Division I (Circulation up to 75,000)

General Feature

1. Carrie Macmillan, The Republican American. “Grandmother, gardener, felon.”

2. Steve Damish, The (Brockton) Enterprise. “Dawn of Recovery”

3. Doug Fox, The (Provo) Daily Herald. “Brady, the greatest gift”

Honorable Mention:

Kristen Hare, St Joseph News-Press. “Noah’s Mark”

Gary White, The Ledger. “A gift in the sadness”

Narrative Feature

1. Isaac Bailey, The Sun News. “Loved one lost.”

2. Nicki Lefever, York Daily Record. “Will stem cells help?”

3. Jennifer Torres, The (Stockton) Record, “The journey of the Brothers Fermin”

Honorable Mention:

Barbara Hollingsworth, Topeka-Capital Journal “A Scot’s year.”

Short Feature

1. Rich Davis, “Myrtle the turtle, a lifetime pet.” Evansville Courier and Press

2. Brett Buckner, The Anniston Star. “Lost highways”

3. Jennifer Vogelsang, York Daily Record. “Tie that binds her friendship”

Honorable Mention:  

Julie Phillips, Athens Banner Herald. “Lisa Mende/Stephanie Astaolos-Jones” 

General Commentary

1. Barbara Ickes, Quad City Times. (“You knew it was a set up, right?” “A letter to our young hero,” “Some are jumping the gun on street art.”)  

1. Cary McMullen, The Ledger. (“A man too big, a vision too small,” “Does Old Glory belong in church?” “Harry Potter and the moral tradition.”) 

2. Dave Bakke, The State-Journal Register (“A forgotten, lonely place,” “1908 race riot cannot be ignored,” “Musings of a journalist.”)

3. Rob Kaiser, The Post-Crescent, Appleton, WI (“Officer gathered cash, then his thoughts,” “A bit of ceremony, tears mark Neenah welcome for fallen Sgt. McDonald,” “Abandoned treasures fuel imagination of discoverers.”)

Feature Specialty Reporting

1. Steve Damish, The (Brockton) Enterprise. (Health) (“Dawn of Recovery,” “I’ve seen hell,” and “Drugs rip dreams, then life from teen.”)

2. Amanda Greene Wilmington Star News. (Faith) (“How we pray.”)  

3. Brett Buckner, The Anniston Star (Faith). (“Saint marks,” and “Jews in the South.”)

A& E Commentary

1. Nick Rogers, The State Journal-Register. (“Moan is year’s best so far,” “Yippie-ki-yay melon farmer,” “Wilson heats up home state.”)

2. Tracey O’ Shaughnessy. The Republican American (“Clark spar,” Equine splendor,” “Dueling artists took their daggers to the canvas.”) 

3. James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette. (“Whoa baby ! Children of men an unnerving nightmarish look at world without hope,” “How bad is Lohan’s latest ? You don’t want to know,” “Rinky-dink.”)

Headline Writing

1. John Murphy, The (Brockton) Enterprise. (“Doing Thyme,” “Butchers’ tips could save your rump,” “Pearly intervention.”)

2. Amanda Kingsbury, Wilmington Star News. (“Of mice and ministry,”

“Please gnome more,” “In-your-face-Fertili-tee.”)

A&E Feature

1. Jennifer Vogelsang, York Daily Record. (“It is just you. This is it.”)

Honorable Mention:

Brett Buckner, The Anniston Star. (“Colon cancer can’t keep actress Sylvia Malone from taking the stage.”)

Division II (Circulation 75,001 to 175,000)

 General Feature

1. Josh Shaffer, Raleigh News and Observer. (“The no hand king.”)

2. Dave Philipps, Colorado Springs Gazette. (“Aphrodisiacs: Fact or fantasy?”)

3.Cindy Lange-Kubick , Lincoln Journal Star. (“Zach and the reading thrones.”) 

Honorable Mention:

Elizabeth Whithey, Edmonton Journal. (“Grafitti ruffles feathers.”)

Narrative Feature

1.Mary Reinhart, East Valley Tribune. (“Pam’s Story.”)   

2.Tony Bartelme , The (Charleston) Post and Courier. (“Stem cells: Miracle or mirage.”)

3.Reid Forgrave, The Des Moines Register. (“Drugs damage a young life.”)

Honorable Mention:

Kristin Harty The (Wilmington) News Journal. (“A thud and water came pouring in.”)

