The Idaho Mountain Express swept 59 Idaho Press Club awards into its trophy bag Saturday to win the Sweepstakes prize for the most awards presented to a weekly newspaper. In all, the Press Club presented 112 awards to weeklies at its annual banquet in Boise.
Express reporters and photographers garnered all the prizes in four categories, and came home with 16 first-place wins, including the Rookie of the Year award presented to Megan Thomas.
The Sun Valley Guide, published by Express Publishing, won three magazine awards, including the coveted General Excellence category, first place in light feature writing and second place in serious feature writing.
Sun Valley Central.com won second place in the special purpose Web site category.
However, the Idaho Mountain Express was not judged in the General Excellence category this year because one of three editions was submitted in error and was not published on the date specified in the contest rules.
Publisher Pam Morris said, "We've got a great home team here, one that knows Blaine County well. The broad recognition is an honor for the valley's only locally owned, non-chain newspaper."
A complete list of awards won by the Express and other members of the print media in the Wood River Valley follows:
Sweepstakes
(Most awards presented)
Daily: The Idaho Statesman
Weekly: Idaho Mountain Express
TV: KTVB -- Channel 7
Weekly Newspaper Awards
General Excellence:
1st Wood River Journal
General News Story
1st Karen Bossick --The Wood River Journal -- "Torchlight parade lights up Tom Wernig's memory"
2nd Gregory Foley -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Coyotes raise hackles in city"
3rd Karen Bossick -- The Wood River Journal -- "Dollar Mountain: The glamour returns"
Honorable Mention: Matt Furber -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "ER doc, rescue celebrated"; Gregory Foley -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "A farewell to public tours"; Greg Stahl -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Trailer park residents brace for departure"
Spot News Coverage
1st Gregory Foley -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "New Year comes in like a lion"
3rd Matt Furber -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Soldier Mountain avalanche kills...."
Watchdog/ Investigative Report
1st Gregory Foley -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Ketchum Sues City Council President"
2nd Matt Furber -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Parallel police shooting inquest & assault plea bargain"
Honorable Mention: Pat Murphy -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Idaho suspends license of eye surgeon"
Serious Feature Report
1st Gregory Foley -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Will bell toll for Hemingway house? Papa's spirit lives on"
2nd Dana DuGan -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Families reflect on ultimate gift"
3rd Matt Furber -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Camp proves value of history"
Light Feature Report
1st Greg Moore -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "That's pretty wild, dude"
2nd Greg Stahl -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "A Kyrgyz adventure"
Honorable Mention: Pedro Salom -- The Wood River Journal -- "Bellevue recruits four-legged cop"
Series
1st Greg Stahl -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Child abduction odyssey nears closure"
3rd Karen Bossick -- The Wood River Journal -- "Divas in Gingham"
Outdoor Feature
1st Greg Stahl -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "BC's big water challenge"
3rd Karen Bossick - The Wood River Journal -- "Writer experiences Yellowstone Park on skis"
Honorable Mention: Greg Stahl -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Guided hunt fulfills Pennsylvania youth's dream"
Sports News
1st Karen Bossick -- The Wood River Journal -- "Lost by a nose"
2nd Jody Zarkos -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Wood River nine steps up to the plate"
3rd Jeff Cordes -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Suns, Blades take turns as kingpins"
Honorable Mention: Michael Ames -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Panthers hold on to victory"; Jody Zarkos -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Logan cruises to Laurent Perrier title"
Sports Feature Story
Tie 1st Karen Bossick -- The Wood River Journal -- "Muffy Ritz leads the VAMPS in her world-class cross-country ski program"
2nd Jeff Cordes -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Gabriele gave it all she had"
3rd Michael Ames -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Barbells give seniors a real lift"
General Column
2nd Adam Tanous -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Fine tuning the politics of self interest; Symbolism matters; Did God make him do it"
3rd Pat Murphy -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Saudi acquittal; Swagger politics; Women everywhere, but..."
Specialty Column
2nd Michael Ames -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "The right marriage; Moore fuel to the fire; Fear not"
Editorial
3rd Pam Morris -- Idaho Mountain Express -- selection of three
Honorable Mention: Pat Murphy -- Idaho Mountain Express -- selection of three
Headlines
2nd Gregory Foley -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Will bell toll for Papa tours?; It takes a (base) village; The war of the 'Scotts' looms; Timbers poised to be planted; Simon says'Guten Tag!'; Beef; It's what's for dinner...."
