Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

CNJ wins press association honors

Staff and wire reports

ALBUQUERQUE — The Clovis News Journal on Saturday was awarded the top prize from New Mexico Press Association at its annual Better Newspaper Contest.

CNJ won the general excellence award for the fourth consecutive year, the seventh time in eight years, taking honors for news and sports reporting and advertising initiatives in the classification for small dailies.

The Clovis newspaper staff also won NMPA’s public service award and was second for its design and typography.

CNJ staff members who received individual honors:

• Cheyanne Bardin: 2. Classified advertising.

• Tony Bullocks: 1. Feature photos; 2. Sports photos.

• Liliana Castillo: 2. Feature photos.

• Sharna Johnson: 2. Breaking news.

• Shawn Luscombe: 1. Black and white advertising; 2. House advertising;

• David Stevens: 1. Editorial writing.

• Cathy Tapia: 2. Black and white advertising; 1. Color advertising; 1. Classified advertising.

• Kevin Wilson: 1. Column writing; 1. Sports column writing; 2. Continuing coverage;

Rick White and Dianna Hernandez also earned an award in headline writing for the Portales News-Tribune.

WINNERS BY CATEGORY AND DIVISION, listed in order

Daily Division 1: Circulation more than 10,000

Daily Division 2: Circulation less than 10,000

Weekly Division 1: Non-Daily Circulation more than 5,000

Weekly Division 2: Non-Daily Circulation less than 5,000

General Excellence

Albuquerque Journal

Clovis News Journal

The Taos News

El Defensor Chieftain

Public Service

Elizabeth Piazza, Farmington Daily Times

Staff, Clovis News Journal

Staff, Rio Grande Sun

Staff, El Defensor Chieftain

Story of the Year

Santa Fe New Mexican, Jason Auslander, investigation of Santa Fe County magistrate court problems.

Journalist of the Year

Mike Gallagher, Albuquerque Journal

Member of the Year

Alamogordo Daily News

News Writing

First place:

Jeff Proctor and Hailey Heinz, Albuquerque Journal

Emil Whitis, Artesia Daily Press

Julia Dendinger, Valencia County News-Bulletin

Joseph Kolb, Gallup Herald

Second place:

Geoff Grammer, Santa Fe New Mexican

Emil Whitis, Artesia Daily Press

Kevin Robinson-Avila/Megan Kamerick, New Mexico Business Weekly

JR Logan, Sangre de Cristo Chronicle

Breaking News Story

First place:

Jeff Proctor, Albuquerque Journal

Carol Clark and Jennifer Garcia, Los Alamos Monitor

Julia Dendinger, Valencia County News-Bulletin

Suzanne Barteau, El Defensor Chieftain

Second place:

Matthew Arco, Roswell Daily Record

Sharna Johnson, Clovis News Journal

Lee Ross, Mountain View Telegraph

Don Pace and David Giuliani, Las Vegas Optic

Series or Continuous Coverage

First place:

Mike Gallagher, Albuquerque Journal

Michael Johnson, Alamogordo Daily News

Wren Abbot, Rio Grande Sun

Suzanne Barteau, El Defensor Chieftain

Second place:

Richard Metcalf, Albuquerque Journal

Kevin Wilson, Clovis News Journal

Chandra Johnson, Taos News

Todd Wildermuth, Raton Range

Investigative Reporting

First place:

Jason Auslander, Santa Fe New Mexican

No winner

Lou Mattei, Rio Grande Sun

David Guiliani, Las Vegas Optic

Second place:

Richard Metcalf, Albuquerque Journal

No winner

Chandra Johnson, Taos News

Staff, El Defensor Chieftain

Editorials

First place:

Troy Turner, Farmington Daily Times

David Stevens, Clovis News Journal

Marty Racine, Ruidoso News

M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Guadalupe County Communicator

Second place:

Walter Rubel, Las Cruces Sun-News

Elva Osterreich, Alamogordo Daily News

Joan Livingston, Taos News

Gerald Gardner, El Defensor Chieftain

Columns

First place:

Inez Russell, Santa Fe New Mexican

Kevin Wilson, Clovis News Journal

Andy Dennison, Taos News

David Guiliani, Las Vegas Optic

Second place:

Steve Terrell, Santa Fe New Mexican

Matt Robinson, Deming Headlight

Julie Carter, Ruidoso News

T.S. Last, El Defensor Chieftain

Feature Writing

First place:

Richard Trout, Hobbs News-Sun

Tyler Green, Artesia Daily Press

Chandra Johnson, Taos News

Don Pace, Las Vegas Optic

Second place:

Amanda Schoenberg, Albuquerque Journal

Matt Robinson, Deming Headlight

Kevin Bersett, Rio Grande Sun

JR Logan, Sangre de Cristo Chronicle

Business Writing

First place:

Bruce Krasnow, Santa Fe New Mexican

No winner

Kevin Robinson-Avila, Megan Kamerick, Dennis Domrzalski, Rachel Sams, New Mexico Business Weekly

M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Guadalupe County Communicator

Second place:

Frank Clifford, Santa Fe New Mexican

No winner

Gary Herron, Rio Rancho Observer

T.S. Last, El Defensor Chieftain

Sports Writing

First place:

Ken Sickenger, Albuquerque Journal

Mark Rudi, Alamogordo Daily News

Craig Massey, Las Cruces Bulletin

Bob Morris, Raton Range

Second place:

Renee Lucero, Farmington Daily Times

Dan Kukla, Carlsbad Current Argus

Curt Gustafson, Valencia County News-Bulletin

Jim Goodman, Edgewood Independent

Sports Columns

First place:

Isaac Avilucea, Daily Lobo

Kevin Wilson, Clovis News Journal

Mike Curran, Ruidoso News

T.S. Last, El Defensor Chieftain

Second place:

