We are proud to announce that we have won awards for our 2024 stories, photography, layouts, and newsletters from the California News Publishers Association (CNPA).
The California Journalism Awards provide the opportunity for publishers and editors to promote excellence in journalism and recognize their staffs’ outstanding work to inform and enlighten their readers through reporting, design, photography and multimedia in print and online. A select group of experienced out-of-state journalists judged entries with publication dates between January 1 and December 31, 2024. The awards were announced on May 17 at the annual California Journalism Awards Gala.
1st Place:
Arts & Entertainment Coverage: “SBIFF Gives Fiesta 5 a New Lease on Life” by Nick Welsh
Enterprise News Story or Series: “Down the Rabbit Hole” by Callie Fausey
Fine Arts Writing/Reporting: “Art About Life, Death, and Clowning” by Joe Woodard
Labor Reporting: “After Near-Strike and Historic Teachers’ Raise, Santa Barbara Unified Grapples with Teacher Turnover, a $10M Budget Shortfall, and ‘Residual Frustration’” by Callie Fausey
Local Election Coverage: “Santa Barbara County Election Update From the White House to City Hall: Some Surprising and Not-So-Surprising Results” by Nick Welsh
Music Writing: “The Brasscals Bring Honk to Santa Barbara” by Nick Welsh
Photo Story/Essay: “Santa Barbara Solstice Parade Takes a Flight of Fancy Up Santa Barbara Street” by Ingrid Bostrom
Print Inside Layout: “Santa Barbara Independent Inside Layout – Indy Awards” by Xavier Pereyra
2nd Place:
Best Newsletter: “Full Belly Files” by Matt Kettmann
In Depth Reporting: “Santa Barbara’s Hospitality Game-Changers” by Matt Kettmann
Investigative Reporting: “‘I Have to Live Every Day Knowing That My Innocent Child Was Violated’” by Callie Fausey
News Photo: “UCSB Academic Workers Strike Photo” by Ingrid Bostrom
Photo Story/Essay: “Santa Barbara Seen: The Art of Pedro De La Cruz” by Matt Kettmann
3rd Place:
Coverage of Local Government: “Carpinteria Community Blasts Bluffs Resort at Preliminary Review” by Ryan P. Cruz
Feature Story: “Fight for Freedom: The Chumash Uprising of 1824” by Ryan P. Cruz
Homelessness Reporting: “No Longer Homeless in Goleta” by Jean Yamamura
Housing & Land Use Reporting: “Housing Boom on the Horizon?” by Ryan P. Cruz
Illustration: “Best of Santa Barbara® 2024 Cover Illustration” by Xavier Pereyra & Ben Ciccati
Photo Story/Essay: “Downtown Comes to Life for Day of the Dead Free Family Day” by Ingrid Bostrom
Print Front Page Layout: “Words on Fire, Smell the Roses, and Year in Photos” by Xavier Pereyra
Profile Story: “Smell the Roses: JJ Ortiz Battles Cancer to Bring First Tattoo Convention to Santa Barbara” by Ryan P. Cruz & Xavier Pereyra
5th Place:
Columns: “The Angry Poodle” by Nick Welsh
Coverage of Youth & Education: “Half of Santa Barbara Children ‘Can’t Read by the End of 3rd Grade'” by Callie Fausey
Feature Story: “Honoring the Dead with Dia De Muertos” by Ryan P. Cruz
You must be logged in to post a comment.