HOUSTON
PRESS CLUB
DINNER
2015
LONE
STAR
AWARDS
EVENT
JUNE 6, 2015
A Big Thank You to
Our Sponsors
2015 LONE STAR AWARDS
Lone Star Award Order Form
To order additional Lone Star Awards, please fill out the following information and mail it
along with your check to:
Barbara Wilson
CLECO
2429 Bissonnet, Suite 425
Houston, TX 77005
The deadline for receipt of orders is August 30. At that time all orders for additional Lone
Star Awards will be placed.
Barbara can be reached with any questions at [email protected]
The cost to order an additional Lone Star Award is $90.
This includes shipping and tax.
Make checks payable to: CLECO
Please print clearly the following information for engraving:
Place (ie. first, second or third):_____________________________________________
Category (ie. TV Sports Story):_____________________________________________
Name(s) to be engraved (no more than 2):____________________________________
Outlet (ie. KABC or Star-Picayune):_________________________________________
Contact name:__________________________________________________________
Daytime phone number:__________________________________________________
Evenings and weekends:__________________________________________________
The mailing address you would like the award(s) sent to:
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HOUSTON PRESS CLUB
NEWSPAPERS OVER 100,000
CIRCULATION AND WIRE
SERVICES
A-1 Print Journalist of the Year
First Place: Dianna Wray,
Houston Press
Second Place: Peter Gorman,
Fort Worth Weekly
Third Place: Craig Malisow,
Houston Press
A-2 Print News or Feature
Story
First Place: Monica Rhor,
Houston Chronicle, “For Murder
Victim’s Parents, an Agonizing
Ritual”
Second Place: Karen Gavis, Fort
Worth Weekly, “Love in the Time
of Ebola”
Third Place: Jeff Prince, Fort
Worth Weekly, “Finding Home”
A-3 Print Investigative
Reporting
First Place: Craig Malisow,
Houston Press, “When a Lesson
Took a Dangerous Turn”
Second Place: Eric Griffey,
Kenneth Kost, Fort Worth
Weekly, “Drying Up in DWG:
Water and Facts Have a Way of
Getting Lost in Dalworthington
Gardens”
A-4 Print Business Story
First Place: Susan Du, Houston
Press, “Space Flight”
Michael Duke - Jewish Herald-Voice - “Chanukah Miracle in Prison”
B-2 Print News or Feature Story - Newspapers Under 100K
Second Place: Dianna Wray,
Houston Press, “The Dark Side of
the Boom”
Third Place: Chris Ramirez,
Corpus Christi (Texas) CallerTimes, “When Wells Run Dry”
A-5 Print General Commentary/
Criticism
First Place: Dave Lieber, Marina
Trahan Martinez, The Dallas
Morning News, “The Watchdog:
Exposing TxDPS’ Illegal Full
Fingerprinting of All Texas
Drivers”
Comments: This series shed
a light on an important issue
and ultimately sparked change.
Writing style is reader-friendly.
Second Place: Margaret
Downing, Houston Press, “Texas
is Willing to Close State Schools”
Third Place: Margaret Downing,
Houston Press, “Rewriting
History”
NEWSPAPERS UNDER 100,000
CIRCULATION
B-2 Print News or Feature
Story
First Place: Michael Duke, Jewish
Herald-Voice, “Chanukah Miracle
in Prison”
Comments: Only thing missing
was the reason the inmates who
were quoted were incarcerated.
Second Place: Matt Samuels,
Jewish Herald-Voice, “From
‘Roling Rabbi’ to Half-Marathon
Finisher: Temple Sinai Spiritual
Leader Goes on Inspirational
Journey”
TELEVISION
D-1A Television Journalist of
the Year
First Place: Robert Arnold, KPRC
TV
Comments: Robert is charismatic
and has had quite a year! From
Ferguson to Mexico, he is
passionate about journalism to
help people who are struggling
with all sorts of issues. His
compassion shines through, and
he is very engaging.
