2009 Winners

60TH ANNUAL
GREEN EYESHADE AWARDS
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
SARAH PRICKETT, awards administrator: sprickett@arkansasonline.com
SONNY ALBARADO, SPJ Region 12nd Place: director:
salbarado@arkansasonline.com
JENN ROWELL, SPJ Region 3director: jrowell@gannet.com
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel took top honors in the 60th Annual Green
Eyeshade Awards, a journalism contest that recognizes excellence in 11 Southern
states. Sally Kestin, Peter Franceschina, and John Maines were awarded “Best of
Show” for their investigative series, “Trust Betrayed.” The three-part series
chronicles a six-month investigation into Florida day-care centers and nursing
homes that uncovered numerous workers with criminal records including rape,
child abuse and murder.
“This is classic watchdog journalism practices at the highest level. The writing is
clear and straight-forward. The reporting is solid. The graphics crisp. The concept
powerful.,” said best-of-show judge John Ensslin, SPJ Region 9 director. Ensslin
also praised the database created by the Florida Sun-Sentinel that allowed
readers to search day cares and nursing home inspections statewide and see
which workers had received exemptions for criminal records,, as ”a brilliant idea,
well executed.”
“In in the end, this was an easy decision. ‘Trust Betrayed’ is not just one powerful
story, but three, all expertly packaged under the common thread of Neglect –
raw, public, infuriating, unforgivable, inexcusable, avoidable neglect,” Ensslin
said. “Best of Show category is a tricky one to judge because of the stories often
are so wildly different from one another, making comparisons problematic. About
the only thing these stories have in common is great journalism. . . . But there
can only be one best of show and “Trust Betrayed” is clearly the best..”
“Trust Betrayed” also won first place in the daily division of the annual Green
Eyeshade Awards contest, which drew more than 500 entries from media outlets
in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Other divisional winners were:
Non-Daily Print—Blind Faith by Jeremy Markovitch, Richard Thurmond, Charlotte
Magazine (Charlotte, NC)
Online—After Guantanamo by Carl Rosenberg, John VanBeekum, Marco Ruiz, The
Miami Herald (Miami, FL)
Radio—Reproductive Health in Africa by Rose Hoban, North Carolina Public Radio-
WUNC (Chapel Hill, NC)
Television—Medicare Fraud: The New Cocaine Cowboys by Stephen Stock, Gio
Benitez, Nick Gordillo, Amber Statler-Matthews, CBS4 WFOR-TV (Miami, FL)
Started by the Atlanta Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional
Journalists, the contest is now administered by regional directors for the Society.
The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism.
The organization is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization,
dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high
standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes
the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry, works to inspire and
educate the next generation of journalists and protects First Amendment
guarantees of freedom of speech and press.
The complete list of Green Eyeshade Award winners follows:
Print – Daily Division
Breaking News, Print – Daily
1st Place: Sanford e-mails outline his affair by Staff, The State (Columbia, SC)
2nd Place: McNair tragedy by Staff, The Tennessean (Nashville, TN)
3rd Place: Scott Rothstein’s Ponzi scheme by Jon Burnstein, Brittany Wallman,
Sally Kestin, and Michael Mayo, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale,
FL)
Non-Deadline Reporting, Print – Daily
1st Place: For Their Own Good by Ben Montgomery, Waveney Anne Moore, and
Edmund D. Fountain, St. Petersburg Times (St. Petersburg, FL)
2nd Place: Public Piggy Banks by Staff, The Miami Herald (Miami, FL)
3rd Place: Anatomy of an Atrocity by Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal
(Louisville, KY)
Feature Writing, Print – Daily
1st Place: The truth is flexible by Lane DeGregory, St. Petersburg Times (St.
