Native American Journalists Association 2012 MEDIA AWARD WINNERS
June 19, 2012The Richard LaCourse Award for Investigative Reporting
Sponsored by the Gannett Foundation
Stephanie Woodard, "Boarding School Era - News of this past year in South Dakota and beyond"
DIVISION ONE
Daily/Weekly Best News Story
1st Place "Cherokee Court Invalidates Votes" Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton, Tulsa World
2nd Place "The Language of Savagery" Rob Capriccioso, Indian Country Today Media Network
3rd Place "Peabody, Tribe Mum on Lawsuit Settlement" Marley Shebala, Navajo Times
Daily/Weekly Best Feature Story
1st Place "Buddy of the Bulls" Candace Begody, Navajo Times
2nd Place "A Revolution in Painting" Noel Smith, Navajo Times
3rd Place " In the Women Army" Alastair Bitsoi, Navajo Times
Daily/Weekly Best Environmental Story
1st Place "5 Year Uranium Cleanup only the Beginning" Alastair Bitsoi, Navajo Times
2nd Place "Appetite for Destruction : Beetles Decimating the Environment" Debra Utacia Krol, Jolon Indian Publishing
3rd Place "Unnatural Disaster" Alastair Bitsoi, Navajo Times
Daily/Weekly Best Sports Story
1st Place " Taking Responsibility" Candace Begody, Navajo Times
2nd Place "Fans Light a Fire for Team" Quentin Jodie, Navajo Times
3rd Place "TC's Orman Sets 2nd State Track Record" Candace Begody, Navajo Times
Daily/Weekly Best Feature Photo
1st Place " A Step of Progress" Paul Natonabah, Navajo Times
2nd Place " Stand off" Donovan Quintero, Navajo Times
Daily/Weekly General Excellence
1st Place "Navajo Times"
Daily/Weekly Best Layout
1st Place "Navajo Times"
Daily/Weekly Best Column
1st Place " Legend of Chizzi" Tom Arviso Jr., Navajo Times
2nd Place " Circle of Violence Series" Karonienhawi Thomas, RuthHopkins and Harold Monteau, Indian Country Today Media Network
3rd Place "A Proud Vote for Jacoby" Tom Arviso Jr., Navajo Times
Daily/Weekly Best News Photo
1st Place "Leading the Way" Paul Natonabah, Navajo Times
2nd Place "Target Practice" Donovan Quintero, Navajo Times
Daily/Weekly Best Sports Photo
Tie for 1st " Whole Lotta Bull" Donovan Quintero, Navajo Times and " Young Buckaroos" Paul Natonabah, Navajo Times
Daily/Weekly Associate-Beat
1st "Navajo Nation Corruption and Prosecution" Bill Donovan, Navajo Times
Associate News
1st Place "Branded and Scarred" Diane Schmidt, Navajo Times
2nd Place "Shooting Mystery" Cindy Yurth, Navajo Times
3rd Place "Top PD Official Faces Coverup Accusations" Bill Donovan, Navajo Times
Associate Coverage of Natives
1st Place "Jude Awakening" Jack McNeel, Indian Country Today Media Network
2nd Place "Yes Virginia, There is Institutional Racism" Tanya Lee, Indian Country Today Media Network
3rd Place "A Trip Gone Awry" Bill Donovan, Navajo Times
DIVISION TWO (no entries)
DIVISION THREE
General Excellence/Monthly
1st Place: "Osage News"
Best News Story/Weekly/BiWeekly
1st Place: "Jury finds Foster Mother Guilty" Rosemary Stephens, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Tribune
2nd Place: "Six Years worth of Missing BIA Records" Shannon Shaw, Osage News
3rd Place: "There is help when buying a house" Shannon Shaw, Osage News
Best Feature Story
1st Place: "A Hominy Football Coach's Memory Lives" Sunni Chahchischiligi, Osage News
2nd Place: "Love Transcends Through A Daughters Search" Rosemary Stephens, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Tribune
3rd Place : "Wilson Pipestem Finishes What His Father Helped Start" Sunnie Clahchischiligi, Osage News
Best Column
1st Place: "FSIN Dragged Down by Bitter Politics" Doug Cuthand, Saskatoon Star Phoenix.
Best Environmental Story
1st Place: " Tribes Harness Wind Energy" by Rebecka Lyman, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Tribune.
Best Sports Story
1st Place: "Blazing Path" by Rebecka Lyman, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Tribune.
Best Photo News
1st Place: "Six Take Refuge in Bathroom" by Rebecka Lyman, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Tribune.
2nd Place " Manager Waits for Customers as Store Folds" by Chalene Toehay, Osage News
3rd Place: "Pawhuska Drumkeeper Prepares to Give Away Horses" by Chalene Toehay, Osage News.
