Award-Winning Journalism
The Columbian has brought home many awards for journalism and photography throughout the years. Here in a non-comprehensive list of our more recent accolades.
C.B. Blethen Memorial Awards
2019
First place, Enterprise Reporting
(for "Fall from Grace" series)
First place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
First place, Features Writing
Second place, Deadline Reporting
Third place, Deadline Reporting
Third place, Enterprise Reporting
Third place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
Third place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
(for The color of education)
2018
First place, Features Writing
Second place, Features Writing
Second place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
2017
First place, Enterprise Reporting
First place, Feature Writing
Second place, Enterprise Reporting
Second place, Feature Writing
Second place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
Third place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
Third place, Enterprise Reporting
2016
First place, Investigative Reporting
Second place, Deadline Reporting
Third place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
Third place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
Third place, Feature Writing
2015
First place, Investigative Reporting
First place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
First place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
First place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
First place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
2014
First place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
First place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
Second place, Deadline Reporting
Second place, Features Writing
First place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
Second place, Deadline Reporting
Second place, Features Writing
2013
First place, Deadline Reporting
First place, Enterprise Reporting
First place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
First place, Enterprise Reporting
First place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
2012
First place, Enterprise Reporting
Second place, Enterprise Reporting
Second place, Enterprise Reporting
Associated Press Photo Awards
2020
First place, Non-metro Portrait
First place, Non-metro Photo Story
(for Raising Kaine)
2019 and 2020
Cowles Cup
NPPA Best of Photojournalism
2020
First place, Sports Feature
Sony Best in Show award
Society of Professional Journalists
Individual staff awards
Photo & Design
2022
Large Newsroom Division
Feature Photography
Second Place, Last Day Covid School, Amanda Cowan
Second Place, Last Day Covid School, Amanda Cowan
Print page design
First place, Merridee Hanson
Second Place, Amy Libby
First place, Merridee Hanson
Second Place, Amy Libby
Graphics and illustration
First place, Romana Wood
Second Place, Merridee Hanson
First place, Romana Wood
Second Place, Merridee Hanson
2021
Medium Newsroom Division
Feature Photography
First place, Health Care Worker Tribute, Amanda Cowan
First place, Health Care Worker Tribute, Amanda Cowan
General new photography
Second place, Peterson BLM Vigil, Amanda Cowan
Second place, Peterson BLM Vigil, Amanda Cowan
Portrait photography
Second place, COVID homeless camp, Amanda Cowan
Second place, COVID homeless camp, Amanda Cowan
Page Design
First place, Amy Libby
Second Place, Merridee Hanson
First place, Amy Libby
Second Place, Merridee Hanson
Writing
2022
Large Newsroom Division
Editorial & Commentary
First Place, In Our View Series, Colleen
First Place, In Our View Series, Colleen
Education Reporting
First Place: Distance learning has many Clark County students not making the grade, Meg Wochnick
First Place: Distance learning has many Clark County students not making the grade, Meg Wochnick
Environment & Natural Disaster Reporting
Second Place, From dust to dust — to compost, Will Campbell
Second Place, From dust to dust — to compost, Will Campbell
Poverty & Homelessness reporting
Second Place, Renovation of former Value Motel paves long road to recovery, Dylan Jefferies
Second Place, Renovation of former Value Motel paves long road to recovery, Dylan Jefferies
Technology, Business & Economics reporting
Second Place, Herbert J. paved the way, Will Campbell
Second Place, Herbert J. paved the way, Will Campbell
2021
Medium Newsroom Division
Sports Reporting
First Place, Virus's Blindside Block, Meg Wochnick and Joshua Hart
First Place, Virus's Blindside Block, Meg Wochnick and Joshua Hart
Editorial & Commentary
First Place, In Our View Series, Colleen
First Place, In Our View Series, Colleen
Sports columns
Second Place, Tim Martinez
Second Place, Tim Martinez
Crime & law enforcement reporting
Second place, Confined with COVID?, Jessica Prokop
Second place, Confined with COVID?, Jessica Prokop
Writing, Photo & Design
2020
Medium Newsroom Division
Breaking News Reporting
First Place, 1 dead, 2 wounded in shooting; Trauma specialists' training put to test; Shooting timeline, Jessica Prokop, Calley Hair, Kaitlin Gillespie, Jack Heffernan
First Place, 1 dead, 2 wounded in shooting; Trauma specialists' training put to test; Shooting timeline, Jessica Prokop, Calley Hair, Kaitlin Gillespie, Jack Heffernan
Business Reporting
First Place, "Coffee roasters 'piece of history' in Yacolt", Will Campbell