Petersburg, FL)
2nd Place: Who in the world is Delmar? by Elizabeth Leland, The Charlotte
Observer (Charlotte, NC)
3rd Place: Losing Rachel by Donna Koehn, The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, FL)
Investigative Reporting, Print – Daily
1st Place: Trust Betrayed by Sally Kestin, Peter Franceschina, and John Maines,
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
2nd Place: It’s Your Money by Ryan Alessi, Linda Blackford, John Cheves, and
Jennifer Hewlett, The Lexington Herald-LEader (Lexington, KY)
3rd Place: Inside Scientology by Joe Childs and Thomas C. Tobin, St. Petersburg
Times (St. Petersburg, FL)
Sports Reporting, Print – Daily
1st Place: Racing/Slots Coverage in Kentucky by Greg Hall, Jennie Rees, The
Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
2nd Place: City of Hoops by Scott Cacciola, The Commercial Appeal (Memphis,
TN)
3rd Place: Minority Coaches Shut Out by Bryan Mullen, The Tennessean
(Nashville, TN)
Public Service in Daily Reporting Print – Daily
1st Place: Trust Betrayed by Sally Kestin, Peter Franceschina, and John Maines,
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
2nd Place: It’s Your Money by Ryan Alessi, Linda Blackford, John Cheves, and
Jennifer Hewlett, The Lexington Herald-LEader (Lexington, KY)
3rd Place: Children in Crisis by Deborah Yetter, The Courier-Journal (Louisville,
KY)
Sports Commentary, Print – Daily
1st Place: Collection of Columns by Geoff Calkins, The Commercial Appeal
(Memphis, TN)
2nd Place: Collection by David Hyde, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft.
Lauderdale, FL)
3rd Place: Columns by Gary Shelton, St. Petersburg Times (St. Petersburg, FL)
Enterprise Business Reporting, Print – Daily
1st Place: The AP Economic Stress Map by Mike Schneider, The Associated Press-
Florida (Miami, FL)
2nd Place: Boomer Bows Out in Shakeout that Let to Vermont Beard by Mark
Clothier and John Helyar, Bloomberg News (Atlanta, GA)
3rd Place: Against Rising Tide, Trade Ban Stands by Staff, The Miami Herald
(Miami, FL)
Public Affairs, Print – Daily
1st Place: “Stuffy Nose? Tired? You may already have had swine flu” and others
by Mary Shedden, The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, FL)
2nd Place: Always a Fighter by Marc Perrusquia, The Commercial Appeal
(Memphis, TN)
3rd Place: The Plane Truth by Peter Franceschina, Josh Hafenback and Megan
O’Matz, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Coverage of Politics, Print – Daily
1st Place: Always a Fighter by Marc Perrusquia, The Commercial Appeal
(Memphis, TN)
2nd Place: Florida Senate- Crist vs. Rubio by Brendan Ferrington, The Associated
Press- Florida (Miami, FL)
3rd Place: Governor Jindal visits churches across state at taxpayer expense by
Michele Millhollon, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)
Travel Writing, Print – Daily
1st Place: Cape Cod Shines for Summer Visits by Janet Keeler, St. Petersburg
Times (St. Petersburg, FL)
2nd Place: Scenes from the Big Easy by Mary Helen Randall, Memphis Magazine
(Memphis, TN)
Consumer Reporting, Print – Daily
1st Place: Chinese Drywall by Brian Skoloff and Cain Burdeau, The Associated
Press- Florida (Miami, FL)
2nd Place: Hidden Killer by Glenn Smith and Doug Pardus, The Post and Courier
(Charleston, SC)
3rd Place: Tidewater by Ivan Penn, St. Petersburg Times (St. Petersburg, FL)
Criticism, Print – Daily
1st Place: Reviews by Glenn Garvin, The Miami Herald (Miami, FL)
2nd Place: Parallelism in the lives of Michael Jackson and Elvis by Bob Mehr, The
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
3rd Place: Critical Mass by Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock,
AR)
Serious Commentary, Print – Daily
1st Place: Portfolio by Paul Greenberg, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock,
AR)
2nd Place: Collection by Howard Troxler, St. Petersburg Times (St. Petersburg,
FL)
3rd Place: The Straight and Narrow by Wendy C. Thomas, The Commercial Appeal
(Memphis, TN)
Humorous Commentary, Print – Daily
1st Place: Columns by Sam Venable, News Sentinel (Knoxville, TN)
2nd Place: Collection of Columns by Geoff Calkins, The Commercial Appeal
(Memphis, TN)
3rd Place: Columns by Brian Hicks, The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
Editorials, Print – Daily
1st Place: Portfolio by Paul Greenberg, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock,
AR)
