OC Press Club Mourns Beloved Photographer
Former Orange County Register staff photographer Bill Alkofer died in St. Paul, Minn., after a years-long fight with ALS on June 23.
Theresa Walker, a retired Register staff writer, shared the news about Alkofer on a Facebook group of the newspaper’s alumni. Her post has turned into a memorial with dozens of comments from Alkofer’s colleagues.
“Mindy Schauer and I visited Bill this past week at the assisted living center in St. Paul where he had been living. We reminisced, we laughed, we cursed, we talked about death, we drank several of the beers (Grain Belt) in Bill’s fridge and even got him to take a few sips with a straw,” Walker wrote.
Alkofer was born and raised in North Dakota. He received a degree in journalism from the University of North Dakota in 1985. Alkofer worked for 40 years as a photojournalist, including stints at Pioneer Press and the Register. He photographed popes, presidents and kings, two Olympics, a Super Bowl, a World Series and four Final Fours.
The Orange County Press Club Board of Directors extends its sincere condolences to his devoted family and friends. He was a consummate professional who went above and beyond to make the best photo possible.
Details about a memorial service haven’t been announced.
Bill Alkofer at his October 2021 “awake wake” with Mindy Schauer, Alma Fausto, Ian Wheeler, Jeff Gritchen and Greg Mellen in Minneapolis. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Gritchen)
Here is the complete list of the 2023 OC Press Club Award winners
Each year thousands of stories, photos, social media posts and more are generated by reporters around Orange County seeking to inform the public and hold officials accountable.
The Orange County Press Club is pleased to announce the complete list of winners and finalists for the 2023 OC Press Club Awards.
Best News Story
First place: Spencer Custodio and Hosam Elattar
“FBI Reveals What Many Anaheim Residents Felt For Years, City Hall is Run By The Chamber of Commerce,” Voice of OC
Second place: Roxana Kopetman
“Ukrainians arriving in U.S. through Tijuana,” OC Register
Third place: Scott Schwebke
“Torrance woman recounts harrowing rape by alleged attacker hours after his release from jail,” Daily Breeze
Best News Feature Story
First place: Todd Harmonson
“If the story of Super Bowl LVI was a movie plot, you wouldn’t believe it,” OC Register
Second place: Tony Saavedra
“What Happened to Jack? Mystery over Texas boating death of OC teen finally unravels years later,” OC Register
Third place: Hannah Fry
“After a Black student faced racist slurs, some wonder: Will O.C. ever change?” LA Times
Honorable Mention: Brandon Pho
“Fallout From the FBI Corruption Probe Triggers a New Kind of Open Mic Night in Anaheim,” Voice of OC
Best Breaking News Story
First place: Staff of The Los Angeles Times
(Hannah Fry, Richard Winton, Laura Newberry, Jeong Park, Anh Do and Andrew J. Campa)
“Churchgoers tackled, hogtied gunman after deadly Laguna Woods church shooting,” LA Times
Second place: Noah Biesiada and Angelina Hicks
“Mission Viejo Appoints City Manager to Run the Town After Judge Boots Council Majority,” Voice of OC
Third place: Spencer Custodio
“Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu Resigns After FBI Reveals Anaheim Corruption Probe,” Voice of OC
Best Investigative Story or Series
First place: Scott M. Reid
“UC Berkeley swimmers allegations against coach Teri McKeever,” OC Register
Second place: Brandon Pho and Hosam Elattar
“What Made Anaheim’s Chamber Tick,” Voice of OC
Third place: Jeffrey Collins
“Southern California housing plans contain ‘fake sites,’ lack analysis, critics say,” OC Register
Honorable Mention: Connor Sheets, Hannah Fry and Laura J. Nelson
