The Washington Newspaper Publishers Association announced its winners for the 2016 Washington Better Newspaper Contest at the 129th annual convention in Wenatchee, Washington. The Islands’ Sounder and Journal of the San Juans took home 44 awards including general excellence.

The annual contest recognizes excellence in editorial, advertising, photography, special sections, online work and service to communities by members of WNPA. This year, the entries were judged by the New York Press Association.

• General excellence, first place, group one: Journal of the San Juans
• General excellence, third place, group one: Islands’ Sounder
• Feature writer of the year, second place, group one and two: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• Both papers won the following awards for special sections:
• First place for community guide, Weddings in the San Juans: Mandi Johnson, Cali Bagby, Shane Watson, Colleen Smith Armstrong
• Second place for community guide, The Book of the San Juan Islands: Mandi Johnson, Cali Bagby, Shane Watson, Colleen Smith Armstrong
• Third place for community guide, Springtide Visitors Guide: Mandi Johnson, Cali Bagby, Shane Watson, Colleen Smith Armstrong, Heather Spaulding
• Third place for special section cover Health and Wellness: Johanna Buxton
• First place for special section cover Home and Garden: Johanna Buxton

Islands’ Sounder awards

• First place, color portrait for “Mother-daughter Halloween duo”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• Third place, color portrait for “Community gardening for all ages”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• First place, color sports photo for “Viking defends the ball”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• First place, color sports photo feature for “Cheerleader in training”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• First place, non-tourism special section, “Women in Business”: Colleen Smith Armstrong and Meredith Griffith
• First place, health or medical story, “Lyme in the islands?”: Cali Bagby
• Second place, front page design, June 10, 2015: Colleen Smith Armstrong and Cali Bagby
• Second place, Comprehensive coverage of a single issue, “Foster care in the San Juans”: Colleen Smith Armstrong, Mandi Johnson, Courtney Oldwyn
• Second place, story on the arts, “We are all wild and precious”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• First place, lifestyle feature story, “Building Jordan a set of wheels”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• Third place, lifestyle feature story, “A semester at sea”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• Second place, business story, “Giving the gift of healing touch”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• Third place, feature story – short, “Canela, the wonder dog”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• First place, editorial, “Accept I-502 into our communities”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• Third place, editorial, “When a teacher crosses the line”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• First place, environmental story, “What’s next for Dolphin Bay Road?”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• Third place, crime and court story, “Orcas High School teacher charged with sexual misconduct”: Colleen Smith Armstrong
• Second place, news story – short, “Suspect in Wednesday’s hit and run in custody”: Cali Bagby

Journal of the San Juans awards

• Second place, health and medical story, “Death is no longer hush hush”: Leslie Kelly
• Third place, health and medical story, “The holiday season, grief and loss”: Leslie Kelly
• Second place, education story, “Students discover good news about pollutants”: Leslie Kelly
• Third place, front page design, Sept. 30, 2015: Cali Bagby
• First place, feature page design, “Shakespeare”: Kat Sherman
• Second place, feature page design, “Seal”: Kat Sherman and Cali Bagby
• Third place, feature page design, “Lavender scones”: Kat Sherman
• First place, sports feature, “Punching like a girl”: Courtney Oldwyn
• Third place, education story, “Little Vet School – Big Dreams”: Courtney Oldwyn
• Third place, story on the arts, “Ai Wei Wei”: Heather Spaulding
• First place, personality profile – short, “Vouri 20 years”: Heather Spaulding
• Second place, personality profile – short, “Priest with spirit”: Anna V. Smith
• Second place, lifestyle feature, “Inside Passage”: Emily Greenberg
• First place, feature story – short, “A powerful love”: Cali Bagby
• Second place, editorial, “Ferries should support local riders”: Cali Bagby
• Third place, environmental, “Trash talk”: Heather Spaulding
• Second place, business feature, “Canaan the wonder dog”: Anna V. Smith
• First place, advertising, use of process color smaller than ½ page, “The Place”: Shane Watson