth Bush, Katie Estabrook and Suzanne Detar, “Gun Violence in our Schools“

SPORTS ENTERPRISE REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Charles D. Perry, “For nearly 40 years, this drag strip has been part of Bikefest. It’s not at the beach“ Judges’ Comments: Very interesting story about Bikefest and how it has changed over the years. The writer did a good job talking about not only the drag strip, but the changes the festival has seen thanks to Horry County and Myrtle officials.

SECOND PLACE: The Voice of Blythewood, Michael Smith, “Rep. Gwen Kennedy says no to lacrosse“ THIRD PLACE: Fort Mill Times, Mac Banks, “Third trimester is just a number for Fort Mill coach used to multitasking“

6 | 2018 News Contest Winners

SPORTS COLUMN WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Hartsville Messenger, Kent Mahoney, “You have got to see this; Red Foxes runners-up at state, again; Title may hinge on a couple of games“ Judges’ Comments: Mahoney’s columns have a clear point, and he wastes no time getting to it. They have a distinct voice, and he doesn’t shy away from authenticity.

SECOND PLACE: The Horry Independent, Robert Anderson, “Hats off to the incomparable Michael Lynch; Jordan deserving of many accolades; Cheers for Richardson“ THIRD PLACE: Laurens County Advertiser, Nick Herman, “Pioneer move means PC wagon has lost its wheels; Bring back Bronze Derby; Owens brothers were called to become officials“

FEATURE PAGE DESIGN PORTFOLIO

FIRST PLACE: Coastal Observer, Charles Swenson Judges’ Comments: This submission immediately stood out. Outstanding job of incorporating a variety of elements into an overall design theme for each page in the submission. Really well done.

SECOND PLACE: Pickens County Courier, Zack Mauldin THIRD PLACE: Daniel Island News, Jan Marvin

SINGLE SPORTS PAGE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: Moultrie News, Frankie Mansfield Judges’ Comments: This is a classic sports page with great art, clean design and a compelling story. Very well done. Great job.

SECOND PLACE: Daniel Island News, Jan Marvin THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Phyllis Lucas

INSIDE PAGE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: The Lancaster News, Athena Redmond Judges’ Comments: Compelling art elements plus strong design work equals an award-winning inside page.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kyle Camp THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Phyllis Lucas

PICTORIAL

NEWS VIDEO

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan, “Evicted from the Village of Dreams“ Judges’ Comments: This video is short and to the point.

The audio and visual quality is great, along with some good use of still photos. Really captures the emotion and gravity of their situation.

SECOND PLACE: The News, Kingstree, Michaele Duke, “Let us spray!“ THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins and James McBee, “Resentencing hearing of Theodore Harrison Jr., Day Two“

FEATURE VIDEO

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan, “Children listen to Kraig McBroom at Carolina Forest High School“ Judges’ Comments: Good audio quality, transitions and visuals. I liked the flow between the sit-down interview with McBroom and the shots from the classroom.

SECOND PLACE: The Berkeley Independent, David Kennard, “TIME LAPSE: Take a ride in the Pinopolis Lock“ THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan, “Letting the music erase the bars at the Grand Strand Humane Society“

SPORTS VIDEO

FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins and James McBee, “Great Falls defeats Lewisville... in front of empty gym“ Judges’ Comments: Definitely an unusual situation! I really liked the juxtaposition of the videos between the Friday night game with the large crowd versus the Saturday afternoon game with the empty gym. Good interviews with each coach and nice game footage.

SECOND PLACE: The Summerville Journal Scene, David Kennard, Roger Lee and Rob Gantt, “Football Talk 2018, Episode 8“ THIRD PLACE: Fort Mill Times, Mac Banks, “Kellianne Wunk“

FIRST PLACE: Daniel Island News, Peter Finger, “Gracie Harridge“ Judges’ Comments: The expression on Gracie’s face as she strides among the flags is quite charming. The photographer captured a very special moment that is well composed and beautifully lit.

SECOND PLACE: Coastal Observer, Tanya Ackerman, “Neil Fico Jr. paddles toward the rising sun at the south end of Pawleys Island” THIRD PLACE: The News, Kingstree, Michaele Duke, “Rest stop“

WEBSITE

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Staff, myhorrynews.com Judges’ Comments: Site is updated several times a day and chock full of news, sports, features and multimedia elements. Impressive!

SECOND PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Staff, gaffneyledger.com

SECOND PLACE SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO, Weekly Under 4,500 Division: Rickey Ciapha Dennis Jr., The Berkeley Independent S.C. Press Association

ALL DAILY DIVISION OBITUARY

FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Richard Whiting, “Greenwood music legend, Swingin’ Medallion John McElrath dies“ Judges’ Comments: Excellent job of reporting in an obituary. Amazing amount of detail with great quotes.

SECOND PLACE: The Island Packet, Wade Livingston, “He was the Hilton Head rock ‘n’ roller nobody knew about – who fixed cars and guitars“ THIRD PLACE: The Herald, Andrew Dys, “‘Together forever’: Indian Land couple, inseparable for 50 years, died on same day“

EDITORIAL OR COLUMN IN SUPPORT OF FOI/OPEN GOVERNMENT ISSUES

FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Richard Whiting, “When it comes to public information, be the Beastmaster“ Judges’ Comments: Engaging editorial presenting the FOIA issues in an accessible way. The piece was stimulating and humorous all at once.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Rick Nelson, “Fewer secrets, more accountability the heart of FOIA“ THIRD PLACE: The Island Packet, David Lauderdale, “Double down on ATAX oversight after unfortunate court ruling“

E.A. RAMSAUR AWARD FOR EDITORIAL WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Island Packet, David Lauderdale, “Marine families at Laurel Bay deserve more research and all information on contamination questions; Beaufort County voters to school district: It IS about trust; Hilton Head chamber of commerce, tell the public how you’re spending its money“ Judges’ Comments: Direct. To the point. Very local. Good job.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Rick Nelson, “Charleston’s slavery apology the right thing to do; Self-loans raise questions about Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg; Officials ignored warnings. Now we have a mountain of tires and a taxpayer-funded health, safety disaster“ THIRD PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Staff, “Drunk on power?; Standing for transparency; Thank for your service“

ELECTION/POLITICAL COVERAGE

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Staff Judges’ Comments: Reporters found explosive and important stories up and down the ballot, reflecting reporters’ habit of taking each office and each race seriously, making an impact far beyond the local area.

SECOND PLACE: The State, Staff THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Tim Smith, Kirk Brown and Daniel J. Gross

S.C. Press Association

HEALTH BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Lauren Sausser Judges’ Comments: This package stands out for its enterprise. Sausser has tackled three distinct topics with detail and thoroughness. Her varied writing style helps to make these stories fun to read despite their serious topics. The story on talcum powder grabbed the reader at the start with simple statements about large verdicts and also explained in a few words how talc is mined and how it has been widely used by millions of Americans. The story also explained the difficulty of winning against a major corporation that stands behind its decades-old product. The end-of-life story approached a particularly sensitive topic with respect and explained how a baby’s last days can be made tolerable and memorable. The Blue Zone story also was balanced and provided a thorough examination of the program by raising the question of whether the company behind it succeeds by picking healthy communities to set up shop in or actually can help to turn around a community. Excellent work!

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Liv Osby THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Mary Katherine Wildeman

FAITH BEAT REPORTING

NEWS SECTION OR SPECIAL EDITION

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Inside Business Staff, “Progress South Carolina“ Judges’ Comments: Strong graphic design and clear organization. Good use of info graphics. Layout doesn’t get stale even for more numbers-based coverage that can typically become grey and boring.

SECOND PLACE: Morning News, Staff, “Morning Forward: Progress 2018“ THIRD PLACE: Aiken Standard, Staff, “Back To School Guide 2018-19“

SPORTS SECTION OR MAGAZINE

FIRST PLACE: Herald-Journal, Staff, “Showcase: 2018 High School Football Preview“ Judges’ Comments: Extremely creative way to tackle a football preview. Great work pairing football players with artists.

SECOND PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Zack Mauldin, Eric Sprott and Alex Maminakis, “Road to Atlanta“ THIRD PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Melissa Bradley, Eric Sprott and Alex Maminakis, “Gameday 2018“

FIRST PLACE: Independent Mail, Mike Ellis Judges’ Comments: The definition of beat reporting. A variety of interesting topics covered in a detailed manner.

SECOND PLACE: The Island Packet, David Lauderdale THIRD PLACE: The State, Sarah Ellis

SPORTS BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Grace Raynor, “Clemson University athletics“ Judges’ Comments: Coverage is a good range of topics that are outside the box. Gives an inside look to things that impact not only players/coaches, but everyday people as well.

SECOND PLACE: The Herald, Bret McCormick, “Winthrop University men’s basketball“ THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Scott Keepfer, “Clemson University athletics“

NEWS HEADLINE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Beth Harrison, “Grave Misdeeds; Lighthouse park can’t ignore writing on the wall – and rocks and trees; Letting the Turkeys talk“ Judges’ Comments: All clever headlines. Help convey what the story is about while also getting the reader’s attention. Great job!

SECOND PLACE: The State, Noah Feit, “‘Squirrels did me in,’ NC man tells 911 after being shot by his own booby trap; ‘The world just got darker,’ SC woman who gouged out her eyes talks about ordeal; Along came a spider who frightened an SC driver, causing her to lose it, video shows“ THIRD PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Martha Rose Brown, “Urine trouble: Thief likely left pee at crime scene; Udder disaster in Atlanta; Fishy business: Orangeburg man patents boat light that he invented“

FIRST PLACE CARTOON, Open Division: Al Goodwyn, Aiken Standard 2018 News Contest Winners | 7

FIRST PLACE SINGLE PAGE ONE DESIGN, Weekly Over 4,500 FIRST PLACE & BEST OF THE BEST PAGE ONE DESIGN PORTFOLIO, & 2-3 Times Weekly Combined: Charles D. Perry, Myrtle All Daily Division: Zack Mauldin, The Journal, Seneca Beach Herald

EDUCATION BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Paul Bowers Judges’ Comments: Very well-written. Lots of data, research and info. Informative.

SECOND PLACE: The Island Packet, Maggie Angst THIRD PLACE: Morning News, Rebecca Cross

PUBLIC SERVICE

FIRST PLACE: The Beaufort Gazette, Staff, “Buried: Contamination, confusion in a Beaufort military community“ Judges’ Comments: Comprehensive package utilizing multiple journalistic reporting methods to spotlight a previously unknown issue that should outrage all Americans. Incredible job.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Staff, “Minimally Adequate“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Abigail Darlington, “Charleston’s flooding crisis“

8 | 2018 News Contest Winners

HUMOR COLUMN WRITING FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Richard Whiting, “Chris Trainor, get off my lawn; Age, like golf, is not only a number; Hey, Phil! I’m a lefty too“ Judges’ Comments: Whiting’s confident, engaging style makes the reader feel like he’s yukking it up with his next-door neighbor.

SECOND PLACE: The Island Packet, David Lauderdale, “Does Beaufort County need more roads? First, get slowpokes out of the fast lane; What’s the craziest #local thing you did during the Lowcountry snow storm?; My Hilton Head dog ate a lighter. Here’s how we finally got it back.“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Brian Hicks, “Life in the fast lane at Dunes West International Speedway; Charleston accepts its bigliest award yet, and it’s yuge; Stand up for the national anthem — and vote for Henry!“

FIRST PLACE SINGLE PAGE ONE DESIGN, Daily Under 12,000 Division: Bob Simmonds, Index-Journal

SPORTS COLUMN WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Sun News, David Wetzel, “I quit on coach D’Antoni, but to his credit it never became personal; I won’t ‘shut up and scribble’: Why it’s OK for sports, politics to mix; A message for you Zion Williamson-hating, crybaby trolls“ Judges’ Comments: The column on Williamson and “Won’t shut up and scribble” were well-reasoned, level-headed responses to emotionally charged topics. The one on D’Antoni had a unique perspective and was very insightful.

SECOND PLACE: The Island Packet, Wade Livingston, “Did a Twitter troll call the RBC Heritage ‘depressing?’

What would Happy Gilmore say?; This Hilton Head bar tries to give away Jell-O shots. This Ohio team won’t let it; Forget about the Masters’ Pimento Cheese. Make room for Heritage’s Palmetto Cheese.“ THIRD PLACE: Aiken Standard, Kyle Dawson, “Hader becomes latest cautionary tale for youth athletes; USCA baseball robbed of tourney spot; MLB All-Star Game is best when it doesn’t count“

S.C. Press Association

PAGE ONE DESIGN PORTFOLIO FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST: The Journal, Seneca, Zack Mauldin Judges’ Comments: Very clean layout, really like the use of photos and fonts.

SECOND PLACE: The Sumter Item, Melanie Smith THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Cameron Love

FEATURE PAGE DESIGN PORTFOLIO FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Tracy Burlison Judges’ Comments: Great job with the use of cutouts.

Very nice layout.

SECOND PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Kristin Coker THIRD PLACE: Herald-Journal, Cecil Atkinson

SINGLE SPORTS PAGE DESIGN FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Luke Reasoner Judges’ Comments: Clean, well thought-out and eyecatching.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Luke Reasoner THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Bob Simmonds

INSIDE PAGE DESIGN FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Cameron Love and Fred Rindge Judges’ Comments: Very cool idea for Madness bracket.

Great way to learn about the area. I really like it.

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, Bob Simmonds and Matthew Hensley THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Greg K. Deal and Richard Whiting

PHOTO PAGE DESIGN FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Brandon Lockett Judges’ Comments: Strong layout and great submitted photos. Great representation of an important community event. Good tie back to full gallery on website.

SECOND PLACE: Morning News, Matthew Sheffield THIRD PLACE: Morning News, James Ruff

HUMOROUS PHOTO FIRST PLACE: The Sun News, Jason Lee, “Blue Angels Wings Over Myrtle Beach” Judges’ Comments: Great composition. Everything falls into place in this photo, especially the jets drawing the eye directly to the one person looking the wrong way. Kudos to the photographer on catching an amusing photo at the peak moment.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Tim Kimzey, “Snow Fun“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “Teammates from Jacksonville Icemen“

S.C. Press Association

WEEKLY UNDER 4,500 DIVISION REPORTING-IN-DEPTH

FIRST PLACE: The News, Kingstree, Michaele Duke, “Williamsburg County School District“ Judges’ Comments: Very well done. All of the articles told a full story by covering different aspects of the situation with the school district – beginning with the upheaval and ending with strong hope. The reader is able to see the progress Wilder was making to turn the district around.

SECOND PLACE: The Voice of Fairfield County, Michael Smith, “Ridgeway Police Chief“ THIRD PLACE: The Voice of Blythewood, Barbara Ball, “Rimer Pond“

SERIES OF ARTICLES

FIRST PLACE: News and Press, Melissa Rollins, “A New Tradition“ Judges’ Comments: Well done. Interesting series.

SECOND PLACE: Union County News, Graham Williams, “Opportunities available to students at the Union County Career and Technology Center“ THIRD PLACE: The Voice of Fairfield County, Michael Smith, “Animal cruelty in Fairfield County“

EDUCATION BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Don Worthington Judges’ Comments: Well written. Good mix of news and features.

SECOND PLACE: Union County News, Graham Williams THIRD PLACE: The People-Sentinel, Jonathan Vickery

NEWS FEATURE WRITING

PROFILE FEATURE WRITING OR STORY

FIRST PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Vanessa Brewer-Tyson, “Happy 100th“ Judges’ Comments: Heart-warming story that makes you feel a part of the 100th birthday celebration for Mrs. Dulin.

SECOND PLACE: The Voice of Blythewood, Barbara Ball, “Odell Martin lived his dream“ THIRD PLACE: The Manning Times, Laura Stone, “How to make a little old lady“

COLUMN WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Manning Times, Laura Stone, “Farewell to a Little Old Lady; Lotto fever; To build a thankful heart“ Judges’ Comments: Well-written. Gives an inside look at the life of a special lady in the community. Great job!

