Fort Worth, Texas (July 17, 2020)— Morris Equine Group announced today its agreement to acquire the West Coast Barrel Racing Association (WCBRA). Based in Paso Robles, CA, WCBRA is the largest barrel racing association on the West Coast with more than 600 prime-sanctioned races and a massive payout Finals each year.

“The opportunity to serve the many people who participate in barrel racing has been a joy for the Morris family for 22 years,” said William S. Morris III, founder of the National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA).

“Therefore, it makes it very special to have the opportunity to acquire the West Coast Barrel Racing Association. It will be a great marriage that stretches from coast to coast.”

“We are honored to have Bailey Nahrgang join the Morris Equine Group as Director of Barrel Racing.”

“As we all know, she is competent and enthusiastic about barrel racing. We look forward to joining her and the many members of the West Coast Barrel Racing Association to manage and develop this great sport,” said Morris.

“With NBHA and WCBRA, we now serve two strong sets of memberships coast to coast,” said Bailey Nahrgang, WCBRA’s owner. “By simultaneously managing the two associations and their finals to complement each other, we can continue to be innovative, host world-class productions, and provide opportunities to compete for life-changing payouts.”

In her new role as Director of Barrel Racing, Nahrgang will continue to oversee the operations of the WCBRA, as well as play a vital role in the National Barrel Horse Association.

About Morris Equine Group

Horse enthusiasts worldwide depend on the Morris Equine Group as a reliable source of news, information, and education from its collection of titles, including Western Horseman, Quarter Horse News and Barrel Horse News. Additional titles include the stallion resource guides Quarter Horse News Stallion Register and Barrel Horse News Stallion Register. The MMN Equine Group is also home to Equi-Stat, a statistical service offering earnings for a variety of performance horse disciplines. Topping off its commitment to the equine industry, the Morris Equine Group owns and manages the National Barrel Horse Association, the largest barrel racing organization in the world. NBHA has over 20,000 members of all ages across the United States and affiliates in twelve countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Spain, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

About the West Coast Barrel Racing Association

The West Coast Barrel Racing Association is represented in California, Arizona, Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada with the help of more than 60 individual producers hosting more than 600 WCBRA prime-sanctioned events. The WCBRA’s mission is to work for the benefit of barrel racers of all ages and skill levels as well as participating West Coast producers. For more information, visit��westcoastbarrelracing.com.

Fans at Road to the Horse 2019 were treated to an unbelievable display of both sportsmanship and horsemanship when past Road to the Horse World Champions Nick Dowers and Vicki Wilson went head to head for the 2019 World Championship of Colt Starting title at the Kentucky Horse Park on March 22–24, 2019. Nevada horseman and cow horse trainer Nick Dowers narrowly defeated New Zealand show jumper Vicki Wilson to claim the title and the $100,000 winner’s purse in a close finish that came down to the final round.

In addition to the overall title, Dowers was awarded the Jack Brainard Horsemanship Award for his outstanding ability to observe, analyze, and apply horsemanship methods that are best suited to each individual colt’s personality.

Road to the Horse 2019 also hosted the Wild Card competition in which Wild Card competitors selected and started a Four Sixes Ranch 3-year old gelding, along with the main competitors, in the traditional Road to the Horse format. Road to the Horse 2019 Wild Card competitor Wade Black reserved his spot as a main competitor at Road to the Horse 2020 by claiming the Road to the Horse 2019 Wild Card Championship, against fellow Wild Cards Ben Baldus and Booger Brown.

During Road to the Horse 2019, Craig Cameron was proud to announce the inclusion of his son, Cole Cameron, in the Road to the Horse 2020 Wild Card competition. Cole will be joined by another Wild Card who will be selected from the list of Mustang Heritage Foundation trainers who are competing in a 2019 or 2020 Extreme Mustang Makeover competition. The third Road to the Horse 2020 Wild Card competitor has yet to be announced.��

“Dowers and Wilson proved exactly why they are both past Road to the Horse World Champions,” stated��Western Horseman��Publisher Ernie King. “Both the competitors and the Wild Cards demonstrated exceptional levels of horsemanship, and this was reflected in the closeness of the scores throughout the entire event. It was an unbelievable privilege to watch these master colt starters form partnerships with their Four Sixes Ranch colts.”

�鶹AV, LLC,parent company to��Western Horseman, is excited to����from event founder Tootie Bland, who sold the event to the media company last year. Tootie Bland’s dedication and boundless creativity will be greatly missed, but Morris is eager to build on and expand the reach of Road to the Horse, staying true to the fundamental horsemanship principles of the event.

“I want to thank the founder of Road to the Horse, Tootie Bland, for her tremendous work and creativity with this incredible event.�� She and her husband made it happen” states William S. Morris, III, Chairman of �鶹AV, LLC. “The Morris Family will carry on this tradition with the same passion and commitment to entertain and educate the fundamentals of horsemanship principles.”

Road��to the Horse 2020 will take place at the Kentucky Horse Park on March 19–22, 2020.��Road��to the Horse 2020 tickets��are��available online at����or by calling 800-514-3849. Learn more about Road to the Horse at��. Follow����on Facebook for the latest information.