Best Design/Layout
Osage News
DIVISION FOUR
Monthly/Bi-Monthly: General Excellence
1st Place "Confederated Umatilla Journal
2nd Place "Muscogee Nation News"
3rd Place " Say Magazine"
Best Magazine Layout
1st Place "Say Magazine"
Best Newspaper Layout
1st Place "Confederated Umatilla Journal"
2nd Place "Muscogee Nation News"
3rd Place "The Comanche Nation News"
Best Feature Story
1st Place "Creek Flutist finds success in Texas River Cane" by Gerald Wofford
Best Feature Photo
1st Place Phillip Coon, "Peace", Gerald Wofford, Muscogee Nation News
2nd Place "Food Fun Festivities at the 20th Annual Comanche Nation Fair" Jolene Schonchin, Comanche Nation News
3rd Place "Clear Blue" Gary Fife, Muscogee Nation News
Best Column
1st Place "Emvponayv" by Gary Fife of the Muscogee Nation News
Best Sports Story
1st Place "Shes Only A Freshman" Darren DeLaune, Muscogee Nation News
2nd Place "Longacre prepares for battle at Hard Rock Tulsa Nov. 18th" Darren DeLaune, Muscogee Nation News
3rd Place "Legend in her time: Carol Marinez sets and still holds area record in womens basketball" Paula Karty, Comanche Nation News.
Best Sports Photo
1st Place "Out at First" Dallas Dick, Confederated Umatilla Journal
2nd Place "8 Second Ride", Paula Karty, Comanche Nation News
3rd Place "Softball Mud", Dallas Dick, Confederated Umatilla Journal
Best News Story
1st Place "Former MCN employees charged with bribery" Lee Longhorn, Muskogee Nation News.
2nd Place "Okemah Hospital corrects deficiencies, retains Medicaid Funding" Gary Fife, Muskogee Nation News.
3rd Place "They did it again! Wild band of Comanches Crowned Southern Drum Champions at Gathering of the Nations" Jolene Schonchin, Comanche Nation News
Best Environmental Story
1st Place " Baby Steps Toward Bigger Effects: Tribal Employees Made Aware of Recycling Plastics Through the Environmental Program" Jolene Schonchin, Comanche Nation News
Best News Photo
1st Place "Electrifying" Jolene Schonchin, Comanche Nation News
Coverage Of Native Americans
1st Place "Up and Down" by Mark Fogarty,
Associate Best News Story
1st Place "Young People let go of their burdens: Suicide Prevention camp uses peer-based curriculum to reach vulnerable Teens" Wil Phinney, Confederated Umatilla Journal
Associate Best Photo
1st Place "Salmon Walk" Will Phinney, Confederated Umatilla Journal
DIVISION FIVE
BEST COLUMN - MONTHLY/BIMONTHLY
1st Place - Aiyana VanZile, Potawatomi Traveling Times
BEST EDITORIAL - DAILY/WEEKLY
1st Place - Steve Bonspiel, The Eastern Door
BEST EDITORIAL - MONTHLY/BIMONTHLY
1st Place - Aiyana VanZile, Potawatomi Traveling Times
BEST SPORTS STORY - DAILY/WEEKLY
1st Place - Steve Bonspiel, The Eastern Door, "Local weekly hockey pool"
BEST FEATURE STORY - DAILY/WEEKLY
1st - Steve Bonspiel, The Eastern Door, "Legendary Kanesatake lacrosse stick maker"
2nd - Richard Peterson, Fort Peck Journal, "FPCC graduate goes extra mile"
3rd - Roselynn Wahtomy, Sho-Ban News, "U.S. Marine Cpl. Phllip Baldwin"
BEST FEATURE STORY - MONTHLY/BIMONTHLY
1st - M. Thomas Jordan, Gaduwa Cherokee News, "Dianne Barker Harrold"
2nd - Natasha Kavanaugh, Siletz News, "Siletz women"
3rd - Aiyana VanZile, Potawatomi Traveling Times, "Tribal elders"
BEST ENVIRONMENTAL STORY - DAILY/WEEKLY
1st Place - Louis Montclair, Fort Peck Journal, "Toxic waste dumper"
BEST NEWS STORY - DAILY/WEEKLY
1st - Richard Peterson, Fort Peck Journal, "Sheriff 'an embarrassment' to county"
2nd - Steve Bonspeil, The Eastern Door, "Local doctor in danger of losing license"
3rd - Bonnie Clincher, Fort Peck Journal, "Tribal leader dies in office"
BEST NEWS STORY - MONTHLY/BIMONTHLY
1st Place - Gaduwa Cherokee News