Second Place: Erica Proffer,
KRGV-TV
Third Place: Barry Davis, KENS
D-1B Television
Photojournalist of the Year
First Place: Christopher Graczyk,
KTRK-TV
Third Place: Jessica Willey,
Francisco Barragan, KTRK-TV,
“Liquid Meth”
Second Place: Jeremy Rogalski,
Keith Tomshe, KHOU, “TicketRigging Traffic Enforcement”
D-4 Television Soft News
Feature
Third Place: Elizabeth Saab,
Marshall Fowler, Shane Gordon,
KTBC-Fox 7, “Justice For Colton”
First Place: Julie Coan, Ron
Kabele, Leigh Utecht, KLRN San
Antonio, “Coming Home: Donna
Engeman”
Comments: Straightforward yet
sensitively told story of a very
heroic woman.
Second Place: Sarah Forgany,
KENS, “Compassion Without
Boundaries”
Comments: Imaginative shooting,
great editing and solid writing
make these stories even more
compelling.
Third Place: Alan Fisher, Texas
PBS Stations, KLRU, “Flocking
With Friends”
Second Place: Francisco
Barragan, KTRK-TV
D-5 Television Investigative/
Series
Third Place: Rudy Reyes, KFOXTV
First Place: Barry Davis, Michael
Humphries, KENS, “I Don’t Want
Your Stinkin’ Royalties!”
D-3 Television Hard News
Feature
Comments: An excellent and
disturbing investigation into
the effects of fracking on area
residents. Extensive coverage
includes interviews with
homeowners dealing with highly
dangerous pollution that one
doctor describes on-camera as a
“toxic soup.” Journalists launched
a Freedom of Information Act
request to obtain a memo
revealing state regulators knew
dangerous chemicals were
present in one homeowner’s front
yard because of fracking. Solid,
important reporting about a topic
with implications nationwide for
other areas undergoing fracking
operations.
First Place: Kirk Chaisson,
Enrique Saenz, KRGV-TV,
“Honor Flights”
Comments: A lot of research
went into this story. The
interviews came alive as they
were supported by actual WWII
footage. Chilling footage and a
heartwarming story.
Second Place: Jeff Goldblatt,
Michael Vela, Jeff Anastasio,
KENS, “Josh’s Story”
D-6 Television Politics/
Government
First Place: Dillon Collier, Jason
Gonzales, KENS, “Favor for a
Friend?”
Comments: A four-month
investigation analyzes the hiring
of a public works director and
reveals his close business ties
to a city’s mayor. Several of
14 candidates are shown to
be much better qualified in this
investigative report about a
position paying $55,000 annually
and responsible for a budget
of about $500,000. No official
provides a detailed explanation
about the hiring. As one local
observer is quoted saying this
case does not pass the “smell
test.” An excellent example of TV
news watchdogging concerns
about cronyism and protecting
taxpayer interests.
Second Place: Dillon Collier,
Jason Gonzales, KENS, “Time
Card Troubles”
Third Place: Robert Arnold,
Fernando Espadin, Byron
Nichols, KPRC TV, “The
Unaccompanied”
D-7 Television Consumer News
First Place: Marcelino Benito,
Keith Tomshe, KHOU-TV,
“Smartphone Spying”
Second Place: Amy Davis,
KPRC-TV, “Computer Tech
Trouble”
Third Place: Dillon Collier, Jason
Gonzales, KENS, “Meat in the
Heat”
D-8 Television Documentary or
Public Affairs
First Place: Staff, KENS, “The
Lost Children”
Second Place: Lee Smith, Ron
Kabele, Texas Parks & Wildlife,
“Texas Above & Below”
Third Place: Staff, Texas PBS
Stations, KLRU, “Texas Parks &
Wildlife Television, #2216”
D-9 Television Sports Feature
First Place: David Watkins, Noah
Bullard, KXAS, “Relentless”
Comments: This story unfolds
excellently - from the intriguing
intro and clear through the
emotional end, had us hooked.
Nicely done!