3rd Dana DuGan -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Wooing a wary waitress; Thank God for country boys; A sonnet to your bonnet; Thrifty is nifty; Go ahead: Take a shot; Texas 'lones' us another star"
Page Design
1st Tony Barriatua -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Jazz Jamboree"
2nd Gavin McNeil -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Living Section"
Spot News Photography
1st Dev Khalsa -- The Wood River Journal -- "David Santistevan found guilty"
2nd Dev Khalsa -- The Wood River Journal -- "Two killed in Bellevue Triangle plane crash"
Feature Photography
1st David N. Seelig -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Trailing of the Sheep"
2nd David N. Seelig -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Horse Therapy"
Tie 3rd Willy Cook -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Quacker Backers"; Dev Khalsa -- The Wood River Journal -- "Song Diva steps up for all that jazz"
Sports Photography
1st David N. Seelig -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Soccer"
2nd Dev Khalsa -- The Wood River Journal -- "Lost by a nose"
3rd David N. Seelig -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Falling behind"
Graphics
1st Gavin McNeil -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Child Abduction Odyssey nears closure; Lost skier; Pipe project"
Arts / Entertainment Reporting
1st Jennifer Pattison -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "The hunt of a lifetime"
2nd Jennifer Pattison -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "'Vincent' returns to the valley"
3rd Matt Furber -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Inside and out, Rember remembers"
Political Reporting
1st Greg Stahl -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Kerry's vacation nears end"
2nd Gregory Foley -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Group considers filing Simon recall"
3rd Greg Stahl -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Election splits north, south"
Education Reporting
1st Dana DuGan -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Using the best of two languages"
2nd Matt Furber -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Students dig weed for research"
Business Reporting
1st Matt Furber -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Hailey firm reviving Iraq's electricity; Power wraps up Iraq"
Agriculture Reporting
2nd Gregory Foley -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Beef: It's what's for dinner..."
Crime / Courts Reporting
1st Greg Moore -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "ACLU discusses Saudi's trial"
2nd Greg Stahl -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Johnson defense points to boyfriend"
3rd Pedro Salom -- The Wood River Journal -- "David Santistevan found guilty"
Religion Reporting
1st Karen Bossick -- The Wood River Journal -- "Rev. Brian Baker tackles faith"
2nd Susan Bailey -- The Wood River Journal -- "'Passion' inspires local interfaith discussions"
3rd Matt Furber -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Yoga and meditation mix to improve business acumen"
Environment Reporting
1st Karen Bossick - The Wood River Journal -- "Valley Volunteerism Epitomized"
2nd Greg Stahl -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "The B2 Chronicles: Idaho's oldest wolf passes"
Tie 3rd Greg Stahl -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Mystery fish spurs research" and Gregory Foley -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Future of Warm Springs elk uncertain"
Health/Medical Reporting
2nd Kristan Kennedy -- The Wood River Journal -- "Drug, Sun Valley Style"
3rd Susan Bailey -- The Wood River Journal -- "Healing pain by touching the feet"
Special Section
2nd Adam Tanous -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Arts & Crafts Festival Guide"
3rd Ken Retallic -- Idaho Mountain Express -- "Summer Magic"
Rookie of the Year
1st Megan Thomas -- Idaho Mountain Express
2nd Kathleen L. Turner -- The Wood River Journal
Magazine
General Excellence
1st Adam Tanous -- Sun Valley Guide --Winter 2005 (published Dec. 2004)
Honorable Mention: Laurie Sammis, Deb Gelet, Mike Stevens -- Sun Valley Magazine -- Winter/Spring 2004/2005
Magazine Writing -- Serious Feature
2nd Matt Furber -- Sun Valley Guide -- Winter 2004 -- "Water from another time"
Magazine Writing -- Light Feature
1st Dana Dugan -- Sun Valley Guide -- "The most abnormal of hippies"
3rd Karen Bossick -- Sun Valley Magazine -- "Funny Girls -- Behind the scenes with the Fabulous Vauarnette"
Magazine Photography
3rd Kirk Anderson -- Sun Valley Magazine -- Summer / Fall 2004 -- "Summit Sanctuaries"
Magazine Cover
1st Glen Allison, photographer -- Sun Valley Magazine -- "Winter/Spring 2005"
2nd Eric Kiel, photographer -- Sun Valley Magazine -- "Summer/Fall 2004"
Web site Categories - Print
Web site -- General Excellence - Print
3rd Mike Stevens -- Sun Valley Magazine -- www.sunvalleymag.com
Web site-- Special Purpose - Print
2nd Greg Boyer -- Sun Valley Central.com -- www.sunvalleycentral.com