Runner Up, "Vigor Selects Vancouver" Series, Alan Brettman
First Place, "Coffee roasters 'piece of history' in Yacolt", Will Campbell
Runner Up, "Vigor Selects Vancouver" Series, Alan Brettman
Column
Runner Up, "Working in Clark County column", Lyndsey Hewitt
Runner Up, "Working in Clark County column", Lyndsey Hewitt
Diversity Reporting
Runner Up, "VPS Student Discipline Series", Kaitlin Gillespie
Runner Up, "VPS Student Discipline Series", Kaitlin Gillespie
Feature Writing, Hard News
First Place, "For Vancouver man, every day is a chance to make a difference", Wyatt Stayner
First Place, "For Vancouver man, every day is a chance to make a difference", Wyatt Stayner
Feature Writing, Soft News
First Place, "The monks of white salmon", Patty Hastings
First Place, "The monks of white salmon", Patty Hastings
Graphics & Illustration
First Place, Romana Wood
First Place, Romana Wood
Photo Portfolio
First Place, Nathan Howard
First Place, Nathan Howard
Reporting Series
Runner Up, "Flores Family Series", Jessica Prokop
Runner Up, "Flores Family Series", Jessica Prokop
Sports Feature
First Place, "Rally from Despair", Meg Wochnick
First Place, "Rally from Despair", Meg Wochnick
2019
Large Newsroom Division
Best Photo Portfolio
First Place, Alisha Jucevic
First Place, Alisha Jucevic
Business Reporting
Runner up The Waterfront Vancouver setting sail, Allan Brettman
Runner up The Waterfront Vancouver setting sail, Allan Brettman
Column
Runner up, Pen is much bigger so I can write the best columns; NRA, some officials stretch credulity, abdicate humanity; Sensitivity, compromise called for in naming of park, Greg Jayne
Runner up, Pen is much bigger so I can write the best columns; NRA, some officials stretch credulity, abdicate humanity; Sensitivity, compromise called for in naming of park, Greg Jayne
Feature Photography
Runner up, Cherry Blossoms, Alisha Jucevic
Runner up, Cherry Blossoms, Alisha Jucevic
Food, Drink, Lifestyles and Travel Reporting
Runner up, Hiking the Washington Side, plus “Foot traffic not the only kind…”, Scott Hewitt
Runner up, Hiking the Washington Side, plus “Foot traffic not the only kind…”, Scott Hewitt
Graphics & Illustrations
First place, Confronting the high cost of justice; “Can’t have two tigers on the hill”; Midterms will reveal area’s true colors, Merridee Hanson
Runner up, 9,095: Clark outpaces Multnomah County for new residents; Two decades of dreams; Who gave it, who got it? Romana Wood
First place, Confronting the high cost of justice; “Can’t have two tigers on the hill”; Midterms will reveal area’s true colors, Merridee Hanson
Runner up, 9,095: Clark outpaces Multnomah County for new residents; Two decades of dreams; Who gave it, who got it? Romana Wood
Page Design
First place, To combat winter blues, try seeing red; Spruce up the environment; A determined stand (with jump), Dave Magnuson
Runner up, A day to take off; 30 years strong; Shifting sand (with jumps), Romana Wood
First place, To combat winter blues, try seeing red; Spruce up the environment; A determined stand (with jump), Dave Magnuson
Runner up, A day to take off; 30 years strong; Shifting sand (with jumps), Romana Wood
Photo Essay
First Place, A Determined Stand, Alisha Jucevic Runner up, A new home, Nathan Howard
First Place, A Determined Stand, Alisha Jucevic Runner up, A new home, Nathan Howard
Portrait Photography
First place, Nathan Kunz, Nathan Howard
First place, Nathan Kunz, Nathan Howard
Short-Form Feature News Reporting
Runner up, Farmers going nuts; Ridgefield couple replace pear orchard with hazelnuts, hoping to cash in on their increasing popularity (SIDEBAR: Filbert or hazelnut?), Andy Matarrese
Runner up, Farmers going nuts; Ridgefield couple replace pear orchard with hazelnuts, hoping to cash in on their increasing popularity (SIDEBAR: Filbert or hazelnut?), Andy Matarrese
Sports Feature Photography
First Place, National Anthem, Nathan Howard
First Place, National Anthem, Nathan Howard
2018
Large Newsroom Division
Best Photo Portfolio
Runner Up, Alisha Jucevic
Runner Up, Alisha Jucevic
Business Reporting
First place, Finding care can be a pain, Marissa Harshman
First place, Finding care can be a pain, Marissa Harshman
Sports Feature Story
First place, Hole in One from Hudson, Micah Rice
Runner Up, Unbroken, Meg Wochnick
First place, Hole in One from Hudson, Micah Rice
Runner Up, Unbroken, Meg Wochnick
Feature Photography
Runner Up, Elizabeth Nicholson holding horse’s head during the wildfire, Ariane Kunze
Runner Up, Elizabeth Nicholson holding horse’s head during the wildfire, Ariane Kunze
Sports Feature Photography
First place, Oct. 1, Amanda Cowan
First place, Oct. 1, Amanda Cowan
Page Design
Runner Up, Amy Libby
Runner Up, Amy Libby
Graphics & Illustrations
First place, Mariel Abbene
First place, Mariel Abbene
Editorial & Commentary
First Place, Greg Jayne
First Place, Greg Jayne
Arts & Entertainment
Runner Up, Raining Poetry, Scott Hewitt
Runner Up, Raining Poetry, Scott Hewitt
Audio, Video
Runner Up, One-legged baseball player takes challenges in stride, Ariane Kunze
Runner Up, One-legged baseball player takes challenges in stride, Ariane Kunze
Award for General Excellence
2020
Runner up
2019
Runner up
2018
Runner up
2015
Third place
2013
Second place
2012
Second place
2006
First place (first year for the general excellence category)
Best of the West
Prestigious competition among journalists in 14 states
2020
Second place