Toby Smith, Albuquerque Journal

Dan Kukla, Carlsbad Current Argus

John Keith, Las Cruces Bulletin

Bob Morris, Raton Range

Obituary News

First place:

Lloyd Jojola, Albuquerque Journal

Second place:

Curt Gustafson, Valencia County News-Bulletin

Best Review

First place:

Richard Coltharp, Las Cruces Sun-News

Second place (tie):

Dana Bowley, Valencia County News-Bulletin

Clara Garcia, Valencia County News-Bulletin

Headline Writing

First place:

Isaac Avilucea, Daily Lobo

Rick White, Portales News Tribune

Andy Jones, Rio Ranco Observer

Joseph Kolb, Gallup Herald

Second place:

Cynthia Miller, Santa Fe New Mexican

Dianna Hernandez, Portales News Tribune

Dennis Domrzalski, Rachel Sams, Kathi Schroeder, New Mexico Business Weekly

Joseph Kolb, Gallup Herald

General News Photo

First place:

Pat Vasquez-Cunningham, Albuquerque Journal

J.R. Oppenheim, Alamogordo Daily News

Chris Mortenson, Las Cruces Bulletin

T.S. Last, El Defensor Chieftain

Second place:

Mark Wilson, Roswell Daily Record

Tyler Green, Artesia Daily News

Tina Larkin, Taos News

Joseph Kolb, Gallup Herald

Feature Photo

First place:

Robin Zielinski, Las Cruces Sun-News

Tony Bullocks, Clovis News Journal

Robert Eckert, Rio Grande Sun

Mark Holm, Guadalupe County Communicator

Second place:

Mark Wilson, Roswell Daily Record

Liliana Castillo, Clovis News Journal

Pat Vasquez-Cunningham, Mountain View Telegraph

Mark Holm, Guadalupe County Communicator

Sports Photo

First place:

Lindsay Pierce, Farmington Daily Times

J.R. Oppenheim, Alamogordo Daily News

Morgan Petrowski, Mountain View Telegraph

Nat Holland, El Defensor Chieftain

Second place:

Natalie Guillen, Santa Fe New Mexican

Tony Bullocks, Clovis News Journal

Jason Brooks, Valencia County News-Bulletin

Mark Holm, Guadalupe County Communicator

Photo Series

First place:

Jane Phillips, Santa Fe New Mexican

Tyler Green, Artesia Daily Press

Rick Romancito, Taos News

Eric Fincher, Sangre de Cristo Chronicle

Second place:

Levi Hill, Hobbs News-Sun

J.R. Oppenheim, Alamogordo Daily News

David McCollum, Las Cruces Bulletin

Jackie Schlotfeldt and T.S. Last, El Defensor Chieftain

Supplements & Special Editions

First place:

Judy Giannettino, Albuquerque Journal

Blanca Najar, Alamogordo Daily News

Staff, The Taos News

Sara Anaya and Michael Gallego, Guadalupe County Communicator

Second place:

Inez Russell and Deborah Villa, Santa Fe New Mexican

Staff, Carlsbad Current Argus

Staff, Rio Grande Sun

Staff, The Herald

Black & White Advertising

First place:

Jeremy Montoya, Albuquerque Journal

Shawn Luscombe, Clovis News Journal

Michelle Gutierrez, The Taos News

Maria Sanchez, Las Vegas Optic

Second place:

Aric Loomis, Roswell Daily Record

Cathy Tapia, Clovis News Journal

Ray Gonzales, Las Cruces Bulletin

Debbi Maloch, Sangre de Cristo Chronicle

Color Advertising

First place:

Aric Loomis, Roswell Daily Record

Cathy Tapia, Clovis News Journal

Michelle Gutierrez, Taos News

Maria Sanchez, Las Vegas Optic

Second place:

Roseanne Grant, Albuquerque Journal

Blanca Najar, Alamogordo Daily News

Mike Mendoza, Valencia County News-Bulletin

Naomi Yates, Sangre de Cristo Chronicle

House Advertising

First place:

Enrique Figueredo and Dale DeForest, Santa Fe New Mexican

Blanca Najar, Alamogordo Daily News

Chad Lewis, Taos News

Maria Sanchez, Las Vegas Optic

Second place:

David Del Mauro, Santa Fe New Mexican

Shawn Luscombe, Clovis News Journal

Staff, Valencia County News-Bulletin

Maria Sanchez, Las Vegas Optic

Classified Advertising

First place:

No winner

Cathy Tapia, Clovis News Journal

Staff, The Taos News

Staff, Sangre de Cristo Chronicle

Second place:

No winner

Cheyanne Bardin, Clovis News Journal

Lyann Vigil, Rio Grande Sun

Maria Sanchez, Las Vegas Optic

Design & Typography

First place:

Staff, Albuquerque Journal

Michael Johnson and J.R. Oppenheim, Alamogordo Daily News

Staff, Mountain View Telegraph

Staff, Sangre de Cristo Chronicle

Second place:

Staff, Santa Fe New Mexican

Staff, Clovis News Journal

Staff, New Mexico Business Weekly

Michael Gallegos, Guadalupe County Communicator

Web Site

First place:

Staff, Santa Fe New Mexican

Second place:

Staff, Roswell Daily Record

Spanish Language

News Writing

Staff, El Semanario

Staff, El Semanario

Opinion

Jerry Padilla, Taos News

Staff, El Semanario

Feature Writing

Staff, El Semanario

Staff, El Semanario

Sports Writing

Staff, El Semanario

Staff, El Semanario

Headline Writing

Staff, El Semanario

Staff, El Semanario

Photo

Staff, El Semanario

Staff, El Semanario

Best Ad

Staff, El Semanario

Staff, El Semanario

Design & Typography

No winner