Three Crosscut writers won awards in the Northwest Excellence in Journalism Contest conducted by the Society of Professional Journalists’ regional chapter.
Pete Jackson, Ronald Holden, and Jean Lenihan won awards for Crosscut articles in the online division of the SPJ competition, which covers Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana.
Jackson won first place in online commentary for "Who will speak up for Seattle cartoonist under fatwa threat?" Holden won second place in business writing for "Online coupons: fatal fever." Lenihan received third place in arts/entertainment/lifestyle for " 'Sleeping Beauty': Ronald Hynd's production nails it."
Carol Smith and an InvestigateWest team won first for special report/enterprise for stories about homeless students in Washington state. Crosscut, along with several other outlets, published the stories.
In addition, these regular or occasional Crosscut writers won in other categories for work done elsewhere: Knute Berger, Travis Hay, Austin Jenkins, Katherine Luck, Harris Meyer, Julie Pham, Bill Richards, and Eric Scigliano.
Berger won second place in the magazine commentary category for a Seattle Magazine column that also was published in Crosscut. Meyer won a magazine award and a radio award as one of two reporters documenting the jailing of debtors. Meyer later wrote a Crosscut story on the issue that helped lead to a new state law designed to limit the practice.