LEBANON, Ore. – The Chronicle’s weekly newspaper won 15 awards in the annual Better Newspaper Contest for 2024 – competing for the first time against papers from Washington and Idaho as well as Oregon – highlighted by a first-place award for its monthlong series on Commercial Training Education programs in area high schools.
“These accolades are a testament to the tireless dedication and exceptional talent of our entire team. Every day, our journalists work diligently to uphold the highest standards of integrity and accuracy, ensuring that we deliver reliable, impactful news to our readers,” said Erin Tierney-Heggenstaller, the paper’s executive editor and a co-owner. “It is especially gratifying to see our commitment to serving our rural communities recognized, as we strive to provide the local journalism that keeps our neighbors informed and connected.”
The Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, in conjunction with state journalism organizations representing Washington and Idaho, coordinates the contest each year. The Chronicle has received nearly 100 awards in the past five years and won more awards than any other paper in Oregon for work published in 2022 and ’23.
In work from 2024, The Chronicle earned eight first-place spots, two second-place spots, and five third-place spots in a variety of categories. The award placements were announced July 18 at the annual ONPA Conference, held this year at the Boulder Falls Inn Event Center in Lebanon, Ore.
Staff writer Ron Hartman won four awards, including three first-place plaques.
- Best Sports Story: Luke Jackson returns (Divisions I and J)
- Best Writing: Cottage Grove racer Cheryl Glass profile
- Best Feature Personality: Iconic Kalapuya bookstore owner retires.
“Ron Hartman is an exceptional writer whose compelling feature and profile pieces have captivated our readers since joining the team in 2019,” Tierney-Heggenstaller. said “His dedication to uncovering stories and crafting them with such sensitivity and skill has been recognized for bringing our community’s narratives to life with depth and insight.”
Tatum Stuart, a former University of Oregon Snowden intern, earned three first-place awards: - Best Feature Story: Launching Fourth: ‘Barbie’ goes cliff diving
- Best Lifestyle Coverage: A series on “Rosie the Riveter” workers
- Best Educational Coverage: Career Technical Education series
“We are particularly thrilled that our Career Technical Education series earned a first-place award, made possible by vital grant funding from the Foundation for Oregon Rural Journalism (FORJ),” Tierney-Heggenstaller said.
One judge wrote:
“What an incredible initiative – the series is well-sourced, well-researched, and provides a deeper perspective from students, teachers, and the business community on the importance of CTE. Anyone who wasn’t a fan of CTE programs before easily became one after reading about its positive impacts. Great reporting.”
Other first-place honors include: - Best Enterprise Reporting: Cottage Grove City Council Ethics Commission Investigation, by Amanda Lurey, praised by judges for “clean, well-organized watchdog coverage that makes a complex issue easy to understand and notes the importance of transparency.”
- Best Sports Photo: Craig Strobeck, “Key play in the game,” Creswell basketball action, by Craig Strobeck
“This shot has it all: action, reaction, and emotion,” one judge wrote.
The Chronicle earned second place awards for:
- Best Special Section or Issue: Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce Visitor Guide, by staff
- Best Spot News Coverage: SVdP withdraws offer from Cottage Grove, by Amanda Lurey
The Chronicle earned third place awards for:
- Best Special Section or Issue: Fall Sports Preview, by staff.
Judges commented that the publication offers a “broad reach across multiple sports and schools,” and that they “loved the breakdowns of team strengths and the easy-to-read schedule.” - Best Local Column: “Rotary and Togo,” “Global Brands Support Hyper-Local News,“ and “Journalism Joy” pieces, by publisher Noel Nash
- Best Government Coverage: Cottage Grove City Council Recall, by Amanda Lurey
- Best Feature (Personality): Creswell’s Richard Heyman honored by the Royal Air Force, by Ron Hartman
- Best Editorial: Plagiarism discovered in Chronicle work, by staff.
