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Black Press Media winners shine at B.C. and Yukon journalism awards

Publications received nods in dozens of categories
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British Columbia-Yukon Community News Association’s Ma Murray Awards were handed out during a virtual ceremony Saturday night. (BCYCNA screenshot)

Hosted by the the BC & Yukon Community News Media Association, the awards honour and celebrate the work of community journalists across the province for advertising, photography, writing and overall newspaper excellence.

The winners were announced in a virtual ceremony on Saturday (April 25).

Here are the Black Press Media winners: (gold in bold, rankings in order)

NEWSPAPER EXCELLENCE AWARD, CATEGORY A

• Revelstoke Review

• Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News

• Keremeos, The Review

NEWSPAPER EXCELLENCE AWARD, CATEGORY B

• Salmon Arm Observer

• Hope Standard

• North Island Gazette

NEWSPAPER EXCELLENCE AWARD, CATEGORY D

• Alberni Valley News (bronze)

NEWSPAPER EXCELLENCE AWARD, CATEGORY E

• Parksville/Qualicum Beach News (bronze)

NEWSPAPER EXCELLENCE AWARD, CATEGORY F

• Langley Advance Times (bronze)

NEWSPAPER EXCELLENCE AWARD, CATEGORY G

• Peace Arch News

• Surrey Now-Leader (bronze)

ARTS & CULTURE WRITING AWARD

• Victoria News, Nicole Crescenzi - Artwork captures refugee’s journey (bronze)

Aberdeen Publishing COLUMNIST AWARD

• Chilliwack Progress, Paul Henderson - In the mushy middle between mad and sad

• Summerland Review, John Arendt - Asterisks hide w*ords in book titles (bronze)

Black Family EDITORIAL AWARD

• Yukon News, Ashley Joannou - Lessons learned from flushing $35 million

• Cowichan Valley Citizen, Andrea Rondeau - Transparency? (bronze)

FortisBC ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING AWARD

• Alberni Valley News, Susan Quinn - Rainy Bay ‘citizen scientist’ documents shark necropsy (bronze)

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards FEATURE ARTICLE AWARD, OVER 25,000

• Abbotsford News, Vikki Hopes - After the fall

Vancouver Fraser Port Authority FEATURE ARTICLE AWARD, UNDER 25,000

• Nelson Star, Tyler Harper - Pineapple Man limbos into the sunset

• Keremeos, The Review, Tara Bowie - Keremeos man chooses death with dignified party -

music, whiskey and cigars included (silver)

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards FEATURE SERIES AWARD

• Victoria News, Katherine Engqvist & Victoria News - Be Ready (silver)

FortisBC OUTDOOR RECREATION WRITING AWARD

• Revelstoke Review, Liam Harrap - The war over Sunnyside

• Nanaimo News Bulletin, Nicholas Pescod - Nanaimo woman goes ‘plogging’ for litter by the river (bronze)

River Rock Casino Resort SPORTS WRITING AWARD

• Peace Arch News, Nick Greenizan - ‘No one can deny the benefits’: coach

• Abbotsford News, Ben Lypka - Cascades coaching chaos at University of Fraser Valley wrestling program (silver)

FEATURE PHOTO AWARD, OVER 25,000

• Campbell River Mirror, Marissa Tiel - Air Time

• Peace Arch News, Tracy Holmes - Golden moment (silver)

Trans Mountain FEATURE PHOTO AWARD, UNDER 25,000

• Yukon News, Jackie Hong - Clouds

• Yukon News, Crystal Schick - How does a bear cross the road?