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About Road to the Horse��(March 19–22, 2020 — Lexington, Kentucky):

Founded in 2003, Road to the Horse strives to entertain and educate fans in the art of natural horsemanship. Road to the Horse challenges the world’s best equestrians to build a partnership with an untrained 3-year-old American Quarter Horse, across three intense days of competition. Fans witness the entire journey, from colt selection, to the final obstacle challenge. Only one competitor will earn the $100,000 purse and the World Championship of Colt Starting title. Purchase tickets and learn more at��www.RoadtotheHorse.com.����

About �鶹AV, LLC

Morris is home to the world’s premier media brands focused on original, expert-driven content delivered across the globe in print and digital formats on topics including travel, outdoors, local interest, western and equine. With a history and heritage in publishing dating back to 1785, the company today delivers stand-out magazines, mobile apps, specialty websites, trusted guidebooks and travel maps.

Morris’ Equine Group consists of some of the industry’s most recognized equine publications, including Western Horseman, Quarter Horse News, Barrel Horse News and Equine Journal. The group also includes the equine portal site HorseCity.com and business-to-business publication, Western Lifestyle Retailer, and is home to Equistat, a statistical service offering detailed information and earnings for a variety of disciplines within the performance horse industry.

AUGUSTA, Ga. and PUEBLO, Colo. (March 20, 2019) — Morris Magazines, LLC, a leading global media company, and Professional Bull Riders today announced a multi-year media rights representation agreement for��Road to the Horse: World Championship of Colt Starting.

Under the agreement, PBR will represent the rights to the company’s signature equestrian competition and stream the annual event on RidePass, its leading western digital network. Additionally, PBR will develop international TV distribution and original content strategies for Road to the Horse in partnership with corporate parent Endeavor and �鶹AV, LLC.��

“�鶹AV is pleased to present the World Championship of Colt Starting to the thousands of folks around the world who will be unable to personally attend this wonderful event in Lexington, Kentucky,” states William S. Morris, III, Chairman of �鶹AV, LLC. “This partnership with RidePass will allow those viewers the opportunity to enjoy the head-to-head competition between Vicki Wilson and Nick Dowers in the 2019 Road to the Horse as well as the opportunity to watch Ben Baldus, Wade Black and Booger Brown compete for a spot in the 2020 World Championship. This marks the beginning of a relationship that will allow fans across the world to enjoy this incredible event.”

At Road to the Horse, the world’s best equestrians are challenged to build a partnership with an untouched three-year-old American Quarter Horse across three intense days of competition. Fans witness the entire journey, from colt selection to the final obstacle challenge. One competitor earns a $100,000 purse and the World Championship of Colt Starting title.

All rounds of competition will stream live on RidePass from March 22–24 from Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. For the first time, two past Road to the Horse Champions will battle head-to-head for the 2019 World Championship of Colt Starting. International showjumping sensation and two-time Road to the Horse World Champion Vicki Wilson will meet Road to the Horse 2016 World Champion and National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion Nick Dowers to vie for the title.

Fans will also witness the Wild Card competition featuring Ben Baldus, Wade Black and Booger Brown—known for his starring role in��The Cowboy Way��on INSP network—competing for a spot in the 2020 World Championship.

Full coverage of Road to the Horse is available through a RidePass Annual Membership or Pay-Per-View purchase at��.

“PBR is thrilled to partner with �鶹AV to bring Road to the Horse to fans around the world on RidePass while growing the event��through international TV distribution and original content development,” PBR CEO Sean Gleason said. “The World Championship of Colt Starting bolsters RidePass’ offering as the best equine and western sports network in the world.”

The agreement with Morris Magazines, LLC, represents PBR’s eighth significant media rights representation agreement for events carried on RidePass as well as offered to broadcast and cable outlets, including Calgary Stampede; Days of ’47 Cowboy Games & Rodeo; Indian National Finals Rodeo; National High School Rodeo Association; United States Team Roping Championship; World Champions Rodeo Alliance; and World Series of Team Roping.

About �鶹AV, LLC

�鶹AV, LLC, is home to the world’s premier media brands focused on original, expert-driven content delivered across the globe in print and digital formats on topics including travel, outdoors, local interest, western and equine. With a history and heritage in publishing dating back to 1785, the company today delivers stand-out magazines, mobile apps, specialty websites, trusted guidebooks and always-in-their-pocket travel maps.

The Morris Media Network Equine Group consists of some of the industry’s most recognized equine publications, including��Western Horseman,��Quarter Horse News,��Barrel Horse News�����Ի���Equine Journal. The group also includes the equine portal site����and business-to-business publication,��Western Lifestyle Retailer, and is home to Equistat, a statistical service offering detailed information and earnings for a variety of disciplines within the performance horse industry.

About RidePass

RidePass is the leading western sports digital streaming network featuring more than 125 annual live western sports and PBR events across the globe, as well as original series, news, highlights and rider interviews. Since launching in February 2018, RidePass has carried over 500 hours of western sports programming. In the digital network’s first year, fans watched more than 42 million minutes of live and on-demand content from 93 countries.

