The Arizona Daily Star's Kelly Presnell is the state's Photographer of the Year for the seventh straight year, as named by the Arizona Media Association (previously called the Arizona Newspapers Association).Β
Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily StarThe Arizona Daily Starβs Kelly Presnell is Photographer of the Year for the seventh year in a row, as named by the Arizona Newspapers Association.
In addition, reporter Emily Bregel, who covers border and immigration issues for the Star, placed second in the Journalist of the Year category of the association's annual Better Newspapers Contest. (First place went to Hank Stephenson of Arizona Agenda.)
Emily BregelΒ
In the awards announced Thursday, the Star won 12 first-place honors, including for overall reporting and newswriting excellence and for best use of photography.Β
βThe judges have selected Kelly Presnell as Arizonaβs Photographer of the Year for the seventh straight year. But thatβs not news to the Arizona Daily Starβs readers,β said executive editor David McCumber. βThey are the ones who see his photojournalism, day in, day out, and they know just how great he is.
βWe, his colleagues, are thrilled for him of course. Weβre probably more excited than he is. Kelly would be the first to say that awards are wonderful, but itβs the work that counts.β
In another of Kelly Presnellβs photos in his Photographer of the Year-winning portfolio, Patience Lossou gets drenched while cooling off on a hot afternoon at the Brandi Fenton Splash Park in Tucson on June 22, 2023.
McCumber, meanwhile, received first place for editorial page excellence.
David McCumber
Environmental and water reporter Tony Davis earned two first-place awards, including the prestigious honor of best news story of the year, for his exclusive investigative report that Glen Canyon Dam is at risk of being unusable at low water levels.
Tony DavisΒ
In that best news story category, reporter Henry Brean took third for "University of Arizona-led asteroid mission achieves dramatic, flawless finish."
Henry BreanΒ
Davis also won first place for enterprise reportingΒ for his Glen Canyon Dam coverage, while David Wichner took third for enterprise for "Tucson's Raytheon sees high demand for drone-killing weapons."
David WichnerΒ
Bregel took the top spot for narrative writing for her storyΒ "Until we find them all: 'Searching mothers' comb the desert for missing relatives in Sonora."
Brean placed second in narrative writing for "Saguaro research kept alive for decades by Tucson couple."
The best sports story of the year honor went to Michael Lev for "Irby's journey back to football, Arizona."
Michael LevΒ
Bruce Pascoe took second place in the best sports story category forΒ "Pac-12's demise part of college sports' 'carnage' that seems to have no foreseeable end."
Bruce PascoeΒ
Best team sport or sports beat coverage was won by PJ Brown for the women's college basketball beat, while Pascoe won second place for the men's college basketball beat.Β Β
PJ Brown
The Star's sports staff won for best headline.
The Star's photojournalists swept the best feature photograph category, with Mamta Popat winning first for "Monsoon," Presnell second for "Strike" and Grace Trejo third for "Festive Fridays at Trail Dust Town."Β
Mamta PopatΒ
Grace TrejoΒ
Presnell had the first-place and third-place best sports photographs for "Flying Tackle" and "Rain Fall," respectively. He also won both second and third places in the best news photograph category for "Grad Memorial" and "Mayor and mother."Β
In this photo that was part of Kelly Presnellβs award-winning portfolio, Onnalynn Iturralde gets cell photos of a memorial of her older brother Troy, a member of the Tucson High School Class of 2023 who died in January of 2022, set up among the hundreds of chairs in place for the graduating seniors before ceremonies on May 24, 2023.
Photos: Arizona Daily Star ANA 2024 award winning staff images
First place, feature
Updated
Aurora Apodaca, left, lets out a laugh as she plays in the aftermath of a monsoon storm with Oscar Stump on the west side of Tucson Monday afternoon.
Second place, feature
Updated
A lightning bolt hits northwest of Gates Pass, one of the last several scattered rain cells at the tail-end of a monsoon storm that skirted south of Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2023. The largest part of the cell slipped south of town, dropping rain and sporadic lightning in Tucson Estates and west along Ago Highway.