• Revelstoke Review, Liam Harrap - Athletes with spinal injuries paddled and biked from Revelstoke to Nelson

PHOTO ESSAY AWARD

• Chilliwack Progress, Jenna Hauck - Baby yoga (silver)

PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY PHOTO AWARD

• Fernie Free Press, Phil McLachlan - For the sake of tradition

• Parksville/Qualicum Beach News, Cloe Logan - Winter wonder

• Williams Lake Tribune, Monica Lamb-Yorski - Best buds

SPORTS PHOTO AWARD, OVER 25,000

• Peace Arch News, Aaron Hinks - Youth ball teams hit field at Canada Cup (silver)

HUB International SPORTS PHOTO AWARD, UNDER 25,000

• Smithers, Interior News, Thom Barker - Novice Roughstock

• Salmon Arm Observer, Lachlan Labere - Ring masters (bronze)

SPOT NEWS PHOTO AWARD, OVER 25,000

• Penticton Western News, Mark D. Brett - Homeless setting up camp in greenspace (silver)

• Cowichan Valley Citizen, Sarah Simpson - Fire destroys 5 school buses (bronze)

SPOT NEWS PHOTO AWARD, UNDER 25,000

• Mission City Record, Kevin Mills - Overdose emergency

• Smithers, Interior News, Thom Barker - Fire!

• Yukon News, Crystal Schick - Crash

KPU BREAKING NEWS VIDEO AWARD

• Kelowna Capital News, Twila Amato, Michael Rodriguez & Paul Clarke - Firefighters battling house fire in Kelowna

• Alberni Valley News, Katya Slepian & Ashley Wadhwani - Investigators focus hunt for suspected B.C. killers back to Gillam, Man (bronze)

KPU FEATURE VIDEO AWARD

• Yukon News, Crystal Schick - The girls in the boys’ club: female players join Yukon Rivermen roster

• Salmon Arm Observer, Cameron Thomson - Salmon Arm firefighters put their skills to the test

• Kelowna Capital News, Twila Amato - Downtown association crew checks on those sleeping rough

KPU MULTIMEDIA BREAKING NEWS STORY AWARD

• Abbotsford News, Ben Lypka & Kevin MacDonald - One person arrested at protest at Abbotsford pig farm

• Williams Lake Tribune, Angie Mindus - “They’re hearing us now’: Cariboo leaders leave UBCM

• Alberni Valley News, Ashley Wadhwani - Fugitives confessed to all three B.C. murders, planned to flee to Europe or Africa

KPU MULTIMEDIA SERIES AWARD

• Surrey Now-Leader, Lauren Collins & Amy Reid - Squeezing students in

• Yukon News, Crystal Schick & John Hopkins-Hill - Yukon Quest competitors

AD DESIGN AWARD, OVER 25,000

• Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News, Jackie Brittain - Golden Meadows Honey Farm (silver)

NEWSPAPER PROMOTION AWARD

• Vanderhoof, Omineca Express, Evan Fentiman - Fed up with hearing about deals that are only half true

• Saanich News, Janet Gairdner & Heather Kohler - Ignite your business with Saanich News

• Prince Rupert, The Northern View, Todd Hamilton & team - Newspapers matter

Concord Pacific MA MURRAY COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

• Prince Rupert, The Northern View, Melissa Boutilier & team - Northern View Tyee Fishing Derby

• Peace Arch News, Dwayne Weidendorf, Steve Scott & Brenda Anderson - White Rock Pier restoration campaign (bronze)

Coast Capital Savings NEW JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

• Goldstream News Gazette, Shalu Mehta

• Kelowna Capital News, Michael Rodriguez

• Joti Grewal, Langley Advance Times

SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS AWARD, OVER 25,000

• Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News, Lisa Craik, Cheryl Ariken & sales team - Bijou Lifestyle Magazine - Spring Edition 2019 (silver)

SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS AWARD, UNDER 25,000

• Oak Bay News, Janet Gairdner, Susan Lundy, Lia Crowe & Lily Chan - Tweed Magazine (bronze)

BC Care Providers Association SPECIAL SECTION AWARD, OVER 25,000

• Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News, Lisa Craik, sales team & editoral team - A-List 2019 (silver)

• Campbell River Mirror, Kristi Pellegrin - Local Hero Awards 2019 (bronze)

BC Care Providers Association SPECIAL SECTION AWARD, UNDER 25,000

• Fernie Free Press, Jennifer Cronin & Bonny McLardy - Canada Remembers D-Day Anniversary 75th

• Revelstoke Review, Myles Williamson - Moonlight Madness (bronze)

A full list of all the winners can be found here: https://bccommunitynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Ma-2020-winners-for-web-final-1.pdf.