Times Wins 33 Awards, Register 15 From the Orange County Press Club

Reporters and photographers from the Los Angeles Times received 33 awards, including 14 first-place awards, Saturday night in the Orange County Press Club’s 31st annual competition.

The Orange County Register took 15 awards, including six first-place awards, at the annual banquet in Orange. Other first-place winners were the Orange Coast Daily Pilot with two awards and the Anaheim Bulletin, Saddleback Valley News and Liberty Street Chronicle with one each. The Press Club’s Sky Dunlap Award went to Martin Brower, editor and publisher of the Orange County Report.

Times staff writers Bill Billiter and Mark Landsbaum won first place for breaking news for newspapers with a circulation of more than 100,000 for their account of the Nightstalker’s attack in Orange County. Times staff writer Nancy Wride received the award for best feature story for her profile of burn victim Cheryl Bess.

In awards for newspapers with a circulation of less than 100,000, former Saddleback Valley News reporter Linda Doran won first place for breaking news, and Daily Pilot writer Steve Marble won the top feature-writing award.

Times photographers Kari Rene Hall and Colin Crawford each won two firsts, Hall for best photo essay and best portrait, and Crawford for best portfolio and best feature photograph. Other top photography prizes went to Charlaine Brown of the Register for best sports picture and Anne Dowie of The Times for best spot news photograph.

Times and Register reporters tied for first place for the best series of articles. Times staff writers Marcida Dodson and Bill Billiter, writing about the UC Irvine Medical Center, tied with Register reporter Dana Kennedy, who examined the lives of mentally handicapped people in Orange County.

Other first place awards: Times editorial writer Don Angel for best editorial, Times staff writer Lynn Smith for best humorous story, Times staff writers Marcida Dodson and Josh Getlin for best science and technology story, Times staff writer James Granelli for best business and finance story, Times staff writer Sarah Smith for best sports and recreation story, and Times staff writer Kristina Lindgren for best public affairs story.

Register reporter Ed Humes won first place in beat coverage for military reporting on the military and Register reporter Carroll Lachnit won a first for writing on social issues. David Petro of the Register won a first for his news page layout portfolio and Sherry Stern of the Register won first place for her headline portfolio.

In other categories, the Anaheim Bulletin was honored for the best feature page layout; Mary Brandt Kerr of the Liberty Street Chronicle received a first in magazine writing, and Daily Pilot writer Phil Sneiderman won the award for best column or commentary.

Also, Orman Day of UC Irvine Extension won first prize for a news release and Dawn Bouzeos of the Irvine Co. won for the best feature press release. Linda Granell won the award for best in-house publication.

Runner-Up Awards: For breaking news story--Second to Times staff writer Marcida Dodson, honorable mention to Times staff writer Leslie Berkman. For breaking news story, with less than 100,000 circulation--second to Daily Pilot writer Steve Marble, honorable mention to Dana Point News writer Lance Ignon.

For feature stories--Second to Times staff writer Dennis McLellan, honorable mention to Register reporter Marla Cone. For feature, with less than 100,000 circulation--second to Daily Star-Progress reporter Barbara Giasone.

For science and technology--Second to Times staff writer Lynn Smith, honorable mention to Register reporter Susan Peterson.

For business and finance--Second to Register reporter Jane Glenn Haas, honorable mentions to Times staff writer Marcida Dodson and Liberty Street Chronicle reporter Mary Brandt Kerr.

For beat coverage--Second to Register reporter Marla Cone, honorable mention to Times staff writer Kristina Lindgren.

For entertainment story--Second to Times staff writers Kristina Lindgren and Greta Beigel, honorable mention to Times staff writer Dennis McLellan.

For magazine writing--Second to Register reporter Larry Peterson for an article in California Journal, honorable mention to Barbara Giasone of Orange County Magazine.

For sports and recreation writing--Second to Daily Pilot writer Scott Hays, honorable mention to Register reporter Dana Kennedy and Daily Sun Post reporter Joe Orris. For a series of stories--Honorable mention to Irvine World News reporters Dawn Bonker, Tracy Childs, Cindy Dell, Jeanne Keevil, Dave Dickstein, Tim Burt and Don Dennis and to Times staff writers Lynn Smith and Tom Gorman.

For humorous story--Second to Register reporter Shawn Hubler, honorable mention to Register reporter Ed Humes. For public affairs--Second to Times staff writer Jeffrey Perlman, honorable mention to Liberty Street Chronicle writer Mary Brandt Kerr. For social issues--Second to Times staff writer Heidi Evans, honorable mention to Register reporter Larry Welborn.

For best column or commentary--Second to Yorba Linda Star writer Richard Gloady.

For editorial writing--Second to Register writer Keith Coolidge.

For spot news photography and feature photography--Honorable mention to Times photographer Kari Rene Hall. For sports photography--Second to Times photographer Ken Hively, honorable mention to Times photographer Kari Rene Hall. For portrait--Second to Times photographer Anne Dowie. For photographic essay--Second to Times photographer Colin Crawford, honorable mention to Times photographer Don Tormey.

For photographic portfolio--Second to Times photographer Don Tormey, honorable mention to Daily Pilot photographer Richard Koehler. For editing--Second to Linda Yuskaitis, Waterfront Magazine. For news page layout portfolio--Second to Julie Gasztonyi of the Anaheim Bulletin. For feature page layout portfolio--Second to Donna Johnson of the Daily Star-Progress.