About Professional Bull Riders

The world’s premier bull riding organization began as a dream of 20 bull riders 26 years ago and now competes in five countries. On its elite tour, the organization features the top 35 bull riders in the world and the top bulls in the business. The televised PBR Unleash the Beast tour, along with the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (RVT), the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD) and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico have paid more than $184 million in earnings to athletes. Thirty bull riders have earned more than $1 million, including two-time PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney who has become the top-earning athlete in Western sports history with more than $7.3 million in career earnings. PBR is part of the Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG) network. For more information on the PBR, go to��, or follow on Facebook at��/PBR, Twitter at��/PBR, and YouTube at��/PBR.

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HONOLULU (October 23, 2017) — RHC Property Holdings LLC has awarded Morris Media Network (MMN) with a three-year contract to publish R Magazine, Royal Hawaiian Center’s official publication. The Center, located on three city blocks of Kalakaua Avenue, is the premier shopping, dining, entertainment and cultural destination in Waikiki. Standing upon a parcel of land known as Helumoa, Hawaiian culture is celebrated daily with a variety of complimentary cultural-arts activities and live entertainment featuring Hawaiian music and hula performances.

“The MMN team provided a very strong and well-organized presentation,” says Helene “Sam” Shenkus, the Center’s vice president and director of marketing. “We are very grateful for their commitment to being a stakeholder and active partner with Royal Hawaiian Center in the publishing of R Magazine and we look forward to working together.”

R Magazine is an award-winning glossy quarterly publication, which focuses on the Center’s fashion, culture and cuisine. Morris’ winning proposal offers an integrative multimedia strategy that will include print, digital and video, bringing the pages of the magazine to a new dimension.

“We are thrilled to continue our long-standing relationship with Royal Hawaiian Center,” says MMN group publisher William “Buddy” Moore. “The creative and comprehensive MMN vision for R Magazine will give the Center and its merchants more national and international exposure.”

About Morris Media Network

Morris Media Network is home to the world’s premier media brands, including Where. We’re driven to produce original, expert-driven content on topics about which we’re passionate: travel, outdoors, women’s lifestyle, local interest, western and equine. You’ll find that award-winning content delivered across the globe in a powerful suite of print and digital brands.

Our history and heritage in publishing dates back to 1785, but our approach today is as fresh as ever as we deliver stand-out magazines, mobile apps, specialty websites, popular non-fiction books, trusted guidebooks and always-in-their-pocket travel maps.

AUGUSTA, GA – August 9, 2017– �鶹AV today announced that it is selling 11 of its daily and non-daily newspaper holdings, its Lubbock, Texas-based commercial printing operation and other related publications to GateHouse Media, Inc. The sale is part of the company’s strategic restructuring to focus its business on lifestyle and niche publications, broadband operations, property development and new business��and is expected to be finalized on October 2, 2017.

The daily newspapers offered in the sale include The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville); The St. Augustine (Fla.) Record; The Savannah (Ga.) Morning News; The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle; The Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald; Lubbock (Texas) Avalanche-Journal; Amarillo (Texas) Globe-News; the Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal; Log Cabin Democrat (Conway, Ark.); Juneau (Alaska) Empire; Peninsula Clarion (Kenai, Alaska); ���� and Homer (Alaska) News. The commercial printing operation is West Texas Printing.

William S. “Billy” Morris III, chairman of �鶹AV, will remain as publisher of The Augusta Chronicle and will oversee editorial-page policy for the three Morris newspapers in Georgia. Morris said, “Since 1929, the Morris family has had a great love and passion for journalism and the local communities that they serve. However, every newspaper company in America is battling trends and redirected advertising dollars, so it is necessary for newspapers to be part of a large newspaper group to build and maintain the necessary resources to compete. We are deeply grateful for the many friendships and business relationships we have enjoyed for these many years and look forward to the impact the next generation will make.”

As part of the restructuring, all Morris Publishing Group magazines will be managed under Morris Media Network. Derek May, formerly president of Morris Publishing Group, will take a new leadership role as the chief operating officer of the newly restructured company.

William S. Morris IV, president and CEO of �鶹AV, said, “As the company transitions to the 3rd generation of leadership, we are enthusiastic about our plans to diversify our business holdings with print and digital communications, broadband and real estate development. We have found a wonderful buyer for the newspapers in GateHouse, as they are strongly committed to providing good community coverage for readers and effective solutions for advertisers. We will work closely with the new owners for a smooth transition over the coming weeks.”

Moorgate Securities and Avondale Communications acted as financial advisors to Morris Publishing Group in connection with this transaction.

��About �鶹AV

�鶹AV, LLC is part of a privately held company with diversified holdings in media, Real Estate and property development and agriculture.�� Current media holdings include; daily newspapers, numerous non-daily and free community papers, magazines and specialized equine, sporting and lifestyle publications, visitor (travel and tourism) publications, and provides cable television, internet, broadband, and telephone services.

For more information, visit our website, www.morris.com

Follow us at:
@MorrisCommCo

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Contact:

Heather Nagel-Doughtie
Chief Marketing Officer
�鶹AV, LLC
706-823-3580 or heather.nagel@morris.com

�鶹AV today named Allen Grinalds director of Real Estate overseeing the development and optimization of the company’s Real Estate assets.

