38 entries received in the "under 50,000" circulation bracket

Thirty-eight entries have been received in the smaller circulation bracket (under 50,000) for this year's Carmage Walls Commentary Prize. 

First- and second-place honors will be awarded. Judges also may designate several entries for honorable mention.

Winning entries will be announced at the Annual Meeting, Oct. 10-12 in Nashville, Tenn. 

SNPA members are invited to comment at the end of this article on the entries.  Which entries do you feel are the strongest ... and why?

Click on the links below to access entry materials:

Entry #1: Keith Albertson - The Times, Gainesville, Ga.

• view 1st entry
  
  • Racism isn't left-right; it's right-wrong
  • Conflict set in stone
  • A right healing touch

Entry #2: Keith Albertson - The Times, Gainesville, Ga.

• view 2nd entry
  
  • Avoidable firestorm
  • Leadership emergency

Entry #3: Steve Baumann and Rusty Pray - Charlotte Sun, Charlotte Harbor, Fla.

• View entry
  • More horrifying insights into PG shooting
  • The time for healing still pending
  • 'Elephant' must be recognized

Entry #4: David Bloom - The Baytown Sun, Baytown, Texas

• view 1st entry
  • Absence of oversight
  • 'Game' over
  • Board eyes high school start times
  • Goose Creek rezoning ...
  • End lunch shaming
  • Goose Creek propositions

Entry #5: David Bloom - The Baytown Sun, Baytown, Texas

• view 2nd entry
  • Cleaning up after Harvey
  • Thank you
  • Optimism after the storm
  • One nation, indivisible
  • Debate is over: Dig up waste pits
  • Harvey ... six months down the road

Entry #6: Chris Cobler - Victoria Advocate, Victoria, Texas

• view entry
  • What can we do better next time?
  • After Hurricane Harvey: Remember to breathe
  • Harvery reveals gaping holes in preparedness
  • Housing crisis demands attention, action
  • Scrutiny helps government work better
  • Unused FEMA trailers symbolize what's wrong

Entry #7: David Compton - New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, New Braunfels, Texas

• view entry
  • Honoring my son's last name
  • The pain means we loved her enough
  • Values still alive in New Braunfels
  • Stage IV cancer can be a beginning
  • Greater purpose than Texas senator
  • Scars can be an improvement

Entry #8: Nathan Crabbe - The Gainesville Sun, Gainesville, Fla.

• view entry
  
  • Equity must be priority of community
  • Use civil citations for minor offenses
  • Understand and address hidden biases
  • Involve community in improving schools
  • Bail changes are step in right direction
  • Equity plan needs support of community

Entry #9: Brandon Cox - Jackson County Sentinel, Scottsboro, Ala.

• view 1st entry
  • Journalism's finest on display in the face of Harvey

Entry #10: Brandon Cox - Jackson County Sentinel, Scottsboro, Ala.

• view 2nd entry 
  • The buzzing alarm gives me hope

Entry #11: Brandon Cox - Jackson County Sentinel, Scottsboro, Ala.

• view 3rd entry
  
  • It's time to do something

Entry #12: Brandon Cox - Jackson County Sentinel, Scottsboro, Ala.

• view 4th entry
  
  • Good intentions thay may be; the law they are not

Entry #13: Keith Domke - New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, New Braunfels, Texas

• view entry
  
  • Veramendi project is a big deal for NB
  • City continues to have a bright future
  • Growth is making us who we are
  • Our chamber numbers mean strong growth
  • We must continue to grow responsibly
  • Envisioning New Braunfels in the years ahead

Entry #14: Josh Edwards - The Daily Sentinel, Nacogdoches, Texas

• view 1st entry
  
  • Memorial's board must verify actions

Entry #15: Josh Edwards - The Daily Sentinel, Nacogdoches, Texas

• view 2nd entry
  • Stop the Summer of Hate

Entry #16: Josh Edwards - The Daily Sentinel, Nacogdoches, Texas

• view 3rd entry
  • America has a gun problem

Entry #17: Wyatt Emmerich - Northside Sun, Jackson, Miss.

• View 1st entry
  
  • Lawsuit against EMCF exposes a harsh reality
  • Atrocities galore during testimony over mental prison
  • Mentally ill should not be at the mercy of gang leaders
  • Prison trial ends, fate of EMCF waits on Barbour's ruling

Entry #18: Wyatt Emmerich - Northside Sun, Jackson, Miss.

• View 2nd entry
  
  • Real progress in fight for good state government
  • State senator Polk leading the charge for bidding reform
  • We need to stand firm on bid reform

Entry #19: Wyatt Emmerich - Northside Sun, Jackson, Miss.

• View 3rd entry
  
  • Kemper mercy killing
  • Does Southern deserve a billion for Kemper?
  • Mississippi dodged a bullet: Kemper is over and done

Entry #20: Skip Foster - Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Fla.

• view entry
  
  • A brand new day in Tallahassee?
  • Truth will clear the cloud of FBI investigation
  • A simply yes or no could help clear FBI clouds for mayor
  • The city's obstruction of public information
  • A crisis in confidence
  • Fernandez still getting paid while city dithers on his fate

Entry #21: Corey Friedman - The Wilson Times, Wilson, N.C.

• view entry
  
  • This mural inspires award-winning art.  Will city censor it?
  • Wilson city officials must abandon bid to censor artist's work
  • Changing sign rules a win-win for Wilson, Brewmasters
  • Wilson council: Save mural from city censorship
  • Will city councilmen heed Wilson's wishes and save the mural?
  • Council earns cheers for voting to preserve Brewmaster's mural

Entry #22: Jeffery Gerritt - Palestine Herald-Press, Palestine, Texas

• view entry
  • An open community needs an open government
  • Sheriff's ire doesn't trump transparency
  • Do your job, public officials – and let us do ours
  • City manager's resignation best for Palestine
  • Shedding light on death

Entry #23: Michael Gorman - The Courier (Houma, La.) and Daily Comet (Thibodaux, La.)

• view entry
  • Who polices the police?  You, if you can
  • Expensive lessons learned by taxpayers
  • Making sense of the senseless
  • A win for the public, lawsuit can proceed