The Observer, along with the EO Media Group’s other Eastern Oregon newspapers, won more than three dozen awards in the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspaper Contest.
The ONPA held its annual convention July 18-19 in Redmond, where it announced contest winners.
The contest separates newspapers into groups based on factors such as frequency of print publication and circulation. And there are a range of categories for entries, from business reporting to lifestyle features to sports photography. Newspapers in a different state judge the contest and pick the winners.
I’ve judged contests from other states before, and I can tell you that it can be a tough assignment, so I’m grateful to those journalists elsewhere who took the time to judge the Oregon contest.
ONPA awards for The Observer include:
• Best editorial page.
• Two awards for reporter Isabella Crowley: A first-place citation for her riveting story about a La Grande man who survived an encounter with a bear, and a second-place nod for a photo essay.
• A second-place award for best page-one design.
• And a second-place nod for best local column for former publisher Karrine Brogoitti.
Of course, we don’t produce our journalism to win awards — we do the work to serve our readers and our communities. But it’s nice from time to time to get some outside recognition for our work.
And it’s nice to be part of a group of newspapers in Eastern Oregon that all are working hard to produce the best journalism we possibly can. Our communities should expect nothing less.
In that spirit, Observer reporters are working on a batch of big stories that you’ll see in the next few weeks:
• Our intern, Ellie Graham (more about her next week), is working on a story about the long-term health effects of exposure to wildfire smoke, an increasingly common feature of Eastern Oregon summers — and what you can do to lessen the risks.
• Crowley is working on a story about a proposal that has garnered some criticism about accessory dwelling units in the county.
• Efforts to build a 63-mile “rail with trail” between Elgin and Joseph are getting some pushback from landowners; we’ll explain why.
• And, of course, we’re keeping our eye on the fast-moving wildfire situation in Union County and Eastern Oregon.
If you have other story ideas or comments about the Observer, you can reach me at editor@lagrandeobserver.com. (And if you have story ideas, questions, comments or suggestions about anything else in the printed edition of the East Oregonian, feel free to send me an email at the same address. I might not be able to get back to you immediately, but I try to respond to every email.)
In the meantime, remember that your digital subscription access has been expanded, at no additional cost to you, to include all of EO Media’s other Eastern Oregon websites, including the Chieftain, the East Oregonian, the Hermiston Herald, the Baker City Herald and the Blue Mountain Eagle.
For all digital access:
• Simply register your account on every site you wish to read with the same email address and password you currently use.
• Once you’ve registered, enter your username and password to enjoy the full range of content on that news site.
• You should not have to login again unless you log out, clear history or experience software updates.
• Save your password when prompted by your browser and if you are inadvertently logged out, your browser can fill in your login and password for you. (Only use this option on your personal digital devices.)
To view the latest e-editions, be sure to register your account and sign in to www.eastoregonian.com.
Sign up for e-newsletters from each website by going to the “Email lists” link on your account dashboard for each site.
If you have any questions or need assistance, contact us at 800-781-3214 or email support@eomediagroup.com.
If you haven’t already, this is a good time to take a moment to register your subscription for digital access of The Observer. Call 800-781-3214 to talk to one of our customer service staff members, who will be happy to walk you through the process. It’s easy, takes just a few moments to get set up and allows you to take advantage of our e-edition, app and website delivery along with your print subscription. (The online edition also features a big selection of puzzles available only to subscribers.)
And let me clue you in on a new feature on our website that should help subscribers who are experiencing problems logging in. On the right side of the top navigation bar, you’ll see a “?” Click on it, and you’ll go to our new Help Center, designed specifically to help subscribers who are experiencing problems logging in. Log-in problems are a pain, and we’re hoping this feature helps you if you experience those.
Finally, let me take this opportunity to once again thank the Observer’s subscribers: It would be impossible for us to do this vital work without your support.
Mike McInally is the associate editor of the Observer and the editor of the Wallowa County Chieftain. You can email him at editor@lagrandeobserver.com.