SECOND PLACE: The Clinton Chronicle, Brian Whitmore, “Newspapers are a great place; Let me tell you about; Blimey, my DNA results“ THIRD PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Don Worthington, “Santa, newsmen share bond; Lesson on the walk up the mountain; Stories to be remembered, stories to be told“

SPORTS FEATURE STORY

FIRST PLACE: News-Chronicle, Debbie Rogers, “Bear Nation, others remember #19“ Judges’ Comments: Heartfelt story. Well written.

SECOND PLACE: The News, Kingstree, Michaele Duke, “Making the team“ THIRD PLACE: Marion Star & Mullins Enterprise, Naeem McFadden, “Marion’s Brown named Class 2A Wrestler of the Year“

FIRST PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Don Worthington, “The Bow Tie King“ Judges’ Comments: Great feature – does everything a good feature should do. The sentences are snappy and engaging. The topic is interesting. And the writer is efficient, telling the story without overdoing it. Love the sidebars and bow-tie graphic accompanying the story.

SECOND PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Vanessa Brewer-Tyson, “Time out tyke to stand out teacher“ THIRD PLACE: Union County News, Anna Brown, “Never too late“

LIFESTYLE FEATURE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: News and Press, Samantha Lyles, “Their love story began more than fifty years ago“ Judges’ Comments: Well-written feature. Lots of great quotes that provide insight into the couple’s relationship.

SECOND PLACE: News and Press, Melissa Rollins, “‘It has been a journey’: Historical records and DNA help family find roots in Darlington County“ THIRD PLACE: The People-Sentinel, Laura J. McKenzie, “Winning ‘athletes’ always race for home“

FIRST PLACE SPORTS ACTION PHOTO, Daily Over 30,000 Division: Bart Boatwright, The Greenville News 2018 News Contest Winners | 9

PAGE ONE DESIGN PORTFOLIO

FIRST PLACE: The News, Kingstree, Tami Rodgers Judges’ Comments: Clean, interesting and great font usage. A clear winner.

SECOND PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Kyle Camp THIRD PLACE: News and Press, Duane Childers

SINGLE PAGE ONE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: The News, Kingstree, Tami Rodgers Judges’ Comments: Design catches the eye. Layout is great.

Only suggestion is bigger headlines. Stories well written.

SECOND PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Kyle Camp THIRD PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Athena Redmond

PHOTO PAGE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: Pageland Progressive-Journal, Athena Redmond Judges’ Comments: This was a clean layout, photographs were cropped well and just an overall good job!

SECOND PLACE: The News, Kingstree, Michaele Duke THIRD PLACE: The Star, North Augusta, Staff

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The Star, North Augusta, Lindsey Hodges, “Senior Walk“ Judges’ Comments: Great photo of the seniors highfiving the younger students during the walk through.

Gives the little ones a glimpse of their future.

SECOND PLACE: The News, Kingstree, Michaele Duke, “Pink skies” THIRD PLACE: The Clinton Chronicle, Vic MacDonald, “Cutting the corner“

FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST SPOT NEWS PHOTO, Daily 12,000-30,000 Division: Jason Lee, The Sun News

FEATURE PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The Journal, Williamston, David Rogers, “Two occupants of a car sit on the roof in a low lying area of West Pelzer after their car was submerged in flood waters.“ Judges’ Comments: Great photo of a desperate situation that illustrates the dangers of driving in floodwaters.

Good composition and positioning for photo.

SECOND PLACE: News-Chronicle, Sam Gilmer, “BHP teacher Rhonda Brunsvold celebrates her last year at the school.“ THIRD PLACE: News-Chronicle, Debbie Rogers, “93-year-old Marsha Bagby spoke to the Bears football team during their pregame meal.“

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The Journal, Williamston, Michael Lollis, “Boys AAA pole vault at the State Track and Field Championships“ Judges’ Comments: The best action photo in a strong class of entries. Photo perfectly catches the event.

SECOND PLACE: Union County News, Pete Cochran, “Union County’s Ja Jeter slides safely into second as the Byrnes player waits for the ball.“ THIRD PLACE: Union County News, Pete Cochran, “Union QB Kesean Glover stiff-arms a Greer defender.“

10 | 2018 News Contest Winners

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: News-Chronicle, Debbie Rogers, “BHP Senior Bryson Scott celebrates winning the 4A 160-lb. state wrestling championship.”

Judges’ Comments: I love the expression on Scott’s face. You really captured the moment of his championship!

SECOND PLACE: The Berkeley Independent, Rickey Ciapha Dennis Jr., “Spring baseball begins“ THIRD PLACE: The Star, North Augusta, Bill Bengtson, “Taking in the game”

PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Star, North Augusta, Bill Bengtson, “Kids slide, stomp and splash into summer“ Judges’ Comments: Great photos of kids having fun provided by fire department.

SECOND PLACE: The News, Kingstree, Michaele Duke, “Pilots and other gathered at the Williamsburg Regional Airport to learn about aerial mosquito control.“ THIRD PLACE: The Berkeley Independent, David Kennard, “Riding through the Pinopolis Lock“

HUMOROUS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: Union County News, Graham Williams, “Homecoming Surprise“ Judges’ Comments: The look of surprise on the Homecoming Queen’s face is priceless, as is the look on the QB and the one her “escort” is giving his big brother. Great photo!

SECOND PLACE: Union County News, Pete Cochran, “Whitmire’s Chandler Crumley leaves a trail of would-be Greenville Christian tacklers in his wake as he heads toward the end zone.“ THIRD PLACE: The People-Sentinel, Jonathan Vickery, “Town of Snelling’s 30th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting“

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

FIRST PLACE: The People-Sentinel, Laura J. McKenzie and Jonathan Vickery Judges’ Comments: The class of this division. Well received layout, clear writing and active editorial page.

Very good effort and it shows in the newspaper.

Congratulations.

SECOND PLACE: The Clinton Chronicle, Staff THIRD PLACE: The Star, North Augusta, Staff

S.C. Press Association

WEEKLY UNDER 4,500 & OVER 4,500 DIVISIONS COMBINED BREAKING NEWS REPORTING

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WRITING

ENTERPRISE REPORTING

HUMOR COLUMN WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Clinton Chronicle, Vic MacDonald, “Boy’s body is found“ Judges’ Comments: Written to state the facts, but also invokes a sense of loss for the community over the little boy’s horrific death.

SECOND PLACE: Jasper County Sun Times, Shellie Murdaugh, “Savannah Catholic priest sentenced for sex crimes against young boys“ THIRD PLACE: The Island News, Justin Jarrett, “Superintendent’s resignation leaves school board with work to do“

FIRST PLACE: Charleston City Paper, Dustin Waters, “South Carolina attorneys look inward to address high rates of substance abuse and mental illness“ Judges’ Comments: Really well done. Lots of sources, good quotes. Much detail. Very good. The only caveat might be, notice the “might,” that those disbarred probably should be named. The fellow who was reinstated was named, but others were not.

SECOND PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Charles D. Perry, “Author of Carolina Forest report apologizes for errors in document“ THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Charles D. Perry, “Report: Grand Strand drug agents often raided homes without announcing themselves“

BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Charles D. Perry, “Courts“ Judges’ Comments: Well written articles. Good variety of topics.

SECOND PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Viraj Naik, “Crime“ THIRD PLACE: The Horry Independent, Kathy Ropp, “Courts“

FIRST PLACE: Free Times, Chris Trainor, “Next Scene: The Nickelodeon Theatre is in Transition“ Judges’ Comments: This entry brought in different voices to cover several angles of the past and future or a community theater in transition.

SECOND PLACE: Free Times, Patrick Wall, “Send in the Clones: Tribute Bands Thrive in Tertiary Music Markets Like Columbia. Why?“ THIRD PLACE: Charleston City Paper, Vincent Harris, “Jazz in the Joint helps sustain South Carolina inmates, if only for a few hours“ FIRST PLACE: The Island News, Lee Scott, “Vanilla milkshake and cheese puffs; The scary trees in my yard; Be Afraid“ Judges’ Comments: Scott draws the reader in as she tells familiar stories in a pleasant way, and in so doing, brings a smile to the reader’s face.

SECOND PLACE: The Greer Citizen, Billy Cannada, “Tatted; Danger; Royalty Got Me“ THIRD PLACE: Daniel Island News, Dalton Williams, “Drollery: The road trip; Talk to me, dude; Correct may not mean right“

SPOT SPORTS STORY

FIRST PLACE: Moultrie News, Frankie Mansfield, “First Baptist rallies for second straight state championship“ Judges’ Comments: Nice balance of quotes, game detail and history – all details that set this story apart.

SECOND PLACE: Moultrie News, Frankie Mansfield, “Pursuing perfection: Wando caps undefeated twoyear run with second straight state title“ THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Ian Guerin, “Garcia comes up big in Carolina Forest’s dramatic playoff win“

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan, “The Everett house is inside out with the Waccamaw River flowing through every room.“ Judges’ Comments: This photo has everything: great color, composition, and especially the plight of the people trying to save their belongings from the flood.

SECOND PLACE: The Horry Independent, Kathy Ropp, “Police from Horry County’s SWAT team rushed into the back door at the Conway Golf Club to remove a former board member who had barricaded himself in.“ THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan “‘I’m a little bit nervous. But, I’ve got nerves of steel.

When something like that happens, you don’t know if you’re going to make it. You’re going to land in the trees or you’re going to land where?,’ Donald Crotty said of landing his 1971 Piper Arrow on International Drive.“

PERSONALITY PHOTOGRAPH OR PORTRAIT FIRST PLACE: The News, Kingstree, Michaele Duke, “Its over! The road to victory left Tiffany Cooks exhausted but ready to take on the role of Williamsburg County Supervisor in 2019.“ Judges’ Comments: Good capture of action and celebratory mood.

SECOND PLACE: Greenville Journal, Will Crooks, “Therapeutic Verse: For Peace Center poet-inresidence Glenis Redmond, poetry is an instrument for healing“ THIRD PLACE: Greenville Journal, Will Crooks, “Honored: Lisa Roten Lorbiecki’s clutches the service jacket of her brother, a special forces weapons sergeant killed in action in 2014. Her new Greenville Event benefits the Green Beret Foundation.“

GOVERNMENT BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Free Times, Chris Trainor Judges’ Comments: Coverage went far beyond the standard meeting stories and offered insights that readers would definitely value.

SECOND PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Charles D. Perry THIRD PLACE: The Horry Independent, Kathy Ropp

FOOD WRITING

FIRST PLACE: Greenville Journal, Andrew Moore, “The business of growth: How Tyger River Smart Farm is using technology to boost production and save resources“ Judges’ Comments: Well-written. Very informative. Takes first place in a tough category with lots of great entries.

SECOND PLACE: Greenville Journal, Ariel Turner, “Family meals for restaurant staffs got their name for a reason“ THIRD PLACE: Coastal Observer, Chris Sokoloski, “The Hand-Made Tale“

S.C. Press Association

FIRST PLACE ILLUSTRATION, Open Division: Brandon Lockett, The Post and Courier 2018 News Contest Winners | 11

WEEKLY OVER 4,500 REPORTING-IN-DEPTH

FIRST PLACE: Charleston City Paper, Adam Manno and Chase Quinn, “Issues impacting Charleston’s LGBTQ community“ Judges’ Comments: Coverage of LGBTQ issues is almost a beat in this entry but a few of these stories could stand alone in this category on their own merits.

Excellent coverage of on a topic that most newspapers would marginalize, if not ignore completely. Bravo!

SECOND PLACE: The Summerville Journal Scene, Jenna-Ley Harrison, “Fiberglass emissions“ THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan, “Grand Strand Humane Society sheds board, moves forward“

SERIES OF ARTICLES

FIRST PLACE: The Greer Citizen, William Buchheit, “The men and women of Bull Street“ Judges’ Comments: Each story in this series has a great start that draws the reader in and introduces the reader to interesting characters in an important part of local history. Through various interviews, the stories gave vivid descriptions of what it was like to work, volunteer or be committed to the state hospital. The compelling narratives are informative and inspiring.

SECOND PLACE: Coastal Observer, Charles Swenson, “Flooding“ THIRD PLACE: Daniel Island News, Elizabeth Bush, “Cainhoy Plantation“

EDUCATION BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Greenville Journal, Ariel Gilreath Judges’ Comments: Well written and informative. Lots of facts and details.

SECOND PLACE: The Summerville Journal Scene, Monica Kreber THIRD PLACE: Coastal Observer, Chris Sokoloski

NEWS FEATURE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: Free Times, Eva Moore, “Reckoning: Charleston Apologized for Slavery. Should Columbia?“ Judges’ Comments: A well-balanced look at an issue that vexes cities throughout the South. Good historical context balanced with issues and feelings of people on both sides of the issue today.

SECOND PLACE: Free Times, Chris Trainor, “The Confluence: Three Days With the Congaree Riverkeeper“ THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Charles D. Perry, “After Donna Major’s death in the CresCom Bank robbery, her children found an unexpected gift – their mother’s words“

12 | 2018 News Contest Winners

LIFESTYLE FEATURE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Greer Citizen, Julie Holcombe, “RHS student’s legacy lives on through band“ Judges’ Comments: Compelling, meaningful, thorough and well written.

SECOND PLACE: Moultrie News, Zach Giroux, “She climbs for Steven: Local family makes strides with rare muscular disease“ THIRD PLACE: Daniel Island News, Heath Ellison, “Planting the seeds of giving“

PROFILE FEATURE WRITING OR STORY

FIRST PLACE: Greenville Journal, Andrew Moore, “Healing waters: Fly fishing offers relief to veterans“ Judges’ Comments: WOW! The topic. WOW! The research. WOW! The quotes. WOW! The lead-in. WOW! The photography. WOW! The call outs. WOW! The layout. WOW! The design. WOW! Beautifully written.

WOW! Very engaging. Honestly, all I can say about this story is WOW! JOURNALISTS TAKE NOTE! I know I did.

SECOND PLACE: Free Times, Chris Trainor, “One of Ours: Aubrey Jenkins Makes His Mark With the Columbia Fire Department“ THIRD PLACE: The Greer Citizen, Kaelyn Cashman, “Dr. York to retire after 27 years as a veterinarian“

SHORT STORY

FIRST PLACE HUMOROUS PHOTO, Weekly Over 4,500 Division: Tanya Ackerman, Coastal Observer

COLUMN WRITING

THIRD PLACE FEATURE PHOTO, Daily Over 30,000: Grace Beahm Alford, The Post and Courier

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Viraj Naik, “Carolina Forest teen catches baby tossed from burning building“ Judges’ Comments: Wow! Talk about packing a punch in just a few words. Awesome storyline. Timeliness was spot on. All sides of the story were covered, from the teen’s take to the mother’s opinion. Complete package as far as a short story is concerned.

SECOND PLACE: The Island News, Justin Jarrett, “Beaufort kids’ lemonade stand seeks to provide clean water abroad“ THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Viraj Naik, “Country music fans from near and far flock to Myrtle Beach for CCMF“

FIRST PLACE: Moultrie News, Jody Stallings, “Teacher to Parent: Positive reinforcement doesn’t work in the long run; A child must be a willing participant in his own education; My kid won’t do his homework“ Judges’ Comments: The writing is as compelling as the topic matter. Valuable advice, good insights.

SECOND PLACE: The Island News, Bill Rauch, “Time to get real at the school district; Let’s welcome squabbling politicians; What we know about this delicate place“ THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Betty Moses, “A new slant on cleaning; How did it get so late so soon?; I see faces“

FIRST PLACE PERSONALITY PHOTOGRAPH OR PORTRAIT, Daily 12,000-30,000 Division: Ken Ruinard, Independent Mail S.C. Press Association

SPORTS FEATURE STORY

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

SINGLE FEATURE PAGE DESIGN

PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Charles D. Perry, “‘We’re fighting back.’ Faced with Parkinson’s, they would rather box than wither“ Judges’ Comments: Such a vividly detailed story, right down to the black boxing gloves and happy wives.

Love the play on words with this being a fight not just for the sake of the sport but a fight for life.

SECOND PLACE: Daniel Island News, Elizabeth Bush, “Calling the shots!“ THIRD PLACE: Moultrie News, Frankie Mansfield, “GRIERS’ GAME: A father and son’s journey through a lifetime of football“

FIRST PLACE: Greenville Journal, Stephanie Orr Judges’ Comments: Design is crisp and eye-catching.

Many entries had good lead photo or good infographics but this was the best integration of both.

