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KUOW Recognized with 10 NW Excellence in Journalism Awards

May 19, 2020

Seattle, WA -- KUOW journalists have won four first place NW Excellence in Journalism Awards, along with six runner up awards. The Society of Professional Journalists' (SPJ) Western Washington and Oregon chapters announced the full list of winners on May 18.

According to SJP, judges narrowed roughly 1,300 entries down to 250 winners, recognizing reporters, photographers, designers, editors and more throughout Washington and Oregon, as well as Alaska, Idaho and Montana.

Below, we've shared KUOW's winning stories. KUOW Journalists were recognized in the photo essay, photo portfolio, investigative reporting, crime and justice reporting, environmental and natural disaster reporting, feature reporting (soft news), government and politics reporting, and health and science reporting categories.

PHOTO ESSAY (Writing, Photo & Design, Large Newsroom)

First place

“Life after a hate crime: the recovery of DaShawn Horne”

Reporter: Megan Farmer

Editors: Sydney Brownstone, Isolde Raftery

caption: DaShawn Horne rests in his new bedroom on the first floor shortly after arriving home from spending 103 nights at Harborview Medical Center, on Thursday, May 3, 2018, at his home in Auburn.
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DaShawn Horne rests in his new bedroom on the first floor shortly after arriving home from spending 103 nights at Harborview Medical Center, on Thursday, May 3, 2018, at his home in Auburn.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer


PHOTO PORTFOLIO (Writing, Photo & Design, Small Newsroom)

Runner Up

Megan Farmer, KUOW Photojournalist

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING (Writing, Photo & Design, Medium Newsroom)

Runner Up

“Serial rapists targeted women on Aurora, this woman got justice”

Reporter: Kate Walters

Editor: Isolde Raftery

caption: Robin Curtis in her room at a downtown Seattle shelter on Friday, November 15, 2019. Curtis was attacked by a serial rapist two years ago. She testified against him in court this fall.
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Robin Curtis in her room at a downtown Seattle shelter on Friday, November 15, 2019. Curtis was attacked by a serial rapist two years ago. She testified against him in court this fall.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer


LARGE NEWSROOMS CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTING (Audio, Large Newsroom)

First Place

“She called 911 and said she was suicidal. Then she was charged with a crime”

Reporter: Patricia Murphy

Editor: Liz Jones

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL DISASTER REPORTING (Audio, Large Newsroom)

First Place

“Got time? You can avoid 'flygskam' (Swedish for flight shame)”

Reporter: John Ryan

Editor: Liz Jones


Runner Up

“Seattle is really good at recycling. Maybe a little too good”

Reporter: Anna Boiko-Weyrauch

Editor: Gil Aegerter

caption: A large pile of recyclables forms where arriving trucks dump the materials before they are sorted on Friday, October 26, 2018, at Cascade Recycling Center in Woodinville.
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A large pile of recyclables forms where arriving trucks dump the materials before they are sorted on Friday, October 26, 2018, at Cascade Recycling Center in Woodinville.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer


FEATURE REPORTING, SOFT NEWS (Audio, Large Newsroom)

Runner Up

“It’s carpool karaoke (and free Tylenol) with this Seattle night driver”

Reporter: Casey Martin

Editor: Liz Jones

caption: Melinda Miner drives for Uber on Tuesday, September 10, 2019. She's been driving the night shift for four years, hitting the road at 11 p.m. and driving until 6 or 7 a.m. Miner drives for both Uber and Lyft.
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Melinda Miner drives for Uber on Tuesday, September 10, 2019. She's been driving the night shift for four years, hitting the road at 11 p.m. and driving until 6 or 7 a.m. Miner drives for both Uber and Lyft.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer


GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS REPORTING Audio, Large Newsroom

First Place

“A toilet is your face.' Seattle ponders the perfect public pissoir”

Reporter: Anna Boiko-Weyrauch

Editor: Gil Aegerter

HEATH AND SCIENCE REPORTING (Audio, Large Newsroom)

Runner Up

“Russian social media fuels vaccine anxiety as measles spreads in Washington state”

Reporter: David Hyde

Editor: Gil Aegerter

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING Audio, Large Newsroom

Runner Up

“White kids usually get the most recess in Seattle. Black kids, the least”

Reporter: Ann Dornfeld

Editor: Liz Jones