2nd Place: Deaf Man’s Ordeal by Mac Thrower, The Press-Register (Mobile, AL)
3rd Place: Collection by Mary Newsom, The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC)
Print – Non-Daily Division
Non-Deadline Reporting, Print- Non-Daily
1st Place: Preventing Violence Against Women by Ronni Mott, Jackson Free Press
(Jackson, MS)
2nd Place: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs by Melanie Stawicki Azam, Richard Bilbao, Christopher
Boyd, Anjali Fluker, and Bill Orben, Orlando Business Journal (Orlando, FL)
3rd Place: Buying into Boots by Tripp Mickle, Tom Stinson, Street and Smith’s
SportsBusiness Journal (Charlotte, NC)
Feature Writing, Print- Non-Daily
1st Place: Blind Faith by Jeremy Markovitch, Richard Thurmond, Charlotte
Magazine (Charlotte, NC)
2nd Place: The Tie that Binds by Aida Rogers, Sandlapper, the Magazine of South
Carolina (Columbia, SC)
3rd Place: After the Crash by Michael Cruse, Richard Thurmond, Charlotte
Magazine (Charlotte, NC)
Investigative Reporting, Print- Non-Daily
1st Place: Piece of Mind by Natalie O’Neill, Miami New Times (Miami, FL)
2nd Place: Ex-judge Herman Thomas investigation by Rob Holbert, Lagniappe
(Mobile, AL)
3rd Place: Hello my name is Amigo by Lisa Rab, New Times Broward/Palm Beach
(Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Sports Commentary, Print- Non-Daily
1st Place: Heartbreak at 45mph by Michael J. Mooney, New Times Broward/Palm
Beach (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Business Reporting, Print- Non-Daily
1st Place: The Fall of a Titan by Tim Elfrink, Miami New Times (Miami, FL)
2nd Place: Entreprenuer has checkered past by Bill Frogameni, South Florida
Business Journal (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
3rd Place: A Matter of Chemistry by Mike Vogel, Florida Trend (St. Petersburg,
FL)
Public Affairs, Print- Non-Daily
1st Place: The Second Wave: The Return of Militias by Larry Keller, Intelligence
Report (Montgomery, AL)
2nd Place: In the Name of the King by Gus Garcia-Roberts, Miami New Times
(Miami, FL)
3rd Place: Loaded Questions by Chris Davis, Jackson Baker, and Michael Finger,
Memphis Flyer (Memphis, TN)
Coverage of Politics, Print- Non-Daily
1st Place: Guantanamo’s Final Days by Tim Elfrink and Jesse Hyde, Miami New
Times (Miami, FL)
2nd Place: Paul Stanley’s Fall from Grace by Andy Meeks and Bill Dries, The
Memphis News (Memphis, TN)
3rd Place: Willie Herenton: The Exit Interview by Jackson Baker, Memphis Flyer
(Memphis, TN)
Criticism, Print- Non-Daily
1st Place: Music Reviews by Chris Herrington, Memphis Flyer (Memphis, TN)
2nd Place: Music Criticism by Arielle Castillo, Miami New Times (Miami, FL)
3rd Place: Film Reviews by Chris Herrington, Memphis Flyer (Memphis, TN)
Serious Commentary, Print- Non-Daily
1st Place: Collection by Donna Ladd, Jackson Free Press (Jackson, MS)
2nd Place: Columns by Frank Murtaugh, Memphis Magazine (Memphis, TN)
3rd Place: Viewpoint by Michael Lewis, Miami Today (Miami, FL)
Humorous Commentary, Print- Non-Daily
1st Place: Remembering the Heyday of the Royal Peacock by Candice Dyer,
Georgia Music Magazine (Macon, GA)
2nd Place: Hidden Agenda: On butt wipes, good boobs and sh*t lists by Ashley
Toland Trice, Lagniappe (Mobile, AL)
3rd Place: Damn the torpedoes by Rob Holbert, Lagniappe (Mobile, AL)
Editorials, Print- Non-Daily
1st Place: Collection by The Daily News Editorial Staff, The Daily News (Memphis,
TN)
2nd Place: Editorials by Greg Akers, MBQ (Memphis Business Quarterly)
(Memphis, TN)
3rd Place: Editorials by Cindy Barth, Orlando Business Journal (Orlando, FL)
Public Service in Non-Daily Reporting- Non-Daily
1st Place: Left Behind by Mary Cashiola, Memphis Flyer (Memphis, TN)
2nd Place: Two Lakes by Adam Lynch, Donna Ladd, Todd Stauffer, and Ward
Schaefer, Jackson Free Press (Jackson, MS)
3rd Place: TennCut by Rebekah Hearn, The Memphis News (Memphis, TN)
All Print
Courts and the Law Reporting, All Print
1st Place: The curious case of Frank Melton by Donna Ladd , Ward Schaefer and
Adam Lynch, Jackson Free Press (Jackson, MS)
2nd Place: Guantanamo’s Final Days by Tim Elfrink and Jesse Hyde, Miami New
Times (Miami, FL)
3rd Place: Warrant in Question by Jamie Satterfield, News Sentinel (Knoxville,
TN)
Spot News Photography, All Print
1st Place: Crash, Bang, Boom, Bust by Mike Brown, The Commercial Appeal
(Memphis, TN)
2nd Place: Plane Crash by Ron Reid, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft.