SECOND PLACE: Greenville Journal, Stephanie Orr THIRD PLACE: Daniel Island News, Jan Marvin

PHOTO PAGE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: Daniel Island News, Jan Marvin Judges’ Comments: Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Great job capturing all the local kids having a blast in what has to be a pretty rare weather event in that neck of the woods.

SECOND PLACE: The Fort Jackson Leader, Wallace McBride THIRD PLACE: The Greer Citizen, Julie Holcombe

FEATURE PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan, “Freezin’ For A Reason polar plunge“ Judges’ Comments: Excellent all-around photo: Great composition, color, action, background, and fortitude to stand in freezing water to get the photo.

SECOND PLACE: The Fort Jackson Leader, Wallace McBride, “Marvin Carey hits the heavy bag Monday at Vanguard Gym while coach April MorelandBeason looks on.“ THIRD PLACE: The Link, Joan Yates, “Natalie Melton of Edwards Elementary shows her surprise at being named Chesterfield County School District Teacher of the Year.“

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan, “S.C. High School Rodeo Association fourth annual rodeo“ Judges’ Comments: As I was scrolling through the entry thumbnails, this was the first image that jumped out at me. It caught my eye the way you captured the silhouette of the cowboy. The dust specs resemble a series of a moon phase. It is different and I liked that. I really like your style!

SECOND PLACE: Daniel Island News, Peter Finger, “Kiki crushes it!“ THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan, “Jack Nicklaus signs autographs at First Tee“

FIRST PLACE: The Fort Jackson Leader, Robert Timmons, “Taking Aim“ Judges’ Comments: Good variety of shots. Well composed.

SECOND PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan, “Hurricane Florence“ THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan, “Horse riders with heart take to Grand Strand for annual event“

HUMOROUS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: Coastal Observer, Tanya Ackerman, “Nick at Night program at Pawleys Island Community Church“ Judges’ Comments: Good capture of expression.

Quirky eye direction but it conveys the fun and works!

SECOND PLACE: Coastal Observer, Tanya Ackerman, “Pawleys Island Fourth of July Parade“ THIRD PLACE: Coastal Observer, Tanya Ackerman, “Charles Zider packs up one his animatronic dinosaurs at Brookgreen Gardens.“

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

FIRST PLACE: Laurens County Advertiser, Staff Judges’ Comments: Excellent writing with eye-catching and colorful layout.

SECOND PLACE: Pickens County Courier, Staff THIRD PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Staff

WEEKLY OVER 4,500 & 2-3 TIMES WEEKLY COMBINED PAGE ONE DESIGN PORTFOLIO

FIRST PLACE: Pickens County Courier, Zack Mauldin Judges’ Comments: I like your use of ONE big visual to grab attention, even as you have a strong mix of very strong news stories around the centerpiece to draw in readers.

SECOND PLACE: Coastal Observer, Charles Swenson THIRD PLACE: The Island News, Hope Falls Oswald

SINGLE PAGE ONE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Charles D. Perry Judges’ Comments: Big photo, big headline tell the flooding story that rocked your community with power, and makes the reader pick it up. Nice work.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Athena Redmond THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Phyllis Lucas

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: Greenville Journal, Will Crooks, “March for Our Lives walk out” Judges’ Comments: This photo sends a powerful message, and shows that our youth is standing up for something they believe in.

SECOND PLACE: The Fort Jackson Leader, Nicholas Salcido, “Fort Jackson’s Best Warriors“ THIRD PLACE: The Island News, Bob Sofaly, “Steady rain didn’t stop a handful of Boy and Girl Scouts and a few volunteers from putting out miniature American flags at some of the 20,000 headstones at the Beaufort National Cemetery“

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: Myrtle Beach Herald, Janet Morgan, “St. James’ Cam Dean misses a grounder“ Judges’ Comments: I love the way you captured Dean.

You can see the tension in his face the moment he slides in and misses the ball!

SECOND PLACE: The Gazette, Rob Gantt, “Hanahan’s Jill Courtney slides in“ THIRD PLACE: Coastal Observer, Chris Sokoloski, “Mud Bowl football game at Belin Methodist Church“

S.C. Press Association

2018 News Contest Winners | 13

2-3 TIMES WEEKLY BREAKING NEWS REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “City hires Jackson...Or did it?“ Judges’ Comments: Very thorough with great contrast of dual coverage. Wonderful headline to grab attention to this very enlightening story.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kayla Vaughn and Mark Manicone, “Kershaw murder case“ THIRD PLACE: The Lancaster News, Hannah Strong, “Police, SLED investigating toddler’s death“

ENTERPRISE REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Scott Powell and Cody Sossamon, “OK, here are the real election results“ Judges’ Comments: Oh how it pays to be right. A wild story about something frankly inexplicable – “I had no clue the law had changed,” an election official in 2018 says of 2007 law.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kayla Vaughn, “Paramedics find toddler, unconscious father, drugs within reach“ THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Emails hint at issues related to Bain lawsuit“

REPORTING-IN-DEPTH

FIRST PLACE: The Lancaster News, Reece Murphy, “Devastating fallout for towns: If IL incorporates, Lancaster, Kershaw and Heath Springs will pay“ Judges’ Comments: Reporting lays out potential impact of key issue while helping reader understand the nuts and bolts of the subject.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kayla Vaughn, “A childhood lost awaiting justice“ THIRD PLACE: Chronicle-Independent, Martin L. Cahn and Jim Tatum, “Economic Development“

SERIES OF ARTICLES

FIRST PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Staff, “No place to call home“ Judges’ Comments: Absolutely great series. Hard hitting and local. It’s also an issue that is not going away. Each story gave a different perspective and helped give a thorough analysis of homelessness in Cherokee County. Great work.

SECOND PLACE: Chronicle-Independent, Martin L. Cahn, “Orphaned and homeless“ THIRD PLACE: The Lancaster News, Hal Millard, “Medical cannabis“

14 | 2018 News Contest Winners

BEAT REPORTING

FOOD WRITING

GOVERNMENT BEAT REPORTING

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Lancaster News, Reece Murphy, “Crime“ Judges’ Comments: Concise and flows easily for the reader and keeps his or her attention. Stories detail the crimes but also the impact those crimes will have on others.

SECOND PLACE: Chronicle-Independent, Martin L. Cahn, “Crime“ THIRD PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kayla Vaughn, “Law Enforcement“

FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins Judges’ Comments: Really strong reporting. There are a lot of odd occurrences in Chester County and it sounds like an entertaining beat to cover. The reporter was successful in conveying all sides of the stories.

SECOND PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Larry Hilliard THIRD PLACE: The Lancaster News, Mark Manicone

EDUCATION BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Scott Powell Judges’ Comments: Good explanatory coverage with database reporting plus human element. Covered issues affecting schools. Did a lot of research.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Hannah Strong THIRD PLACE: The Lancaster News, Mark Manicone

NEWS FEATURE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: Chronicle-Independent, Martin L. Cahn, “A hearty ‘welcome home’ for All-America City delegates“ Judges’ Comments: Makes me want to visit Kershaw County! Interesting and informative.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Emily Pollok, “A world beater from Heath Springs: 16-year-old barrel-racing champ“ THIRD PLACE: The Lancaster News, Mandy Catoe, “Tribute to a joyous soul: New picnic shelter at disabilities center honors Terri Ledbetter’s playful spirit“

FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Kicking Butt“ Judges’ Comments: Informational but also doubles as a feature because the writer draws the readers’ interest by interviewing different BBQ’ers.

SECOND PLACE: The News & Reporter, Brian Garner, “In Chester, the word for BBQ is Buttermilk’s“ THIRD PLACE: The Newberry Observer, Andrew Wigger, “Get ready to eat at Oktoberfest“

FIRST PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kayla Vaughn, “Hometown cinematic rollouts don’t get no better than this!“ Judges’ Comments: This story did a good job of making the reader feel like they were at the local movie premiere. It was almost as entertaining as the movie itself.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Gregory A. Summers, “Kershaw has aura of Elvis“ THIRD PLACE: The Cherokee Chronicle, Tommy Martin, “Blacksburg Oyster Roast Turning 40“

SHORT STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kayla Vaughn, “788 unused names for IL town“ Judges’ Comments: I’ve read many stories on write-in votes, but this one carried a tone that matched the subject matter and made it enjoyable from start to end.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kayla Vaughn, “Wallet stolen amid aborted moment of bliss in a truck“ THIRD PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kayla Vaughn, “Stray bullet ricochets off AJ bleachers“

LIFESTYLE FEATURE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Abbie Sossamon, “No more ‘Joy’ in Gaffney“ Judges’ Comments: This story used a diverse range of voices to tell the history of a local restaurant, with colorful quotes and a compelling narrative.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Mandy Catoe, “Mom follows her kids’ lead, now they’re karate kinfolk“ THIRD PLACE: The Newberry Observer, Andrew Wigger, “A Car Full of Memories“

PROFILE FEATURE WRITING OR STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Scott Powell, “Blessings don’t ever collect dust“ Judges’ Comments: Short and sweet perfectly describes this touching story of a community figure dedicating his life to the younger generation.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kayla Vaughn, “Deal with it and get the job done’“ THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Brian Garner, “Auctioneer Rick Cox is Going Once...Going Twice...

(Almost) Gone!“

FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST FEATURE PHOTO, Daily Under 12,000 Division: Micah Green, The Sumter Item S.C. Press Association

COLUMN WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Klonie Jordan, “Depression of the avian variety; There’s a man in here; 10 pop bottles = 1 comic book with a penny left over“ Judges’ Comments: This collection of columns stood out for its consistent strong writing. Narratives about topics of interest to the writer showed incredible attention to detail and simultaneously informed and engaged the reader.

SECOND PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Cody Sossamon, “Underhanded pay raises approved at the 11th hour; They’ll do the right thing; I cowered there, hiding from the enemy“ THIRD PLACE: The Lancaster News, Brian Melton, “I could have brought my AK-47, says the raging man with the axe; 40 years ago, smitten in the Roses checkout; Reviving Mayor Shaw’s hangout, the Ellen Dean: Parcel by parcel, downtown Lancaster is coming back to life“

HUMOR COLUMN WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Cherokee Chronicle, Tommy Martin, “The Worm has Turned; Surgically Removing Sunburns; The Art of the Spit“ Judges’ Comments: Entertaining images and phrases, well-worded and enjoyable narratives, and laugh-outloud spots (even if they were gross). This is a first-rate humor columnist.

SECOND PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “The states have questions, I have answers; Spider and the Whiskey Bomb, Get Lost“ THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Brian Garner, “Bugging your sweetheart (Or What Not to Get Me, Valentine’s Edition); Bozo was my math teacher; The fat season“

SPOT SPORTS STORY

FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Lady Lions take state title series opener“ Judges’ Comments: Details details details. I felt like I was there. I wanted to read every word, not just skip to the results. Great photos.

SECOND PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Lions down Devils in OT thriller“ THIRD PLACE: The Lancaster News, Robert Howey, “Mills golden up front in backstroke state title“

SPORTS FEATURE STORY

FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Money Ball“ Judges’ Comments: It’s nice to see a sports story about the other side of sports: the fans. The lede is a great hook, and the writing is polished and easy to follow throughout. Great interview. The effort put into this story really pays off.

SECOND PLACE: Georgetown Times, Christopher Decker, “Opportunity of a lifetime: Waccamaw High School angler attends FLW camp“ THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “The year of the girls“

S.C. Press Association

SINGLE FEATURE PAGE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: The Lancaster News, Athena Redmond Judges’ Comments: Great placement of photos to help the story pop. It’s a powerful story and the reader can get a real perspective on what Haiti looks like through the photos.

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Athena Redmond THIRD PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Abbie Sossamon

PHOTO PAGE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kyle Camp Judges’ Comments: Conveys the feeling of a timeline of the event in a chronological sense. Good layout!

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Athena Redmond THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Phyllis Lucas

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Nancy Parsons, “A Pea Ridge man came home to find the reportedly 100-year-old house he was living in engulfed in flames.“ Judges’ Comments: This photo shows how destructive a fire can be, and also how brave our firemen are.

SECOND PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Tim Gulla, FIRST PLACE PICTORIAL, Daily Over 30,000 Division: Andrew J. “Fire destroyed the former Sunny Slope Farms Whitaker, The Post and Courier peach packing plant“ THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Nancy Parsons, “Destructive wind ripped through the Fairfield Boat FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Ed Sharpe, Club. The National Weather Service classified the “Ride for Jesus Motorcycle Sunday service“ storm as an EF-1 tornado.“ Judges’ Comments: Great picture. Would love to be able to read the article that goes with it. Good job!

SECOND PLACE: The News & Reporter, Maggie Parsons, “The senator enjoyed clowning around FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Bill Marion, with the kids and struck a comical pose.“ “Chester Christmas Parade“ THIRD PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Abbie Judges’ Comments: The obelisk in the background Sossamon, “Just Peachy“ provides an interesting parallel to the subject on stilts.

SECOND PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Chester Christmas Parade“ THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Brian Garner, FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Brian Garner “CARES operator Sam Bridges uses the old-school and Ritchie Sharpe, “Muster at the Meeting House“ method as he sends a CW (Morse code) signal out Judges’ Comments: Great series of photos. Makes me during the Field Day exercise.“ want to attend next year’s muster. Great job!

SECOND PLACE: The Lancaster News, Gregory A. Summers, “Saturday Night Thunder“ THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Nancy Parsons, FIRST PLACE: The Dillon Herald, Johnnie Daniels, “Flopeye Fish Festival“ “East Clarendon’s Marquis Webb carries for 7 yards

PERSONALITY PHOTOGRAPH OR PORTRAIT

FEATURE PHOTO

PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

against Latta.“ Judges’ Comments: Nice composition. The slight blur accentuates the movement of the players.

SECOND PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Big shot“ THIRD PLACE: The Dillon Herald, Johnnie Daniels, “TD pass to Ahmari Huggins-Bruce”

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Upper State title game“ Judges’ Comments: This one photo says it all in the last-second loss. Lots of emotion. Great job!

SECOND PLACE: The News & Reporter, Bill Marion, “Chester defensive coordinator celebrates with Ly’Terrence Mills after the player’s big interception.“ THIRD PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “The Lewisville softball team celebrates after winning the first state championship in program history.“

HUMOROUS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The Lancaster News, Kayla Vaughn, “Oh, what a relief it is“ Judges’ Comments: Unfortunate placement of the water hose makes for a pretty funny picture!

SECOND PLACE: The News & Reporter, Travis Jenkins, “Naughty List“ THIRD PLACE: The Sentinel-Progress, Kasie Strickland, “Summer fun can go awry when your younger brother gets a hold of your squirt gun“

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

FIRST PLACE: The Gaffney Ledger, Staff Judges’ Comments: Some good entries in this category but this newspaper had the best mix of elements –eyepleasing design with a variety of interesting stories.

SECOND PLACE: The Hartsville Messenger, Staff THIRD PLACE: Chronicle-Independent, Staff

2018 News Contest Winners | 15

DAILY UNDER 12,000 DIVISION BREAKING NEWS REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Herald, Andrew Dys, “‘Our hero is home’: Procession brings slain deputy Mike Doty back to York County“ Judges’ Comments: Good writing captures the poignant scenes of a hero cop brought home. Good images.

SECOND PLACE: The Herald, Andrew Dys and Hannah Smoot, “York County cop shooter asks for forgiveness, mercy; wounded officer lets court judge“ THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Staff, “Greenwood Mall shooting“

ENTERPRISE REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Adam Benson, “Allie’s Story: After rape, Lakelands woman finds inner strength on her road to recovery“ Judges’ Comments: In a year when the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh brought with it a spotlight on a sexual assault allegation that was in the end deemed not credible enough to affect the confirmation, this account about a rape victim seems particularly appropriate as an enterprise story.

This story pre-dates the Kavanaugh proceedings, as I recall, and it is a believable account of what women unfortunately confront too often and the problem with a legal system that works against rape victims. It is well told with specifics about the incident and how it affected the victim and with statistics on how often this type of assault occurs and goes unprosecuted.

Adam Benson handled this story well. The tone was respectful and allowed the victim to be heard. The sidebar provided readers with resources and more explanation on the shame that rape still brings for most victims. It’s a story that will be remembered.