“Mater Dei football players allegedly sexually assaulted teammate, police record says,” LA Times
Best Beat Reporting
First place: Brooke Staggs
Climate/environment coverage, OC Register
Second place: Noah Biesiada
OC Power Authority, Voice of OC
Third place: Hosam Elattar, Nick Gerda, Angelina Hicks and Brandon Pho
Hate on the Rise in OC, Voice of OC
Best Public Affairs Story
First place: Hannah Fry
“Amid housing crunch, officials want Orange County to stay the way it is,” LA Times
Second place: Brooke Staggs
“Lead spews from some Southern California airports; cleaner fuel is coming,” OC Register
Third place: Brandon Pho
Honorable Mention: Hosam Elattar and Angelina Hicks
“Car Wrecks, Flooding and a Possible Sewage Leak: Life in a Westminster Mobile Home Park,” Voice of OC
Best Feature Story
First place: Roxana Kopetman
“An Orange County couple and their newborn daughter escape Ukraine, one step at a time,” OC Register
Second place: Richard Simon
“Newport Beach Lifeguards are Dedicated to Keeping Beachgoers Safe,” Newport Beach Independent
Third place: Anne Marie Panoringan
“Panoringan: Finding New Foods by Living the Buy Nothing Lifestyle,” Voice of OC
Honorable Mention: Andrew Turner
“Orange Coast College honors late coach, renames facility John Altobelli Park,” Daily Pilot
Best Long-Form Feature Story or Series
First place: Jeffrey Collins and Andre Mouchard
OC Register, Southern California aging boom
Second place: Priscella Vega
“Inside one O.C. Mexican Catholic family, abortion still divides generations,” LA Times
Third place: Hosam Elattar
Little Arabia, Voice of OC
Honorable Mention: Tony Saavedra
Eroding beaches, OC Register
Best Political Story
First place: Spencer Custodio and Hosam Elattar
“Disney’s PAC Continues Spending Big To Sway Voters in Anaheim,” Voice of OC
Second place: Andrew Turner
“Ongoing rancor on Laguna Beach City Council turns uglier this election season,” LA Times
Best Round-Up or Best Of
First place: Richard Chang and Jessica Choi
“A Vibrant Korean Community is Thriving in North O.C.,” Voice of OC
Second place: Edwin Goei
“Chopstick-lickin’ good: Where to find Asian takes on fried chicken in Orange County,” Daily Pilot
Third place: Brad A. Johnson
“Brad A. Johnson’s 75 Best Places to Eat in Orange County, 2022,” OC Register
Best Business Story
First place: Jeffrey Collins
“Microgrid will let these Menifee homes keep lights on during outages,” OC Register
Second place: Breeana Greenberg
“Monster Wave Puzzles Making a Splash at Local Surf Shops,” San Clemente Times
Third place: Christopher Trela
“Newport Beach Entrepreneur Named Among Top 10 Fastest Growing Woman-Owned/Led Companies,” Newport Beach Independent
Best Arts/Culture Story
First place: Paul Hodgins
“Hodgins: O.C. Arts Groups Emerge From Pandemic With New Ideas and Strengthened Resolve,” Voice of OC
Second place: Richard Chang and Kim Pham
“‘Yellow Submarine Rising’ Gives Asian American Artists a Platform to Speak and Shine,” Voice of OC
Third place: Ashley Ryan
“Cultivating Community Through Creativity,” Laguna Beach Magazine
Best Arts/Culture Review
First place: Timothy Mangan
“London Symphony Orchestra Performs Blockbuster Program at Segerstrom with Mixed Results,” Voice of OC
Second place: Paul Hodgins
“A Conductor on the Rise Reveals Her Gifts,” Voice of OC
Third place: Timothy Mangan
“Pianists Team for an Evening of Music for Two Pianos at Soka,” Voice of OC
Honorable Mention: Richard Chang
“Review: OC Museum of Art’s Opening Exhibitions Delight, Confound, Engage,” Voice of OC
Best Music/Entertainment Story
First place: Andrew Turner
“Carnival carnage: Demolition derbies are a shattering spectacle at the O.C. Fair,” Daily Pilot
Second place: Sarah Mosqueda
“Wine labels to record labels,” Daily Pilot
Third place: Richard Chang
“Danny Elfman Percussion Concerto Makes Its North American Premiere in Orange County,” Voice of OC
