Times Wins Six Top Awards for Local Coverage

The Los Angeles Times’ coverage of the San Ysidro massacre and the J. David imbroglio were among the entries that earned it six first-place honors during the annual awards competition sponsored by the San Diego chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi.

In earning the six first-place honors, The Times won more top writing and photography awards for San Diego stories than either of its competitors. The Tribune won five first-place awards and the San Diego Union received two.

The Times’ San Ysidro coverage won a first place in the spot news category, drawing accolades from judges who noted that Times reporters had more facts in their stories although they labored under a deadline that was 90 minutes earlier than the competition.

Times stories about the J. David financial fiasco won the top spot in the enterprise reporting category. William Furlow, assistant to the editor, won a first award for a series of editorials on Mayor Roger Hedgecock.

Times photographers captured three first-place finishes. Dave Gatley won two, one for his sports photography and another for spot news--the compelling picture of a slain child outside of the McDonald’s restaurant in San Ysidro.

Photographer Vince Compagnone and View editor Kathleen Niezurawski won a first award for the best photo page.

Other Times awards for honorable mention included Mike Granberry for sports writing, sports editor Dave Distel for column writing and staff writers Bill Ritter and Lanie Jones for financial writing.

The San Diego Tribune captured five first-place awards, including one for general excellence. Other first places were for community service for a series on problems in county government; to food editor Antonia Allegra for her life style reporting; to artist Penny Lingo for her page makeup and to executive sports editor Tom Cushman for his coverage of the 1984 baseball National League championship series.

The San Diego Union won two first-place awards, Michael Grant for his column, and Susan Burkhardt for financial reporting.

Neal Matthews of The Reader won a first-place award for feature writing.

The Times, Union and Tribune competed against each other in a category for newspapers with circulation of 100,000 or more. Journalists from Seattle, Houston, Denver and Sacramento judged the awards, which were announced Sunday.