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, Ariel Gilreath, “Praying for dollars“ THIRD PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Gene Zaleski, “Duel over dogs: Man says animals stolen, shelter says not“

REPORTING-IN-DEPTH

FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Matthew Hensley, “A look at issues within the state’s prison system“ Judges’ Comments: Good job of taking what some see as minor story of whinny prison inmates and putting it into the greater context of what a mess the prison system is in.

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, Ariel Gilreath, “They survived a school shooting: 30 years later, Oakland survivors relive trauma as bloodshed continues“ THIRD PLACE: The Herald, Amanda Harris, “‘Epidemic’: SC educators forced to confront rise in student mental illness“

SERIES OF ARTICLES

FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Staff, “Greenwood’s Scourge: What’s the cause? What’s the cure?“ Judges’ Comments: The mixture of commentary and news articles in this series painted a complete picture of the gun violence problems plaguing the community.

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, Staff, “Moving Beyond Thoughts and Prayers“ THIRD PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Gene Zaleski, “Orangeburg grows“

BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Martha Rose Brown, “Beyond cops and court“ Judges’ Comments: Detailed reporting and great court room photos.

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, Damian Dominguez, “Cops/Courts“ THIRD PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Caitlin Herrington, “Oconee County Sheriff’s Office drug investigations“

NEWS FEATURE WRITING FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST: Index-Journal, Adam Benson, “Dispatches from the land of heartbreak: A journey into hurricane country“ Judges’ Comments: Excellent writing and documenting under the circumstances. Bravo!

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, Adam Benson, “‘In the arms of Jesus’: Dylan Emery’s 340-day journey ends“ THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Adam Benson and Conor Hughes, “ANGUISH. Loved ones left reeling after series of shootings in the Lakelands“

LIFESTYLE FEATURE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Caitlin Herrington, “Back in the hands of family: Bible picked up on WWII battlefield returning home“ Judges’ Comments: Good job telling an amazing story.

All the dots are connected. Strong writing.

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, St. Claire Donaghy, “Sacred Spaces“ THIRD PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Caitlin Herrington, “Love wins: Daughter finds mother after 46 years“

PROFILE FEATURE WRITING OR STORY

FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Conor Hughes, “Simply the best: Laurens man’s riding skills lead him to become world-ranked jouster“ Judges’ Comments: This is not just a story about someone who jousts but about jousting as well, and every bit of it draws you in. Great lede. Sections make it easier to read.

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, Ariel Gilreath, “‘It’s bittersweet’: Mother’s Day brings mixed emotions for single mom caring for ailing mother“ THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Damian Dominguez, “Ladies and gentlemen... Elvis: Greenwood’s own Franklin fills those blue suede shoes“

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Sumter Item, Kayla Robins, “Outof-this-world fun“ Judges’ Comments: Fun take on a unique experience. Great description from the actors on what it takes to do this style of play and the impact it has on the kids in the audience.

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, St. Claire Donaghy, “Major remembrance“ THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, St. Claire Donaghy, “Blind ambition“

SHORT STORY

SECOND PLACE FEATURE PHOTO, Weekly Over 4,500 Division: Wallace McBride, The Fort Jackson Leader 16 | 2018 News Contest Winners

FIRST PLACE GENERAL NEWS PHOTO, Weekly Over 4,500 & 2-3 Times Weekly Combined: Will Crooks, Greenville Journal

FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Adam Benson, “Misery in Maxton“ Judges’ Comments: The lede hooked me and I wanted more. Good description of area.

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, Ariel Gilreath, “ECC Trike-a-Thon raises money for March of Dimes“ THIRD PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Martha Rose Brown, “Message in a bottle thrown into Tyger River in 1976 surfaces on Lake Marion“

S.C. Press Association

COLUMN WRITING

FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Richard Whiting, “Being a community is not always warm and fuzzy; Arm teachers? What could possibly go wrong?; Music world not all glam and fame“ Judges’ Comments: Solid political commentary with a good personal touch.

SECOND PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Caitlin Herrington, “Happy (becoming my) Mother’s Day!; There’s no love like toddler love; Call me coach“ THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Chris Trainor, “Print that paper; The arches are gone, but the lessons remain; You know when it’s real“

SPOT SPORTS STORY

FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Skylar Rolstad, “Joe, Sam Black honor father as GCS wins county meet“ Judges’ Comments: Well done story about how a father’s death brings extra emotion to the story about a cross country race.

SECOND PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Eric Sprott, “Razorbacks rampage past Chester into Upper State title game“ THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Skylar Rolstad, “GCS FIRST PLACE SPORTS ACTION PHOTO, Daily 12,000-30,000 Division: Artie Walker, Aiken Standard wins state“

SPORTS ENTERPRISE REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Herald, Bret McCormick, “How does the Big South Conference balance competitive fairness and financial opportunity?“ Judges’ Comments: Thorough piece with strong use of data, practical examples and insightful quotes.

SECOND PLACE: The Herald, Bret McCormick, “What led to Winthrop basketball success recruiting internationally, especially in Oz?“ THIRD PLACE: The Herald, Bret McCormick, “York Prep trying to find where it fits in S.C. high school sports landscape“

SPORTS FEATURE STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Herald, Bret McCormick, “‘We’re gonna have fun tonight’: remembering Ivory Latta’s 70-point game“ Judges’ Comments: Great story... felt like I was in the gym at times.

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, Skylar Rolstad, “Marshall madness“ THIRD PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Alex Maminakis, “Man at work: Seneca’s Wilkerson balances football, business“

SINGLE PAGE ONE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Bob Simmonds Judges’ Comments: Eye-catching simple brilliance.

SECOND PLACE: The Sumter Item, Melanie Smith THIRD PLACE: The Sumter Item, Melanie Smith

SINGLE FEATURE PAGE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Kristin Coker Judges’ Comments: This design stands out way above the other entries. Clever in idea and execution. Just great. Might have to copy this idea!

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, Bob Simmonds THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Bob Simmonds

S.C. Press Association

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The Sumter Item, Micah Green, “Wall of smoke“ Judges’ Comments: This is a well-composed, vivid photo that you don’t see everyday. The color of the smoke almost gives the firefighters a silhouette look. I also like the perspective used here. Well done.

SECOND PLACE: The Beaufort Gazette, Drew Martin, “A man wearing what appears to be a flight suit with a squadron patch similar to that of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort unit that flies the F-35B fighter jet leaves in a Marine Corps Air Station Fire and Rescue ambulance. Law enforcement at the scene confirmed that the pilot of the crashed jet was still on the scene when media arrived.“ THIRD PLACE: The Herald, Tracy Kimball, “Rock Hill police officers hug after the body of Detective Mike Doty of the York County Sheriff’s Office passes by on the way to Piedmont Medical Center.“

FEATURE PHOTO

FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST: The Sumter Item, Micah Green, “Bars behind bars: A Lee Correctional Institution inmate sits with his violin during a musical he and other inmates wrote and performed at the highsecurity state prison with Carnegie Hall musicians styled after Broadway’s ‘Hamilton’ but about Abraham Lincoln and his fight to abolish slavery.“ Judges’ Comments: Simple but eyecatching shot with good detail.

SECOND PLACE: The Sumter Item, Micah Green, “Have you any wool?“ THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Ariel Gilreath, “Lakeview Elementary School Color Run“

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Rex Brown, “Taylor Bright cries during a hearing in which she was sentenced to 10 years in prison on a charge of reckless homicide in the dragging death of her husband.“ Judges’ Comments: Breathtaking, raw emotion. This photo floored me. Far and away the top in the category. The photographer’s approach is just perfect.

Perfect framing, perfect angle.

SECOND PLACE: The Beaufort Gazette, Drew Martin, “The Greenery’s car pool“ THIRD PLACE: The Beaufort Gazette, Drew Martin, “After listening to family members plead for his mercy, Isaiah Gadson Jr. turns with tears in his eyes to listen to his rape victim address the courtroom after he was found guilty on all charges.“

FIRST PLACE PICTORIAL, All Weekly Division: Peter Finger, Daniel Island News 2018 News Contest Winners | 17

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The Sumter Item, Micah Green, “Sweet steal“ Judges’ Comments: Solid composition!!!

SECOND PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Donny Knight, “Renfrow makes the catch“ THIRD PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Donny Knight, “The catch“

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Donny Knight, “Sweet repeat“ Judges’ Comments: Backlighting and shallow depth of field focus reader on emotion in photo.

SECOND PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Rex Brown, “Clemson linebacker Dorian O’Daniel kneels during the Tigers’ loss to Alabama“ THIRD PLACE: The Beaufort Gazette, Stephen Fastenau, “Carlos Morazan, in the mascot costume, consoles Whale Branch Early College High School cheerleaders during halftime of the Warriors football game Friday. Morazan was honoring his son, Kevin, who died in a car wreck Tuesday and was the school’s mascot.“

PERSONALITY PHOTO OR PORTRAIT

FIRST PLACE: The Beaufort Gazette, Drew Martin, “Helen, holding Angel, and Thayer Rivers, leashed with Trixie, stand for a portrait at their Seabrook house that was destroyed by a fire.“ Judges’ Comments: I like the way you framed this couple with the remnants of their home and the fact that they are still smiling despite their loss.

SECOND PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Larry Hardy, “Rachelle Jamerson-Holmes, founder and owner of Rachelle’s Island, is shown inside her other establishment, Thee Matriarch Bed and Breakfast.“ THIRD PLACE: The Sumter Item, Micah Green, “Candy Man: Former Hillcrest High School and NBA standout Ray Allen answers reporters’ questions during a interview session prior to his induction into the S.C. Athletics Hall of Fame.“

PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY

FEATURE VIDEO

NEWS VIDEO

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

FIRST PLACE: Index-Journal, Adam Benson, “The Aftermath of Florence“ Judges’ Comments: This is what I think of for a photo story. There is enough description to tell the story in the cutlines, but the photos do the rest. The photos are also top-notch and showcase a wide variety of views for the story. Well done.

SECOND PLACE: Index-Journal, Adam Benson and Conor Hughes, “Mourners remember men killed in shootings“ THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Greg K. Deal, “Abbeville State Championship“

FIRST PLACE: The Sumter Item, Ty Cornett, Micah Green and Kayla Robins, “Sumter Today: Ride-along with Sumter County Sheriff’s Office deputies“ Judges’ Comments: Really cool behind the scenes look of a police ride-along. The video quality was excellent throughout and the video/editing as a whole was very well done. I thought the trivia question at the beginning and the answer at the end were a nice touch.

SECOND PLACE: The Herald, Tracy Kimball, “Broadway and screen actresses Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen say their mother, Chester native Vivian Ayers Allen, cultivated their love of the arts by immersing them in the disciplines.“ THIRD PLACE: The Herald, Tracy Kimball, “Helicopter, horse-drawn carriage part of funeral for York Co. detective“

FIRST PLACE PHOTO ILLUSTRATION, Open Division: Scott Suchy, FIRST PLACE MIXED MEDIA ILLUSTRATION, Open Division: Brandon Lockett, The Post and Courier Charleston City Paper 18 | 2018 News Contest Winners

FIRST PLACE: The Sumter Item, Ty Cornett, Micah Green and Kayla Robins, “Sumter Today: D-Day Part II“ Judges’ Comments: This is a very high quality video with great storytelling and really interesting angles throughout the interview.

SECOND PLACE: The Sumter Item, Ty Cornett, Micah Green and Kayla Robins, “Sumter Today: A kindergarten class learns about fire safety“ THIRD PLACE: The Herald, Tracy Kimball, “13-yearold P.J. Duncan attended ‘Dance Free Day’ in Chester to meet celebrity dancer and actress Debbie Allen and to show off his dance skills.“

FIRST PLACE: The Times and Democrat, Staff Judges’ Comments: The Women in Business section was amazing – Well done! I didn’t love having a fullpage ad on the front of the local section but what a wonderful problem to have! Overall, a great paper. A huge value for the price, too.

SECOND PLACE: The Journal, Seneca, Staff THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Staff

SECOND PLACE INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC, Open Division: Kristin Coker, The Times and Democrat S.C. Press Association

PHOTOJOURNALISTS of the year

DAILY

KEN RUINARD INDEPENDENT MAIL

“Great portfolio full of very strong images in many situations. Well done job of bringing back solid images from some very difficult assignments. Good job all-around in a category that was full of talent. Very hard to judge this one.”

WEEKLY

WILL CROOKS GREENVILLE JOURNAL

“Beautiful portraits. Good use of lighting and with environments as backdrop, good rapport with subjects.”

S.C. Press Association

2018 News Contest Winners | 19

MONTGOMERY/SHURR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AWARD

THE STATE Born and raised in Chester, Wilks is The State’s senior reporter covering politics and state government.

He joined the Columbia paper in Sept. 2015 as a general assignment reporter, covering everything from cops and crime to the state’s long-term recovery from a devastating flood in Oct. 2015. He’s also covered higher education, with an emphasis on the University of South Carolina. Now, he focuses on the most important problems facing South Carolinians. Over the past three years, Wilks has reported on the $9 billion failure of the V.C. Summer nuclear plant construction project, USC’s controversial practice of bolstering its budget by flooding the campus with out-of-state students, the years-long Statehouse corruption probe, and three hurricanes. Wilks is a 2015 graduate of the University of South Carolina’s journalism school.

In college, he was awarded an SCPA Foundation internship at the Aiken Standard. He also received a Dow Jones Fund copy editing internship at the Tulsa World in Oklahoma. As a student, he covered college sports for GamecockCentral.com and GarnetReport.com, a site he helped found and build. He attributes any success he has had to his parents, Roger and Harriet Wilks, who worked tirelessly for years to make sure their kids had opportunities they didn’t.

Judges agreed that no S.C. journalist did more to serve South Carolinians – and our profession –in 2018 than Wilks. Out of an impressive pool of nominees, Wilks stood out for the quality of his work and significant impact on our state. It was a journalistic tour de force. He landed a big-time story and uncovered something new related to it every day for several months. The breadth and doggedness of his work related to the failed V.C. Summer project, SCANA, Dominion, Santee Cooper and the electric co-ops is impressive. He pursued every possible angle, even getting on the other side of what the implications would be if SCANA went bankrupt. The reporting on what the Tri-County members did and their revolt was extraordinary. Overall, we are grateful for his coverage, and hope he keeps it up.

MYRTLE BEACH HERALD

DAILY WINNERS (TIE) “Both newspapers provided outstanding bodies of work, making it impossible to pick one over the other. Both excellent uses of the FOIA to benefit the public.”

The Post and Courier exhibited eight solid examples that deserve recognition based on the award criteria.

Stories toppled elected officials, prompted law enforcement investigations and triggered legislative action.

They were varied in topic and scope. From investigating Solicitor Dan Johnson’s questionable spending practices to uncovering misconduct by funeral homes, this is an incredible body of work. Other fabulous stories include the immigration unit (that no other state apparently had) and SCANA’s failed nuclear project.

In the courts, the paper filed suit when the Charleston Police Department fought to keep a stockpile of data out of the public’s eye. Police and the paper eventually settled after the department agreed to post much of the information online. Consistent, dogged investigation of both public and private entities whose misconduct has had a dramatic effect on people’s lives. There’s no question that The P&C is consistently fighting for the public’s right to know – whether it’s legal action or putting a team of reporters on it.

What The State did was essential in nature – stepping up and stepping in to fight for more openness.

In 2018, The State sought greater access to public information in the courts – state and federal – and the S.C. Legislature, taking legal action and reporting aggressively. In two instances, The State’s actions resulted in more open government. Reporters from The State ensured an explosive state grand jury report was released to the public. They also fought to ensure court hearings remain open, especially in the case of federal court sentencing hearings. Actions by The State and its attorney led to the reversal of closed sentencing hearings. They also continued a years-long fight to open the meetings and financial records of the House GOP Caucus. When it comes to critical stories of the moment, The State is always there reporting them and initiating legal challenges.

WEEKLY WINNER TRAVIS JENKINS, THE NEWS & REPORTER Jenkins shows several examples of championing the FOIA’s importance to the public. In this large body of work, a standout example was his dogged fight to get school district emails released.