BEST PHOTO / NEWS - MONTHLY/BIMONTHLY
1st - Sammy Still, Gaduwa Cherokee News, "Oh, my aching feet"
2nd - Natasha Kavanaugh, Siletz News, "Fancy dancers"
BEST PHOTO / FEATURE - MONTHLY/BIMONTHLY
1st - Robert L. Ortiz, The Southern Ute Drum, "Fair drums"
2nd - Winda Collins, Potawatomi Traveling Times, "U.S.I.G. travel song"
BEST PHOTO / FEATURE - MONTHLY/BIMONTHLY
1st - M. Thomas Jordan, Gaduwa Cherokee News, "Slide"
2nd - Natasha Kavanaugh, Siletz News, "Youth"
3rd - Aiyana VanZile, Potawatomi Traveling News, "Fancy feather"
BEST PHOTO / SPORTS - DAILY/WEEKLY
1st - Roselynn Wahtomy, Sho-Ban News, "Hung up"
2nd - Lori Edmo Suppah, Sho-Ban News, "Close Finish"
BEST PHOTO / SPORTS - MONTHLY/BIMONTHLY
1st Place - M. Thomas Jordan, Gaduwa Cherokee News, "It's a ringer"
BEST LAYOUT - DAILY/WEEKLY
1st - Sho-Ban News
2nd - Eastern Door
BEST LAYOUT - MONTHLY/BIMONTHLY
1st - The Southern Ute Drum
2nd - Siletz News
3rd - Council Fires
GENERAL EXCELLENCE - DAILY/WEEKLY
1st - Sho-Ban News
GENERAL EXCELLENCE - MONTHLY/BIMONTHLY
1st - The Southern Ute Drum
2nd - Siletz News
3rd - Gaduwa Cherokee News
ASSOCIATE / NEWS STORY (PRINT)
1st - Ace Stryker, The Southern Ute Drum, "History"
2nd - John Loftus, Muckleshoot Monthly, "Totem poles"
3rd - Diane Rodriquez, Siletz News, "Wilkinson"
ASSOCIATE / BEAT
1st Place - Michelle Spaude, Potawatomi Traveling Times, "Breed Shepard"
ASSOCIATE / COVERAGE OF NATIVE AMERICANS (PRINT)
1st Place Winda Collins, Potawatomi Traveling Times, "Indigenous Games"
ASSOCIATE / PHOTO
1st - Jeremy Wade Shockley, The Southern Ute Drum, "Dancers"
2nd - Diane Rodriquez, Siletz News, "Second-graders"
3rd - Jeremy Wade Shockley, The Southern Ute Drum, "Train"
BROADCAST
Best Television News Story (Non-commercial)
1st Jason Salsman, Native News Today/Muscogee Nation
2nd Gary Fife, Muscogee Nation Communications Department
Best Radio Feature Story (Non-commercial)
1st Charla Bear, KPLU Public Radio "Tulalip Cultural Center Helps Maintain Tribe's Traditions"
2nd Tristan Ahtone, Wyoming Public Radio "Native American Intermarriage Puts Benefits At Risk"
Best Radio News Story (Non-Commercial)
1st Tristan Ahtone, Wyoming Public Radio "School Board Insurance Trust Comes Under Scrutiny"
Radio General Excellence (Non-commercial)
1st Native America Calling
2nd National Native News, Antonia Gonzales
3rd Koahnic Broadcast Corporation
On-Line Best Environmental Story Daily/Weekly
1st Tristan Ahtone, Indian Country Today
On-Line Best Feature Story
1st Jordan Dresser, Wyofile.com
On-Line Best Sports Story
1st Jordan Dresser, Wyofile.com
2nd Rhonda LeValdo, Indian Country Today
On-Line Best Column Monthly/Bi Monthly
1st Lee Longhorn
On-Line Best Newspaper
1st Osage News Website
COLLEGE
College: Radio Story
1st Place: "One hundred years with Ishi, the last wild Indians of N. America. Terria Smith.
College: Best News Story
1st Place: "Haskell Women's Basketball Coach Retires" Eli Anderson
College: General Excellence
1st Place: Haskell Indian Leader
College: Best Sports Story
1st Place: "Cheer Team Faces Obstacles This Year" Janice Mendez
College Feature Story
1st Place: "Recycling Program Initiated at Haskell" Joshua Woosypitti
2nd Place: "Commencement or Commercial Pow Wow" Janice Mendez
College Best News Story
1st Place: "Student Bank no Longer Cashing Checks" Kyle Griggs
College Editorial
1st Place: "The decline in Male Native American College Enrollment: perspectives and Strategies" Kyle Griggs.
College Photo
1st Place: "William Leonard leads the Pack" Jeffrey Keeble
2nd Place: "Shyanna Leonard U.S.I.G Long Jump" Jeffrey Keeble
3rd Place: "Young Women play the Oodham Game 'Toka' Michelle Washington