2020 Diamond Awards Winners

Winners of the 2020 Diamond Journalism Awards were announced June 30 in a virtual presentation. Watch the video here.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/tUZM-NOWT_8

This year’s competition was judged by members of the Detroit Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Here are links to the entries of the first-place winners.

Columns – Daily Newspapers

Columns by Rex Nelson

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Second Place: John Brummett, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Third Place: Kelly Brant, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Columns – Non-Daily Newspapers

Editor’s Note: Women and Politics in Mississippi

Donna Ladd

Jackson Free Press, Jackson, MS

Second Place: Anthony Mariani, Fort Worth Weekly, Fort Worth, TX

Third Place: Rick Kron, Leader Newspaper, Jacksonville, AR

Columns – Magazines

A Nearby Faraway

Johnny Carrol Sain, Chris Zimmerman

ABOUT the River Valley Magazine, Russellville, AR

Second Place: Dustin Jayroe, Arkansas Money & Politics Magazine, Little Rock

Third Place: Johnny Carrol Sain, Chris Zimmerman, ABOUT the River Valley Magazine

News – Daily Newspapers

Flood Coverage

Democrat-Gazette Staff

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Second Place: Clara Turnage, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Third Place: Lisa Hammersly, Eric Besson, Michael Wickline, Linda Satter

News – Non-Daily Newspapers

Immigration Raids, Mississippi Economy

Ashton Pittman

Jackson Free Press, Jackson, MS

Second Place: Tammy Keith, ADG River Valley & Ozark Edition

Third Place: Dwain Hebda, YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for Arkansas Catholic

News – Magazines

Education

Dwain Hebda

YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for SAVVYKids Magazine

Second Place: Kinsey Crocker, The Curbside Chronicle, Oklahoma City

Third Place: Tyler Hale, Arkansas Money & Politics, Little Rock

Feature – Daily Newspapers

ADG Pages From the Past

Celia Storey

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Second Place: Bill Bowden, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Third Place: Sarah DeClerk, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Feature – Non-Daily Newspapers

Escape From the Slaughterhouse

Danny Wicentowski

Riverfront Times, St. Louis, MO

Second Place: Rick Kron, Leader Newspaper, Jacksonville, AR

Third Place: Dwain Hebda, YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for The Daily Record

Feature – Magazines

Water and Fire

Bret Schulte

Wilson Quarterly, Washington, D.C.

Second Place: Dwain Hebda, YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for AY Magazine

Third Place: Dwain Hebda, YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for AY Magazine

Investigative Reporting – Daily Newspapers

Youth Mental Health

Lisa Hammersly, Ginny Monk

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Second Place: Eric Besson, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Third Place: Amanda Claire Curcio, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Investigative Reporting – Non-Daily Newspapers

CAPC Director

Scott Loftis

Carroll County Newspapers, Eureka Springs, AR

Second Place: Ashton Pittman, Jackson Free Press, Jackson, MS

Third Place: Danny Wicentowski, Riverfront Times, St. Louis, MO

Sports – Daily Newspapers

Morris Out

Tom Murphy

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Second Place: Bob Holt, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Third Place: Trenton Daeschner, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Sports – Non-Daily Newspapers

Go Gray in May 5K

Tammy Keith

ADG River Valley & Ozark Edition

Second Place: Dwain Hebda, YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for Arkansas Catholic

Third Place: Dwain Hebda, YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for Arkansas Catholic

Sports – Magazines

Trey Biddy and Hawgsports

Mark Carter

Arkansas Money & Politics, Little Rock

Second Place: Dwain Hebda, YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for Do South Magazine

Third Place: Dwain Hebda, YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for 501 Life Magazine

Politics – Daily Newspapers

Josh Mahony

Frank Lockwood, Hunter Field, John Moritz

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Second Place: Andrew DeMillo, The Associated Press, Little Rock

Third Place: John Moritz, Hunter Field, Michael Wickline, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Politics – Non-Daily Newspapers

Race and Gender in Mississippi Elections

Ashton Pittman

Jackson Free Press, Jackson, MS

Politics – Magazines

Inside MAPS 4

Nathan Poppe

The Curbside Chronicle, Oklahoma City

Second Place: Staff, The Curbside Chronicle

Third Place: Mark Carter, Arkansas Money & Politics, Little Rock

Arts & Culture – Daily Newspapers

Three Chords

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Second Place: Eric Harrison, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Arts & Culture – Non-Daily Newspapers

More Love Than Hate

Aliyah Veal

Jackson Free Press, Jackson, MS

Second Place: Tammy Keith, ADG River Valley & Ozark Edition

Arts & Culture – Magazines

Honky Tonk Man

Dwain Hebda

YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for Do South Magazine

Second Place: Johnny Carrol Sain, Chris Zimmerman, ABOUT the River Valley Magazine, Russellville, AR

Third Place: Nathan Poppe, The Curbside Chronicle, Oklahoma City

Health – Daily Newspapers

Youth Mental Health

Lisa Hammersly, Ginny Monk

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Second Place: Cody Graves, ADG Healthbeat

Third Place: Sarah DeClerk, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Health – Non-Daily Newspapers