He used a good combination of reporting and editorial comment to accomplish something. The push back on the $30,000 fees was so impressive that district officials actually changed their fee policy. It was encouraging to see that actual citizens joined Jenkins in rejecting that outrageous amount of money. Additionally, his year-long “ABC’s of FOIA” series broke the law into small, easy to understand pieces. Judges also appreciated Jenkins’ use of the FOIA to uncover information about the City of Chester’s finances. His review of the S.C. High School League’s meeting notice failures showed frequent violations. This entry is consistent with the notion that a denial of an FOI request or other impediment is not significant because it makes a reporter’s life difficult. What is significant is how a denial keeps the public from learning what its officials are up to. Well done!

JAY BENDER AWARD FOR ASSERTIVE JOURNALISM DAILY WINNER The criteria of this award mentions standing up to authority in the public’s interest.

Monk is the poster child for this. In some instances he “out-Benders” Bender. After being expelled by a federal judge from a court hearing, he didn’t settle. Instead he went to the judge’s boss to explain that closing a sentencing hearing is likely unconstitutional.

He even enlisted the U.S. attorney’s office to support his position. He was successful in getting the hearing open. On another occasion when a state judge waffled on releasing MONK an explosive grand jury report on S.C. Statehouse corruption, Monk blew the whistle and fought to ensure it would be released to the public. Special prosecutor David Pascoe said Monk’s role in fighting for openness made a difference. There are a lot of great reporters in South Carolina but Monk comes closest to being an indispensable journalist. He stands boldly to protect the rights of the public and journalists. We’re thankful for this tenacity and assertiveness.

JENKINS

WEEKLY WINNERS

FIRST PLACE: JOHN MONK, THE STATE

FIRST PLACE: BARBARA BALL & MICHAEL SMITH, THE VOICE OF BLYTHEWOOD

BALL

Very thorough entry. The Voice did really good reporting that produced results. Coverage led to an audit of the accounts. They exhibited great persistence in exposing a problem that likely occurs statewide with secrecy in the expenditure of accommodations tax money. Ball and Smith reported on issues from every angle. This newspaper does a good job of holding public officials accountable. A real bulldog team.

CHARLES D. PERRY

SMITH

SECOND PLACE: TRAVIS JENKINS, THE NEWS & REPORTER

Jenkins was persistent in going after the school district to get records released. He resisted the temptation to pack up and go home when the district quoted him $30,000 for basic public records. Instead, he fought them.

By combining front page reports with strong editorial backup, Jenkins urged the district to relent and release the records at no cost.

Perry is editor of Carolina Forest Chronicle, North Strand News and myhorrynews.com, the website for Waccamaw Publishers’ five community newspapers. A 2005 graduate of Winthrop University, he has worked for daily and weekly newspapers throughout the state.

Perry has covered hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and ice storms. His profiles have featured rodeo cowboys, race car drivers and rappers. Over the course of his career, Perry has won nearly 100 journalism awards, including first place national honors for sports feature writing, investigative reporting and breaking news reporting. Perry was part of a team that won a McClatchy President’s Award for its coverage of a devastating flood in 2015. In 2017, his paper received the first place community service award from the National Newspaper Association for its stories about police misconduct. Three times Perry’s papers have won the top prize for General Excellence in the S.C. Press Association’s News Contest. In 2012, Perry persuaded his bosses at Waccamaw Publishers to create a special high school football magazine. That annual publication now spans more than 100 pages and has become one of the company’s most lucrative special editions. Perry and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Conway. They have five children.

Perry’s writing is outstanding. Carolina Forest residents benefited from his reporting and analysis of major financial issues. The hurricane piece was well-told with strong human interest.

Coverage of Horry County’s land deals and infrastructure issues helped inform readers. The story on Donna Major was intricately detailed and engaging. His work is well-written, tightly edited and the type of journalism that makes a difference. The quality of writing really draws readers into the stories – even if they’re complex stories. Perry really has a way of telling a story.

WEEKLY JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

DAILY JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

AVERY G. WILKS

DAILY UNDER 12,000 & 12,000-30,000 COMBINED INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Beaufort Gazette, Staff, “Buried: Contamination, confusion in a Beaufort Military Community“ Judges’ Comments: An absolutely massive, wellexecuted effort delving into a problem not only for this particular community, but with resonance in other, similar communities nationally.

SECOND PLACE: The Sun News, Charles Duncan and Elizabeth Townsend, “Forgotten victims: How police failed to investigate sex crimes against children“ THIRD PLACE: Independent Mail, Nikie Mayo and Kirk Brown, “Lawsuits raise concerns about police conduct and government transparency“

BUSINESS BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Herald-Journal, Adam Orr Judges’ Comments: One of the best explanations of the impact of trade war on a local industry. Clear writing. Summer job story is very good.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Bob Montgomery THIRD PLACE: Index-Journal, Conor Hughes

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Herald-Journal, Alyssa Mulliger Judges’ Comments: Good historical and current information.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Adam Orr THIRD PLACE: Independent Mail, Kirk Brown

FOOD WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Island Packet, David Lauderdale, “Hilton Head ‘Dessert Queen’ still making Mud Pie at 77 – and telling life’s secrets“ Judges’ Comments: Great profile on a living legend.

Good details and descriptors.

SECOND PLACE: The Island Packet, Wade Livingston, “Meet Jim, the only person to reach this milestone in Hilton Head’s ‘Barmuda Triangle’“ THIRD PLACE: Herald-Journal, Alyssa Mulliger, “Five must-eats at Bar 1884“

PICTORIAL

FIRST PLACE: Independent Mail, Ken Ruinard, “Spring swing” Judges’ Comments: Good angle, timing and silhouetting make this a winner.

SECOND PLACE: The Sun News, Jason Lee, “Equipment sits on a high spot on the fairway at Aberdeen Golf Course in Longs. Flood waters from the Waccamaw are beginning to recede in the Northern part of Horry County.“ THIRD PLACE: Independent Mail, Ken Ruinard, “Wall of fire”

SPORTS VIDEO FIRST PLACE: Independent Mail, Staff, “Clemson Countdown: Should Kelly Bryant start?“ Judges’ Comments: This is the type of video that drives people to your site week after week. If I were a Clemson fan, this show would become required viewing. Very well produced and excellent content. Nice job.

SECOND PLACE: Independent Mail, Ken Ruinard, “Wife donates kidney to football coach husband“ THIRD PLACE: The Sumter Item, Ty Cornett, Micah Green and Kayla Robins, “Sumter Today: Middle school football players compete for a conference championship.“

GOVERNMENT BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Sun News, Megan Tomasic Judges’ Comments: Good in-depth coverage of business and development issues facing the community.

SECOND PLACE: The Island Packet, Katherine Kokal THIRD PLACE: The Island Packet, Alex Kincaid

SECOND PLACE PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY, Daily Over 30,000 Division: Josh Morgan, The Greenville News 22 | 2018 News Contest Winners

FIRST PLACE PERSONALITY PHOTOGRAPH OR PORTRAIT, Daily Under 12,000 Division: Drew Martin, The Beaufort Gazette S.C. Press Association

DAILY 12,000-30,000 DIVISION BREAKING NEWS REPORTING FIRST PLACE: The Sun News, Staff, “Hurricane Florence“ Judges’ Comments: Absolutely brilliant and extraordinarily comprehensive hurricane coverage.

SECOND PLACE: Morning News, Staff, “Hurricane Florence, the aftermath“ THIRD PLACE: Herald-Journal, Conor Hughes, “‘This is all we knew’: Jones County, N.C., ravaged

by Hurricane Florence“

ENTERPRISE REPORTING FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST: Herald-Journal, Conor Hughes, “Service on the edge: Law enforcement, first responders struggle to find long-term support for PTSD“ Judges’ Comments: Very good. Very sad.

Good story telling, as well as pointing out a larger problem.

SECOND PLACE: The Island Packet, Kasia Kovacs, “Homeless drifters, rotting buildings: How do we fix Hilton Head’s abandoned properties?“ THIRD PLACE: Morning News, Shamira McCray, “Body cam video contradicts NAACP president’s racial profiling claims“

BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Island Packet, Liz Farrell, “‘Evil awaited them’: Trial of one of Beaufort’s oldest murder, rape cases“ Judges’ Comments: The dialogue and storytelling in these articles is what set these stories apart for me. It combined all the information the reader needed to know, but in a way that was enjoyable to read. More articles and reporting should be like this.

SECOND PLACE: Independent Mail, Nikie Mayo, “Public Safety“ THIRD PLACE: The Island Packet, Caitlin Turner, “Public Safety“

NEWS FEATURE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: Herald-Journal, Conor Hughes, “‘Room for everyone’: Changes to Boy Scouts taking hold in Spartanburg with coed Cub Scout dens“ Judges’ Comments: Local coverage brings national issue home to readers. Good storytelling.

SECOND PLACE: The Island Packet, Maggie Angst, “‘Alex was tortured’: Hilton Head dad fights to fix America’s problem with childhood cancer“ THIRD PLACE: Independent Mail, Nikie Mayo, “Mahsetky family reeling from Otto’s death, share details of what led to tragedy outside Anderson home“

LIFESTYLE FEATURE WRITING REPORTING-IN-DEPTH FIRST PLACE: The Sun News, David Weissman, “Opioid addiction recovery options“ Judges’ Comments: The in-depth reporting combined with excellent storytelling is what set these articles apart for me.

SECOND PLACE: The Island Packet, Katherine Kokal, “Why won’t Hilton Head chamber show how it spends $2.5M in taxes?“ THIRD PLACE: The Island Packet, Wade Livingston, “‘An act of violence’: How a Sun City woman’s Google search cost her $18,000“

SERIES OF ARTICLES FIRST PLACE: Independent Mail, Abe Hardesty, “S.C.’s deadly roads“ Judges’ Comments: Incredibly deep look at a serious problem. Really examined all angles of the problem.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Andy Rhinehart, “The Ballad of Harthorne Wingo: A story of success, failure and redemption“ THIRD PLACE: The Island Packet, Maggie Angst, “Housing crisis on Hilton Head Island“

S.C. Press Association

FIRST PLACE: Independent Mail, Donna Isbell Walker, “Nick Charalambous rides his bike across South Carolina to celebrate cancer recovery“ Judges’ Comments: A great story about trusting God, healing and faith. Bravo!

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Samantha Swann, “This cafe serves cat lovers... and cats“ THIRD PLACE: Independent Mail, Nikie Mayo, “‘No one fights alone’: Firefighter battling cancer rides from hospital in pink fire truck“

PROFILE FEATURE WRITING OR STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Island Packet, Wade Livingston, “They gathered on Hilton Head to celebrate the mom they couldn’t talk about for 50 years“ Judges’ Comments: This was just a feel good, all around great story despite the tragedy of losing a parent so young and not being able to talk about it.

Grabbed my attention and kept it until the end.

SECOND PLACE: Morning News, Ardie Arvidson, “It started with a ‘cat’ scan“ THIRD PLACE: The Sun News, Hannah L. Strong, “He’s seen death nearly every day for decades: Meet Horry County’s coroner and comforter“

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WRITING

FIRST PLACE: Herald-Journal, Samantha Swann, “Artist uses discarded items to create 3D portraits“ Judges’ Comments: Story deals with both the art and the artist giving insight into both.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Dan Armonaitis, “Prime sounds, prime atmosphere“ THIRD PLACE: Independent Mail, Donna Isbell Walker, “A spinal ailment has only strengthened Anderson actor Ben Otto Sunderman’s character – on and offstage“

SHORT STORY

FIRST PLACE: Herald-Journal, Conor Hughes, “Father of victim coached suspect: Second arrest made in slaying of Overton Good in Gaffney“ Judges’ Comments: Interesting personal touch to a crime story. Details of the case were well placed between Good’s experiences as a father.

SECOND PLACE: Morning News, Andrew Boardwine, “Lidl? Say it the way you like, ja?“ THIRD PLACE: The Island Packet, Wade Livingston, “She found a Marine ring on a Florida beach and traced it back to Parris Island. Here’s how“

SPOT SPORTS STORY

FIRST PLACE: Herald-Journal, Eric Boynton, “Unlikely pairing at BMW Charity Pro-Am“ Judges’ Comments: This story turns what would be a data-based golf roundup into something way more interesting.

SECOND PLACE: Aiken Standard, Kyle Dawson, “Ridge Spring-Monetta to play for state title after buzzer-beater“ THIRD PLACE: The Island Packet, Wade Livingston, “It’s a club-throwing, high-drama heckuva time at this meltdown hotspot at Heritage“

SPORTS ENTERPRISE REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: Independent Mail, Marcel LouisJacques, “Cartersville made sure football isn’t all that defines Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence“ Judges’ Comments: Definitely a neat look into an athlete in the spotlight. Interesting theme for an otherwise highly-reported subject.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Jed Blackwell, “The Greatest Shot Never Made“ THIRD PLACE: The Sun News, Alan Blondin, “What could have been: Why some of CCU’s top recruits aren’t making it to the campus“

2018 News Contest Winners | 23

SPORTS FEATURE STORY

FIRST PLACE: Aiken Standard, Kyle Dawson, “Blue Devils’ Lott overcomes obstacles, thrives“ Judges’ Comments: Well organized story and strong use of quotes.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Todd Shanesy, “SMC soccer player’s best friend Violet is the team’s MVP – most valuable pet“ THIRD PLACE: Herald-Journal, Jed Blackwell, “When Tragedy Struck, Brandon Jones Had One Request“

SINGLE PAGE ONE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: Independent Mail, Staff Judges’ Comments: Super clean, modern, eye-catching.

Love it.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Dhyana Sansoucie THIRD PLACE: Morning News, James Ruff

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST: The Sun News, Jason Lee, “Maura Walbourne sits in the front of a canoe looking in at her flooded Long Avenue home as David Covington wades through the wreckage.“ Judges’ Comments: The direct emotion and framing of this photo helped it rise above the competition. Many of the photos were strong graphically and this is one of the few that brought high level of emotional intimacy as well.

SECOND PLACE: The Sun News, Jason Lee, “Avery Singleton takes a boat to Pine Grove Baptist Church in Brittons Neck.“ THIRD PLACE: The Sun News, Josh Bell, “A bicycle lays in the median along Highway 17 after a cyclist was hit by a vehicle.“

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: Herald-Journal, Alex C. Hicks Jr., “The things that united us“ Judges’ Comments: The framing, emotion and motion through the image brought this quieter image up in the judging, ultimately sealing its first place award.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Alex C. Hicks Jr., “Tall enough for my flag“ THIRD PLACE: The Sun News, Jason Lee, “Forester Tim Dargan radios his crew that were helping burn over 100 acres of undergrowth in the forest of Brookgreen Gardens“

FEATURE PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: Herald-Journal, Tim Kimzey, “Sidewalk Drive“ Judges’ Comments: Simple childhood and sisterhood emotions are well illustrated by this photo. The photo brings an everyday situation into a new light.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Alex C. Hicks Jr., “Dreaming of cheesecake“ THIRD PLACE: The Sun News, Josh Bell, “Horry County Fair“

24 | 2018 News Contest Winners

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: Aiken Standard, Artie Walker, “Gamecocks wide receiver Bryan Edwards lunges for the end zone“ Judges’ Comments: The first place photo is an excellent example of a sports photo – a clean simple peak action shot, of a clearly important moment in the game.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Tim Kimzey, “Keeping the ball“ THIRD PLACE: Independent Mail, Ken Ruinard, “Semi-sweet sack”

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: Aiken Standard, Artie Walker, “Gamecocks guard Hassani Gravett has blood streaming down his face after being hit during a basketball game against Mississippi State.“ Judges’ Comments: The unique moment and calm, focused expression of the player bring this moment into first place as a sports feature photo.

SECOND PLACE: Aiken Standard, Artie Walker, “Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart celebrates a touchdown by running back Brian Herrien during a game against South Carolina.“ THIRD PLACE: Morning News, Scott Chancey, “For Hannah-Pamplico baseball players, they not only had to field grounders, they had to field a hound that got loose and roamed the field during Game 1 of the Class A lower-state final.“

FEATURE VIDEO

FIRST PLACE: The Sun News, Jason Lee, “Recovery Ranch a place of refuge for recovering addicts“ Judges’ Comments: The natural scenery created a great background and the editing and interviews were very well done. Illustrates the importance of such facilities and the impact they have on the community.

