Clovis News Journal wins general excellence press award

STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

The Clovis News Journal won the New Mexico Press Association’s general excellence award for newspapers under 10,000 circulation, along with 10 awards in other categories.

During the association’s Saturday evening award banquet in Albuquerque, the Clovis News Journal’s sister papers also won eight awards: seven for the Quay County Sun, one for the Portales News-Tribune, and one for the overall design of the website serving all three newspapers.

Other general excellence awards went to the Albuquerque Journal for daily newspapers more than 10,000 circulation, to the Taos News for weeklies more than 3,000 circulation, and to the Sangre de Cristo Chronicle for weeklies under 3,000 circulation.

Winners of the E.H. Shaffer Awards, named for The Albuquerque Tribune editor from 1928-44, were recognized during the NMPA’s fall convention.

Also Saturday, Darrel S. Freeman, former owner of the Santa Rosa News, was inducted into the group’s Hall of Fame.

The newspaper awards are given for the following divisions: Class 1 Dailies (10,000-plus circulation); Class 2 Dailies (under-10,000 circulation); Class 1 Weeklies (3,000-plus circulation); Class 2 Weeklies (under-3,000 circulation).

The winners:

General Excellence — Class 1 Dailies: Albuquerque Journal, Staff. Class 2 Dailies: Clovis News Journal, Staff. Class 1 Weeklies: The Taos News, Staff. Class 2 Weeklies: Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Staff.

Public Service — Class 1 Dailies: 1. Albuquerque Journal, Staff. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Carlsbad Current-Argus, Staff. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. East Mountain Telegraph, Staff. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Staff.

News Writing — Class 1 Dailies: 1. The Santa Fe New Mexican, Steve Terrell. 2. The Santa Fe New Mexican, Geoff Grammer; and Albuquerque Journal, Leslie Linthicum. Class 2 Dailies: Clovis News Journal, Claire Bushey. 2. Artesia Daily Press, Tom Schneider. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. The Ruidoso News, Dianne Stallings. 2. El Defensor Chieftain, Lif Strand. Class 2 Weeklies: Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Jo Bynum. 2. Desert Journal, Bill Johnson.

In-depth Reporting — Class 1 Dailies: 1. The Albuquerque Tribune, Iliana Limon. 2. The Albuquerque Tribune, Aubrey Hovey. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Clovis News Journal, Haley Rice and Gary Mitchell. 2. Los Alamos Monitor, Carol A. Clark. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. The Santa Fe Reporter, Dan Frosch. 2. East Mountain Telegraph, Linda Burke. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. The Santa Rosa News, Roberto Martin Marquez. 2. The Raton Range, Todd Wildermuth.

Feature Writing — Class 1 Dailies: 1. The (Farmington) Daily Times, Steve Jahrling. 2. The Albuquerque Tribune, Joline Gutierrez-Kruger. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Alamogordo Daily News, Michael Shinabery, Carlsbad Current-Argus, Valerie Cranston. 2. Silver City Daily Press and Independent, Stephen Siegfried. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. Rio Grande Sun, Robert B. Trapp. 2. Valencia County News-Bulletin, T.S. Last. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Quay County Sun, Dave Gragg. 2. The Raton Range, Bob Morris.

Editorials — Class 1 Dailies: 1. Albuquerque Journal, Steve Mills. 2. Albuquerque Journal, Charles Brunt. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Clovis News Journal, Ray Sullivan. 2. Clovis News Journal, David Stevens. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. Valencia County News-Bulletin, Sandy Battin. 2. Rio Grande Sun, Robert B. Trapp. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Ellen Miller-Goins. 2. The Raton Range, Todd Wildermuth.

Columns — Class 1 Dailies: 1. The Albuquerque Tribune, M.J. Wilde. 2. The Albuquerque Tribune, Kate Nelson. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Las Vegas Optic, Dave Kavanaugh. 2. Los Alamos Monitor, Chris Dissinger. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. Valencia County News-Bulletin, Jane Moorman. 2. The Santa Fe Reporter, Zane Fisher. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Desert Journal, Bill Johnson. 2. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Jo Bynum.

Sports Columns — Class 1 Dailies: 1. Albuquerque Journal, Mike Hall. 2. The Albuquerque Tribune, Richard Stevens; The Santa Fe New Mexican, Tommy Trujillo; and The Santa Fe New Mexican, Jim Gordon. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Deming Headlight, Bill Armendariz. 2. Alamogordo Daily News, Richard Coltharp. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. Valencia County News-Bulletin, T.S. Last. 2. El Defensor Chieftain, Joe Warren. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. The Raton Range, Bob Morris. 2. Quay County Sun, Frankie Masters

Sports Writing — Class 1 Dailies: 1. Albuquerque Journal, Dennis Latta. 2. The Santa Fe New Mexican, Tommy Trujillo. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Clovis News Journal, Rick White. 2. Las Vegas Optic, Casey Stege. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. Valencia County News-Bulletin, T.S. Last. 2. Valencia County News-Bulletin, Jessica Dyer. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Ellen Miller-Goins. 2. The Raton Range, Bob Morris.

