Former staff writer Amy Wicks received a certificate of achievement in the feature story category for her June 23, 2004, cover story, "Pawty Time."

Editor Moryt Milo took top honors for her work in the Campbell Reporter. Milo won second place in the writing category for the Nov. 10 cover story, "Close Encounters," about local bicyclists and the dangers they face on the road. Milo also won second place for March 3, June 2 and Sept. 1, 2004, columns in the Reporter.

Staff photographer Vicki Thompson's Sept. 29 Los Gatos Weekly-Times photographs took first place in the photo essay category, while cartoonist Steven DeCinzo took second place for his June 10, 2004 cartoon that ran in the Almaden Resident and a certificate of achievement for the Aug. 11 Cupertino Courier cartoon.

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 9.

Other winners from the Silicon Valley Community Newspapers group were:

Certificate of achievement, photo essay--"Say Cheese" by Erin Day, Sept. 30, Almaden Resident;

Certificate of achievement, feature story--"Shipping Out" by Stephanie Condon, Aug. 5., Almaden Resident;

Certificate of achievement, editorial comment--"Spending $51,500 on mayor's State of the City speech a questionable decision" by Gregory Watkins, March 4, 2004, Rose Garden Resident;

First place, feature photo--"Time Tells" by Jacqueline Ramseyer, Aug. 4, Cupertino Courier;

Certificate of achievement, special issue--Heritage Theatre, Feb. 11, 2004, Campbell Reporter;

Second place, feature photo--"Spirited Athletes" by George Sakkestad, Jan. 21, 2004, Saratoga News;

Certificate of achievement, photo essay--"Horse Play" by George Sakkestad and Vicki Thompson, Oct. 6, Saratoga News;

Second place, photo essay--"Some Like It Hot" by George Sakkestad, Sept. 15, Los Gatos Weekly-Times;

Certificate of achievement, feature photo--"Praying on one leg" by George Sakkestad, June 9, Los Gatos Weekly-Times.