Honorable Mention: Simone Goldstone
“The Relaunched CREEM is the Cream of the Crop for Rock Journalism,” Newport Beach Independent
Best Music/Entertainment Review
First place: Simone Goldstone
“Paul McCartney Finally ‘Got Back’ on Tour,” Newport Beach Independent
Second place: Ashley Littlefield
“Parallel Voices Has Us ‘Running’ on New EP,” EDM Identity
Third place: Ashley Littlefield
“Jamie Jones and Darius Syrossian Dispatch Poolside Vibes on New EP,” EDM Identity
Best Health/Wellness Story
First place: Roxana Kopetman
“Pregnant with COVID, she survived a nightmare,” OC Register
Second place: Anne Marie Panoringan
“Panoringan: Food As Medicine – Cooking With MaxLove Project’s Fierce Foods Academy,” Voice of OC
Third place: Cathi Douglas
“Hospital chaplains steward spiritual healing for end-of-life patients and their families,” San Diego Union-Tribune
Honorable Mention: Noah Biesiada
“OC Spends a Third of Mental Health Outreach Money on Sports Teams: Is It Working?” Voice of OC
Best Environmental News Story
First place: Erika Ritchie
“Young mountain lion roams 100 miles between beach and Santa Ana mountains,” OC Register
Second place: Richard Simon
“The Trashy Side of Newport Beach,” Newport Beach Independent
Third place: Angelina Hicks
“Are Community Gardens Becoming Orange County’s Next Town Squares,” Voice of OC
Honorable Mention: Angelina Hicks
“Grand Jury: OC Residents Lose Millions Each Year in Unclaimed Recycling Funds,” Voice of OC
Best Education Story
First place: Roxana Kopetman
“Lockdown alarm failed 3 preschool classes for deaf students in Santa Ana during intruder evacuation, teachers say,” OC Register
Second place: Shawn Price
“Camp, Sweet Camp,” Parenting OC
Third place: Roxana Kopetman
“New Irvine charter school under scrutiny for alleged mismanagement,” OC Register
Best Food/Restaurant Story
First place: Gabriel San Román
“In Anaheim, taco vendors and officials play a game of cat-and-mouse,” LA Times
Second place: Simone Goldstone
“Brother’s Bond Bourbon is Founded by ‘Vampire Diaries’ Actors and Helps the Environment,” Newport Beach Independent
Third place: Sarah Mosqueda
“Orange County’s diverse vegan Mexican food movement gains momentum,” Daily Pilot
Best Food/Restaurant Review
First place: Brad A. Johnson
“South Coast Plaza’s Populaire rewrites the French bistro playbook,” OC Register
Second place: Brad A. Johnson
“Finally, a proper cheese enchilada,” OC Register
Third place: Edwin Goei
“At the Disneyland Resort, it’s a small world of food after all,” Daily Pilot
Best Travel Story
First place: Brooke Staggs
“How a trip to Tanzania restored one writer’s faith in humanity,” OC Register
Second place: Anh Do
“Taiwanese, Koreans and Hong Kongers can finally travel home. But others are out of luck,” LA Times
Third place: Richard Simon
“Crossing the Northwest Passage: A Voyage of Ice, Wind and Polar Bears,” Newport Beach Independent
Best Profile
First place: Joe Mullich
“Serving the Underserved,” Super Lawyers
Second place: Joe Mullich
“The Difference Maker,” Super Lawyers
Third place: Sara Cardine
“Newport Beach retiree Stan Ross, aka the Metal Detector Man, finds O.C.’s lost riches,” Daily Pilot
Best Religion Story
First place: Hosam Elattar
“OC Muslims Hope For a More ‘Normal’ Ramadan as They Gear Up for the Third Celebration Since COVID,” Voice of OC
Second place: Lilly Nguyen
“Faith leaders gather in Newport Beach to pray for Ukraine, world on National Day of Prayer,” Daily Pilot
Third place: Cathi Douglas
“Why a first-responder chaplain’s work is so important,” San Diego Union-Tribune
Honorable Mention: Yusra Farzan
“Muslims are fast becoming a powerful voting bloc in Orange County,” OC Register
David McQuay Award for Best Columnist
First place: Norberto Santana Jr.