Lauderdale, FL)
3rd Place: Don’t Come Any Closer by Ralph Fitzgerald, Pine Bluff Commercial
(Pine Bluff, AR)
Feature Photography, All Print
1st Place: Feature portfolio by Karen Pulfer Focht, The Commercial Appeal
(Memphis, TN)
2nd Place: Collection by Jim Carchidi, Orlando Business Journal (Orlando, FL)
3rd Place: Alone in the Shadows by Michael McElroy, The South Florida Sun-
Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Sports Photography, All Print
1st Place: Collection by James Borchuck, St. Petersburg Times (St. Petersburg,
FL)
2nd Place: Heisman Runner Pops Helmet Loose by Al Diaz, The Miami Herald
(Miami, FL)
3rd Place: Kingsbury Soccer by Nikki Boertman, The Commercial Appeal
(Memphis, TN)
Graphics, All Print
1st Place: Homegrown Teeth by Cindy Jones-Hulfachor, Karsten Ivey, Len
DeGroot, and Tim Frank, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
2nd Place: Raising the White Roof by Belinda Long-Ivey, Karsten Ivey, Len
DeGroot, and Tim Frank, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
3rd Place: A Remarkable Find by Cindy Jones-Hulfachor, Karsten Ivey, Len
DeGroot, and Tim Frank, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Editorial Cartoon, All Print
1st Place: Portfolio by Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press (Chattanooga,
TN)
2nd Place: Broken Candle by Bill Day, United Features Syndicate (Memphis, TN)
3rd Place: Portfolio by Chan Lowe, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft.
Lauderdale, FL)
Specialized Reporting, All Print
1st Place: Fly Ash Spill by Scott Barker, News Sentinel (Knoxville, TN)
2nd Place: The collapse of Taylor, Bean and Whitaker by Jeff Harrington, St.
Petersburg Times (St. Petersburg, FL)
3rd Place: Shades of Gray by Chris Davis,, Memphis Flyer (Memphis, TN)
Investigative Reporting, Television
1st Place: Medicare Fraud: The New Cocaine Cowboys by Stephen Stock, Gio
Benitez, Nick Gordillo, Amber Statler-Matthews, CBS4 WFOR-TV (Miami, FL)
2nd Place: Stolen Valor by Alan Cohn, Doug Iten, Randy Wright, WFTS-TV ABC
Action News (Tampa, FL)
3rd Place: Cashing In by Scott Noll and Dan Patton, WREG-TV (Memphis, TN)
Feature Reporting, Television
1st Place: Heroes Among Us by Maggie Crane and Andrew Garrison, WINK-TV (Ft.
