Times Wins Most Awards in O.C. Contest

Writers, photographers and editors from the Los Angeles Times’ Orange County edition received more awards than any other publication Sunday in the 45th annual Orange County Press Club Excellence in Journalism awards in Costa Mesa.

Among 36 overall awards won by The Times were double winners Paul Carbo and Diane Pucin. Carbo won two first-place trophies for graphics work, while Pucin won for best daily sports story and the David McQuay Award for best column. The award is named for the late David McQuay, a columnist at the Orange County Register.

Overall, The Times won 10 first-place trophies, 17 second-place certificates and nine third-place honors. Writers, photographers and editors from the Orange County Register won 29 awards overall: 13 first-place trophies, five second-place certificates and 11 third-place honors. The OC Weekly totaled 21 awards: eight first-place, seven second-place and six third-place honors.

Receiving the Watchdog/Investigative Award was Bob Emmers, who won for his expose of conditions at the Orange County animal shelter for OC Weekly. Emmers also won first place for best magazine story.

Among other standout winners was Chapman University’s Ruth Wardwell, who took home two first-place trophies, for best press kit and best internal publication.

The winners were announced at the club’s banquet at the Doubletree Hotel Orange County Airport. U.S. Dist. Court Judge David O. Carter presented the awards. The evening’s speaker was veteran television journalist Stan Chambers of KTLA-TV Channel 5.

The club also awarded $3,000 in scholarships Sunday. Student winners received $750 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for third place for the club’s on-the-spot writing competition. Winners for two-year colleges were: First place, Kimiko Martinez, Orange Coast College; second place, Nancy Carol Ako, Saddleback College; and third place, David Song, Orange Coast College. Winners for four-year colleges were: First place, Stan Kabala, UC Irvine; second place, Shaya Mohajer, UC Irvine; and third place, Raul Mora, Cal State Fullerton.

Rancho Alamitos High School also received the club’s annual high school prize of $1,000, which will benefit its journalism program.

The writing winners included:

Best Daily News Story--First: Anne C. Mulkern, Tony Saavedra and Heather Lourie, Orange County Register, “Disneyland Has History of Not Calling Police”; second: Megan Garvey, Los Angeles Times, “Rolling Thunder on the Highways”; third: Jonathan Gaw, Los Angeles Times, “Internet Hoax Sends O.C. Stocks Up 31%.”

Best Weekly News Story--First: Vu Nguyen & Amy Nielsen, OC Weekly, “Custody Battle”; second: R. Scott Moxley, OC Weekly, “Live Like a God!”; third: Dave Wielenga, OC Weekly, “Is That a Badge in Your Pocket?”

Best Daily Feature Story--First: Karen Alexander, Los Angeles Times, “School’s Out at El Toro”; second: Bonnie Harris, Los Angeles Times, “Wake-Up Call for a Suburban Refuge”; third: Jennifer McKim, Orange County Register, “Baby, You Can Have My Car.”

Best Weekly Feature Story--First: Dave Wielenga, OC Weekly, “Shakin’ Like a Leif”; second: Nick Schou, OC Weekly, “Little Saigon’s Invisible Enemies”; third: Brady Rhoades, Newport Beach Light, “I’ll Be Back.”

Best Daily Business Story--First: Edmund Sanders, Los Angeles Times, “Your Bank Wants to Know You”; second: Robin Fields, Los Angeles Times, “Archdiocese’s Mortuary Deal Raises Eyebrows”; third: R. Scott Reckard and Jean O. Pasco, Los Angeles Times, “County Closes Books on Bankruptcy Story.”

Best Weekly Business Story--First: Steve Lowery, OC Weekly; second: Arrissa Owen, OC Weekly; third: R. Scott Moxley and Anthony Pignataro, OC Weekly.

Best Daily Sports Story--First: Diane Pucin, Los Angeles Times, “OC’s Davenport Shows What a Champ Should Be”; second: Dave Strege, Orange County Register, “53 Hours”; third: Tony Saavedra and Susan Kelleher, Orange County Register, “Player’s On-Court Lifeline Fraying.”

Best Weekly Sports Story--First: Steve Lowery, OC Weekly, “Hot Air Jordan”; second: Dave Wielenga, OC Weekly, “Easy to Be Hardy.”

Best Sports Feature--First: Jeff Miller, Orange County Register, “Brutal Reality;” second: Peter Yoon, Los Angeles Times, “One-Track Mind”; third: Mark Whicker, Orange County Register, “You Will Never Meet Another Tony Gwynn.”

Best Profile--First: John Gittelsohn, Orange County Register, “Educating Alex”; second: Greg Stacy, OC Weekly, “Interview With the Hermaphrodite”; third: Matthew Ebnet, Los Angeles Times, “The Type Is Cast.”

Best Entertainment Review--First: Paul Hodgins, Orange County Register, “Cabaret as Subtle as a Jackboot”; second: Jim Washburn, OC Metro, “Things Are Different Today”; third: Rich Kane, OC Weekly, “Invasion of the Angry White Rappers.”