Second Place: Daniel Gotera,
Bob Luna, KHOU-TV, “50”
Third Place: Daniel Gotera, Bob
Luna, KHOU-TV, “The Imperfect
Season”
D-10 Television Feature
Photography
First Place: Michael Humphries,
KENS, “The Wind and the Waste”
Comments: From billowy clouds
to grass swaying in the wind,
fragile flags to ethereal wind
chimes, this video captures the
true essence of Southern Texas.
A wonderful depiction of the
terrain and life in the south.
Second Place: Michael
Humphries, KENS, “Apaches in
the Crosshairs”
Third Place: Michael Humphries,
KENS, “Fires in the Fracking
Fields”
E-2 Radio Hard News Feature
First Place: Laura Isensee,
KUHF-News 88.7, “What
Happened To a Third Grader
Who Didn’t Take the STAAR”
Second Place: David Martin
Davies, Texas Public Radio,
“Death of Sean Yates Raises
Questions of Neglect at Texas
State-Supported Living Centers”
D-11 Television Editing
Third Place: Bill Zeeble, KERA,
“Home Rule Education in Dallas?
Here Are Pros and Cons”
First Place: Francisco Barragan,
KTRK-TV, “Liquid Meth”
E-3 Radio Soft News Feature
Comments: A comprehensive,
intelligent explanation of a
colossal problem in the United
States - liquid meth. Superb
editing as each scene was a
building block to outline the
problem and the aftermath of
being addicted to meth.
Second Place: Ron Kabele,
KLRN San Antonio, “Coming
Home: Brian Posten”
Third Place: Michael Humphries,
KENS, “The Wind and the Waste”
First Place: Mose Buchele, KUT
90.5, “Summer School: How to
Become a Medieval Knight”
Second Place: Laurie Johnson,
KUHF-News 88.7, “Tibetan
Monks Create Sand Mandalas”
Third Place: Carrie Feibel, KUHFNews 88.7, “Houston Zoo Opens
New Bug House”
E-4 Radio Politics/Government
E-1 Radio Journalist of the
Year
First Place: Ben Philpott, Mose
Buchele, KUT 90.5, “Get to Know
Your Statewide Office”
Second Place: Joy Diaz, KUT
90.5, “Austin’s New 10-1 City
Council”
First Place: Ben Philpott, KUT
90.5
Third Place: Staff, KERA, “The
Indictment of John Wiley Price”
RADIO
Second Place: Dave Fehling,
KUHF-News 88.7
Third Place: Mose Buchele, KUT
90.5
2015 LONE STAR AWARDS
E-5 Radio Public Affairs
First Place: David Martin Davies,
Paul Flahive, Texas Public Radio,
“The Source: The Changing
Dynamics Between Police and
Mentally Ill”
Second Place: Joy Diaz, Matt
Largey, Kate McGee, KUT 90.5,
“Dove Springs: Turning the
Corner in Southeast Austin”
Third Place: Staff, KERA,
“THINK: Ebola In North Texas”
E-6 Radio Series
First Place: David Martin Davies,
KSTX Texas Public Radio San
Antonio, “Texas State-Supported
Living Centers Are Not Meeting
Standards”
Second Place: Lauren Silverman,
Eric Aasen, Ryan Tainter, KERA,
“The Broken Hip”
Third Place: Andrew Schneider,
KUHF-News 88.7, “Boom in Oil
and Traffic Deaths”
E-7 Radio Use of Sound
First Place: David Martin Davies,
Texas Public Radio, “San Antonio
Amputees Get Their Shot at the
‘Sweet Science’ of Boxing”
Second Place: Laura Isensee,
KUHF-News 88.7, “Crowdfunding
Education”
Third Place: Jerome Weeks,
KERA, “Secrets of the Meyerson:
A History”
E-8 Radio Talk Show
First Place: David Martin Davies,
Paul Flahive, Texas Public Radio,
“The Source: Will a New Mayor
Mean New Priorities?”