Short Feature

1. Cindy Lange-Kubick, Lincoln Journal Star. (“Scharf’s last act: A call to 911.”)

2. Mike Lewis, Seattle Post Intelligencer. (“Broccoli whisperer could sell arugula to a wolf.”) 

3. Colleen Kenney, Lincoln Journal Star. (“Family friends say goodbye to York sailor.”)

General Commentary

1. Jim Shea, The Hartford Courant. (“Let’s talk about plumbing,” “Wide stance is not enough to enable footsie in men’s room,” The inconvenient truth about gaseous cows.”)

2. Ronnie Polaneczky, Philadelphia Daily News. (“It’s not OPM, it’s ODM!” “Home delivery: We succeed where the airline doesn’t,” “Of statesmen and slavery.”

3. Elizabeth Withey, Edmonton Journal. (“Curse of the F word,” “Sadness and…hate consumed me,” “Blue jeans and the bottom line.”)

Honorable Mention:

Cindy Lange-Kubick , Lincoln Journal Star. (“A dying wish,” “Son of victim has plan for the future,” “The perfect wedding.”)

Feature Specialty Reporting

1. Corey Levitan, Las Vegas Review Journal. (Work). (“Fear and loafing: Man on the street,” “Fear and loafing: Mist opportunity,” “Fear and loafing: Muckraker.”  

2. Carol Smith, Seattle Post-Intelligencer. (Medicine) (“His mind controls new arm;” “ Broken warrior,” “ Healing power of poetry.”

3.Joanne Klimkiewicz, The Hartford Courant. (Profiles)(“Mr. Accordion Man,” “ This Buck doesn’t stop,” “Tuesday’s at Tisane’s.”

Honorable Mention: 

Rebekah Deen, Seattle Post-Intelligencer. (Food) (“Seattle writer says yes to life after gluten,” “ On food: picking apples,” “ Out of the woods: Forager Farber is a master in the wild.”)

A&E Commentary

1. Jason Bracelin, Las Vegas Review-Journal. (“Josh Groban concert: Big talent, high sap content,” “Trio’s virtuosity delivers it hard, easy,” “Girls night out all the way, Beyonce takes no prisoners.”)

2. Mark Arnest, Colorado Springs Gazette.(“Hamletmachine, intense, unfocused,” “Staged Spamalot shines even brighter than cult-classic film,” “ As riveting play, Doubt is sure thing.”) 

3. Phil Villareal, Arizona Daily Star.(“Extra-long Italian film definitely worth your time,” “ ‘300’ a monumental masterpiece,” “ Fans of The West Wing will love Charlie’s Wilson’s War.”)

Honorable Mention:

Brandon Griggs, Salt Lake City Tribune . (“Play makes viewer wonder who is preying on whom,” “Vocal intensity, passion speaks volumes in SLC set,” “Blistering political commentary but ineffective theatre.”)

Headline Writing

1. Adele Angle, The Hartford Courant. (“Disney gives a rat sass,” “Beetles are making a hard day’s night,” “ Britney Belly Flops at MTV Video Awards.”)

2. Susan Dunne, (The Hartford Courant. “The Kingdom.com. GodTube a social spot for believers,” “ Flipping the Superbird,” “ Oh They of little faith.”)

3. Nicole Villalpando, Austin-American Statesman  (“Baby bytes: Go beyond the car seat and crib with high tech gadgets to welcome the wee one” “ Note to self: Narration isn’t always worth a thousand words; A good soliloquy is hard to come by in today’s crows of television philosophers ,” “Nothing says I love you like colored toilet paper. Really. nothing.”)

A&E Feature

1. Jennifer Gish, Albany Times Union.( ‘Fathers and sons of note(s).”)

2. Orla Swift, Raleigh News and Observer. (“ Back to the garden.” )

3. Jamie Gumbrecht, Lexington Herald-Leader. (“Giving up the ghost.”) 

Honorable Mention:  

Matt Eagan, The Hartford Courant. (“Last man standing.”)

Division III (Circulation 175,001 to 300,000)

General Feature

1. Thomas Lake, St. Petersburg Times. (“Dismemberment.”)

2. Lane DeGregory, St. Petersburg Times. (“What goes up.”)

3. Abigail Tucker, Baltimore Sun. (“Lost and found in the sand.”)

Honorable Mention:

Jeff Klinkenberg, St. Petersburg Times. (“ Mystery in B Flat.”)

Joanne Kimberlin, The Virginian-Pilot. (“No one ever went swimming in there.”)

Pam Kelley. The Charlotte Observer. (“ Full days together.”)

