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CDN takes home 10 awards from first month of publication

Photo, design, sports, news, features among wins

Ukrainian-American children stand on the Peace Arch with various signs of support for Ukraine.
Ukrainian-American children stand on the Peace Arch with signs of support for Ukraine on Feb. 27. The photo won first place in the General News Photo category of the Washington Newspaper Association 2022 Better Newspaper Contest. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)

Cascadia Daily News took home 10 awards from the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association 2022 Better Newspaper Contest, with only material published in March 2022 eligible for entry. 

The contest evaluated content published in print between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022, organizing the awards into four groups based on a publication’s circulation. 

CDN printed its first edition on March 2, 2022, meaning just 29 days of content could be submitted to the contest. Categories ranged from design to news and sports coverage to photography, and, this year, submissions were adjudicated by the South Dakota Press Association.

“As a new organization, it’s an honor to be recognized by our peers for a broad range of our work. It inspires us to keep evolving and improving the way we serve our community,” CDN Executive Editor Ron Judd said.

Michelle “Dita Von Teeth” Townsdin, left, tries to break through blockers.
Jammer Michelle “Dita Von Teeth” Townsdin tries to break through blockers, from left, Allison “Not Today, Satan” Sowder, Erin “Oliver Klozoff” Stockhausen and Brianna “Brink” Palma-Lopez who block the pathway during a Roller Betties practice at the Lynden Skateway on March 15. This photo was part of an Online Photo Essay that took home first place in the 2022 Better Newspaper Contest. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)

Digital editor Jaya Flanary placed first in the Business Feature category for “Jack’s BBQ opens on State Street” and the Sports Page Design category for “One step from the top”; and photojournalist/education reporter Hailey Hoffman placed first in the Online Photo Essay category for “The Betties are breaking hearts and body parts” and first in the General News Photo category “Ukrainian-American children at the Peace Arch.”

Ed Hunt leans against his RV on Cornwall Avenue.
Ed Hunt stands outside his RV on Cornwall Avenue on March 16. The photo won second place in the Color Portrait Photo category in the contest. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)

Government reporter Ralph Schwartz placed second in the News Story, Long category for “No easy fixes to Bellingham’s car-theft problem”; former intern Kai Uyehara placed second in the Social Issue Story category for “72-hour parking lot rule hits home to homeless”; Hoffman placed second for the Color Portrait Photo category for “72-hour parking lot rule hits home to homeless”; and former sports reporter Hailey Palmer placed second in the Sports News Story category for “Stump’s jumper steals state title.”

Hoffman placed third in the General News Photo category for “Washington bulb company workers unionize”; and environmental reporter Julia Lerner placed third in the Business News Story category for “Intalco restart hampered by federal statutes.”

Newly joined sports editor Connor J. Benintendi and summer and fall intern Nolan Baker each earned awards for work completed at other local publications. Benintendi earned third place in Sportswriter of the Year; first place in the Sports Feature category for “A surreal experience” (Lynden Tribune); second place in the Sports Page Design category for “Triple Crown Town” (Lynden Tribune) and second place in the Sports Feature category for “Lynden says goodbye to Jerry Kok” (Lynden Tribune). 

Baker earned third place in the Environmental Story category for “Nooksack River adjudication is likely” (The Northern Light). 


Several Whatcom County papers took home significant awards including the Lynden Tribune (third-place General Excellence), and The Northern Light (first-place Ad of the Year). 

Judd said CDN has an exciting year ahead of it. 

“In the coming year, we’re expanding our staff and focus to produce even more purely local enterprise news, features and visuals,” he said. 

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