Voice of OC
Second place: Patrice Apodaca
Daily Pilot
Third place: Jim Alexander
OC Register
Best Video
First place: Joone Kim-Lopez
“From Hate to Healing,” OC World
Second place: Scott Hays
“Hope Dies Last,” OC World
Third place: Manuel Gómez
“To Live for the Harvest,” OC World
Honorable Mention: Shawn Price, Jessica Peralta and Aylin Ruiz
“A Conversation with Ann & Kong,” Halloween Every Night
Best Use of Multimedia
First place: Jessica Peralta, Shawn Price, Aylin Ruiz and Lindsay Schiro
“‘Spook Show 17’ Offers a Look Behind The 17th Door,” Halloween Every Night
Second place: Samantha Dunn
“These 10 Noteworthy books by Southern California authors made an impact in 2021,” OC Register
Third place: Jessica Peralta, Shawn Price and Hannah Nguyen
“Twisted Christmas Brings Immersive Scares to The Frida Cinema,” Halloween Every Night
Best Use of Data
First place: Brooke Staggs and Nikie Johnson
“Analysis: What are Orange County House members tweeting about?” OC Register
Second place: Brooke Staggs
“Orange County more likely than most to elect women to office, but gaps persist,” OC Register
Best Use of Social Media
First place: Meghann Cuniff
Law & Crime News, covering Cardi Bi’s federal civil trial in Orange County
Second place: Meghann Cuniff
Law.com/The Recorder, covering John Eastman’s speech at the California Republican Assembly meeting
Third place: Brad A. Johnson
Instagram (@bradajohnson)
Best Graphic
First place: Jennifer Coats and Shawn Price
Salem Witch Trials, Halloween Every Night
Best Illustration
First place: Dominic Ho
Stephen King, Halloween Every Night
Second place: Jeffrey Goertzen
Angels, OC Register
Third place: Dominic Ho
“Psycho,” Halloween Every Night
Honorable Mention: Dexter Urias
Bluebeard, Halloween Every Night
Best News Photo
First place: Mitch Ridder
Emerald Bay fire, Laguna Beach Independent
Second place: Paul Bersebach
coastal day, OC Register
Third place: Leonard Ortiz
Smiling couple, OC Register
Best Sports Photo
First place: Keith Birmingham
broken bat, OC Register
Second place: Mark Rightmire
surfing victory, OC Register
Third place: Paul Rodriguez
dejection, OC Register
Honorable Mention: Mark Rightmire
girls soccer, OC Register
Best Feature Photo
First place: Paul Bersebach
Sunrise, OC Register
Second place: Leonard Ortiz
Surfer, OC Register
Third place: Mark Rightmire
Gliders, OC Register
Honorable Mention: Brad A. Johnson
Heritage BBQ, OC Register
Best Portrait
First place: Dustin Snipes
Natalie Weatherford, Super Lawyers
Second place: Dustin Snipes
Irene Y. Lee, Super Lawyers
https://digital.superlawyers.com/superlawyers/lxsl22/MobilePagedReplica.action?pm=2&folio=40#pg40
Third place: Leonard Ortiz
Planned Parenthood technician, OC Register
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NEjIDa-NqXDCnUtt0mGq3AoBTkCi7TUP/view?usp=drive_link
The Real O.C. Award
First place: Mike Moodian
“Coastal Crisis: California’s Vanishing Beaches,” OC World
Second place: Hosam Elattar
““Enough is Enough”: Anaheim’s Edison Community Demands Safer Streets,” Voice of OC
Third place: Tony Saavedra and Laylan Connelly
“Southern California coastal towns are losing valuable sand, putting some beaches at risk,” OC Register
Honorable Mention: Brooke Staggs
“Afghan refugees find generosity, chaos as they settle in Orange County,” OC Register
