L.A. Times Scores Multiple Honors in California Journalism Awards Contest

The Los Angeles Times has earned 25 awards in the California News Publishers Association’s California Journalism Awards competition. The awards, which recognize outstanding work from media outlets across the state, were presented at a gala in Los Angeles on May 17.

In all, The Times received 6 first-place awards in a wide range of categories, including food writing; agricultural reporting; best newsletter; feature story; investigative reporting; and public service journalism.

Below is a list of The Times’ Division 1 honorees by category.

Food Writing/Reporting
First place: Jenn Harris

Agricultural Reporting
First place: Ian James, California’s struggle to curb groundwater depletion
Second place: Jessica Garrison, Feds say he masterminded an epic California water heist. Some farmers say he’s their Robin Hood
Fourth place: Cindy Carcamo, Fast-growing asparagus once flourished on California farms. Why is it disappearing?

Best Newsletter
First place: Ryan Fonseca, Essential California
Fourth place: Jaclyn Cosgrove, The Wild

Columns
Fifth place: Sammy Roth

Editorial Comment
Third place: Karin Klein, California needs to break down walls between community colleges and CSU
Fifth place: Carla Hall, Editorial: Kill barred owls so spotted owls can live? Wildlife service should put plan on hold

Environment Reporting
Fifth place: Alex Wigglesworth, Stories from the Mojave Desert

Health Reporting
Third place: Keri Blakinger and Connor Sheets, Magic mushroom chocolates are having a moment. But do they even contain mushrooms?
Fourth place: Mackenzie Mays, How a San Diego doctor led the antiabortion movement to embrace controversial pill ‘reversal’

In-Depth Reporting
Third place: Anita Chabria and Jessica Garrison, False Confessions

Feature Story
First place: Mackenzie Mays, In the heart of Appalachia, a distant cousin of JD Vance leads an opposing ‘authentic hillbilly’ movement
Second place: Clara Harter, How an 836-pound ‘cursed’ emerald traveled the Americas, ruining lives and bankrupting men
Fifth place: John Penner, A total eclipse is more than a spectacle. So I’m on the road to see it — again

Profile Story
Second place: Mackenzie Mays, How California teen Chloe Cole emerged as a leader of the ‘detransition’ movement — and a right-wing icon
Third place: Jessica Garrison and Hannah Wiley, How San Francisco became a launching pad for the most powerful women in politics

Investigative Reporting
First place: Paige St. John, Sean Greene, Lorena Iñiguez Elebee and Alex Halperin, Dirty Weed
Second place: Melody Gutierrez, Alene Tchekmedyian, David Wharton and Sean Greene, Pets for Profit
Fifth place: James Queally, Scientology tried to ‘derail’ star’s rape trial by harassing prosecutor, suit says, church calls claim ‘false’

Sports Feature Story
Fourth place: David Wharton and Nathan Fenno, The desperate hours: a pro baseball pitcher’s fentanyl overdose

Transportation Reporting
Fifth place: Colleen Shalby, In a city known for gridlock, LAX is a standout. Can it be fixed?

Public Service Journalism
First place: Mackenzie Mays, Parenting classes are routinely ordered in child abuse cases. California isn’t ensuring they work
Fourth place: Paige St. John, Sean Greene, Lorena Iñiguez Elebee and Alex Halperin, Dirty Weed

The complete list of winners can be found at cnpa.com.