SECOND PLACE: The Island Packet, Jay Karr, “Why would a man wear a chicken suit to slow speeders on his street? Here’s why“ THIRD PLACE: The Island Packet, Staff, “Boy on Hilton Head beach asks his mom, ‘Can I get attacked by a shark?’ and got bitten“

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

FIRST PLACE: The Sun News, Staff Judges’ Comments: Good use of photographs coupled with excellent content and good writing made this a winner in a competitive field.

SECOND PLACE: Morning News, Staff THIRD PLACE: Aiken Standard, Staff

PERSONALITY PHOTOGRAPH OR PORTRAIT FIRST PLACE: Independent Mail, Ken Ruinard, “Coach speaks” Judges’ Comments: Creative approach to a rather boring shot of a coach talking. Readers will look.

SECOND PLACE: Herald-Journal, Alex C. Hicks Jr., “No place like home“ THIRD PLACE: Independent Mail, Ken Ruinard, “A new direction”

PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Sun News, Jason Lee, “Record flooding following Hurricane Florence“ Judges’ Comments: Great photos of the flooding and local impact.

SECOND PLACE: The Sun News, Jason Lee, “Adoption Day“ THIRD PLACE: The Island Packet, Jay Karr, “Winter storm coverage 2018“

NEWS VIDEO

FIRST PLACE: The Sun News, Jason Lee and Hannah Smoot, “Flood waters flow through homes in Conway’s Sherwood neighborhood“ Judges’ Comments: The footage in this video is compelling and does a powerful job illustrating the devastation of the flood waters. Very well done.

SECOND PLACE: Independent Mail, Ken Ruinard, “Family of Tina Milford hope to find closure to a cold case 35 years old“ THIRD PLACE: The Sun News, Jason Lee, “Homeless Camp Cleanup displaces local Myrtle Beach couple“

FIRST PLACE FEATURE PHOTO, 2-3 Times Weekly Division: Bill Marion, The News & Reporter S.C. Press Association

DAILY 12,000-30,000 & OVER 30,000 COMBINED COLUMN WRITING

FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST: The Post and Courier, Paul Bowers, “Six tips for camping with toddlers (without feeding them to the wolves); Death is a fact of life. How do I tell my children about it?; My children will speak Southern, and y’all can deal with it“ Judges’ Comments: I thought the descriptive writing in these columns was FIRST PLACE GENERAL NEWS PHOTO, Daily 12,000-30,000 Division: Alex C. Hicks, Herald-Journal excellent as well as the relatable topics. I think the columns did a good job mixing anecdotes, information and personality.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Ed Buckley, “Apologizing for slavery is the least we can do; We need to reach out to help stop suicide; S.C. students outshine their leaders with call to action on gun violence“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Brian Hicks, “At South Carolina’s worst prison, the gangs are in charge; One day, and it probably isn’t far off, Nikki Haley will be president; Arrington’s mistakes, twisted truth, make Cunningham a stronger candidate“

SINGLE FEATURE PAGE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Chad Dunbar Judges’ Comments: Excellent design. Great photo and text alignment matching the photo is spot on.

SECOND PLACE: Aiken Standard, Lauren Haley THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Krena Lanham

SECOND PLACE GENERAL NEWS PHOTO, Daily Over 30,000 Division: Andrew J. Whitaker, The Post and Courier S.C. Press Association

FIRST PLACE PERSONALITY PHOTOGRAPH OR PORTRAIT, Weekly Over 4,500 & Under 4,500 Divisions Combined: Michaele Duke, The News, Kingstree 2018 News Contest Winners | 25

DAILY OVER 30,000 DIVISION BREAKING NEWS REPORTING

FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST: The Post and Courier, Staff, “Hurricane Florence“ Judges’ Comments: Strong writing, excellent reporting and outstanding photography documented Hurricane Florence’s deadly path across South Carolina. This coverage tagged all the bases.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Staff, “Hurricane Florence“ THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Staff, “Plane crash kills pilot and co-pilot, 2 others seriously injured“

ENTERPRISE REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Lauren Sausser, “The modern reality of S.C. child marriage“ Judges’ Comments: Great job and terrific public service for the state. It would have been easy to go over the top with subject matter but instead this is a perfect example of letting the subjects tell the story.

SECOND PLACE: The State, Lucas Daprile, “As college tuition soars, USC spends millions on mostly empty private plane“ THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Daniel J. Gross, “Amid Upstate’s opioid epidemic, people with addiction struggle to find safe recovery homes“

REPORTING-IN-DEPTH

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Michael Majchrowicz and Mary Katherine Wildeman, “‘Taught to hate myself’: How gay conversion therapy in SC is thriving“ Judges’ Comments: Excellent story capturing the human emotion and bringing light to an alarming issue through multiple formats, including beautiful writing, video, audio, graphics and photography.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Abigail Darlington, “Charleston’s flooding crisis“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Tony Bartelme and Emory Parker, “Into the Gulf Stream“

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew Brown and Gregory Yee, “SC taxpayers pay millions for a secretive police force that arrests immigrants for fake IDs“ Judges’ Comments: The quality of investigative work is matched to the terrific writing. Wish every politician talking about “illegals” reads this report. Great job.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Tony Bartelme and David Wren, “Tire Failure: Lax rules left mountains of mosquito-infested, flammable tires in South Carolina“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Glenn Smith and Mary Katherine Wildeman, “Grave Misdeeds: A SC funeral home left a body to rot for years in ‘corrupt’ system that protects homes“

FIRST PLACE SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO, Weekly Under 4,500 Division: Debbie Rogers, News-Chronicle 26 | 2018 News Contest Winners

SERIES OF ARTICLES

FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST: The Post and Courier, Staff, “Minimally Adequate“ Judges’ Comments: An impressive effort to explain the state’s biggest challenge, as well as how to deal with it.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Staff, “SC’s school bus crisis“ THIRD PLACE: The State, Sarah Ellis, Cody Dulaney, Teddy Kulmala and Jeff Wilkinson, “Are we losing the Five Points we love? The district’s identity is at a crossroads“

BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Hanna Raskin, “Charleston restaurants“ Judges’ Comments: Coverage offers long view of dining industry, not just restaurant reviews. Her topics are timely and edgy.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew Knapp, “Crime and courts“ THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Daniel J. Gross, “Opioid crisis“

GOVERNMENT BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The State, Avery G. Wilks Judges’ Comments: Great, in-depth reporting on highly relevant, but abstract issues for citizens. Thank you for shining a spotlight on a government entity most likely do not know exist.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, David Slade THIRD PLACE: The State, Sarah Ellis

FIRST PLACE SPORTS ACTION PHOTO, Weekly Under 4,500 Division: Michael Lollis, The Journal, Williamston S.C. Press Association

BUSINESS BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The State, Avery G. Wilks Judges’ Comments: Utilities are not the most exciting industry, but Avery Wilks went above most reporters in explaining problem areas and how they affected consumers in their wallets. Wilks’ writing is straightforward and the stories were well reported and thorough in their coverage. Wilks provided a public service by bringing to light the Tri-County co-op board’s efforts to enrich board members at the expense of the utility and its customers. The story showed enterprise and explained the board’s actions and motivations. The story on SCE&G also was commendable for pointing out how the utility was overcharging and made some extremely poor decisions. “Dominion plans to acquire SCE&G and rebate $1,000 per customer“ explained what is often a dull, uninviting topic clearly and in a way customers and lawmakers could understand and act on.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, John McDermott THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, David Wren

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT BEAT REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, David Slade Judges’ Comments: Lots of great detail; smooth writing; clear and simple graphics with good info; good choice of photos.

SECOND PLACE: The State, Jeff Wilkinson THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Warren L. Wise

NEWS FEATURE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew Knapp, “One gunshot started deadly chaos at Charleston restaurant, and one ended it“ Judges’ Comments: Excellent reporting with movielike, gripping details – utilizing multiple sources – of a local tragedy. The kind of story that sucks you in and wants you to learn more about the victim and case.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Kirk Brown, “Greenville veteran’s suicide leaves family searching for answers“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Jennifer Berry Hawes, “Summoned to History: Jury foreman, alternate in Dylann Roof trial speak publicly for the first time“

LIFESTYLE FEATURE WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Jennifer Berry Hawes, “A white woman bridged the races. Then she found slave traffickers in her family.“ Judges’ Comments: Excellent job storytelling of an amazing story.

SECOND PLACE: The State, Isabella Cueto, “Why 5,000 people in Lexington County are just crazy about ... rocks?“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Angie Jackson, “Formerly homeless artist provides for his family selling portraits in Charleston“

S.C. Press Association

FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO, Daily Over 30,000 Division: Lauren Petracca, The Greenville News

PROFILE FEATURE WRITING OR STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Lauren Sausser, “Through the darkest days: How a Charleston pediatrician helps children at the end of their lives“ Judges’ Comments: A long-form story that you can’t stop reading. Amazingly sad but also positive. Great job on a story many reporters wouldn’t want to do.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Jennifer Berry Hawes, “Walterboro teen kidnapped from Florida hospital as newborn rebuilds her life“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Jennifer Berry Hawes, “In search of Noel: After a life of tragedy, South Carolina woman places hope in finding a lost son“

FOOD WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Hanna Raskin, “We dined with 4 wheelchair users at 4 of Charleston’s top lunch spots. Here’s what they experienced.“ Judges’ Comments: An innovative approach and well documented reporting on an overlooked topic. The author blends compassion with information.

Disabilities are explained without too much detail that would make it a focus. The focus is kept on the codes restaurants are choosing to follow. Well done.

SECOND PLACE: The State, Susan Ardis, “This SC barbecue festival goes whole hog. Here’s how to experience it“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Hanna Raskin, “Popularity of Japanese steakhouse a cultural phenomenon in South Carolina“

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WRITING

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Kalyn Oyer, “Women musicians in Charleston routinely deal with sexist challenges“ Judges’ Comments: Excellent reporting all around.

Numerous sources provide multiple perspectives.

Grammys data/stats help carry this local story to national significance along with the timing of Me Too. SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Adam Parker, “How South Carolina’s largest private art collection helped transform an old mill town“ THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Donna Isbell Walker, “Modern political themes permeate Warehouse production of ‘Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson’“

SHORT STORY

FIRST PLACE: The State, Sarah Ellis, “Face-eating squirrels ravage jack-o’-lanterns in Columbia neighborhood“ Judges’ Comments: Humorous story but still wellreported and cleverly written.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Rickey Ciapha Dennis Jr., “Tensions rise between cities and Postal Service over address confusion“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Bo Petersen, “Satellite shows shark roaming land“

2018 News Contest Winners | 27

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The Greenville News, Bart Boatwright, “Wilhelmina Hagood consoles her son, Dominic Austin Jr., as they watch firefighters work a fire at his apartment.“ Judges’ Comments: Nice composition – takes the reader’s eye straight to the focus of the photo – mom and son –while out of focus law enforcement provide a nice secondary subject. Very clean composition that truly fits the definition of spot news.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Lauren Petracca, “Tyanna Hunter, 5, grabs one of her favorite toys out of a box before her family leaves their room at the Economy Inn. The motel was condemned and residents were given less than 24 hours to pack up, leave, and find a new place to go.“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Grace Beahm Alford, “Lewis Middleton peers from the doorway into the Ministry Center at St. Andrew’s Church in Mount Pleasant where the cross remains standing despite the fire damage from an early morning blaze.“

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE GENERAL NEWS PHOTO, Daily Over 30,000 Division: Josh Morgan, The Greenville News

SPOT SPORTS STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, David Cloninger, “Here’s Javon Kinlaw: South Carolina defensive lineman ready to live up to star billing“ Judges’ Comments: Tremendous look at the life of Kinlaw. Paced well and gave a great amount of detail into backstory.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Jeff Hartsell, “Raven Saunders, four-time NCAA champion from Burke High School, ends college career for health reasons“ THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Manie Robinson, “In exclusive interview, Clemson football QB Kelly Bryant says he will transfer“

SPORTS ENTERPRISE REPORTING

FIRST PLACE: The Greenville News, Manie Robinson, “Clemson’s Dabo Swinney is paid more than all 50 U.S. governors ... Combined“ Judges’ Comments: Thorough piece. Clearly a lot of research with relevant statistics, as well as thoughtful commentary on the cause of those figures.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Manie Robinson, “USC, Clemson could earn millions on naming rights for Williams-Brice, Memorial Stadium“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Jeff Hartsell, “Sports betting is already happening in SC. If legalized, the state could win millions.“

28 | 2018 News Contest Winners

SPORTS FEATURE STORY FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST: The Post and Courier, Grace Raynor, “Special bond between two Clemson fans and Tigers’ basketball team began 10 years ago“ Judges’ Comments: A piece that took much more than just sitting down for an interview. Keeping an eye out for noteworthy occurrences paid off big time in this enticing, heart-warming story.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Scott Keepfer, “Teaching like a champ: Former Clemson star Robert Carswell a big hit in the classroom, too“ THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Bob Castello, “The Legend of Uncle El: Long-lost plaque of former Southside basketball star resurfaces“

SINGLE PAGE ONE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Cameron Love Judges’ Comments: Great job using entire front for one topic while telling multiple stories. Clean layout and strong art.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Staff THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Chad Dunbar

FIRST PLACE: The Greenville News, Josh Morgan, “Pastor John Gray is overcome with emotion as he is welcomed in as the new pastor of Relentless Church.“ Judges’ Comments: Very strong image. The viewer can feel the emotion immediately. Composition is spot on – every element works together to draw the viewer into the photo to the main subject. Also good exposure in a not-so-good lighting situation.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “Firas Nasr holds up a microphone marching down King Street with other queer and trans activists for a dance party protest in response to the violent assault of Kendra Martinez and vandalism of Closet Case Thrift Store.“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Wade Spees, “Hats fly after 516 cadets graduated at The Citadel’s commencement exercises in McAlister Field House.“

FEATURE PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “Willie Lucille Pearson sings to celebrate a beautiful day. About 74 years ago the unincorporated community of Alcolu received terrible news that two young white girls were missing. Betty June Binnicker, 11, and her friend, 7-year-old Mary Emma Thames were found dead in a pond with severe blows to the head. After the bodies were found someone fingered 14-year-old George Stinney Jr. as the meanest kid in town.

White men showed up and whisked him away.“ Judges’ Comments: I love everything about this photo.

Great composition that captures joy. I found myself going back to this image many times – it really stood out to me.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “Jamie Failing with Good Clean Fun performs the hammock aerial acrobatics during the 4th of July Festival“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Grace Beahm Alford, “Graham McKnight, 6, smiles as he plays in the man-made snow during the Christmas Festival.”

S.C. Press Association

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: The Greenville News, Bart Boatwright, “Sandi Morris reacts after clearing 4.95m/16’3 during the Liberty Bridge Jump-Off.“ Judges’ Comments: Wow. What a cool shot. We’re accustomed to seeing great photos from the usual sports – baseball, basketball, football – but not as often in sports such as track and field. I love the unbridled joy in the athlete’s face, which carries to her double fist bump in the air. Perfect framing to capture the bar, the pole and the athlete. This was a category filled with amazing shots, but this one is special.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Grace Beahm Alford, “Aleksandra Krunic plays Bethany MattekSands at the Volvo Car Open.“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “North Charleston’s Harry Seabrook intercepts the ball before running into the end zone for a touch down during the Sertoma Football Classic.“

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

FIRST PLACE AND BEST OF THE BEST: The Greenville News, Lauren Petracca, “Wade Hampton players nervously watch as a teammate sets up for a free throw during the Class AAAAA girls Upper State Championships.“ Judges’ Comments: You can feel the emotion of the players on the bench as they watch an important free throw in the foreground. Fantastic shot.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Bart Boatwright, “Clemson’s Christian Wilkins douses head coach Dabo Swinney with Gatorade after the Tigers defeated Boston College to win the Atlantic Division.“ THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Bart Boatwright, “Wade Hampton teammates hug after their loss in the Class AAAAA girls championship.“

PERSONALITY PHOTO OR PORTRAIT

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “At the age of 30, Mitchell Reid got into gay conversion therapy and met with Christian counselors to help change his orientation from gay to straight. After three decades of trying, Reid, now 58, never felt closer to piecing together why he wasn’t attracted to women.“ Judges’ Comments: This is a stop-in-your-tracks and admire it kind of photo. Brilliant idea, brilliant execution. Terrific framing. The subject’s face almost tells the story when juxtaposed with the cross.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Josh Morgan, “Jim Graham is reflected off his glass top desk, where a photograph of Rev. Thomas Sullivan and his crucifix rest. Graham has spent years investigating his relation to Sullivan, who he believes to be his biological father.“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “Israel Garcia, 37, of Florence, was surveilled by the South Carolina immigration enforcement unit in April 2016 and then pulled over by officers with the Darlington Sheriff ’s Office later that year for driving without a license.