Journalist of the Year
Scott M. Reid
SPONSORED CONTENT DIVISION
Best News Feature Story
First place: Patrice Marsters
“Business Management Pathway Develops Students’ Entrepreneurial Savvy,” Newport-Mesa Unified School District
Second place: Greg Mellen
“CUSD representatives learn about how to combat dangers to students during School Safety Summit,” CUSD Insider
Third place: Jessica Peralta
“In Memoriam: The life of Santa Ana Police K9 Puskas,” Behind the Badge
Best Feature Story
First place: Greg Mellen
“Tesoro student turns her pain into anti-racism movement,” CUSD Insider
Second place: Greg Mellen
“Nothing can stop San Juan Hills High basketball coach Jason Efstathiou,” CUSD Insider
Third place: Greg Hardesty
“One Hundred Years of Gratitude: The Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange celebrate the centennial anniversary of the order’s relocation to Batavia Street from Northern California,” Orange County Catholic
Honorable Mention: Jessica Peralta
“Post-retirement, Westminster Police Department’s K9 Pako candle shines bright,” Behind the Badge
Best Arts/Culture Story or Review
First place: Greg Hardesty
“Hazel Wright Organ: It took a small army of people and nearly a decade to restore world-famous Hazel Wright Organ to her glory,” Orange County Catholic
Second place: Greg Mellen
“Santa Ana homicide detective runs youth mariachi nonprofit, providing life-enriching outlet for kids,” Behind the Badge
Third place: Richard Chang
“Forging a Common Bond,” UCI Arts
Honorable Mention: Patrice Marsters
“Recess Enhanced with Creative Art Programs,” Newport-Mesa Unified School District
https://drive.google.com/file/d/11xv6O1I3wM1MBRZvRQ1jN5bvyScNzu15/view?usp=share_link
Best Photo
First place: Jeff Antenore
High school graduation surprise, CUSD Insider
Best Video
First place: Tauli Anderson
“Westminster Police Department shuts down alleged slaphouse,” Behind the Badge
OC Press Club Names Journalist Fred Swegles as 2023 Sky Dunlap Award Recipient
The Orange County Press Club Board of Directors is honored to posthumously recognize Fred Swegles with the 2023 Sky Dunlap Award at the 2023 Excellence in Journalism Awards at 6 p.m. on June 15 at Anaheim Hills Golf Course.
The Press Club’s highest honor will be announced in conjunction with our “In Memorium” presentation of recently deceased journalists, which also includes nationally-recognized baseball writer Jean Hastings Ardell and Los Angeles Times reporter Greg Yee.
A longtime Orange County newsman who spent his career covering San Clemente and its neighboring towns, Swegles died on Oct. 23, 2022, after suffering health complications because of a brain tumor. He was 74.
Swegles’ portfolio of work spanned more than 50 years, having previously reported for the Daily Sun-Post and Orange County Register. In 2018, Swegles launched his CoastLines column with San Clemente Times.
“Fred Swegles is an institution in Orange County journalism. His tireless efforts over five decades to cover his beloved hometown of San Clemente are a testament to the impact one journalist can have on their readers. Our board’s decision to honor Fred was unanimous and we sincerely wish it had arrived before his passing,” said Daniel Langhorne, president of Orange County Press Club.
