Seven Days took home five first-place awards at the recent Association of Alternative Newsmedia conference in Madison, Wisc. — more than any other paper in the competition. Publisher Paula Routly also won the Publisher of the Year award. Congratulations to our talented and hard-working staffers! And thank you to AAN, and to all of the advertisers, donors and foundations who power our journalism. We couldn’t have done this without you.
Publisher of the Year
Paula Routly
Read more about the award in the July 16 “From the Deputy Publisher” column.
1st Place Winners
News Story – Long Form
AAN Excellence in Journalism Award
“The Fight for Decker Towers: Drug users and homeless people have overrun a low‑income high‑rise. Residents are gearing up to evict them.” by Derek Brouwer
Judge’s comment: “A courageous effort to tell the inside story of a desperate situation many people I’m sure would like to ignore. Your level of detail and connection with residents/visitors brought me inside. It’s a great example of public service journalism.”
Arts Feature — Long Form
“Amid a Volatile Industry, Burlington May Lose Its Only Cinema” by Mary Ann Lickteig
Judge’s comment: “I appreciated the balance between telling individual stories and the greater story of the decline of theaters as a whole. You gave beautiful visual descriptions of the theaters’ interiors and really told the stories of the individual proprietors’ struggles. I was engaged start to finish.”
Arts Feature – Shorter Form
“A Look Inside Christine Farrell’s Rare Comics Collection” by Chris Farnsworth
Judge’s comment: “I felt a tinge of sadness to hear that the collection she never wanted to sell would be sold off, but I felt happy that it was being admired and appreciated. And I kept thinking about the story after I’d read it — a sign that it (much like Farrell and her collection) made a mark.”
Illustration
“Welcome to the Fabulous Las Daysies” by Sean Metcalf for Seven Days
Judge’s comment: “This entry was just heads and tails above the competition! Each illustration made me smile. The compositions with the side view silhouettes are so strong. The colors are so fun. The illustration style is so developed and compelling. They have such a sense of humor. Well done.”
Find all of the winners, including Seven Days’ second and third place finishers and honorable mentions, at aan.org.