Abortion Fight Obscuring Maternal Mortality

Ashton Pittman

Jackson Free Press, Jackson, MS

Second Place: Dwain Hebda, YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for The Daily Record

Third Place: Jack “Miles” Ventimiglia, Richmond News, Richmond, MO

Health – Magazines

Nurturing Change

Dustin Jayroe

AY (About You) Magazine, Little Rock

Second Place: Lisa Fischer, AY Magazine

Third Place: Dwain Hebda, YA!MULE WORDSMITHS for SAVVYKids Magazine

STEM – Non-Daily Newspapers

Retired Conway Educators Reward Girls in Math

Tammy Keith

ADG River Valley & Ozark Edition

STEM – Magazines

Augmenting Her Reality

Tyler Hale

Arkansas Money & Politics, Little Rock

Design – Magazines

The Hero We Need, The Hero We Deserve, The Hero We Hunger For

Chris Zimmerman

ABOUT the River Valley Magazine, Russellville, AR

Second Place: Chris Zimmerman, ABOUT the River Valley Magazine

Third Place: Rebecca Robertson, AY Magazine, Little Rock

Photography

World Down Syndrome Day

Jenn Terrell

Babiekins Magazine

Second Place: Staton Breidenthal, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Third Place: Tommy Metthe, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Photo Package/Spread

83rd Arkansas Derby

Tommy Metthe

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Second Place: Nathan Poppe, The Curbside Chronicle, Oklahoma City

Third Place: Tommy Metthe, Staton Breidenthal, Bill Bowden, Dale Ellis, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Photo Portfolio

Tommy Metthe Portfolio

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Second Place: Staton Breidenthal, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Third Place: Nathan Poppe, The Curbside Chronicle, Oklahoma City

Graphics/Illustrations

Housing, Homelessness

William Muschinske

The Curbside Chronicle, Oklahoma City

Second Place: Joshua Boydstun, The Curbside Chronicle

Third Place: Jayna Hadwiger, The Curbside Chronicle

Documentary/Investigative Reporting – Television

Beyond Borders – A Trip Abroad

Monica Quintero, David Wagner, David Lowell

KPEJ/KMID/KLST, Odessa/Midland/San Angelo, TX

News – Radio

Protesters Flock to Arkansas Tech

Daniel Breen

KUAR-FM 89.1, Little Rock

Second Place: Daniel Breen, KUAR-FM 89.1

Third Place: Sarah Kellogg, KUAR-FM 891.

Feature – Radio

Livestock Showing Is Most Important

Kelly Connelly

KUAR-FM 89.1, Little Rock

Second Place: David Monteith, Michael Hibblen, KUAR-FM 89.1

Documentary/Investigative Reporting – Radio

They Liked My Phras’n

J. Bradley Minnick, Mary Ellen Kubit

KUAR-FM 89.1, Little Rock

Politics – Radio

Statues of Johnny Cash, Daisy Bates

Michael Hibblen

KUAR-FM 89.1, Little Rock

Second Place: Daniel Breen, KUAR-FM 89.1

Third Place: Michael Hibblen, KUAR-FM 89.1

Health – Radio

Doctor’s Advice on Medical Marijuana

Michael Hibblen

KUAR-FM 89.1, Little Rock

Special Section (All Print)

Football Preview

Jennifer Ellis

ADG Three Rivers Edition

Second Place: Wendy Miller, Sarah DeClerk, Staff, Downtown Little Rock

STUDENT JOURNALISM

News (Print/Online) – Student

Medical Marijuana Forces Law Enforcement Changes

Chase Gage

Delta News Service, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro

Second Place: Tristan Bennett, Delta Digital News Service

Third Place: Chloe Short, Brooke Buckner, Colby Sigears, Jessica Ladd, Yu Bai, Delta Digital News Service

Feature (Print/Online) – Student

A Place of Hope and Healing

Hannah Butler, Liz Chrisman, Chris Zimmerman

ABOUT the River Valley Magazine, Russellville, AR

Second Place: Matthew Emery, Delta Digital News Service, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro

Third Place: Chase Gage, Delta Digital News Service

Sports (Print/Online) – Student

Meet the Unsung Heroes

Denton Postlewait

Delta News Service, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro

Second Place: Kenzie Sain, Chris Zimmerman, ABOUT the River Valley Magazine, Russellville, AR

Third Place: Denton Postlewait, Delta Digital News Service

SPECIAL AWARDS

Community Service

ICE Raids in Mississippi

Ashton Pittman, Aliyah Veal, Donna Ladd

Jackson Free Press, Jackson, MS

Second Place: Staff, The Curbside Chronicle, Oklahoma City

Third Place: Staff, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Robert S. McCord FOI Award

Nursing Homes Investigation

Eric Besson

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Runner-up: Seyma Bayram, Donna Ladd, Nick Judin, Jackson Free Press, Jackson, MS

Outstanding New Journalist of the Year

Nyssa Kruse

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Runner-up: Rachel Herzog, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Diamond Journalist of the Year

Cynthia Howell

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock

Runner-up: Monica Quintero, KPEJ/KMID, Odessa-Midland, TX