The Sky Dunlap Award is given out at the Press Club’s annual awards gala and honors someone for lifetime achievement and community service in Orange County journalism. It is named for John William “Sky” Dunlap, 1912-68, who owned and published the Globe, an independent newspaper.
Buy Tickets Today for the OC Press Club 2023 Awards Gala
The Orange County Press Club annual awards celebration is back.
The gala will be at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 15 at the Clubhouse at Anaheim Hills, 6501 E. Nohl Ranch Road in Anaheim.
Parking is free and we’ll have a cash bar.
As of June 12, we are at capacity for the 2023 Awards Gala!
We are keeping costs at previous levels for the gala tickets. But our costs have increased. Please consider an extra tax-deductible donation (we are a 501c3) below to support the gala and our work (supporting student scholarships and other similar work).
OC Press Club Joins Coalition’s Response to City of LA Lawsuit Filed Against Reporter
The following joint statement was released on April 7, 2023.
The Los Angeles Journalists Coalition opposes a lawsuit by the City of Los Angeles against journalist Ben Camacho and Stop LAPD Spying Coalition. The lawsuit seeks to ban further publication of documents the City itself released and which have already been distributed to the public.
The City’s sweeping demand for censorship defies logic as well as the First Amendment. The City Attorney’s additional threat of law enforcement seizure sends a chilling warning to any journalist or individual who would lawfully use the Public Records Act to learn about their own government.
By now, members of the public and other news organizations have seen and likely downloaded these images. The City’s demanded injunction against Camacho and a grassroots advocacy group would punish both with silence while others would retain the full power to continue to publish and disseminate these images.
If the City is truly seeking to protect the undercover police officers whose identities it released, the City is now only drawing even more attention to those officers’ identities through its aggressive and unreasonable encroachment on press freedoms. Further pursuit of this ill-considered lawsuit can only do more harm than good.
Asian American Journalists Association, Los Angeles
CCNMA Latino Journalists of California
Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists
IWW Freelance Journalists Union
Los Angeles Press Club
Media Guild of the West, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39213
National Association of Black Journalists of Los Angeles
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
National Press Photographers Association
National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, Los Angeles Chapter
Ismael Parra, as chair of the National Writers Union, SoCal Chapter
Online News Association Los Angeles
Orange County Press Club
Radio Television Digital News Association
Society of Professional Journalists
OC Press Club Board Adds 2 Members
Orange County Press Club members have elected two new board members in addition to re-electing the vast majority of the Board of Directors.
Caitlin Antonios, dining reporter for the Southern California News Group, and Jeremy Shermak, journalism instructor and faculty adviser to Coast Report at Orange Coast College, have joined following the election.
“Caitlin and Jeremy are exceptional additions to the Board of Directors,” Board President Daniel Langhorne said. “Their unique experiences will help us amplify the voices of Orange County journalists and continue defending a free press.”
Re-elected to the board are:
Hannah Fry
Kathy Hobstetter
Daniel Langhorne
Patty Marsters
Brandon Pho
Sonya Quick
Shawn Raymundo
David N. Young
OC Press Club Opens Voting for 2022-23 Board of Directors
The Orange County Press Club named a slate of highly-qualified candidates to serve on its 2022-23 Board of Directors on November 14.
OC Press Club members are invited to cast their votes for candidates until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, November 18. Click here to access the ballot.
The Board of Directors would like to thank departing board members Benjamin Brazil and Bradley Zint for their leadership and dedication to the region’s journalism community.
OC Press Club Joins Journalism Organizations in Calling on CA High School Principal to Drop Disciplinary Action Against NAHJ Academic Officer
The Orange County Press Club has signed on to the following joint action letter:
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) in solidarity with a coalition of Southern California and national journalism organizations are calling on a California high school principal to immediately drop disciplinary action taken against teacher Adriana Chavira, a respected journalism mentor and NAHJ’s Academic At-Large Officer, for refusing to censor her students’ reporting.
