On Thursday night in Seattle, the Washington chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists hosted an event to distribute awards and celebrate winners of the Northwest Excellence in Journalism contest.
The Chronicle earned three awards for coverage in 2022. The contest includes small, medium and large categories of newsrooms across Washington, Oregon, Montana, Alaska and Idaho. TV, radio and print publications are all eligible.
“It is one of the largest contests of its kind in the nation and continues to recognize the excellent work of journalists in the Northwest and beyond,” according to the society’s Washington chapter.
Chronicle Photo Editor Jared Wenzelburger earned a first place award in the “spot news” category for coverage of the Haunted Hostel fire in downtown Winlock on Nov. 8, 2022.
The award-winning photo depicts two firefighters using hoses to battle the blaze, which encompasses the entire top half of the building while other fire crews work from various locations.
Also for coverage of that fire, Senior Reporter Emily Fitzgerald and Wenzelburger earned second place in the “breaking news” category for their written and visual storytelling. Fitzgerald’s coverage included video and written information from the scene of the fire, a comprehensive story about the firefighting response less than 24 hours later and coverage of the City of Winlock’s response in the weeks following the disaster.
The Chronicle’s Editor-in-Chief Eric Schwartz, Assistant Editor Isabel Vander Stoep, former reporter Eric Rosane, Fitzgerald and Wenzelburger earned a second place award in the “environmental and natural disaster” reporting for comprehensive coverage of the January 2022 Chehalis River Basin flooding.
Submitted for consideration in that category included aerial and on-the-ground images of places inundated by floodwaters; stories about Lewis and South Thurston residents who were impacted by the natural disaster; live updates while the rivers rose, crested and fell; stories of first responders and residents using boats to rescue people and belongings; and coverage of agencies and organizations’ responses to aid survivors after the flood.
“Our reporters work at all hours to produce important journalism that focuses squarely on the communities we cover,” Schwartz said. “All of the articles and photos recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists this year were collected and completed well after regular working hours and with exceptional skill and professionalism. I am proud to call Jared, Isabel and Emily my colleagues. They are a credit to this newspaper and their profession.”