“Allen is a perfect fit to help us expand our growing real estate development and services division,” said William S. Morris IV, CEO of �鶹AV. “We’re very pleased to have someone of his caliber join us.”

Grinalds is the former vice president of leasing for Hull Property Group. During his tenure, he focused on management operations and acquisitions of mall portfolios, assisting with the redevelopment and renovation plans of newly acquired properties.

“I am thrilled to join Morris at an exciting and dynamic period for the company. Playing a role in the stewardship of Morris’s real estate holdings is a great honor,” said Grinalds. “Across the portfolio, value creation opportunities abound- for the community as well as the firm. I love creating win-win scenarios which are accretive for all parties.”

Grinalds will report to Bob Kuhar, vice president of properties and facilities for �鶹AV.

“Allen is an exceptional leader and extremely knowledgeable in the property development space,” said Kuhar. “He will be a fantastic addition to our team.”

Prior to his Real Estate career, Lt. Col. Grinalds was a decorated Marine Corps Officer and Naval aviator with combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Over his 20 year career he served in a variety of posts, including the Pentagon, as a “Top Gun” instructor, and a squadron commander.

Grinalds holds an MBA from Indiana University, an MS in Military Science from the United States Marine Corps University and a BS in Political Science from the United States Naval Academy. He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and holds a Global Supply Chain Management Masters Certificate from the University of North Carolina.

Tweet This:��Allen Grinalds Named Director of Real Estate of �鶹AV������

Congratulations to all the recipients of the 2017 Morris Journalism Excellence Awards.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

A (Large Market)
Topeka Capital-Journal
Twist of Fate

Judges Comments
The Capital-Journal brought all of its resources to bear and produced content for every platform — digital and print (including a glossy magazine) — also hosted a well-attended community event about the Topeka tornado. While the journalism was impressive, it was the level of engagement by the community that sets the entry apart. Just one example: nearly 100 personal stories from people of all walks of life, including a member of a legendary rock band (yes, named Kansas) whose haunting and humorous recollection of the night the tornado struck included this imagery of standing outside after the storm had passed his house: “The pieces of people’s lives were landing all around us.”

Excellent work and amazing commitment by the Capital-Journal staff.

Honorable Mention
Savannah Morning News
Hurricane Matthew

​Judges Comments
A major news event, such as a hurricane, provides a news staff with many challenges, but also a significant opportunity to connect and engage with readers. With more than 400 submitted photos, and some submitted videos, the Savannahnow.com coverage of the storm shows readers turned to the site to share and consume news.

B (Small Market)
No award.

DEADLINE REPORTING
A
Savannah Morning News
Hurricane Matthew coverage

​Judges Comments
Incredibly strong work covering the hurricane, from preparation for its arrival, coverage of it blowing through and, most thoroughly, coverage of the aftermath, people supporting each other, repairs beginning and some accountability work as well.

Honorable Mention
Robert Stein, Lauren Koski, Jon Mark Beilue and Michael Schumacher, Amarillo Globe-News
It Was ‘Mayhem’: Gunman killed, 2 hostages rescued in Walmart standoff

​Judges Comments
The three-story front-page package is a very powerful combination of reporting and writing that makes us eyewitnesses to a variety of scenes occurring simultaneously. In so doing, the reporters answered all the essential questions, including motive and chronology. Impressive.

B
Parish Howard, News and Farmer
Coverage of mid-air F-16 Jet collision

​Judges Comments
A magnificent one-man job of covering the collision of Air Force jets and the impact on the ground. Reporting and writing both extraordinary. This is a great example of a small newsroom that stepped up big to cover a breaking story from all angles.

Honorable Mention
Jonathan Vickery and Laura J. McKenzie, The People-Sentinel
Hurricane Matthew

​Judges Comments
Thorough and detailed coverage of hurricane aftermath with clear eye on community recovery and service.

WATCHDOG REPORTING

A
Christopher Hong, Nate Monroe and Steve Patterson, The Florida Times-Union
Corrine Brown investigation and indictment

​Judges Comments
The Times-Union investigation into now-former Rep. Brown shows dogged determination to uncover a tangled web of deceit and personal enrichment of the congresswoman and staff members. Reporters overcame the obstacles inherent in working on a story that was also the subject of a Justice Department investigation and pushed the story ahead of an eventual indictment. They also carefully portrayed the positive impact Rep. Brown had on the community, and the betrayal felt by longtime supporters. In the midst of the investigation, Rep. Brown lost a re-election bid after serving 12 terms. The early and full reporting undoubtedly had an impact on the election.

Thorough and relentless coverage of the bogus non-profit that brought down a well-known politician. A strong watchdog commitment throughout, digging into records and background to explain how the scam worked.

Honorable Mention
Savannah Morning News
Crime in Savannah

​Judges Comments
Good community-oriented journalism and strong explanatory reporting. The commitment to coverage of crime in Savannah, its roots and the actions devoted to it was extraordinary. A good mix of watchdog, accountability reporting and documenting the news.

