Award winners for the 2018 annual contest for work produced during 2017.
TRADITIONAL (PRINT)
Best News Story
FIRST PLACE: Roxana Kopetman, Orange County Register
“Same visa Trump uses at his hotel helps bring workers to Southern California fairs”
SECOND PLACE: Hannah Fry, Daily Pilot
“‘It’s been a night from hell’: Homeless pushed out of Santa Ana River face uncertain futures”
THIRD PLACE: Nick Gerda, Voice of OC
“Airport controversy heats up as supervisors award contract to low-ranked firm”
Best News Feature Story
FIRST PLACE: Cindy Carcamo, LA Times
“At Napa vineyards untouched by wildfires, the grapes must still be picked”
SECOND PLACE: Margot Roosevelt, Orange County Register
“Is Social Security cheating the disabled? The wait time to get a hearing is nearly 2 years”
THIRD PLACE: Denisse Salazar, Orange County Register
“Here’s one Santa Ana family’s story of generational gang violence. Can the city’s latest efforts break the cycle?”
Best Breaking News Story
FIRST PLACE: Hannah Fry, Daily Pilot
“Man shot and killed by H.B. officer was homeless Navy veteran, mother says; new video surfaces”
SECOND PLACE: Alma Fausto, Tony Saavedra, Sean Emery, Orange County Register
“Serial killings: 5th victim identified in cases of men accused of murdering 4 women”
THIRD PLACE: Luke Money, Daily Pilot
“Costa Mesa council unseats Katrina Foley as mayor and names Sandy Genis to replace her”
Best Investigative Story
FIRST PLACE: Jordan Graham and Tony Saavedra
“Southern California jailers are injuring inmates with abusive ‘chicken winging’ holds”
SECOND PLACE: R. Scott Moxley, OC Weekly
“Orange County’s informant scandal yields evidence of forensic science deception in murder trials”
THIRD PLACE: Nick Gerda, Voice of OC
“Hundreds of dollars in ‘gifts’ from contractors to Supervisor Nelson raise legal questions”
Best Series
FIRST PLACE: Teri Sforza, Orange County Register
Twins Divided
SECOND PLACE: Denisse Salazar, Orange County Register
Gang Victims: A Program Aimed at Helping and Healing
THIRD PLACE: Barbara Venezia, Daily Pilot
Newport Beach and Costa Mesa should do background checks on commission applicants
Best Beat Reporting
FIRST PLACE: Nick Gerda, Voice of OC
SECOND PLACE: Deepa Bharath, Orange County Register
THIRD PLACE: Meghann Cuniff, Daily Journal
Best Cannabis Coverage
Brooke Edwards Staggs, Orange County Register
Watchdog Award
Orange County Register Staff
Best Public Affairs Story
FIRST PLACE: Mary Carreon, OC Weekly
“Orange County’s first needle exchange tries to bring hope to a wretched situation”
SECOND PLACE: Jordan Graham, Orange County Register
“Orange County homeless deaths hit all-time high”
THIRD PLACE: Jeff Collins, Orange County Register
“Eviction decline is no solace for thousands of renters losing their homes”
Best Environmental News Story
FIRST PLACE: Amy DePaul
“To desalinate or not to desalinate: UCI debate over controversial Huntington Beach plant”
SECOND PLACE: Mary Carreon, OC Weekly
“Activists protest plans to bury nuclear waste at San Onofre State Beach”
Best Feature Story
FIRST PLACE: Chris Haire, Orange County Register
“Is time running out on Holy Jim Canyon? Nature, feds are threatening”
SECOND PLACE: Mary Carreon, OC Weekly
“Tree of life nursery is saving our ecosystem one seed at a time”
THIRD PLACE: Donia Moore, San Clemente Journal
“San Clemente Island got your goat?”
Best Education Story
FIRST PLACE: Roxana Kopetman, Orange County Register
“Pink slips lead to special court hearing for hundreds of local teachers facing possible layoffs”
SECOND PLACE: Roxana Kopetman, Orange County Register
“Anaheim Union denying hundreds of school transfer requests, sparking tears and appeals”
THIRD PLACE: Roxana Kopetman, Orange County Register
“What is a cultural graduation ceremony? Universities host celebrations for blacks, Latinos, gays, veterans and others”
Best Religion Story
FIRST PLACE: Gabriel San Roman, OC Weekly
“A gay pastor leaves his Santa Ana flock, exposing the United Methodist Church’s LGBT rift”
SECOND PLACE: Deepa Bharath, Orange County Register
“A Bible and a gun? How churches, temples, mosques are rethinking security”
THIRD PLACE: Cindy Carcamo, LA Times
“Like an invisibility cloak, Latina Muslims find the hijab hides their ethnicity–from Latinos”
Best Round-Up or Best Of
FIRST PLACE: Edwin Goei, OC Weekly
“Korean fried chicken is becoming a thing in Orange County. Her are three new spots”
SECOND PLACE: Brad A. Johnson, Orange County Register
“These are Orange County’s 20 Best Mexican Restaurants”
Best Business Story
FIRST PLACE: Margot Roosevelt, Orange County Register
“Is it fair that the amount of bonding time you get with your baby hinges on the size of your employer?”