Narrative Feature

1. Jerry Brewer, Seattle Times. (“Gloria was more than a story.”)

2. Thomas French ,St. Petersburg Times. (”Zoo Story: The new world.”)

3. John Romano, St. Petersburg Times.(“A story for Jake.”)

Honorable Mention:

Lee Hill Kavanaugh, Kansas City Star. (“A love to last a lifetime:Zeke’s gift.”)

Ron Wolfe, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. ( “Better than Buttermilk.”)

Short Feature

1. Lane De Gregory, St. Petersburg Times. (“He’s the guy-No ifs, ands or buts.”)

2. Abigail Tucker, Baltimore Sun. (“This month’s find: Satin and lace.”)

3. Colleen Jenkins, St. Petersburg Times. (“Brazen meets kind in courtroom.”)

General Commentary

1.Danny Westneat, The Seattle Times. (“District’s obsessed with race.” “Welcome to America, depending,” “The plan: No plan at all.”)

2. Samantha Bennett, Pittsburgh Post Gazette. (“The incredible, inedible explode-able egg,” “Here’s your auto-do list for winter,” “Gnats entertainment.”)

3.Mary Curtis, The Charlotte Observer. (“A shining star snuffed by stupidity,” “Ultrasound bill leaves too much unsaid,” “The day, the dad, the card.”)

Honorable Mention:

Susan Reimer, Baltimore Sun. (“The phases of her life can be spelled out in cars,” “Parents: Don’t stop worrying when Monday rolls around,” “Odds stacked against working, wed (for now) boomer moms.”)

Feature Specialty Reporting

1. Abigail Tucker, The Baltimore Sun. (Medicine). (“A doctor at war," series.)   

2. Janet Keeler, St. Petersburg Times  (Travel) (“Still loving the Haight,” California’s heart of gold,” “ Maryland takes the cakes.”)

3. Jill Silva, Kansas City Star. (Food).(“Less than $2 a meal: Nourishing your body on that amount takes careful planning and shopping and cooking,” “Going with Kansas grain; Harvest Bakery tells the story of the state’s wheat farmers,” “A fad-free diet plan; It’s time for Americans to use their minds when they slim their bodies, dietitians say.”

Honorable Mentions:

Aleta Watson, San Jose Mercury News. (Food) (“Bacon’s new sizzle,” “Passion in a puff,” “Yesterday’s apples: Heirloom varieties bring back forgotten flavors.”)

John Barry, St. Petersburg Times (Science/Medicine) (“More than meets the eye,” “Clues to the cancer,” “Cancer killer.”)

Karen Gaudette, Seattle Times. (Food) (“A recipe for camaraderie,” “Convenience tips the scales,” “Eco-friendly eateries look beyond the menu.”)

A&E Commentary

1. Colette Bancroft, St. Petersburg Times.( “I’m in Vonnegut’s cult,” “ A detour at the end of the road,” “A book of magic.”)

2. Joanne Weintraub, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. (“Imus Radio host’s firing reflects how minorities have gained in media,” “The joke’s on ‘Funniest Women’s list,’” “ These days’s there’s hardly an unwanted baby in Hollywood.”)

3. John Mark Eberhart, Kansas City Star. (“Looking for Beowulf,” “It’d be a crime to miss this one,” “A blend of beauty and the beast.”)

Headline Writing

1. Julie Mitchell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram. (“Arms race: Get on the fast track to sculpted shoulders and beautiful biceps with weights or resistance bands and these moves,” “Lawn and Order: Is your grass in trouble ? “ “Honey of a do. Once again there’s a buzz around the beehive.”)

2.Kate Brassfield, St. Petersburg Times. (“His, Hers, Ours—Ugh,” “Let music soothe the savage feast,” “ Period romance needs more romance. Period.”)

3.Jim Kiest, San Antonio News Express. (“Marshmallow madness,” “Changing lanes,” “The frill of it all.”)

A&E Feature

1. Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun. (“The bullets in his head.”)

2. Florangela Davila, Seattle Times. (“Jean Enerson stays steady at the top of a very volatile game.”)

3. Sean Daly, St. Petersburg Times. (“Hallowed sound.”)

Honorable Mention:

Robert Butler, Kansas City Star. (“A ‘masterpiece.’ Never heard of it ? The 1977 student film—until now, mostly shown privately—is a legend in cinema circles.”)

Division IV (Circulation more than 300,000)

General Feature

1. Gene Weingarten, The Washington Post. (“Pearls before breakfast.”)

2. Kurt Streeter, The Los Angeles Times. (“A teenage girl, a terrible injury and a will to recover.”)

3. Jaimee Rose, The Arizona Republic. (“The perfect party.”)

Honorable Mention:

Kathy Huber, Houston Chronicle. (“A symbol of revival.”)

