Almanac wins statewide awards Almanac wins statewide awards (July 13, 2005)

** Newspaper wins first-place awards for public service and editorial comment.

The Almanac won two first-place awards in the California Newspaper Publishers Association's annual Better Newspaper Contest, it was announced Saturday.

In the public service category, the Almanac was honored for a series of stories written by staff writer David Boyce about a dangerous crosswalk where a 75-year-old nurse and former member of the Iranian parliament was struck by a car and killed in January 2004.

Located near a retirement community and convalescent home, the crosswalk was frequently used by seniors and children, but it had no warning devices such as signs or flashing lights.

Mr. Boyce wrote six articles on Amy Bijan's death, capping the series with a cover story on the car culture and how it is hostile to pedestrians and joggers in our community. Residents also protested, repeatedly crossing the streets with signs telling drivers to slow down.

Subsequently, police patrols were increased in the neighborhood and signs were posted cautioning drivers to look out for children and other pedestrians.

Mr. Boyce, who has been a reporter for The Almanac for four years, regularly covers the town of Portola Valley, the Sequoia Union High School District, and the Las Lomitas and Woodside school districts.
Editorial comment

The other first-place award was for editorial comment for an November 24, 2004, editorial, "'No Child' fails at local level," written by Almanac editor and publisher Tom Gibboney. The editorial said the federal "No Child Left Behind" legislation, with its emphasis on standardized tests administered in English, was harming more diverse schools with a high population of English learners, such as those in the Sequoia Union High School District.

The Almanac also received three certificates of achievement: Environmental Reporting (Marion Softky's March 3, 2004, cover story "Whither the Coast"), Editorial Pages (issues of September 8 and 15, 2004), and Illustration (design director Bill Murray's cover illustration for David Boyce's cover story on the car culture and how it is hostile to pedestrians ("Whose Road," February 11, 2004).
Sister papers

The Almanac's sister papers -- the Palo Alto Weekly, the Mountain View Voice, and the Pleasanton Weekly -- also picked up top honors.

The Palo Alto Weekly took a first-place award, among all large non-dailies in the state, for its staff team coverage of the mountain lion invasion of Palo Alto residential areas during 2004.

The Weekly also won first-place awards for its Web sites, photography, and sports coverage.

The Mountain View Voice won firsts for columns, commentary and criticism, and for a spot news photo.

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