The British Columbia and Yukon Community Newspapers Association (BCYCNA) held their annual community newspaper awards ceremony on April 14 in Richmond.
The BCYCNA has been hosting an annual awards event for 90 years. The popular awards celebrate all aspects of newspaper production, including publishing, reporting, editing, advertising, photography, community contribution and website design.
This year’s event saw the Keremeos Review make the finalist’s list in the investigative journalism category.
Reporter/Editor Steve Arstad represented the newspaper for his nomination for the “John Collison Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism.” Arstad was selected for a submission of a series of articles that described issues affecting migrant Mexican farm labourers in the Similkameen, taking third place honours in the event.
“This was an interesting series of articles, the rest of the Review staff congratulate Steve on a job well done,” said Review Associate Publisher Tammy Sparkes.
Jeff Nagel, Regional reporter for the Surrey News Leader, won first place for his series of articles on the B.C. justice system, while Aaron Orlando of the Revelstoke Times Review took second place for his series on forestry workers’ poor living conditions.
All three finalists write for newspapers in the Black Press group.
This is the third Ma Murray award for the Keremeos Review, and the paper's first journalism award. In 2006, the paper took third place for “Special Section Award, circulation under 10,000” for their tourist guide publication, and in 2008 the paper placed second in the “Black and White Photo Award, circulation under 30,000.”
Regionally, Black Press’ Penticton Western News photographer Mark Brett placed third in the “EA Sports - Sports Photo Award, Over 25,000.”
Mark Walker, Group Publisher for Black Press’ South Okanagan and Similkameen newspapers, also expressed congratulations to the two regional finalists.