Third place, feature
Updated
Isabella Ortiz-Castillo smiles big while playing in fake snowfall during the last Festive Friday at Trail Dust Town, 6541 East Tanque Verde Road, Dec. 29, 2023. Tucsonans gathered at Trail Dust Town for one last Festive Friday to enjoy snowfall, holiday drinks, discounts on wristbands for amusement rides and a Christmas-themed stunt show.
Second place, news
Updated
Onnalynn Iturralde gets cell photos of a memorial of her older brother Troy, a member of the Tucson, Ariz., High School Class of 2023 who died in January of 2022, she set up among the hundreds of chairs in place for the graduating seniors before ceremonies, May 24, 2023. Onnalynn, a junior at the school, represented Troy on the night as just over 600 hundred Badgers were officially graduated.
Third place, news
Updated
Mayor Regina Romero huddles with her mother, Josefina Romero, before giving a speech acknowledging her re-election at the Pima County Democrats election party, Tucson, Ariz., November 7, 2023.
First place, sports
Updated
Marana's Adrian Griffin (4) goes flying in collision with Mountain Ridge's Madison Green (3) stopping her run-after-catch in the second quarter of their second round game of state playoffs at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., October 26, 2023. The Tigers lost for the first time this season, 21-20, the second straight upset by Mountain Ridge in the playoffs.
Third place, sports
Updated
Arizona linebacker Kamuela Ka'aihue (18) hits Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes (16), putting a stop to his scramble up the middle in a soggy third quarter of their Pac 12 game at Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., November 18, 2023.
Photographer of the year
Updated
Onnalynn Iturralde gets cell photos of a memorial of her older brother Troy, a member of the Tucson, Ariz., High School Class of 2023 who died in January of 2022, set up among the hundreds of chairs in place for the graduating seniors before ceremonies, May 24, 2023. Onnalynn, a junior at the school, represented Troy on the night as just over 600 hundred Badgers were officially graduated.
Photographer of the year
Updated
Patience Lossou gets drenched while cooling off on a hot afternoon at the Brandi Fenton Splash Park, Tucson, Ariz., June 22, 2023. Temperatures are forecast to get well above 100 degrees over the weekend and into next week.
Photographer of the year
Updated
Arizona Arsenal goalkeeper Brandon Keniston (44) smothers a dribble into his box by FC Tucsonβs Gyorgy Kamaras (9) in the first half of their USL League 2 match at Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., July 15, 2023.
Photographer of the year
Updated
A lightning bolt hits northwest of Gates Pass, one of the last several scattered rain cells at the tail-end of a monsoon storm that skirted south of Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2023. The largest part of the cell slipped south of town, dropping rain and sporadic lightning in Tucson Estates and west along Ago Highway.
Photographer of the year
Updated
Kaiden Guerra comes face to face with Darth Vader at Summer Safari Nights at Reid Park Zoo, Tucson, Ariz., June 10, 2023. Vader and several other Star Wars characters, and some others from the Marvel Comics universe cosplayers, were among the roving entertainers meeting and posing with the patrons.
Photographer of the year
Updated
Arizona linebacker Kamuela Ka'aihue (18) hits Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes (16), putting a stop to his scramble up the middle in a soggy third quarter of their Pac 12 game at Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., November 18, 2023.
Photographer of the year
Updated
A runner makes his way up the Mosaic Trail in the Painted Hills Trails Park under the clouds on the leading edge of a winter storm moving in over Tucson, Ariz., January 3, 2024. Rains expected overnight, much cooler temps coming too, including freeze warnings, more rain and possible snow on the weekend.
Photographer of the year
Updated
Artist Frank Powers fires off a bunch of bubbles from his bubble gun while working with the crowd outside his Comic Bookmobile at the Tucson Festival Of Books on the U A Mall, Tucson, Ariz., March 9, 2024. Thousands attended the first day of the festival to meet authors, publishers, sellers and other readers.
Photographer of the year
Updated
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd, left, reacts after the ball was called out on the Wildcats as assistant coach Riccardo Fois calls out to the court late in the second half against Dayton in the west region of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 23, 2024.
In the column or commentary category, local news opinion columnist Tim Steller placed second and sports columnist Greg Hansen third.Β Β
Tim Steller
Greg HansenΒ
Ellie Wolfe won third place for sustained coverage or series for her reporting on the University of Arizona's financial crisis.Β
Ellie Wolfe
Tucson.com, the Star's website, was named second best in the state.
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