Second Place: Craig Cohen,
Staff, KUHF-News 88.7, “Houston
Matters: Austin Tice Parents”
Third Place: Staff, KERA,
“THINK: Harry Shearer”
MAGAZINES
F-1 Magazine Article
First Place: Erin Quinn-Kong,
Kevin Goodbar, Cory Rivademar,
Austin Monthly, “The Face of
AIDS in Austin”
Comments: Moving piece. Real
numbers. Real people.
Second Place: Kathleen Petty,
San Antonio Magazine, “A Boon
for the Future”
Austin Monthly, “December 2014”
F3 - Magazine Layout
HOUSTON PRESS CLUB
Third Place: Michael Reed,
Pipeline & Gas Journal, “Gas
Infrastructure Aging Gracefully
Despite Flawed News Story”
F-2 Magazine Column
First Place: Erin Quinn-Kong,
Dale Dudley, Austin Monthly,
“The Ghost of a Christmas
Present”
Comments: What a tale! We felt
like we were stepping back in
time with you. And it reminded us
how so much of our childhoods
still affect how we react to things
today.
Second Place: Jeff Share,
Pipeline & Gas Journal, “The
Cost Of Bad PR”
Third Place: Carlton Stowers,
American Way Magazine, “Rite of
Passage”
F-3 Magazine Layout
First Place: Kevin Goodbar,
Cory Rivademar, Jenn Hair,
Austin Monthly, “Austin Monthly,
Constance Atton, The Baylor Lariat, “Ewe Got Served”
J-4 - Student Print Photography
2015 LONE STAR AWARDS
December 2014”
Comments: Nice job working
the layout with the ads. Some
impressive designs and displays
considering the wide variety and
diversity of content you have
to work with. (Note: You might
consider looking at font size on
some features. Some are hard to
read.)
Second Place: Ray Scippa,
Michelle Gunnett, Jan Hester,
ConocoPhillips, “ConocoPhillips
Spirit Magazine: Second Quarter
2014”
Third Place: Victoria Millner,
Cory Rivademar, San Antonio
Magazine, “San Antonio
Magazine, August 2014”
PUBLIC RELATIONS
G-1 Public Relations
Communicator of the Year
First Place: Melissa Carroll,
University of Houston
Second Place: Lisa Merkl,
University of Houston
Third Place: Kristi Powers,
Houston Community College
Southwest
Second Place: Zen Zheng,
The University of Texas Health
Science Center at Houston online
magazine, HealthLEADER,
“Guardians of Care: Ombudsmen
Advocate Quality of Life for
Nursing Home and Assisted
Living Residents”
Third Place: Laura Berryhill
Taglialavore, Kristi Powers,
Houston Community College
News, “HCC Program Helps
Iconic Bakery Make Sweet
Memories”
G-4 Public Relations Annual
Report
G-2 Public Relations News
Release
First Place: Andy Olin, Ronda
Wendler, Michael Clarke, UT
MD Anderson Cancer Center,
“Cancer Can’t. We Can.”
First Place: Melissa Carroll,
University of Houston, “UH
Research Focuses on How Food
Marketing Creates a False Sense
of Health”
Second Place: Staff, The
University of Texas Medical
School at Houston Institute
for Molecular Medicine, “2014
IMMpact Report”
Second Place: Edgar Veliz,
Robert Cahill, Deborah Mann
Lake, UTHealth, “Stanley G.
Schultz, Whose Rehydration
Research Helped Save Millions,
Has Died”
Third Place: Staff, The University
of Texas Medical School at
Houston, “Year in Review 2013”
Third Place: Lisa Merkl,
University of Houston, “Virtual
Patients Come Alive in New
Simulation Lab”
G-3 Public Relations Feature
Article
First Place: Lisa Merkl, University
of Houston Magazine, “Taming
the Wolf Called Lupus”
G-6 Public Relations Corporate
Video
First Place: Staff, NRG, “NRG at
Free Press Summer Fest 2014”
Second Place: John Chattaway,
UT MD Anderson Cancer
Center, “Cancer Treatment at
MD Anderson: In Our Patients’
Words”
G-7 Public Relations
Publication
First Place: Andy Olin, Michael
Clarke, UT MD Anderson Cancer
Center, “Conquest (Summer
2014)”
Comments: Beautiful public
relations magazine. Magnificent
use of photos and excellent
writing. Well done!
