The Journal goes to Yakima—brings back seven awards

BY PAM STEVENS | EDITOR Publisher Desiree Cahoon along with Editor Pam Stevens, accepted the Community Service Award on behalf of the entire Journal staff. Many of us have made the trip over the mountains in search of fresh peaches and apples but a weekend trip to Yakima isn’t always as “fruitful” as the one that the Lake Stevens Journal staff made last weekend.

Publisher Desiree Cahoon invited Editor Pam Stevens, Production Manager Shane Kantzer, Reporter and Photographer Chuck Tuck and weekly Columnist Kevin Hulten to a weekend conference hosted by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA) where their days were filled with informative classes and the weekend ended with the awards ceremony on Friday night where the Journal walked away with seven awards.

Each year the WNPA awards three community newspapers with a Community Service Award in recognition for work they have done in order to better the community in which they service.

This year, the Lake Stevens Journal was awarded a third place plaque for their involvement in bringing the community together in hopes of seeing a University of Washington Campus built in our community.

By providing editorials, articles, advertising and staff participation on the Snohomish County Coalition for Higher Education and their involvement in bringing a Town Hall meeting to the area, the Lake Stevens Journal was an integral part of community awareness.

“I was excited to learn we were the recipients of the distinguished community service award,” Publisher Desiree Cahoon said. “An award of this caliber doesn’t come around often, since it encompasses several journalistic elements along with promotional support. During 2007 our extensive coverage of how and why Lake Stevens was selected as one of three locations for a new University of Washington campus earned the Lake Stevens Journal a third place Community Service Award.”

“As Publisher I’m proud of my Editor, reporters, staff, contributing writers and photographers who worked tirelessly to provide our community with the most current local news about the Lake Stevens University of Washington Campus,” she said.

Shane Kantzer was given four awards for his creativity in advertising and for the 2007 Aquafest Guide, which received a Special Sections award.

Kevin Hulten received a second place award for his Off the Record column and Sports Photographer Rob Carlson also received a second place award for his outstanding sports photos.

The WNPA has 121 community newspaper members and this year had over 2,300 entries in their Better Newspaper Contest.

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