B
James Brooks, Juneau Empire
Pumped up: The concealed truth behind gas prices

​Judges Comments
Very clear and readable accounting of why gas prices are high and slow to change in Juneau. Good example of demystifying an issue for readers.

Honorable Mention
Jake Martin, The St. Augustine Record
Strained relations with a powerful university

​Judges Comments
Relentless reporting on a complicated relationship between county extension and the University of Florida. Something only a local newspaper can do.

WRITING

A
Jan Biles, Topeka Capital-Journal
Life-changing broadcast
Caught in the twister
“The people elected me to do the job”

​Judges Comments
Great idea — recall the devastating tornado of 50 years ago by the way it changed lives. The recollections of these three story subjects give us memorable oral history.

Honorable Mentions
Jenel Few and Brittini Ray, Savannah Morning News
Terror trail

​Judges Comments
Really interesting story with some strong investigative work. Few and Ray went above and beyond the typical crime story to illustrate what went wrong, what could have been done better and the impact those mistakes had.

Matt Soergel, The Florida Times-Union
The mayor, Barbara Jean and the surfer

​Judges Comments
Soergel has the fine writer’s eye for detail and compassionate heart. With both, a homeless woman’s life is worthy of a full-length obit, a solitary surfer becomes talkative and an 82-year-old mayor becomes a vehicle to tell Jacksonville’s history.

Jon Mark Beilue, Amarillo Globe-News
The cost of Alzheimer’s Disease
“Rabbit” comes home

​Judges Comments
A sad story, well-written and informative. The storytelling is compelling and informative, seamlessly weaving subject narrative and statistical information.The “Rabbit” story showed the horrors of war, told with a vivid, yet gentle touch.

B
Jared Keever,�� The St. Augustine Record
Justice for Haley
Medals don’t mask pain of war

​Judges Comments
Results matter. The St. Augustine Record got results for deserving citizens because of Jared Keever’s skill at telling stories. The stories of Lorenzo Neely and Haley Nicole Smith demand sympathy, but are told without maudlin excess. We become journalists to make a difference, to make things a bit better for many. Jared Keever and the St. Augustine Record have done just that.

Honorable Mentions
Elizabeth Earl, Kenai Peninsula Clarion
“Above and beyond”

​Judges Comments
Earl has done well to turn what could have been a boring procedural government story into a tale worth telling.

Parish Howard, News and Farmer
Heart wood; Planting for oil; One wild river
Healing hunts; Alligator agent trapper; She felt led

​Judges Comments
Parish Howard has a rare gift: the ability to listen. That requires humility and a sincere interest in others. That interest persuades those he interviews to tell marvelous stories that reveal themselves. Howard managed to take what some might consider to be mundane or boring topics and make them interesting, informative and fun to read about.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

A
Savannah Morning News
Hurricane Matthew

​Judges Comments
The Morning News, through its print editions and digital presence on savannahnow.com, provided exemplary coverage of Hurricane Matthew and its impact on the region. No storm of this size is routine, but the staff went well beyond the routine coverage — with an emphasis on helping readers stay safe before, during and after the storm. Leadership made an exceptional effort to communicate clearly with readers about when and where to find coverage. Safety tips evolved into ideas for where to find a helping hand, or where to volunteer to help neighbors in need. And when residents of one particular low-income housing complex needed an advocate, the Morning News was there to speak for the voiceless, and to report and prompt stronger action to fix the situation. An excellent example of community service.

Honorable Mentions
Topeka Capital-Journal
Downtown Topeka by Building Blocks

​Judges Comments
The Capital-Journal tapped a rich vein of community pride with this special section. Smart, interesting way of showing change and providing the context that explains it.

Ellysa Gonzalez, Lucinda Holt, Gabriel Monte and Matt Dotra, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Aftermath of Winter Storm Goliath

​Judges Comments
Good community service, taking an issue and grabbing on to it and not letting go. The AJ forced some change by putting a spotlight on the issue.

B
The St. Augustine Record
Hurricane Matthew: All Hands on Deck

​Judges Comments
Immediate, comprehensive and useful coverage sustained for days by a small but dedicated staff. The staff of the Record proved up to the task of helping the community prepare, endure and recover from Hurricane Matthew. Through print, digital and social media channels, the Record staff provided the big picture coverage of the storm and its after-effects — but in particular focused on the nuts and bolts with updates and announcements readers find so essential to putting their lives back together.

COMMENTARY

A
Mark Woods, Florida Times-Union
Corrine delivers, but to whom?
Walking helps reinforce feelings of home
Heartfelt messages from locals more appreciated than Limbaugh’s blather

​Judges Comments
Reporter as well as writer, Woods conveys a sense of place, or a sense of outrage, by getting out of the office and showing as well as telling. His elegant writing demonstrates that persuasive writing does not require beating readers over the head with strident language.

Honorable Mention
Kevin Haskin, Topeka Capital-Journal
Dress code disrespectful
Colson should seek approval
Brownback plan failing

​Judges Comments
Well-phrased and framed arguments that make strong points. They way editorials should be.

B
Carol McLeod and Parish Howard. News and Farmer
A healthy appetite
The real question
When we are at our best

​Judges Comments
Love the plain-spoken nature of the News and Farmer editorials. Points are clearly made and stated and done so with efficiency.