Myers, FL)
2nd Place: Gina Incandela, The Magic Anthem Girl by Kelli Cook, Central Florida
News 13rd Place: (Orlando, FL)
3rd Place: Taking Action Against Domestic Violence: Survivors’ Stories by Lisette
Campos, John Fulton, and Jennifer McVan, WFTS-TV ABC Action News (Tampa,
FL)
Public Service, Television
1st Place: Taking Action Against Domestic Violence Campaign by Lisette Campos,
John Fulton, Rich Pergram, and Jennifer McVan, WFTS-TV ABC Action News
(Tampa, FL)
2nd Place: Neighbor or Nuisance by Rachel Wulff, Dominic Martin, Dolly Nahri,
and Kent Westberg, WDSU-TV (New Orleans, LA)
3rd Place: Suicide: There’s Help and Hope by Allyson Floyd and Whitney
Gramling, WPDE NewsChannel 15 (Conway, SC)
Specialized Reporting, Television
1st Place: Going to School on the Public Dime by Mike Deeson, Tim Burquest, and
Larry Perkins, WTSP TV (St. Petersburg, FL)
2nd Place: Cordova Tornado by Scott Noll and Dan Patton, WREG-TV (Memphis,
TN)
3rd Place: Missing Boy Homecoming by Andrew Miller, Christina Hernandez,
Jeremiah Jacobsen, WINK-TV (Ft. Myers, FL)
Feature Reporting, Radio
1st Place: A Resource for Victims of Domestic Violence in Same-Sex Relationships
by LeShea Agnew, 88.5 WFDD (Winston-Salem University, NC)
2nd Place: Plumber Olympics by Bobbie O’Brien, WUSF 89.7 (Tampa, FL)
3rd Place: Hurricane Charley: Five Years Later by Nadia Ramdass, 92.5 FOX News
Radio (Ft. Myers, FL)
Public Service, Radio
1st Place: Sharing the Bounty by Jon Hall, LeShea Agnew, and Caron Myers,
88.5WFDD (Wake Forest, NC)
2nd Place: Memphis Fights Back Against Foreclosure by Candice Ludlow, WKNO
(Cordova, TN)
3rd Place: My Last Tour by Bobbie O’Brien, Joshua Stewart, WUSF 89.7 (Tampa,
FL)
Specialized Reporting, Radio
1st Place: Reproductive Health in Africa by Rose Hoban, North Carolina Public
Radio- WUNC (Chapel Hill, NC)
2nd Place: Zinkhan Triple Murder by WUGA Station Staff, WUGA-FM (Athens, GA)
3rd Place: Under the Sun: Foreclosure Squatters by Dan Grech and Alicia
Zuckerman, Under the Sun (Miami, FL)
Best Multimedia, Online
1st Place: Wasted: People, Money, Lives by Mark Boxley, The Daily Times
(Maryville, TN)
2nd Place: Life on Hold by Life on Hold’ Team, The Tennessean (Nashville, TN)
3rd Place: Death on Chapman Street by Erin Chapin, Jigsha Desai, Talid Magdy,
Lauren Spuhler, News Sentinel (Knoxville, TN)
Best Blog, Online
1st Place: TuneInMusicCity.com by Tennessean Entertainment Team, The
Tennessean (Nashville, TN)
2nd Place: Faith and Works by Peter Smith, The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
3rd Place: The Juice by Staff, New Times Broward/Palm Beach (Ft. Lauderdale,
FL)
Videography, Online
1st Place: The Scar by Carey Wagner, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft.
Lauderdale, FL)
2nd Place: Word Wars, Hip Hop in the Middle East by John Pendygraft, St.
Petersburg Times (St. Petersburg, FL)
3rd Place: Facing Autism by Brandon Ross, Times Daily (Florence, AL)
Specialized Reporting, Online
1st Place: After Guantanamo by Carl Rosenberg, John VanBeekum, Marco Ruiz,
The Miami Herald (Miami, FL)
2nd Place: McNair Tragedy by The Tennessean Staff, The Tennessean (Nashville,
TN)
3rd Place: Finding missing boater Nick Schuyler alive by Staff, St. Petersburg
Times (St. Petersburg, FL)
Best of Daily Print Journalism
Trust Betrayed by Sally Kestin, Peter Franceschina, and John Maines, The South
Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Best of Non-Daily Print Journalism
Blind Faith by Jeremy Markovitch, Richard Thurmond, Charlotte Magazine
(Charlotte, NC)
Best of Online Journalism
After Guantanamo by Carl Rosenberg, John VanBeekum, Marco Ruiz, The Miami
Herald (Miami, FL)
Best of Radio Journalism
Reproductive Health in Africa by Rose Hoban, North Carolina Public Radio- WUNC
(Chapel Hill, NC)
Best of Television Journalism
Medicare Fraud: The New Cocaine Cowboys by Stephen Stock, Gio Benitez, Nick
Gordillo, Amber Statler-Matthews, CBS4 WFOR-TV (Miami, FL)
THE GREEN EYESHADE AWARD
Trust Betrayed by Sally Kestin, Peter Franceschina, and John Maines, The South
Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)