SECOND PLACE: Jeff Collins, Orange County Register
“Investor demand for SoCal apartments contributes to rising rents”
THIRD PLACE: Gabriel San Roman, OC Weekly
“Will Buena Park’s new retail center source put it on the map–or be its biggest boondoggle?”
Best Sports Story
FIRST PLACE: Ryan Kartje, OC Register
“Inside the unregulated world of recruiting consulting services”
SECOND PLACE: Mirin Fader, OC Register
“California doesn’t regulate athletic trainers. Here’s why that’s bad for high school athletes”
THIRD PLACE: Chris Haire, OC Register
”On Saturday, a rematch will play out in Little Saigon”
Best Arts/Culture Story
FIRST PLACE: Gabriel San Ramon
“El Centro Cultural de Mexico finally gets a home but will next generation of activists come”
SECOND PLACE: Cynthia Rebolledo
“Frederico Medina captures life and culture in the golden city”
Best Arts/Culture Review
FIRST PLACE: Dave Barton
“William wrays seemingly straightforward building portraits”
SECOND PLACE: Christopher Trela
“Artscapes: Backhausdance premiers quartet of new works at The Barclay”
THIRD PLACE: Dave Barton
“Laguna art museum beginnings of the California School of Fine Arts”
Best Music/Entertainment Story
FIRST PLACE: Gabriel San Roman, OC Weekly
“After her mother’s death, turntables brought DJ Lala out of depression and into the spotlight”
SECOND PLACE: Nate Jackson, OC Weekly
“Meet Lorn Conner: The Happy Coachella Guy”
THIRD PLACE (TIE): Kathleen Luppi, Times OC
“Pat Boone”
THIRD PLACE (TIE): Patrice Marsters, OC Weekly
“Izabella Alvarez is only 13, but has already appeared on Westworld, Shameless–with more to come”
Best Music/Entertainment Review
FIRST PLACE: Liz Goldner
“The Monster Builder: Amy Freed’s Take on Architecture as a Metaphor for Life”
Best Food/Restaurant Story
FIRST PLACE: Caitlin Yoskiko Kandil, Times OC
“Little Saigon”
Best Food/Restaurant Review
FIRST PLACE: Edwin Goei, OC Weekly
“Tin Vuong’s LSXO”
SECOND PLACE: Edwin Goei, OC Weekly
“New Northgate Gonzales Market”
THIRD PLACE: Brad Johnson, OC Register
“Pacific Hideaway”
Best Travel Story
FIRST PLACE: Edwin Goei, OC Weekly
“Montreal has poutine, yes, but go with the Jewish food first”
SECOND PLACE: Anne Valdespino, OC Register
“Touring Castle Country in Scotland”
THIRD PLACE: Kedric Francis
“Road trips for a realist”
Best Profile
FIRST PLACE: Ryan Kartje
“The Ballfather: Lavar Ball and his three sons intend to change basketball forever”
SECOND PLACE: Keith Sharon, OC Register
“Would you kill if ordered? Orange County resident and WWII Navy survivor of Port Chicago disaster faced that question”
THIRD PLACE: Margot Roosevelt, OC Register
“July 4th fireworks: Meet the Orange County maestro who lights the nation’s skies”
David McQuay Award for Best Columnist
FIRST PLACE: Norberto Santana Jr, Voice of OC
SECOND PLACE: Kedric Francis, Orange County Register
THIRD PLACE: Joe Vargas, Behind the Badge
Best Political Columnist
Norberto Santana Jr., Voice of OC
Best Sports Columnist
David Jerome
Marjorie Freeman Award for Best Humorous Story
FIRST PLACE: Kedric Francis, Orange County Register
“Women of Influence”
SECOND PLACE: Anne Valdespino, Orange County Register
“These are the worst restaurant and food trends of 2017”
THIRD PLACE: Luke Money, Daily Pilot
“Christmas is the most pun-derful time of the year for this Costa Mesa family”
HONORABLE MENTION: David Jerome, Orange County Register
“Scattered Thoughts for Your April Fool’s Day”
NONTRADITIONAL (ADVOCACY JOURNALISM OR SPECIALTY PUBLICATION)
