The Wrangell Sentinel received four awards in this year’s Alaska Press Club contest, including third place for best weekly newspaper in the state.
The Nome Nugget was judged the best weekly in the state.
The awards were announced April 30, based on work in 2021.
Sentinel reporter Sarah Aslam won second place among small newspapers in the best short feature story category for her Oct. 21, 2021, reporting, “Tlingit culture, language lives on through heritage learners.” The judges described it as “an important story told with heart and purpose.”
Sentinel editor Marc Lutz took third place among small newspapers in the best profile category for his story about Brad Traxler, the Wrangell Seventh-day Adventist Church pastor who has recovered from injuries to become an ultra-marathon runner. The news story of Sept. 9, 2021, was titled: “Pastor credits strong spiritual walk for running after being quadriplegic.”
The judges commented: “Strong piece. Compelling lede. … It tells the story of a man who beat the odds without veering into sentimentality. Detailed without being overwhelming or dry. Insurance … company angle was wisely placed and very effective for context.”
Sentinel publisher Larry Persily took second place for humor writing in the state for his Nov. 21, 2021, column, “Supply chain makes me nutty,” a look at the shortage of Grape Nuts. The judges commented: “The hunt for his Grape Nuts cereal during pandemic shortages is something we all can relate to, but we may not tell the saga with this humor.”
Reader Comments(0)