Best Review — All Classes, 1. Los Alamos Monitor, Roger Snodgrass. 2. Valencia County News-Bulletin, Jessica Dyer; and The Albuquerque Tribune, Shea Anderson.

Investigative Reporting — Class 1 Dailies: 1. The Santa Fe New Mexican, Staff. 2. Farmington Daily Times, Valerie Gritton. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Carlsbad Current-Argus, Stella Davis. 2. Portales News-Tribune, Tony Farkas, Mike Linn, Gary Mitchell, Kevin Wilson. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. The Taos News, William Maxwell. 2. The Santa Fe Reporter, Dan Frosch. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Ellen Miller-Goins. 2. Desert Journal, Fred Mramor.

General News Photo — Class 1 Dailies: 1. Roswell Daily Record, Andrew Poertner. 2. The Albuquerque Tribune, Stacia Spragg. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Alamogordo Daily News, Ellis Neel. 2. Deming Headlight, Bill Armendariz Class 1 Weeklies: 1. The Taos News, Betsy Phillips. 2. The Taos News, Rick Romancito. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. The Santa Rosa News, Danny Griego. 2. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Ellen Miller-Goins.

Feature Photo — Class 1 Dailies: 1. The Albuquerque Tribune, Stacia Spragg. 2. The (Farmington) Daily Times, Ben Chrisman. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Alamogordo Daily News, Ellis Neel. 2. Los Alamos Monitor, Gary Warren. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. The Taos News, Rick Ramoncito. 2. El Defensor Chieftain, Penny Benavidez. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. The Raton Range, Todd Wildermuth. 2. The Raton Range, Bob Morris.

Sports Photo — Class 1 Dailies: 1. The (Farmington) Daily Times, Brett Butterstein. 2. Albuquerque Journal, Jim Thompson. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Alamogordo Daily News, Ellis Neel. 2. Clovis News Journal, Eric Kluth. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. The Herald, Gerald Garner Jr. 2. The Taos News, Greg Kreller. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Quay County Sun, Dave Gragg. 2. Quay County Sun, Eric Kluth.

Photo Series — Class 1 Dailies: 1. Roswell Daily Record, Andrew Poertner. 2. Albuquerque Journal, Pat Vasquez-Cunningham. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Alamogordo Daily News, Ellis Neel. 2. Clovis News Journal, Eric Kluth. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. El Defensor Chieftain, Penny Benavidez. 2. The Taos News, Mike Stauffer. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Quay County Sun, Dave Gragg. 2. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Ellen Miller-Goins.

Supplements/Special Editions — Class 1 Dailies: No winner. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Alamogordo Daily News, Staff. 2. Los Alamos Monitor, Staff. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. The Taos News, Staff. 2. The Valencia County News-Bulletin, Staff. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Staff. 2. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Staff.

Black and White Advertising — Class 1 Dailies: 1. Las Cruces Sun-News, Jason Sals. 2. Las Cruces Sun-News, Collette Martinez. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Los Alamos Monitor, Rob Lamb and staff. 2. Clovis News Journal, Amanda Wright. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. Rio Grande Sun, Xavier Mendez. 2. The Taos News, Julie Lange. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Marcia Wood. 2. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Debbie Maloch.

Color Advertising — Class 1 Dailies: 1. The (Farmington) Daily Times, Geri Johnson. 2. Las Cruces Sun-News, Collette Martinez. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Clovis News Journal, Amanda Wright. 2. Carlsbad Current-Argus, Carrie Przeslak. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. El Defensor Chieftain, Norma Cervantes. 2. The Taos News, Jim Tucker. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Debbie Maloch. 2. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Marcia Wood.

House Ads — Class 1 Dailies: 1. The Santa Fe New Mexican, Nik Cecere and Elspeth Hibert. 2. The Santa Fe New Mexican, Nik Cecere. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Clovis News Journal, Jess Merritt. 2. Las Vegas Optic, Maria Sanchez. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. The Taos News, Joanne Crass. 2. The Taos News, Jim Tucker. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Quay County Sun, Amanda Wright. 2. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Marcia Wood.

Creative Design and Typography — Class 1 Dailies: 1. Albuquerque Journal, Staff. 2. The Santa Fe New Mexican, Staff. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Clovis News Journal, Staff. 2. Carlsbad Current-Argus, Staff. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. El Defensor Chieftain, Staff. 2. The Santa Fe Reporter, Staff. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Staff. 2. Quay County Sun, Staff.

Website — Class 1 Dailies: 1. The Albuquerque Tribune, Staff. 2. The Santa Fe New Mexican, Staff. Class 2 Dailies: 1. Freedom Newspapers, Staff. 2. Silver City Daily Press and Independent, Staff. Class 1 Weeklies: 1. The Taos News, Staff. Class 2 Weeklies: 1. Desert Journal, Staff.