Best Editorial--First: Steve Burgard, Los Angeles Times, “Mischief on 91 Tollway”; second: Steve Burgard and John Needham, Los Angeles Times, “The Theme Park Watch.”

David McQuay Award for Best Column--First: Diane Pucin, Los Angeles Times, “Difference in This Case Is Striking”; second: David Lansing, Los Angeles Times, “Match Made in Heaven”; third: Rebecca Schoenkopf, OC Weekly, “The Huckster Cometh.”

Marjorie Freeman Award, Best Humorous Story--First: Todd Mathews, OC Weekly, “Play Harder”; second: Victor Infante, OC Weekly, “My So-Called Political Life”; third: Jeff Kramer, Orange County Register, “Beards a Babe Magnet.”

Best Magazine Story: First: Bob Emmers, OC Weekly, “Crack’s Back”; second: David Lansing, National Geographic Traveler, “48 Hours in Vegas”; third: Margaret J. Soos, OC Weekly, “With Friends Like These.”

Best Daily Beat Portfolio--First: Stuart Pfeifer, Orange County Register, justice; second: Peter Warren, Los Angeles Times, medical issues; third: Robin Hinch, Orange County Register, obituaries.

Best Weekly Beat Portfolio--First: Nick Schou, OC Weekly, government; second: R. Scott Moxley, OC Weekly, media; third: Rich Kane, OC Weekly, leisure.

Investigative/Watchdog Award--First: Bob Emmers, OC Weekly, “Pet Hell”; second: Richard Marosi, Ray F. Herndon, Scott Gold and Ana Cholo-Tipton, Los Angeles Times, “Perilous Paths”; third: Stuart Pfeifer, Orange County Register, “Dwayne McKinney.”

Best Breaking-News Package--First: Greg Risling, Daily Pilot, “It Is Insanity”; second: Jack Leonard, Jeff Gottlieb, Thao Hua, Scott Gold, Louise Roug and Peter M. Warren, Los Angeles Times, “Gunman Terrorizes Anaheim Hospital”; third: Bonnie Harris, Scott Martelle, Phil Willon and Scott Gold, Los Angeles Times, “Stopped in Their Tracks.”

Best Project, Series or Special Section--First: Hieu Tran Phan, Orange County Register, “Roots of Unrest”; second: Tracy Weber, James F. Smith, H.G. Reza and Julie Marquis, Los Angeles Times, “Dangerous Medicine”; third: Timothy Mangan, Orange County Register, “Beethoven.”

The photography winners included:

Best News Photo--First: Richard Hartog, Los Angeles Times; second: Rick Loomis, Los Angeles Times; third: Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register.

Best Feature Photo--First: Eugene Garcia, Orange County Register; second: Eric Santucci, Daily Pilot; third: Alexander Gallardo, Los Angeles Times.

Best Sports Photo--First: Steve Zylius, Orange County Register; second: Al Schaben, Los Angeles Times; third: David Paul Morris, Orange County Register.

Best Photo Essay--First: Bruce Chambers, Orange County Register; second: Daniel A. Anderson, Orange County Register; third: Richard Hartog, Los Angeles Times.

Best Photo Portfolio--First: Al Schaben, Los Angeles Times; second: Richard Hartog, Los Angeles Times; third: Rick Loomis, Los Angeles Times.

Best Portrait--First: Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register; second: Steve Zylius, Orange County Register; third: Al Schaben, Los Angeles Times.

The graphics winners included:

Best Informational Graphic--First: Paul Carbo, Los Angeles Times, “Jail Expansion”; second: Raoul Ranoa, Los Angeles Times, “Mini-Land.”

Best InfoGraphics Portfolio--First: Paul Carbo, Los Angeles Times; second: Scott Brown, Orange County Register.

Best Illustration--First: George Turney, Orange County Register, “Down (Under) the Farm”; second: Paul Carbo, Los Angeles Times, “Calendar Weekend.”

Best Illustration Portfolio--First: Sharon Henry, Orange County Register; second: Paul Carbo, Los Angeles Times.

The editing winners included:

Best Headline Portfolio--First: Kymberly G. Dryer, Los Angeles Times; second: Linda Whitmore, Los Angeles Times; third: Marc Olson, Los Angeles Times.

Best Page Layout Portfolio--First: Helayne Perry, Orange County Register; second: Lewis Leung, Orange County Register; third: Martin Gee, Orange County Register.

The public relations winners included:

Best News Release--First: Tracy Childs, UC Irvine, “Arts Bridge Goes Statewide”; second: Cathi Douglas, Chapman University, “School of Law Building Named.”

Best Press Kit--First: Ruth Wardwell, Chapman University, “Law School Dedication”; second: Jennifer Peters, McEfee, Murphine & Peters, “Buca di Beppo.”

Best External Publication--First: Cathi Douglas, Chapman University, “Neighbor to Neighbor;” second: Ruth Wardwell, Chapman University, “In-Step.”

Best Internal Publication--First: Ruth Wardwell, Chapman University, “Happenings”; second: Susan Menning, UC Irvine, “UCI Journal.”