Second Place: Andy Olin, Ronda
Wendler, Michael Clarke, UT
MD Anderson Cancer Center,
“Conquest (Fall 2014)”
Third Place: Dave Schafer,
Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of
Commerce, “Cy-Fair Houston
Chamber of Commerce
Newsletter”
INTERNET-BASED NEWSORIGINAL
H-1 Internet News Feature
Story
First Place: Staff, KHOU.com,
“Rodeo Houston”
Comments: Impressive breadth
of coverage. Good use of video,
photo and text.
Second Place: Jeff Anastasio,
David Flores, Greg Matthews,
KENS 5, “Texas-Sized Tradition:
Coming Together Under Friday
Night Lights”
Third Place: Matt Keyser, KHOU.
com, “Kyle Field Implosion”
Third Place: Staff, NRG, “NRG
Stadium Sign Change - Time
Lapse”
HOUSTON PRESS CLUB
H-2 Internet Hard News Article
First Place: Jeff Anastasio, Jeff
Goldblatt, Mike Vela, KENS
5, “Josh’s Story: Suicide and
Survival for the Husband of
Leanne Bearden”
Comments: Compelling, wellcrafted, sensitively handled piece
with lessons for all.
Second Place: Staff, KHOU.com,
“Adrian Peterson Coverage”
Third Place: Staff, KHOU.com,
“Montrose Luxury Apartment Fire”
H-3 Internet Collaborative
News Reporting
First Place: Staff, KHOU.com,
“#FactsNotFear Ebola Campaign”
Comments: Important topic, great
effort to provide rich content in
one place and to offer readers
information through a chat.
Good mix of text, photos and
interactivity.
Second Place: Staff, KHOU.com,
“Montrose Luxury Apartment Fire”
Third Place: Staff, KHOU.com,
“Man Sells Restaurant to Help
Employee with Brain Tumor”
H-4 Internet Opinion
First Place: Sean Pendergast,
Houston Press, “When it Comes
to Punishment”
Comments: Thorough review
of the two cases and Goodell’s
haphazard discipline. It’s
important, of course, to provide
facts before rendering an
opinion. But strive to do it more
Diana Wray - Houston Press - “The Dark Side of the Boom:
Oil Is Doing Great Things for Some in Texas, but Not for Everyone”
A-1 Print Journalist of the Year - Newspapers Over 100K
succinctly, otherwise you risk
losing the reader before you get
to good punch lines like the one
near the end: “However, the fact
that Goodell’s mishandling of
Peterson’s and Rice’s penalties
has somehow made either man
a sympathetic figure, considering
the graphic nature of their
wrongdoings, tells you everything
you need to know about how
badly the commissioner has
botched his own policy.”
Second Place: Nathan Cone,
Texas Public Radio, “Nearly 40
Years Later, Secrets Of ‘Hanging
Rock’ Still Beguiling”
2015 LONE STAR AWARDS
H-5 Internet Blog
First Place: George Scott,
George Scott Reports, “5
Separate Consecutive Columns
Highlighting Healthcare Issues
Developed In Steve Jansen’s
News/Feature Profile”
Comments: Valuable
contributions on a complex topic.