Honorable Mentions
Kelly Sublett, Conway Log Cabin Democrat
Commentary

​Judges Comments
Very nice mix of personal anecdote and making larger points.

Carol McLeod and Parish Howard, News and Farmer
His name was Danny
We have to support what we have
Thank you, Larry

DIGITAL JOURNALISM

A
Matt Soergel, Derek Hembd and Phillip Heilman, The Florida Times-Union
Great fire of 1901

​Judges Comments
Terrific and readable package that utilizes nicely all the elements of digital media. Really well thought out.�� The video narration, quoting from the original 1901 breaking news story, was an inspired way to present historical photos. A lot of effort at multi-platform storytelling here and trying to meet the audience where they are, regardless of platform.

Honorable Mention
Topeka Capital-Journal
Twist of Fate website

​Judges Comments
This complete, creative report combined the power of print with the storytelling abilities of digital — photos, videos, interactives — to provide a deeply engaging work of community journalism. The staff proved up to the task of providing a compelling report on a seminal event in Topeka history. And the digital results (a half million page views and counting) were terrific.

B
No entries

SOCIAL MEDIA

A
Phillip Heilman, The Florida Times-Union
A retelling of the Great Fire of 1901.

​Judges Comments
This social media effort was well-conceived and well-executed, and served a broader community service goal of informing the community of a seminal event in Jacksonville history. Very clever and engaging way to tell the history of the Great Fire and to build interest over time.

An interesting idea and the photos are helpful to telling the story.

Honorable Mention
Topeka Capital-Journal
Kit-Kat craze

​Judges Comments
A fun example of the power of social media. A good idea, and it certainly carried. The kind of story that’s made for social media — light and easy to process.

B
Will Brown, St. Augustine Record
Which boys lax match should I cover on Friday night for @recordsports?
This is an important message from the #StAugustine Fire Department.
Chris Howard was $$$$ from 42 yards at the buzzer to help PV remain undefeated.

​Judges Comments
Will Brown of the St. Augustine Record demonstrate how a consistent effort on social media will build and engage audiences. Through regular posts, and by attaching media elements to posts, he grew his impressions by more than 60 percent compared to the prior year.

Honorable Mention
Jonathan Vickery and Laura J. McKenzie, The People-Sentinel
Using Facebook for breaking news and feedback

​Judges Comments
Solid use of Facebook to broaden audience.

GRAPHICS

A
Josh Rouse, Topeka Capital-Journal
Tax revenue shortfall: Troubling cycle

​Judges Comments
Mixing up the use of the typography, color, size and technique made for an effective, engaging presentation that goes beyond repackaging the facts. Nicely done.

Honorable Mention
Steve Nelson, Florida Times-Union
When crime happens
Dark money

​Judges Comments
An ambitious display. Particularly liked the pairing of the circular graphics plotting the time of day with the maps plotting the locations of the crimes.

B
James Brooks, Juneau Empire
A guide to (most of) the Alaska state budget

​Judges Comments
The hand-lettered effect on the headline is effective and engaging. Great attempt to make something as dry (and as large) as a state budget relatable.

Honorable Mention
James Brooks, Juneau Empire
A visual guide to the money behind Tuesday’s primary election

​Judges Comments
Good information, perhaps a bit overwhelming on the page. It feels a bit daunting and cluttered. I wonder if you had pared out the 15 unopposed races, to start with, to give more space to the contested races. Or, go with the top 3-4 races in terms of spending, send readers inside for the rest? Readers need us to edit our findings to help them understand what is most important. This starts down that path.

PHOTOGRAPHY

A
Lauren Koski, Amarillo Globe-News
Finding a Forever Family

​Judges Comments
The reader can’t help but share in this family’s utter joy thanks to this beautiful moment captured by Lauren. Awesome and uplifting.

Honorable Mention
Michael Schumacher, Amarillo Globe-News
Standing tall to the end

​Judges Comments
This image captures the intense grief and the sense of loss at a police officer’s funeral service. A powerful, deeply emotional moment.

B
Peter Willott, St. Augustine Record
Hurricane Matthew

​Judges Comments
Peter Willott’s superb photography documents the devastation that Hurricane Matthew inflicted upon Florida’s coastal regions, This collection of images from before, during and after the storm tell the tale in a most powerful way.

Honorable Mention
Christina Kelso, St. Augustine Record
After Matthew

​Judges Comments
Great photo of a hurricane victim dealing with the aftermath. Captures the devastation and the emotion beautifully. The T-shirt he’s wearing with the simple word “Alive” adds to the poignancy.

VIDEOGRAPHY

A
Heather Henley, Savannah Morning News
Walter at the 2016 Savannah Doggie Carnival

​Judges Comments
Aside from the wacky perspective, here’s what set this video apart: It doesn’t need narration or long minutes of dialog to tell the tale. The fact is today’s video consumers are watching video on their mobile devices with the volume turned off. (Look around the conference table at the next staff meeting.) Video that does NOT rely on extensive narration but instead uses text over video (or text over photos) will be more consumable and sharable.