David Tarrant, Dallas Morning News. (“A lingering cloud.”)

Narrative Feature

1. Beth Whitehouse, Newsday. (“The Match.”)

2. Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times. (“Attacked by a Grizzly.”)

3. Neil Swidey, Boston Globe. (“A family doctor’s journey from man to woman—and what it means for his family of patients.”)

 Short Feature

1. Gail Rosenblum, Minneapolis Star Tribune. (“Duets: An unusual bond born of love.”)

2 David Montgomery, Washington Post. (“As summer ebbs, August casts a shadow.”)

3. Larry Bingham, The Oregonian. (“A man from narrows.”)

General Commentary

1. Alex Beam, The Boston Globe. (“A silent spring time for Hitler,” “Gay people give me back my stuff,” “I’veheard itall before.”)

2. Chris Erskine, Los Angeles Times. (“Bouncing off the walls,” “With not even a whimper,” “ You’ll like it here on the Best Coast, Joe.”)

3. Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle. (“The NBA’s Hairdos and don’ts,” “Summer sizzles for man crushes—and there’s nothing wrong with that,” “ Ode to snap, sizzle and pop.”)

Honorable Mention:
Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press. (“Laugh and cry or go nuts at funerals,” “Please, stop with the popcorn balls,” “What that holiday letter really means.”)

Feature Specialty Reporting

1. Amy Harmon, New York Times. (Health) (“Cancer free but weighing a mastectomy,” “Facing life with a lethal gene,” “After DNA diagnosis: Hello, 16p11.2. Are you just like me?”

2. Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times. (Health) (“Forgive and be well?” “The push to label,” “Unseen, unsung.)”

3. Craig Nakano, Los Angeles Times. (Art) (“Built with wild abandon,” “ A spirit rekindled,” “ Salvaged in style.”)

Honorable Mention:

Suzanne D’Amato, The Washington Post. (Fashion) (“In or Out ? “ “ Fall fashion forecast: Denim dresses and more,” “Clothes encounter.”)

Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press; (Health) (“His war on brain injury,” A marine’s long road home,” “Time bombs.”)

John Carreyou, The Wall Street Journal. (Health) (Medical maze: Legal loophole ensnares breast-cancer patients,” “Maxed out: As insurance costs soar, the insured face huge tab,” “Uncovered: How the U.S. health system can fail even the insured.”)

A&E Commentary

1. Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post. (“Captivating worlds: Pan’s labyrinth delves masterfully into dark fantasy and darker reality,” “Unlocked memories. Julie Christie  returns to dazzle in Away From Her,” “ Spidey runs out of webbing.”

2. Joshua Kosman The San Francisco Chronicle. (“If Beverly Sills sang it, opera was American,” “ Philip Glass takes on Leonard Cohen. Big mistake,” “Maestro market ripe for young blood.”)

2. Chris Knight, L.A. Times. (“Modernism born in potter’s hands,” “The grandstand erected by Italy,” “England through the eyes of a lover.”)  

3.Ty Burr, Boston Globe. (“Tease is the word-shaking and shimmying with electric energy,” “ Gnawing on a new generation’s nerves,” “ Sean Penn’s Into the Wild tracks a young man’s wanderlust and its tragic consequences.”)

Headline Writing

1.Jonathan Padget, The Washington Post. (“In the toilet too. NBC’s ratings for Larry Craig interview,” “ Fox hears ‘strike’ and makes the call ‘24’ you’re out!” “ Swelled head of the class. Kanye West’s latest is rap’s boast of town.” )

2.David Sanford, The Wall Street Journal. (“Snakes on a plain: Living with cobras outside Calcutta,” “ Roads not taken still play a part in Vermont life—You can’t always see them but they do exist and they do cause trouble,” “ It’s a good thing a Kenyan runner is fast on his feet—he competed for Bahrain but then raced in Israel.”)

3.Nancy Watkins, Chicago Tribune. (“3BR, 2BA, 1ZZ: The rise of the snoring room,” “If anyone can show why brownies cannot be served at a reception,” “What the hull…?”)

A&E Feature

1. David Stabler, The Oregonian. (“Listen, it’s Oregon.”) 

2. Inara Verzemnieks, The Oregonian. (“The eloquent nude.”)

3. Hank Stuever, The Washington Post. (“Host with the most: the cult of Bob Barker.”)

Honorable mention:

William Booth, The Washington Post. (“Mr. Mahvelous. Twain Prize winner Billy Crystal has made a lot of folks laugh since childhood gigs in his living room.”)