S.C. Press Association

PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “Recognition Day“ Judges’ Comments: I’d never heard of Recognition Day, but after viewing this photo story, I have a strong idea of what it entails. Each photo tells a story, from the grueling physical strain to the cadets marching in their full dress. Amazing work by a photographer who wasn’t scared to get up, close and personal to the action.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Josh Morgan, “Hurricane Florence“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Grace Beahm Alford, “Jiheim Prince“

PICTORIAL

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “A Great Egret takes flight over Shem Creek Park“ Judges’ Comments: Breathtaking. Stunning. Gorgeous. I could go on and on with superlatives. The composition of this photo is first rate. The lighting is, too. Same for the framing. Definitely the top of class of this category.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Wade Spees, “The AeroShell Aerobatic Team performed as the headliner act at the Air & Space Expo Rehearsal Day.“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “Scott Whitson and David Bradley walk along the beach off of E. Ashley Avenue.”

WEBSITE

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Brooks Brunson and J. Emory Parker, postandcourier.com Judges’ Comments: “All the news you need, made by humans not machines.” Content shines on Post and Courier’s digital platforms. Instead of just throwing stories up, staff collaborates, plans and delivers useful, interesting and timely news and information. Page experience is best of class. Staff is deliberate in making sure every element works to enhance storytelling and engage readers. From full newsroom training initiatives to reviewing data to see what’s working and what’s not, staff works hard to keep site relevant.

SECOND PLACE: The State, Staff, thestate.com THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Staff, greenvilleonline.com

FEATURE VIDEO

FIRST PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “‘Taught to hate myself’: the damage of gay conversion therapy“ Judges’ Comments: This is a challenging story but it was presented excellently. It teaches about the power of love and acceptance.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Manie Robinson, “Museum fills gaps in African American history“ THIRD PLACE: The Post and Courier, Andrew J. Whitaker, “Mother determined to be a lifeguard after son’s drowning“

SPORTS VIDEO

FIRST PLACE: The State, Ashlen Renner and Gavin McIntyre, “What it’s like to play for South Carolina’s only women’s tackle football team“ Judges’ Comments: You can see the passion and drive on the faces of these women. These athletes are truly playing for the love of the game.

SECOND PLACE: The Greenville News, Josh Morgan, “Greenville Drive Opening Day 2018“ THIRD PLACE: The Greenville News, Josh Morgan, “Cerebral palsy doesn’t stop Greer Middle College student from running cross country“

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

FIRST PLACE ONLY: The Post and Courier, Staff Judges’ Comments: An excellent paper with solid stories, writing, photos and graphics. This paper has more locally written content than I have seen in years.

It gives me hope for the future of our industry.

NEWS VIDEO

FIRST PLACE: The State, Gavin McIntyre, “SC State commemorates 50th anniversary of Orangeburg Massacre“ Judges’ Comments: Powerful video of the remembrance of a terrible time in our state’s history.

SECOND PLACE: The Post and Courier, Lauren Petracca, “Jeff Tant died shortly after completing an agility test while trying out to become a Charleston police officer. His cause of death has not yet been determined. He left behind his wife, Jennifer, and 2-year-old son, Easton.“ THIRD PLACE: The State, Gavin McIntyre, “Democrat James Smith makes final push in governor race before election“

THIRD PLACE SPORTS ACTION PHOTO, Daily Under 12,000 Division: Donny Knight, The Times and Democrat 2018 News Contest Winners | 29

ASSOCIATE & INDIVIDUAL MEMBER DIVISION NEWSPAPER PUBLICATION

FIRST PLACE: S.C. United Methodist Advocate, Jessica Brodie and Allison Trussell Judges’ Comments: Wide range of coverage and commentary. Good layout and use of photos. A winner in a very competitive category.

SECOND PLACE: Columbia Regional Business Report, Staff THIRD PLACE: Charleston Regional Business Journal, Staff

MAGAZINE OR SPECIALTY PUBLICATION

FIRST PLACE: SCBIZ Magazine, Ryan Wilcox, Jane James and Licia Jackson, “Winter 2017“ Judges’ Comments: This category was nearly impossible to judge... 17 outstanding entries bursting with interesting elements. All entrants should be proud of the specialty publications they produce. SCBIZ stands out for the diversity and quality of coverage. A first-rate magazine that drew me in with the agribusiness cover story. A+ for articles, photography, design and ads.

SECOND PLACE: S.C. Farm Bureau Federation, Bill Johns and Stephanie Sox, “Summer 2018“ THIRD PLACE: The Baptist Courier, Staff, “Nov. 2018“

NEWS REPORTING

BUSINESS REPORTING FIRST PLACE: Columbia Regional Business Report, Melinda Waldrop, “S.C. among leading states in growth of women-owned businesses“ Judges’ Comments: Good lead. Concrete example, followed by good detail of how it is going, sprinkled with national and state info. Well done job.

SECOND PLACE: SCBIZ Magazine, Steve McDaniel, “The Heritage: A 50-year story of success and resilience“ THIRD PLACE: GSA Business Report, Ross Norton, “Bassmaster Classic brings $23M to economy“

FAITH REPORTING FIRST PLACE: S.C. United Methodist Advocate, Jessica Brodie, “Blessing Boxes“ Judges’ Comments: Well written, inspiring and very interesting piece. Wonderful to learn about a caring community.

SECOND PLACE: S.C. United Methodist Advocate, Jessica Brodie, “Church on the margins“ THIRD PLACE: S.C. United Methodist Advocate, Jessica Brodie, “United Methodists help Puerto Rico rise“

FEATURE WRITING FIRST PLACE: Tidelands Health, Margaret Lamb, “The inspiring story of “Johnny Omelet”“ Judges’ Comments: Egg-cellent writing. Heartwarming story. Delightful subject.

SECOND PLACE: Tidelands Health, Margaret Lamb, “One name, thousands of birth certificates“ THIRD PLACE: Tidelands Health, Margaret Lamb, “Overcoming adversity: Paralyzed Myrtle Beach man drives again“

SPORTS REPORTING FIRST PLACE: Tidelands Health, Tim Hyland, “A long road back to the game he loves“ Judges’ Comments: Good story about pitcher’s recovery after surgery. Easy to read.

SECOND PLACE: The Baptist Courier, Bill Sorrell, “For NFL’s Ryan Succop, salvation is a ‘beautiful thing’“ THIRD PLACE: Tidelands Health, Annemarie Mannion, “Myrtle Beach dancer, 12, overcomes knee injury to succeed at World Ballet Competition“

FIRST PLACE: Columbia Regional Business Report, Melinda Waldrop, “Restoring the golden grain“ Judges’ Comments: A very interesting topic and great overall story. Bringing foods that are so important to our areas back from the brink of extinction and learning about the guy’s journey is one of those “once in a lifetime” stories. Very impressive.

SECOND PLACE: Charleston Regional Business Journal, Patrick Hoff, “Medal of Honor museum to look at other locales“ THIRD PLACE: Charleston Regional Business Journal, Patrick Hoff, “Tensions run high during short-term rental debate“

REPORTING-IN-DEPTH

FIRST PLACE: Tidelands Health, Staff, “Hurricane Florence and the historic flooding“ Judges’ Comments: Excellent example of in-depth reporting. Really appreciate how My Carolina Life covered this particular topic from beginning to end and afterward. The content was timely, important and useful. Job well done.

SECOND PLACE: Columbia Regional Business Report, Melinda Waldrop, “The SCANA saga“ THIRD PLACE: S.C. Policy Council - The Nerve, Rick Brundrett, “Powerful legislative chairman profits from state-funded groups“

30 | 2018 News Contest Winners

FIRST PLACE FEATURE PAGE DESIGN, Associate & Individual Division: Andrew Sprague, Lake Wylie Today S.C. Press Association

EDITORIAL WRITING

FIRST PLACE: S.C. Lawyers Weekly, Paul Fletcher, “Pass the federal shield law bill“ Judges’ Comments: Excellent presentation of the facts with a strong call to action. An important topic.

SECOND PLACE: The Baptist Courier, Marshall Blalock, “Race, the Gospel, and Politics“ THIRD PLACE: The Baptist Courier, Rudy Gray, “Challenges for the Church“

COLUMN WRITING

FIRST PLACE: Columbia Regional Business Report, Melinda Waldrop, “Just doing our jobs: When journalists become the story“ Judges’ Comments: Well-written column that both journalists and readers will connect with. This entry stands out in a tough category with many wonderful columns.

SECOND PLACE: Lowcountry Weekly, Laura Packard, “Walking Not Working“ THIRD PLACE: Lowcountry Weekly, Margaret Evans, “The Great Love of Pat Conroy“

FEATURE PHOTO

FIRST PLACE: Tom Priddy, “Members of the Columbia Fireflies swarm around a special needs child during a practice with the Screaming Eagles special needs Miracle League team.“ Judges’ Comments: Captures the human interest well.

SECOND PLACE: Tidelands Health, Mark Roberts, “Meet Dee Owens, Columbia native, senior compliance auditor and a cook who’s got a knack for some pretty tasty biscuits.“

SPORTS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE SPORTS PHOTO, Associate & Individual Division: Tom Priddy

FIRST PLACE: Tom Priddy, “Catcher Samuel Miranda of the Greenville Drive makes the putout at home plate on Manuel Geraldo of the Augusta GreenJackets in the third inning of the game.“ Judges’ Comments: Good timing. Captured a great shot.

SECOND PLACE: Tom Priddy, “Third baseman Tanner Nishioka of the Greenville Drive is lifted off the ground by teammate Victor Acosta after getting a walk-off hit to win a game against the Asheville Tourists.“

PAGE ONE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: Charleston Regional Business Journal, Ryan Wilcox Judges’ Comments: Strong front page design. Packs in a lot of information, but isn’t cluttered.

SECOND PLACE: GSA Business Report, Jessica Stout THIRD PLACE: Tidelands Health, Kevin Pontiff

FEATURE PAGE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: Lake Wylie Today, Andrew Sprague Judges’ Comments: Playful design that really works for this topic. Like everything about this page... fonts, color choices, graphics. Great job!

SECOND PLACE: Lake Wylie Today, Andrew Sprague THIRD PLACE: SCBIZ Magazine, Ryan Wilcox

S.C. Press Association

SECOND PLACE FEATURE PHOTO, Associate & Individual Division: Mark Roberts, Tidelands Health

FIRST PLACE INFOGRAPHIC, Associate & Individual Division: Jessica Stout, GSA Business Report 2018 News Contest Winners | 31

FIRST PLACE PAGE ONE DESIGN, Associate & Individual Division: Ryan Wilcox, Charleston Regional Business Journal

INFOGRAPHIC

FIRST PLACE: GSA Business Report, Jessica Stout, “The economic impact of the Bassmaster“ Judges’ Comments: Interesting infographic provides readers a quick summary about the tournament. Color and art draw readers into facts and stats.

SECOND PLACE: SCBIZ Magazine, Ryan Wilcox, “Planes Made in S.C.“ THIRD PLACE: Tidelands Health, Kevin Pontiff, “Doctors’ Day“

WEBSITE

FIRST PLACE: Municipal Association of South Carolina, Staff, masc.sc Judges’ Comments: Site is attractive, searchable and easy to navigate on all devices. Named winner for successfully tackling a huge challenge – organizing and presenting a wealth of data, resources and other elements into a structure that meets and exceeds users’ needs.

SECOND PLACE: Tidelands Health, Carl Lindquist, MyCarolinaLife.com

ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER/PUBLICATION

FIRST PLACE: Tidelands Health, Carl Lindquist, “MyCarolinaLife.com E-newsletter“ Judges’ Comments: Tough class to judge. All entries submitted are deserving of recognition. This entry stands out for its catchy design and interesting snippets of content. I’d enjoy getting these health tips in my inbox.

SECOND PLACE: Municipal Association of South Carolina, Staff, “From the Dome to Your Home“ THIRD PLACE: Charleston Regional Business Journal, Staff, “Daily Journal“

32 | 2018 News Contest Winners

FIRST PLACE MAGAZINE OR SPECIALTY PUBLICATION, Associate & Individual Division: Ryan Wilcox, Jane James and Licia Jackson, SCBIZ Magazine

EVENT MARKETING

FIRST PLACE: SC Biz News, Jane James, “2018 STEM Career Fair“ Judges’ Comments: Cool event. Cohesive marketing materials. Loved how your postevent thank you ad already started next year’s event promo.

SECOND PLACE: Municipal Association of South Carolina, Staff, “Hometown Legislative Action Day 2018“

PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAM

FIRST PLACE: Tidelands Health, Amy Stevens and Kevin Pontiff, “Community, the 2017 annual report“ Judges’ Comments: Impressive report that was successful in promoting organization’s accomplishments and mission. Design, photography and copy are engaging. Well thought-out and executed.

SECOND PLACE: Municipal Association of South Carolina, Staff, “Risk Management Services Annual Training Calendar“ THIRD PLACE: S.C. Farm Bureau Federation, Bill Johns, “Member Benefits Campaign“

S.C. Press Association

COLLEGIATE

Journalists of the Year OVER 5,000 DIVISION

VICTORIA RICHMAN THE DAILY GAMECOCK UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

“Richman’s photos are eye-catching with unique angles, vibrant color and lighting, and lots of emotion. While she clearly displays strong photography skills and a great eye, she is also recognized for her role as a newsroom leader. During her four years at USC, she has served as a news writer, photographer, photo editor, managing editor and editor-in-chief. She has shown devotion to the state of journalism on USC’s campus.”

UNDER 5,000 DIVISION

OLANMA HAZEL MANG THE PANTHER CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY

Mang is currently editor of The Panther, but she’s also served as the paper’s primary reporter and planner over the past year.

She led The Panther’s coverage of the 150th anniversary of The Orangeburg Massacre. Mang is recognized for her enterprise, accuracy and clear writing style. From midterm election coverage to features and spot news, her portfolio is solid and diverse. She also writes for The Times and Democrat and HBCU Times.

General Excellence UNDER 5,000 DIVISION

FIRST PLACE: The Patriot, Francis Marion University, Staff Judges’ Comments: Very good writing throughout the publications and very good news judgement with the front page stories. Based on the two publications submitted, the lede stories – the fall graduation and the symposium stories – were obvious choices as the ledes.

Many of the stories had correct punctuation and AP Style. The editorial pages are labeled as such, with a nice “logo” next to each one. Especially enjoyable were the Thrift shopping and cutting the cord editorials. Also Melina’s Memorandum is a well-written opinion column. In the future, if there is something to bring out, it would be the size of the photos used. Stories off the front are jumping, so designers shouldn’t be afraid to go big with art on the main story on the front. If a designer goes with a two-story or one-story front – do it.

SECOND PLACE: The Collegian, Bob Jones University, Staff THIRD PLACE: Old Gold & Black, Wofford College, Staff

OVER 5,000 DIVISION

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Staff Judges’ Comments: Excellent balance of news and feature content, something for everyone.

Takes the watchdog role seriously (Cockstock piece). Stories are well-written and well-edited.

Good organization; clean, crisp layout; good use of color. Forward-thinking strategy with weekly print product complementing daily digital edition.

SECOND PLACE: The Johnsonian, Winthrop University, Staff THIRD PLACE: CisternYard News, College of Charleston, Staff

S.C. Press Association

2018 News Contest Winners | 33

COLLEGIATE OPEN DIVISION STUDENT GOVERNMENT BEAT COVERAGE

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Staff Judges’ Comments: Extensive coverage of all aspects of student government, from election to accountability.