Honorable Mentions
Bill Kirby, Mark Albertin and Noelle Wilder, Augusta Chronicle
Kirby’s Augusta

​Judges Comments
Bill Kirby’s Augusta is consistently enjoyable. These video romps in the Augusta Chronicle’s archives courtesy of Kirby give viewers interesting stories that are well documented and thorough, with an abundance of historical art.

Chris Neal, Topeka Capital-Journal
Relay for Life

​Judges Comments
Well-edited video, good use of family photos, B-roll alternating with stand-up video to help advance the story and break the monotony of a one-camera perspective interview. Her story touches an emotional chord that many viewers would be able to relate to.

B
Peter Willott, St. Augustine Record
Sentencing for a double murder

​Judges Comments
A raw, emotional video that puts the viewer in the courtroom. Would have been helped by some text over video to help explain who is speaking, explain what is being said, why it matters, but nonetheless, a nice job capturing an important moment.

Honorable Mention
Michael Penn, Juneau Empire
Coming ashore

​Judges Comments
Nice job of editing multiple camera angles and shots to capture the scene.

PAGE DESIGN

A
Jim Zahner, Savannah Morning News
Hurricane Matthew

​Judges Comments
Clean. High-impact. Good use of strong photography. ��Jim uses typography in a big and bold way, with sophisticated use of color for emphasis. Designs make clear the magnitude of the story for the community. When you have a huge story, you run with it, and that is done in a very smart way here.

Honorable Mention
Heather Henley, Savannah Morning News
Do Savannah

​Judges Comments
Three different design approaches for the weekly “things to do” features front. Heather’s work is impactful and well executed. She shows the good sense to follow the photography and let the art help guide her design. Clean, impactful. Color choices are bold but not frantic. Nice PhotoShop work, too.

B
Devin Long, The St. Augustine Record
Managing growth: Balancing act
After Matthew
Our wild, wild world of animals

​Judges Comments
Really love the way the infographics are incorporated into the design. It feels like an integrated package, not just plopped into the design. The data becomes the focal point of the page. The “After Matthew” page is bold and clean. Great use of the white space and simple but effective points of entry. Ditto with the wild animals page: Clean and simple, good use of the cutouts, not “in your face” or gimmicky. Well done!

Honorable mention
Christine Rodenbaugh: St. Augustine Record
Spanish Wine Festival
A mobile lifeline
Football Preview

​Judges Comments
Three very solid examples of feature/news feature design. Smart use of photography, typography and color.

SPORTS

A
Dennis Knight, Savannah Morning News
Ball in the Family
Islands’ Zoller builds relationships through football
‘Plucky’ Mell inspires Calvary Day.

​Judges Comments
Whether it’s small college basketball or prep football, Dennis Knight clearly knows his beat and lets his readers get to know the characters he covers. They’re not just X’s and O’s, winners and losers, but people.

Honorable Mentions
Scott Michaux, Augusta Chronicle
Jordan Spieth: Tall in the Saddle
It’s Ellie’s world for the Spieth family
Fighting Spirit: Paralyzed boxer Williams returns in role as trainer.

​Judges Comments
Scott Michaux clearly gets the most out of his interviews, getting his subjects to open up and be themselves when so many people in any media spotlight today tend to be more guarded. And his writing style shows that he also knows when to sit back, stay out of the way, and let the story tell itself.

Nicholas Talbot, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Dreaming Big: Despite hearing impairment, SPC’s Adams sets his sights on Division I coaching job
Signing Up: Athletes don’t let hearing difficulties get in the way of their dreams
A Place to Call Home: Pipkins ‘endured it all’ before finding his place with the Red Raiders

​Judges Comments
Nick Talbot has an enviable skill of being able to collect a ton of detail — gathering lots of voices and having them answer all the relevant questions — and then presenting it in a clear, concise and easily digestible fashion.

B
Kevin Gullufsen, Juneau Empire
100 years of football wisdom retires
Two hospitalized as Ketchikan forfeits over safety concerns
Meet the World’s Greatest Fisherman

​Judges Comments
Kevin Gullufsen showed enough chops to do a little bit of everything in his entry this year. Whether it’s a cleanly written, entertaining feature or a concise news story that gives both sides of an issue, Gullufsen delivered and did so with clever leads and the occasional turn of phrase.

WILLIAM S. MORRIS IV INNOVATION AWARD

A
Topeka Capital-Journal
Twist of Fate website

​Judges Comments
The multi-media approach is innovative; the content is easily accessible; the use of many community voices is exemplary.This was done well. Taking a community back to its defining moments is always a good thing. The use of events to engage the community is even better.

B
No entries

WILLIAM S. MORRIS III DEDICATION AWARD

Jonathan Vickery, The People-Sentinel

​Judges Comments
The letter (below) describes a journalist who is an inspiration to all he encounters, through talent, dedication, humility, selfless dedication, and charity to all. A man who lives his faith.

The nomination letter from Laura J. McKenzie, publisher of The People-Sentinel:

I would like to nominate Jonathan Vickery of Barnwell, South Carolina (The People-Sentinel) for Journalist of the Year.

