Street Roots writers Mara Grunbaum, Tye Doudy and Joanne Zuhl took home honors from the Oregon and Southwest Washington Society of Professional Journalists May 30. The event honors journalistic achievements of 2008.
Mara Grunbaum received the second place award in the News Feature category for “Rest in peace, and dignity,” a report on work to preserve the memory of Hawthorne Asylum patients buried in unmarked graves in Lone Fir Cemetery. The package of stories not only looked at the memory of the Hawthorne Asylum, but also society's changing view of mental illness.
Tye Doudy was awarded second place for general columns for his highly personal series of columns called “Addicts Almanac.” The seven-part series gave Portlanders an eye-opening tour of their city through the life of a heroin addict.
Joanne Zuhl received third place honors for social issues reporting for her piece “In need of a New Deal,” a report on the obstacles facing affordable housing developers following the economic collapse. The report was part of a Special Edition of Street Roots that navigated the maze of affordable housing.
Congratulations to all the winners!
Street Roots, a nonprofit newspaper, competed in the non-daily category for papers with 8,000 circulation or less.