Press Club

New Times was honored for everything from religion writing to music criticism — with John Dougherty capturing the Don Bolles Award for investigative reporting — at the Arizona Press Club’s 80th-anniversary banquet in Phoenix.

In all, New Times took home eight first-place trophies, including Robert Nelson’s win in the John Kolbe Government and Politics category.

Dougherty received the Bolles award for his series “Bound by Fear: Polygamy in Arizona.” Robert Rosenthal, managing editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, judged the contest.

“His peeling back of the secretive, abusive and polygamous community not only exposed the exploitation of women of all ages, but also the misuse of public monies,” Rosenthal wrote. “He humanized the plight of victims by telling their stories.”

Nelson won the Kolbe award for his story “Big House Inc.,” about prison privatization. He also tied for first place in environmental reporting for “Outlaw Dumping,” a story about how prison officials tricked inmates into burying deadly asbestos, and took second in explanatory reporting.

Serene Dominic took first place in music criticism, with Jimmy Magahern rounding out the category with second and third place.

Magahern also took third place in the science reporting category.

Other winners included:

Paul Rubin, first in diversity reporting and second in newsfeature writing.

Jill Koch, second in short-form lifestyle reporting, second and third in feature headline writing.

Amy Silverman, second (tie) for personality profile and second in business enterprise reporting.

Susy Buchanan, second in sustained reporting and third in long-form lifestyle reporting.

Michele Laudig, second in long-form lifestyle reporting and an honorable mention for feature headline writing.

Robrt L. Pela, second, and Kathleen Vanesian, third, in visual arts criticism.

Former New Times staff members who received awards included current Kansas City Pitch managing editor Tony Ortega, who took first in religion writing, and Dallas Observer staff writer Paul Kix, who received second in sports enterprise reporting. Carey Sweet took first in food criticism and first in business enterprise reporting. Albert Orta placed second in magazine cover design.

Another former New Times writer and editor, Jana Bommersbach, received the Arizona Press Club’s distinguished service award. She is now a columnist and feature writer for Phoenix Magazine. Arizona Republic reporter Susan Carroll was named Journalist of the Year.