Best News Feature Story
FIRST PLACE: Greg Hardesty, Behind the Badge
“OCSD deputies recount terror in Las Vegas: ‘I had never felt that close to death before'”
SECOND PLACE: Jessica Peralta, Behind the Badge
“OCSD’S TSA K9s are federally trained dogs at the ready to sniff out explosives”
THIRD PLACE: Greg Hardesty, Behind the Badge
“Nearly killed by DUI suspect, Orange police officer is humbled by outpouring of support”
Best Feature Story
FIRST PLACE: Liz Goldner, KCET
“Sarah Rafael Garcia Captures Santa Ana’s History and Gentrification Through Fairy Tales”
SECOND PLACE: Shawn Price, Behind the Badge
“Anaheim Fire & Rescue strike teams: ready for the long haul”
THIRD PLACE: Jessica Peralta, Behind the Badge
”OCSD’s human remains detection dog, Cinder, is hard at work in training”
Best Music/Entertainment Story or Review
FIRST PLACE: Jessica Peralta
“Lavender”
Best Arts/Culture Story or Review
FIRST PLACE: Liz Goldner
“Deconstructing Liberty”
Best Food/Restaurant Story or Review
FIRST PLACE: Shawn Price, Behind the Badge
“Chow Time with Anaheim Fire & Rescue: Coq au vin”
MULTIMEDIA
Best Blog
FIRST PLACE: Bill Rams, Behind the Badge
Best News Broadcast or Video
FIRST PLACE: Anthony Porrazzo, Spotlight Video
“Mock DUI event at Santa Margarita Catholic High School”
SECOND PLACE: Rick Reiff, Inside OC with Rick Reiff
“Campus Conflict”
Best Feature Broadcast or Video
FIRST PLACE: Antony Porrazzo, Spotlight Video
“Father Damien-JSerra High School Chaplain”
SECOND PLACE: Rick Reiff, Inside OC with Rick Reiff
“He Writes the Songs”
THIRD PLACE: Shawn Price, Halloween Every Night
“Night of the Living Dead”
Best Sports Broadcast or Video
FIRST PLACE: Rick Reiff, Inside OC with Rick Reiff
“After the Fall” with Todd Marinovich
Best TV News Program
FIRST PLACE: Rick Reiff, Inside OC with Rick Reiff
Best Use of Multimedia
FIRST PLACE: Gabriel San Roman, OC Weekly
“OC Speakly podcast”
DESIGN/GRAPHICS
Best Cover
FIRST PLACE: Dustin Ames, OC Weekly
“Sept. 8, 2017”
SECOND PLACE: John Cheresh
”The Story of OCSA”
THIRD PLACE: Dustin Ames, OC Weekly
“Best of 2017”
HONORABLE MENTION: Denise Smaldino Rainey, OC Family
Best Page Design
FIRST PLACE: Denise Smaldino Rainey, OC Family
“Fairy Tale Manor”
SECOND PLACE: Dustin Ames, OC Weekly
“Away & Home Summer Guide 2017”
THIRD PLACE: Denise Smaldino Rainey, OC Family
“Make a Splash This Summer!”
Best Graphic
FIRST PLACE: Jeff Goertzen, Shark Tech
Best Illustration
Leslie Agan
Best Political Cartoon
Leslie Agan
“Snitch Trap”
PHOTOGRAPHY
Best News Photo
FIRST PLACE: Richard Koehler
SECOND PLACE: Jeff Antenore
THIRD PLACE: Brian Feinzimer
Best Feature Photo
FIRST PLACE: Steven Georges
SECOND PLACE: Steven Georges
THIRD PLACE: Christopher Trela
Best Photo Essay (print)
Dustin Ames, OC Weekly
“With 18 Bajillion Things to Do, See and Eat, No Single Trip to Tokyo Will Leave You Satisfied”
Best Slideshow (online)
FIRST PLACE (TIE): Brian Feinzimer
“Anaheim Hills Blaze”
FIRST PLACE (TIE): Steven Georges
“Homeless series”
SPECIAL
The Real O.C. Award
FIRST PLACE: Deepa Bharath, OC Register
“Most Influential 2017: Rida Hamida and Benajmin Vazquez bring halal tacos, cultural mingling, to mosques throughout Southern California”
SECOND PLACE: Brooke Edwards Staggs, OC Register
“Seniors board ‘cannabus’ for trip to medical marijuana dispensary”
THIRD PLACE: Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil, Times OC
“Latino Muslims find home at mosque led by Cambodian refugees”