O-R, Almanac win 3 Golden Quills
PITTSBURGH – The Observer-Reporter and The Almanac received three Press Club of Western Pennsylvania Golden Quill Awards Wednesday night at Rivers Casino, Pittsburgh.
The Golden Quills competition, in its 61st year, honors professional and student excellence in print, broadcast, photography, videography and digital journalism in Western Pennsylvania and nearby counties in Ohio and West Virginia.
Observer-Reporter staff writer Karen Mansfield won for her news feature in the medical/health division, “20 years on, fracking’s potential impact on health eyed,” which examined impacts of Marcellus shale drilling on health in the region.
Staff writer Brad Hundt received a Golden Quill for a trio of editorials, including, “On the 50th anniversary of his resignation, we can see Nixon as a tragic figure,” “We should welcome Haitians who ‘just want to belong,'” and “The federal government may be powerful, but it can’t control the weather.”
Eleanor Bailey, sports editor for The Almanac, won for her sports story, “O’Korn forges future for female wrestlers at PT,” which profiled female wrestler Grace O’Korn, who wrestled for Peters Township High School. Bailey also received a nomination for “South Fayette’s Schepis defies cancer to play baseball.”
Nominated for an award was the Observer-Reporter staff for its series, “Shale Revolution: Looking back on 20 years of gas drilling.”
Staff writer Mike Jones was a finalist for his feature, “Reemergence of 206-year-old Great Crossings Bridge draws thousands to Yough Lake.”
Mansfield and staff writer Paul Paterra were finalists for their news feature, “Charleroi immigrant population thrust into limelight.”
Also during the awards ceremony, the Press Club presented the President’s Award to David Newell, aka Mr. “Speedy Delivery” McFeely on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” while Duquesne University journalism professor Maggie Jones Patterson received the Service to Journalism Award.