SECOND PLACE: The Collegian, Bob Jones University, Staff THIRD PLACE: The Carolinian, USC Upstate, Stephanie Sawaked

SERIES OF ARTICLES

FIRST PLACE: The Carolinian, USC Upstate, Ashley Kreiner, Kenan Harrington and Staff, “Special Report: Athletics in Extreme Turmoil“ Judges’ Comments: What an upheaval! Great job of getting the documents and clearly telling the story about what happened behind the scenes. First-rate work.

SECOND PLACE: Carolina Reporter, University of South Carolina, Larissa Johnson, “For those on the edge, eviction looms large in South Carolina Housing policy, economics create an unaffordable city“ THIRD PLACE: Carolina Reporter, University of South Carolina, Kristina Rackley, “Coastal Erosion in South Carolina“

SPECIALTY PAGE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Jayson Jeffers and Erin Slowey Judges’ Comments: Clean, simple design. Good use of dominate graphic to draw attention to Opinion page.

SECOND PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Taylor Sharkey THIRD PLACE: The Johnsonian, Winthrop University, Carmen Little

PHOTO STORY

FIRST PLACE: CisternYard News, College of Charleston, Hannah Broder, “Hands“ Judges’ Comments: Wonderful concept and very well done.

SECOND PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Zach McKinley and Victoria Richman, “March For Our Lives“ THIRD PLACE: Old Gold & Black, Wofford College, Richard Harrison, “Sydney’s architecture“

CARTOON OR ILLUSTRATION

FIRST PLACE: Old Gold & Black, Wofford College, Laura Hydrick, “Resolutions“ Judges’ Comments: Relatable! Cute graphics and pleasing colors. Well done!

SECOND PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Maggie Neal, “Mardi Gras“ THIRD PLACE: The Tiger, Clemson University, Nicole Clamp, “The Haircut Effect“

INFOGRAPHIC

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Taylor Sharkey and Erin Slowey, “Where is your money going?“ Judges’ Comments: In a crowded field of complicated graphics, this entry stood out for its simplicity. Bold, concise and easy to understand.

SECOND PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Ellie Larson, “Voter participation across populations“ THIRD PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Lauren Gibeaut, “2016 Presidential Elections“

ADVERTISEMENT

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Calista Berner, “Best Asian Restaurant 2018“ Judges’ Comments: The colors and the food really made the ad “pop” and I love the simplicity of the text on the left side. No taglines or gimmicks are needed for a best of restaurant when your headline says it all.

Great idea adding the call to action at the bottom about gift certificates. Awesome job!

SECOND PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Meagen Sigmon, “Not just an appointment, but an experience“ THIRD PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Emily Schoonover, “Roll with us“

WEBSITE

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Staff, dailygamecock.com Judges’ Comments: Clear winner. Stands out from the rest for the number of timely, quality newsworthy posts. Diverse, interesting content that is wellorganized and easy to access.

SECOND PLACE: The Johnsonian, Winthrop University, Antonio Santos and Cheyenne Walsh, mytjnow.com THIRD PLACE: CisternYard News, College of Charleston, Staff, cisternyard.com

MULTIMEDIA STORY

FIRST PLACE PHOTO, Collegiate Over 5,000 Division: Zach McKinley, The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina 34 | 2018 News Contest Winners

FIRST PLACE: Carolina Reporter, University of South Carolina, Kyle O’Connor, “Catawba Nation looks to the past to forge future“ Judges’ Comments: Overall, a good multimedia story that was well-edited with inclusion of multiple interviews, narration and interesting b-roll footage.

Length was long enough to cover the topic, but short enough to keep the audience’s attention.

SECOND PLACE: The Vision, North Greenville University, Taylor Loughry and Ian Ritchings, “NGU Homecoming 2018 Recap“ THIRD PLACE: The Johnsonian, Winthrop University, Staff, “Get your head in the game with TJ“

S.C. Press Association

COLLEGIATE UNDER 5,000 DIVISION NEWS STORY

FIRST PLACE: Old Gold & Black, Wofford College, Meghan Daniel, “The power of poetry“ Judges’ Comments: Compelling approach makes reader forget the story is event coverage.

SECOND PLACE: Pacer Times, USC Aiken, Cecilia Maddox, “Parking problems plague campus“ THIRD PLACE: Pacer Times, USC Aiken, Angelika Davis, “Police chief explains campus camera situation“

FEATURE STORY

FIRST PLACE: Pacer Times, USC Aiken, Amber Perry, “Class pushes advocacy“ Judges’ Comments: Good topic. Well written. Excellent mixture of quotes and narrative. Easy to read.

Congratulations!

SECOND PLACE: The Patriot, Francis Marion University, Lauren Owens, “Student trains birds, educates children“ THIRD PLACE: Old Gold & Black, Wofford College, Lydia Estes, “Traversing through Tibet“

FIRST PLACE SPORTS PHOTO, Collegiate Over 5,000 Division: Sara Yang, The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Collegian, Bob Jones University, Christina Laird, “TD Market offers fun, enriching weekend experience“ Judges’ Comments: The writer makes me want to check out the TD Market the first chance I get. Clear writing, easy to read, hits lots of high points in an organized way. Good job!

SECOND PLACE: The Vision, North Greenville University, Taylor Deaton, “Marvel delivers again with “Black Panther”“ THIRD PLACE: Pacer Times, USC Aiken, Amber Perry, “Revitalizing Augusta’s live music scene“

SPORTS STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Vision, North Greenville University, Ansley Brock, “Learning from Legends“ Judges’ Comments: Like the idea of measuring upand-comers against the standard of an all-time great.

Interesting read.

SECOND PLACE: Old Gold & Black, Wofford College, James Barkley, “Zero waste game“ THIRD PLACE: Old Gold & Black, Wofford College, Meghan Daniel, “Big shot senior“

S.C. Press Association

FIRST PLACE SPORTS PHOTO, Collegiate Under 5,000 Division: Kristen Janes, The Paladin, Furman University

EDITORIAL WRITING

FIRST PLACE: Old Gold & Black, Wofford College, Omar Elmore, “The value of Greek life“ Judges’ Comments: Well written and thought out piece on a subject that, which the writer noted, has drawn nationwide attention. More importantly, it is directed to the college itself.

SECOND PLACE: The Collegian, Bob Jones University, Ian Dyke, “Refugees prove hope is a human need“ THIRD PLACE: The Patriot, Francis Marion University, Kaitlyn Luna, “Innocent Till Proven Guilty“

COLUMN WRITING

FIRST PLACE: Old Gold & Black, Wofford College, Sarah Spiro, “Being in the majority“ Judges’ Comments: Really compelling column about becoming self-aware of being considered a majority in a very diverse world. Clear writing and good job explaining your thoughts.

SECOND PLACE: Pacer Times, USC Aiken, Cecilia Maddox, “We haven’t fixed sexism yet“ THIRD PLACE: The PostScript, Columbia College, Ashlyn Yount, “Smartest animals on the planet?“

2018 News Contest Winners | 35

SPECIAL SECTION OR EDITION

FIRST PLACE: The Panther, Claflin University, Staff, “Election 2018: VOTE“ Judges’ Comments: The Panther, Claflin University’s entries were superior to the other submissions in this class. Thorough coverage with lots of voices. Packed with information and insight. Very well done.

SECOND PLACE: The Panther, Claflin University, Staff, “50 years ago: The Orangeburg Massacre“ THIRD PLACE: The Patriot, Francis Marion University, Staff, “Homecoming“

PAGE ONE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: The Collegian, Bob Jones University, Staff Judges’ Comments: Best in class. Clean design. Good headlines and art.

SECOND PLACE: The Patriot, Francis Marion University, Staff THIRD PLACE: The Panther, Claflin University, Staff

PHOTOGRAPH

FIRST PLACE: The Vision, North Greenville University, Casey Mikell, “Breaks Every Chain“ Judges’ Comments: Vibrant. Feels like I’m there.

SECOND PLACE: The Panther, Claflin University, Olanma Hazel Mang, “Remembering the Orangeburg Massacre“ THIRD PLACE: The Patriot, Francis Marion University, Rosaline Abuaita, “Graduation“

SPORTS PHOTOGRAPH

FIRST PLACE: The Paladin, Furman University, Kristen Janes, “Danny Kierath celebrates with his teammates“ Judges’ Comments: The intensity and excitement of the moment is evident in this emotional photo of a close victory. Good composition and good reflexes are displayed in this winning image.

SECOND PLACE: The Patriot, Francis Marion University, Caleb Reeves, “Junior Brandon Parker dribbles the ball down the court.“ THIRD PLACE: The Patriot, Francis Marion University, Caleb Reeves, “Keauna Williams shoots and scores.“

COLLEGIATE OVER 5,000 DIVISION FIRST PLACE PHOTO, Collegiate Under 5,000 Division: Casey Mikell, The Vision, North Greenville University

NEWS STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Larissa Johnson, “2018 Student Government elections returned to tradition of diversity“ Judges’ Comments: This story told all sides of one issue – diversity in student government – and did it thoroughly and concisely. I enjoyed reading it and learned some things, which is about the best thing I can say about a news story.

SECOND PLACE: The Tiger, Clemson University, Katie McCarthy, “Clemson’s First Friday Parade faces allegations of plagiarism, appropriation ahead of kickoff“ THIRD PLACE: Carolina Reporter, University of South Carolina, Rachel Pittman, “After bumper 2018 harvest, peach farmers prepare for next spring“

FEATURE STORY

FIRST PLACE: CisternYard News, College of Charleston, Callista Milligan, Hannah Broder and Cheyenne Abrams, “Pain to Power“ Judges’ Comments: You uncovered a fascinating and inspirational story, and told it through an excellent balance of your own thoughtful writing and Neimy’s words. The photographs and lipstick-red graphics were perfect complements to the text. What could have been a ‘surface-y’ report of Neimy’s experience became instead a story that had depth and was compelling reading.

SECOND PLACE: Carolina Reporter, University of South Carolina, Bria Barton, “Scammers target college students, young people“ THIRD PLACE: The Chanticleer, Coastal Carolina University, Ian Livingston Brooking, “Coastal student making a difference on Capitol Hill“

36 | 2018 News Contest Winners

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT STORY

FIRST PLACE: Carolina Reporter, University of South Carolina, Rachel Pittman, “‘Pointe’ of view: Midlands ballerina dances through boxes of shoes“ Judges’ Comments: The writer found an angle that makes this story irresistible to even those readers who don’t fancy the arts. It pulls you in and keeps you to the last word.

SECOND PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Mattie Hibbs, “Massive undertaking: Bernstein MASS production preaches ‘unity amidst conflict’“ THIRD PLACE: Carolina Reporter, University of South Carolina, Reema Vaidya, “Designer captures family and feeling in her craft“

SPORTS STORY

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Claudia Chakamian, “From national champion to WNBA to the newsroom: Allisha Gray’s journey back to Columbia“ Judges’ Comments: In a category with several strong entries, this one stood out. A very good, well-written story that flowed nicely from beginning to end.

SECOND PLACE: Carolina Reporter, University of South Carolina, Kelly Ann Krueger, “Not all sports or cleats - are created equal“ THIRD PLACE: The Chanticleer, Coastal Carolina University, Ian Livingston Brooking, “Never Surrender: The story of Steven Riad“

FIRST PLACE PAGE ONE DESIGN, Collegiate Under 5,000 Division: Staff, The Collegian, Bob Jones University S.C. Press Association

EDITORIAL WRITING FIRST PLACE –TIE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Staff, “Editorial Board: Clemson, we need to talk“ AND The Tiger, Clemson University, Staff, “Editorial: Response to South Carolina“ Judges’ Comments: These equally good editorials are creative, interesting, well-researched, well-written and very civil – and a lot of fun for the readers.

SECOND PLACE: The Chanticleer, Coastal Carolina University, Alyssa Brennan, “Gun violence takes over America“ THIRD PLACE: CisternYard News, College of Charleston, Judith Arendall, “The Forgotten of Florence: What happens to our city’s most vulnerable“

COLUMN WRITING FIRST PLACE: CisternYard News, College of Charleston, Raegan Whiteside, “Don’t Shy Away from the F-Word“ Judges’ Comments: Thought-provoking column. Well written and tightly edited with an interesting perspective.

SECOND PLACE: The Johnsonian, Winthrop University, Téa Franco, “Get off the couch and vote already“ THIRD PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Iggy Shuler, “Rupi Kaur and bite size insta-poetry: Gateway drug or misrepresentation?“

PAGE ONE DESIGN

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Erin Slowey Judges’ Comments: Scrolling back and forth through this category full of great front pages, this one kept catching my eye. The bold visual centerpiece captures the reader’s attention and piques interest in the story, and it balances the dynamic artwork with other editorial content on the right side of the page, which made it unique in the category.

SECOND PLACE: CisternYard News, College of Charleston, Hannah Broder and Tia Dye THIRD PLACE: The Tiger, Clemson University, Nicole Clamp

PHOTOGRAPH

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Zach McKinley, “March For Our Lives“ Judges’ Comments: There’s just something about the composition of this photo that really evokes an emotional response, which is exactly what you are looking for in a photo. It captures the gravity of the event perfectly in addition to just being a beautiful photo.

SECOND PLACE: CisternYard News, College of Charleston, Missy McConnell, “Perspectives“ THIRD PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Shreyas Saboo, “State Fair“

SPORTS PHOTOGRAPH

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Sara Yang, “Chris Silva leaps into the air for a rebound.“ Judges’ Comments: This is a first-rate action shot. So much is happening in the image, but all eyes are drawn to the center of the frame, where a rebound is about to change the direction of play.

SECOND PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Victoria Richman, “The South Carolina men’s basketball team reacts to upsetting the Kentucky Wildcats.“ THIRD PLACE: The Chanticleer, Coastal Carolina University, Ian Livingston Brooking, “Tsiki Nstabeleng celebrates after scoring the gamewinning goal.“

USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Staff Judges’ Comments: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina’s social media presence is strong. The Instagram feed is full of eye-catching, high quality images. I really like the mix of sports, events, student life and even some staff profiles. They use their Twitter page well with posting updates, using the Twitter poll function and retweeting other USC accounts. They seem to have good regular engagement on Facebook and they acknowledge follower feedback.

SECOND PLACE: The Johnsonian, Winthrop University, Maggie Claytor and Téa Franco

SPECIAL SECTION OR EDITION FIRST PLACE: The Daily Gamecock, University of South Carolina, Staff, “2018 Best of Carolina“ Judges’ Comments: This is really a clean look and very sharp with a “magazine” style of design. Its an added bonus that the section is full color. Each of the categories has just enough information in it. Speaking of categories, the Best of didn’t stop at just best fraternity or sorority, but added best service fraternity and sorority. There were some unique categories that really added points such as Best Soda City Vendor and Best place to use Carolina Cash. The bonus are the hours of operation which would be essential for college students (especially for something like Best Auto Repair). To expand on next year’s Best of, it would be great to add second and third places for each of the food and service categories.

SECOND PLACE: The Tiger, Clemson University, Staff, “The Football Edition“ THIRD PLACE: The Tiger, Clemson University, Staff, “The Orientation Issue“

THIRD PLACE PHOTO, Collegiate Over 5,000 Division: Shreyas Saboo, The Daily Gamecock, USC S.C. Press Association

2018 News Contest Winners | 37

FIRST PLACE SINGLE PAGE ONE DESIGN, Weekly Under 4,500: Tami Rodgers, The News FIRST PLACE SINGLE PAGE ONE DESIGN, Daily 12,000-30,000: Staff, Independent Mail

FIRST PLACE SPORTS SECTION OR MAGAZINE, FIRST PLACE FEATURE PAGE DESIGN PORTFOLIO, All Weekly Division: Charles All Daily Division: Staff, Herald-Journal Swenson, Coastal Observer

FIRST PLACE PHOTO PAGE DESIGN, Weekly Over 4,500 Division: Jan Marvin, Daniel Island News

FIRST PLACE SINGLE FEATURE DESIGN, Daily Under 12,000: Kristin Coker, Times and Democrat 38 | 2018 News Contest Winners

FIRST PLACE SINGLE PAGE ONE DESIGN, Daily Over 30,000: Cameron Love, The Post and Courier

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