At a weekly newspaper, it is impossible to give someone just one label of “journalist” or “photographer” or anything else. There is too much to do and staffs are too limited.

Jonathan’s title is “managing editor.” What he really manages is being a reporter, writer, paginator, editor, social media and website master and community liaison. (Our editorial staff consists of Jonathan and myself. There are only five people on staff altogether.) And, when a delivery problem has arisen, he has delivered bundles of The People-Sentinel to post offices and convenience stores.

Day or night, I know I can depend on him for anything.

Jonathan, a native of Barnwell, came to The People-Sentinel first as a high school intern, then as a college intern. After graduation he found his way home and we were very glad he did. In four short years he rose from “junior reporter” to “managing editor”.

He effectively started our Facebook page and maintains our website, on both daily and weekly basis, depending on breaking news.

His work is exemplary. He has won many awards through the South.Carolina Press Association in multiple areas including photography, social media and writing, including the Jay Bender Award for Assertive Journalism.

This young man is not just a 9-to-5 employee. He is a 24/7/365 dedicated journalist who turns out of bed in the middle of the night to cover a wreck, stands out in an ice storm to cover a downtown fire, or turns around just after deadline to cover a three-hour governmental meeting. He works nights, weekends and holidays on top of weekday duties. This is not the rare occurrence, this is the weekly norm.

He does this all without complaint or second thought.

His stories and photographs are compelling and human. He makes The People-Sentinel a community newspaper. It’s difficult to pick out just one story because so many of them are top notch.

As a watchdog, he is a bulldog – calling each and every school board member to ask why they were closing a meeting to the public. In the end, that meeting stayed open.

He makes sure our governments stick to the letter of the law. In a sense, he has “trained” them so that most of our government entities really work at meeting FOIA.

As an editor, he is detailed-oriented.

As a paginator, he is creative with an eye for balance. He makes his deadlines so others can make theirs.

As a “manager”, he is a problem-solver, finding ways to overcome small and big challenges.

Before going on vacation this year, he pre-paginated multiple pages for the upcoming edition to take the load off of me since our editorial staff is so small. While on vacation, he touched base via text to offer guidance where needed. He was away from the office, but I still knew I could depend on his help.

On top of all this, Jonathan is a gentleman and a gentle man. In our community he is beloved for his kindness, consideration and devotion. He is a devout member of the local First Baptist Church. I often hear of quiet kindnesses he has done for people, not only members of his church but all over the community.

He is also dedicated to improving his skills and talents as a community leader and as a journalist.

In the office, he probably is the “favorite” employee if the staff were to poll. On Friday mornings he goes to Hardee’s and picks up biscuits for the staff. He has been doing it for years. He does small, quiet things for each of us that mean a lot. He makes us a team. He doesn’t do these things to gain attention or garner favor. It’s just that his sincere dedication to those around him is so ingrained it comes about naturally.

I have been in the newspaper business all my life and with this group of community newspapers off and on for 38 years. In all those years, I have worked with a lot of people. Of all those people, I put Jonathan Vickery at the very top of the list for dedication, passion and love not only for his chosen profession and his company, but for his family, friends, coworkers and community.

Jonathan Vickery is what a “Journalist of the Year” should be. I hope you agree.

Augusta, GA – February 2, 2017 – Morris Publishing Group, LLC announced today the acquisition of Trend Publications, LLC, which includes the premiere state-wide monthly business publication,��Georgia Trend, several annual publications, georgiatrend.com and other print, digital and event assets. Trend Publications will join the newly formed Morris Business Media, LLC, that is a subsidiary of Morris Publishing Group, LLC.

“Trend Publications has built a strong suite of business products that have a positive and dynamic influence on the Georgia economy.�� Adding this to our portfolio is an honor, and one with a bright future,” said William S. Morris IV, president, and CEO of �鶹AV Co.

The 31-year-old��Georgia Trend��magazine has extensive reach in each of Georgia’s 159 counties, along with several additional products, including the annual��Small Business Guide,��the annual��Business Georgia��publication, the website��, and the electronically-delivered��Georgia Trend Daily.

Trend Publications is co-owned by Tom Cousins of Nonami, LLC, and Young Publications owned by Neely Young and Ben Young, who also serve as co-publishers.�� The Norcross-based group employs eight full-time employees and more than 30 freelance writers, photographers, and graphic designers.

“Tom, Ben and I are pleased to be associated with Morris and we know they will continue our vision of building a positive sense of community throughout our great state,” said Neely Young, publisher, and owner. “This bodes well for Georgia Trend and we’re thrilled that the Young family will still be involved with Ben leading as publisher.”

“Georgia Trend is a fantastic addition to our company’s media portfolio,” said Derek May, president of Morris Publishing Group.�� “We look forward to building on this powerful brand and serving the statewide business community in new and innovative ways.”

“I’m very happy that��Georgia Trend��is now part of Morris Publishing,” said Ben Young.�� “Morris brings new resources to help grow our brand and product, and��they are a Georgia company with a great history in our state. We look forward to a bright future for the magazine and our readers.”

Tweet This:��Morris Publishing Group Acquires Trend Publications and Georgia Trend @morrispubgroup @morriscommco��