First Place, Best Investigative Reporting
California Newspaper Publishers Association, 2014
Best investigative work as one of three reporters who in 2013 reported a five-part Wine & Water series documenting groundwater trouble in northern San Luis Obispo County and how wineries played a part. Tonya Strickland wrote about one city’s push for development at the start of the water crisis.
President’s Award for Journalism Excellence
McClatchy Co., 2014
McClatchy Co. President’s Award for the 2013 Wine & Water series. The annual competition covers community journalism among the company’s portfolio of newspapers nationwide.
First Place, Excellence in Print
19th Annual California Journalism Awards, 2014
The 2013 Wine & Water series was also honored by the Center for California Studies at California State University, Sacramento and the Sacramento Press Club.
Second Place, Best Writing
California Newspaper Publishers Association, 2014
Best writing finalist for a feature story about a local woman’s reunion with the daughter she gave up for adoption during World War II.
Second Place, Best Local Government Coverage
California Newspaper Publishers Association, 2013
Second place in local government coverage for a series of articles on a small-town police chief scandal that included work with another reporter.