STUDENT ENTRY CATEGORIES
J-1 Student Print News or
Feature Story
First Place: Alma Garcia, The
Venture, “Paleteros Bring Treats,
Become Targets”
Second Place: Hannah
Neumann, The Baylor Lariat,
“Professor Traces Deaf Legacy
Back to Nazi Germany”
Third Place: Christopher Shelton,
The Daily Cougar, “Campus
Facilities’ Impact on Recruiting”
J-2 Student Print Sports Story
First Place: Cameron Wolfe,
EGMN, “UH Football Embraces
Third Ward D”
Second Place: Andrew Valderas,
The Daily Cougar, “On the Road
to Glory”
Third Place: Cody Soto, The
Baylor Lariat, “Petty Tackles
Adversity with Spiritual Insight”
J-3 Best Student Newspaper
First Place: Lamar University
Press
Second Place: The Daily Cougar
Third Place: The Baylor Lariat
J-4 Student Print Photography
First Place: Constance Atton, The
Baylor Lariat, “Ewe Got Served”
Second Place: Constance Atton,
The Baylor Lariat, “Ice Bucket
Challenge”
Third Place: Jared McClelland,
University Press, “Discovering
Santisima Muerte”
J-5 Student TV & Radio News
or Feature Story
First Place: Richard Hirst, The
Baylor Lariat, “Never Say Die”
Comments: Strength of piece is
the “character” and the attempt at
creativity. Strong beginning, good
use of street video for referencing
his life on the street, but then it
was edited as B-roll that had no
context. Other odd edits as well.
Good ending.
Second Place: Ilse Gonzalez,
EGMN, “Eric Garner and Michael
Brown Protests in Houston”
Third Place: Maria Aguilar,
EGMN, “Latina Enters Sports
Fashion Industry”
J-6 Student TV & Radio Sports
Story
First Place: Alexa Brackin, Carlye
Thornton, The Baylor Lariat,
“College GameDay Takes Over
McLane”
Comments: Excellent use of
strong video and natural sound
to drive the energy level on
this story. Good interviews that
helped illustrate excitement.
Standup close - worked ok - but
would have been better if you
were in the middle of an excited
crowd or with a bit more action
behind you. Watch camera
framing - don’t want to see the
mystery arm holding mic.
Second Place: Cameron Wolfe,
Esteban Valencia, The Daily
Cougar, “Cougar Basketball”
Third Place: Alexa Brackin,
Madison Miller, The Baylor Lariat,
“Justin Sports Medicine Team”
About Our Host
Mary Benton
Name a big story, and
Mary Benton has probably
covered it. Plus, she has
the reputation for always
getting the story right. She’s
won awards for her work,
was named a YMCA Top
Achiever, Best TV News
Reporter by the Houston
Press and one of Houston’s
Top 25 Women by Rolling
Out Magazine.
She is a Harlingen native
and a University of Texas at
Austin grad. She currently
serves on the Texas Exes
Black Alumni Advisory
Committee, was appointed
to the Elections Advisory
Committee by Texas Lt. Gov.
David Dewhurst and serves
on the national board of the
National Association of Black
Journalists.
Formerly a reporter with
KPRC in Houston, she is
currently the Manager of
Media Relations and Public
Affairs for the Harris County
Toll Road Authority.
HOUSTON PRESS CLUB
Houston Press Club Lone Star Awards
The Lone Star Awards are given each year in recognition of outstanding achievements
in journalism and mass communication in the state of Texas. The competition encompasses efforts in the fields of print, radio, television and internet journalism; student
publications and broadcasts; and public relations. Awards are given to first, second,
and third place entries in each category.
The Houston Press Club is dedicated to fostering growth and interaction in these various fields with the aim of improving the whole business of mass communications. The
Houston Press Club also supports the efforts of tommorow’s professionals through
achievement awards and scholarship funding for students in these fields.
Thanks for your help in so many ways
Mike O’Neill, President of Houston Press Club
David McHam, UH Journalism Professor
Jared Counts, Houston Public Media
Liz Johnson, Internal Communications KBR, Inc.*
Jack Barnett, Chief Communications Officer Harris County Appraisal District*
Trish Cunningham, Business Development Manager Brookwoods Group*
Sean Thompson, Media Outreach Dril-Quip*
Steve Stewart, Corporate Communications Enbridge Energy*
Kristy Gillentine, Online Content Manager, News 92FM*
David Medina & Ty Williams and Rice University
Melange Catering & Special Event
Buffalo Bayou Brewery
Mary Benton
*denotes Members of the Press Club Board of Directors
2015 LONE STAR AWARDS
HOUSTON PRESS CLUB
DINNER
2015
LONE
STAR
AWARDS
PRESENTED BY
HOUSTON PRESS CLUB
2015 LONE STAR AWARDS