Call for Entries: 2006 C.B. Blethen Memorial Awards

The 2006 C.B. Blethen Memorial Awards for Distinguished Newspaper Reporting entry packages should have been received at each member newspaper. The postmark entry deadline is June 30. First-place and second-place awards are offered in each of two circulation classifications in Coverage of Diversity, Deadline, Enterprise, Feature and Investigative categories. A single first-place and a single second-place award are offered in the Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs category, regardless of circulation. First-place awards in each category will receive $500 and second-place awards in each category will receive $250. If an entry is the work of two or more writers, their award will be divided accordingly. For more detailed information please visit PNNA's website. Contact person for the C.B. Blethen Awards is Bryan Clark, 888-344-7662 or e-mail bryan@pnna.com.

Conference ranked high for useable content

Nearly 60 NIE professionals, vendors and supporters gathered May 3-5 in Tacoma for the CNIE-PNNA Sound to Summit Western States NIE Conference, hosted by The News Tribune. Conference segments covered fund-raising, grant writing, training teachers in NIE, personal inspiration, listening to teachers, tapping into the NAA Foundation and navigating the Audit Bureau of Circulations rule book. David Zeeck, executive editor of The News Tribune and newly named president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, talked to the group about working with the newsroom on NIE projects. "What impressed me most was the participation of all the delegates and sharing of ideas, and the fact that the sessions had content that applied to dailies and weeklies and to newspapers of different circulation size," said Jim Henderson, NIE coordinator at The News Tribune, who organized the event on behalf of PNNA. "I hope that these regional conferences can be held periodically in the future." See the full story at http://www.pnna.com/extras/nie506/nie06f.htm

Sept. 30-Oct. 1 SND course
covers multimedia storytelling, Flash

Provide your newsroom staffers with the basics of multimedia storytelling at the Society for News Design's New Media Quick Course Sept. 30-Oct. 1 at Gonzaga University in Spokane. They'll learn how to pick a project, set up their team and develop an effective workflow. Cost for the two-day workshop is $300 for SND members; $400 for nonmembers. There's also an intermediate track for Flash users, also $300. Discounts are available for students and faculty. See the SND website or contact Vanessa McVay at co-host The Wenatchee World.

2 from PNNA papers win Knight Fellowships

Two journalists from PNNA newspapers were among 12 U.S. journalists to win John S. Knight Fellowships at Stanford University for the 2006-2007 year. Douglas Kim, arts and entertainment editor for The Seattle Times, will explore technology, diversity and culture to reach the audiences of the future during his time at Stanford. Kathleen McCoy, assistant managing editor for features of the Anchorage Daily News, will study the impact of blogging and new media on change in news organizations.

Seattle Times reporter is Nieman Fellow

Craig Welch, environmental reporter for The Seattle Times, will study how rapid globalization influences illegal markets for natural resources at home and abroad as a Nieman Fellow for the class of 2006-2007 at Harvard University. He is one of 28 U.S. and international journalists to be honored as Nieman Fellows – the oldest midcareer fellowship program for journalists in the world. This is the 69th class of Nieman Fellows at Harvard.

Bloggers get 1st Amendment protection

Apple Computer can't use subpoenas to learn where online journalists get information on company products, according to a California Court of Appeal ruling on May 26. The ruling extended protection of the state's shield law and the 1st Amendment to online writers, reversing a lower court decision.

McClatchy retains part of CareerBuilder

The McClatchy Co. is likely to retain part ownership of CareerBuilder.com through its purchase of Knight Ridder, The Sacramento Bee reported on May 31. The successful online recruitment site owned by Knight Ridder, Gannett Co. and Tribune Co. was started in 1995. It's unclear, the Bee reported, whether McClatchy will retain Knight Ridder's one-third share or some lesser portion once the deal to buy Knight Ridder is complete.

People:

Montana Standard publisher heads to New York

Rona Rahlf, publisher of The Montana Standard since 2004, on May 31was appointed publisher of The Post-Star in Glen Falls, N.Y. Both papers are owned by lee enterprises. Rahlf began her career with Lee in 1987 as an advertising sales representative for a shopper in Billings, Mont. She later advanced to Thrifty Nickel manager and specialty publications manager. In 1996 she became retail advertising manager of The Billings Gazette and later served as the human resources manager for the newspaper. She was also regional human resources manager for Lee.

In Memoriam:

Lettie Gavin, 83

Lettie Gavin, former editor and reporter for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, died May 15. She was 83. With the Post-Intelligencer from 1968 to 1982, Gavin as an assignment editor in 1980 was instrumental in coordinating coverage of the eruption of Mount St. Helens. She also produced a series on abortion rights and the Equal Rights Amendment for the Post-Intelligencer's Women's section in the early 1970s – before the U.S. Supreme Court took up the landmark case Roe v. Wade. She is survived by longtime companion Ron Mittersteiner; Julie Gudmestad of Portland; Tom Gudmestad; his wife, Ute, and their daughter, Isabella.

George Richardson, 74

George Richardson, former editor of The Wenatchee World, died this spring after a brief battle with spinal cancer. He was 74. Richardson joined the paper in 1957 as a reporter and also served as regional editor, city editor, managing editor, executive editor and editorial page editor. He retired in 1993 and in 1994 began writing a weekly column, which became know as Curmudgeon's Corner, through 1997. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Elizabeth Richardson; five children; 13 grandchildren; and four great-children.

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