The students at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in the San Fernando Valley wrote a story published last fall about mandatory vaccinations for public school teachers. They named a teacher-librarian at their school who didn’t want to be vaccinated and didn’t show up for work.
The librarian asked Chavira to remove her name from the story. Chavira declined. Students aren’t bound by federal HIPAA or by confidentiality/privacy laws to remove the librarian’s name. The story is factual, and Chavira has supported the students and their First Amendment right to name the teacher-librarian. California’s education code also upholds their right to exercise their freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
In response, Pearl High Principal Armen Petrossian notified Chavira last Thursday that she will be subject to a three-day, unpaid suspension. Chavira is appealing the action. The issue of censorship isn’t unique to Daniel Pearl High School. Over the years, attempts to censor student newspapers and punish educators who serve as news advisors have become far too common, mirroring the challenges facing journalists nationwide.
“The fear of repercussions from authorities can often cause emerging journalists to self-censor, producing a media landscape dominated by commentary and social media feeds rather than news stories that hold those in power to account,” said Yvette Cabrera, NAHJ President. “Adriana Chavira has years of experience working with students to create journalism that matters. She is an invaluable resource to our next generation of journalists and a vital member of the NAHJ Board. She has our full support.”
High school is a foundational period in a student’s educational development. Attitudes toward democracy and how to engage in civil disagreement are forged within a school’s walls, and students should be nurtured and encouraged to become active, engaged and responsible citizens. Principal Petrossian’s actions work contrary to this by attempting to silence the voices of student journalists and obstruct them from freely reporting a matter of public concern to their school community.
A 2022 Knight Foundation report on the First Amendment revealed that nearly 40% of high school students have not taken a single class on the First Amendment, despite its importance to all citizens, not just journalists. The report also found that while a majority of high school students believe that the First Amendment protects them personally, “they are far less likely to feel the protection of these rights than are college students, teachers and adults in America.”
The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists also expressed its support for Chavira, and condemned Petrossian’s handling of the matter.
“SPJ/LA stands with our colleagues in the professional journalism community in protesting Daniel Pearl Magnet High School’s treatment of student newspaper adviser Adriana Chavira,” said Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, president of SPJ/LA. “The administration’s conduct dishonors the man for whom the school is named, a journalist who literally gave his life to the cause of informing his readers and reporting the truth. We urge them to reconsider their actions, and instead reaffirm their support for their faculty member and for robust, independent student journalism.”
Other Southern California and national journalism organizations also spoke up in defense of Chavira.
“High school journalism advisors train the next generation of journalists, and they should not be penalized for defending their students’ First Amendment rights to free speech and freedom of the press,” said journalism professor Sharyn Obsatz, co-organizer of the Online News Association Los Angeles group.
Our organizations applaud Chavira’s commitment to the First Amendment and her students, and urge Principal Petrossian to do the right thing: rescind the suspension. We also call on the Los Angeles Unified School District, which is the second largest public school district in the country, to ensure that its administrators abide by the state education code and the Constitution to guarantee the rights of student journalists are protected.
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Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists
National Press Photographers Association
Online News Association Los Angeles
Orange County Press Club
Radio Television Digital News Association
OC Press Club Mourns Courts Reporter
Jeanne Wright, who covered courts at the Register in the 1980s, passed away this year after a long battle with early Alzheimer’s. Colleagues remember Jeanne as a smart, beautiful, loving woman and great journalist with an infectious laugh. She is survived by her husband, Ralph Vartabedian, and their two adult children.
RSVP Now: OC Press Club Awards Gala
The Orange County Press Club annual awards celebration is back.
The gala will be at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 30 at the Clubhouse at Anaheim Hills, 6501 E. Nohl Ranch Road in Anaheim.
Gustavo Arellano of Los Angeles Times will be the guest emcee for the event along with Kedric Francis, editor-in-chief of Blue Door Magazine.
RSVP today. Purchase your tickets using the PayPal link below.