Saratoga News

News

Sakkestad wins first-place photo award in state newspaper contest

The California Newspaper Publishers Association's Better Newspapers Contest has honored the Saratoga News and its sister newspapers for outstanding journalism in 2005.

Staff photographer George Sakkestad took top honors for his photo essay, "Miracle Ears," and the Saratoga News also won certificate of achievement awards for sports coverage and editorial pages.

According to the newspaper association's website, "The Better Newspapers Contest is an annual newsroom competition that is sponsored by CNPA for the purpose of recognizing the most outstanding journalistic achievements published by daily and weekly California newspapers in one calendar year."

Awards were given out at a luncheon on July 15.

Other winners from the Silicon Valley Community Newspapers group were:

First place, sports story--"Hot Wheels," by Jennifer McLain, Los Gatos Weekly-Times;

First place, feature story--"McHost with the McMost," Lisa Sibley, Los Gatos Weekly-Times;

Certificate of achievement, sports story--"10 years of racing," by Dick Sparrer, Los Gatos Weekly-Times;

First place, page layout and design--Rose Garden Resident;

First place, photo essay--"Upper Cut," by Vicki Thompson, Willow Glen Resident;

Certificate of achievement, sports story--"An Ace," Willow Glen Resident;

Second place, investigative/enterprise reporting--"Removal of District 10 Files Raises Questions," by Sandy Brundage, Almaden Resident;

Second place, photo essay--"Measuring Up," by Sean Penello, Campbell Reporter;

Certificate of achievement, editorial--"Time to slow down the development," Campbell Reporter.