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Oregon News Team Wins Big at Local Journalism Awards
Portland, OR, USASaturday, July 25, 2026
The Oregonian/OregonLive newsroom captured a remarkable haul of honors at the annual contest hosted by the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Over 30 prizes were awarded—a noticeable increase from last year’s total—spanning every category, from business reporting to spot news coverage.
Overall Excellence
- First Place – Entire staff for overall excellence
- First Place – Website for best online presence
Public Service Journalism
| Journalist | Category | Award | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jamie Goldberg | Public Service | First Place | Investigation of Washington County Clean Water Services’ costly trips to Hawaii and high local food expenses, leading to policy overhaul and CEO resignation. |
| Maxine Bernstein | Public Service | Third Place | Follow‑up story uncovering police procedural failures that allowed a confessed felon to roam the streets for months before a fatal incident. |
Education & Spot News
- Julia Silverman – First Place for exposing gaps in the state’s school‑funding formula that left many poor students uncounted.
- Noelle Crombie – First Place for a feature intertwining gun violence with traffic accidents in Portland, supported by a compelling photo essay from Beth Nakamura.
Sports Coverage
- Bill Oram – Multiple awards, including first place for a profile of a track athlete facing unwanted national attention and a story about a basketball player returning to prison.
Business & Editorial
- Matthew Kish – First Place business report on the Nike Starfish scandal.
- Helen Jung – Editorial page received top honors.
Lifestyle & Multimedia
- Mike Rogoway & Jonathan Bach – Winners for lifestyle coverage on Portland five years post‑COVID.
- The newsroom’s graphics, photo essays, and online multimedia elements also earned recognition across several categories.
The awards not only celebrate individual excellence but also highlight the newsroom’s commitment to investigative rigor and community impact. The Oregonian/OregonLive’s success demonstrates how local journalism can uncover hidden truths, hold power accountable, and serve the public interest.
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