Carmage Walls Commentary Prize

Carmage Walls Nominations: "over 50,000" circulation

Posted

This annual award, to be presented during the joint SNPA-Inland Annual Convention, Oct. 6-8 in Chicago, Ill., recognizes outstanding commentary on local issues. It encourages thoughtful, courageous and constructive editorial page leadership on issues specifically relevant to each newspaper's primary readership.

The prize was named for the late Benjamin Carmage Walls whose newspaper career spanned seven decades. Walls primarily owned community newspapers and advocated strong, courageous and positive editorial page leadership.

Following are 6 entries submitted in the "Over 50,000" circulation bracket. 

Judges should determine first- and second-place winners.  Several Honorable Mentions also can be awarded at the judges' discretion.

Thank you for your help in judging this year's contest!

Click on the links below to access entry materials:

Entry #1: David Barham and Walter Hussman - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock, Ark.

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    • Chronic absenteeism
    • Bricks in the wall
    • Definition of a crisis
    • Definition of a crisis II
    • Progress! Progress!

Entry #2: John Brummett - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock, Ark.

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    • For human advancement
    • The South rose again
    • Better understanding

Entry #3: Bridget Grumet - Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas

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    • City's stadium numbers may be weaker than they appear
    • Put Austin first in stadium talks
    • Give girls equal benefits as boys in MLS stadium deal
    • Game isn't over for Austin MLS deal

Entry #4: Danny Heitman and Lanny Keller - The Advocate, Baton Ruge, La.

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    • Let people rule on jury reform
    • Landry's insult to rule of law
    • Liberals, conservatives agree on jury reform
    • Myths on jury reform
    • Affirm sanctity of the jury room
    • La. shows bipartisan spirit

Entry #5: Howard Goodman - The Palm Beach Post, West Palm Beach, Fla.

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    • Follow through on bold moves on sea-level rise
    • A hopeful vote in state Senate
    • Aging flood-control systems can't protect S. Florida
    • The missing threat on the gov's hurricane conference agenda
    • Prepare now for increased insurance rates for floods 
    • Florida can drive U.S. views on climate change 

Entry #6: David Plazas - The Tennessean, Nashville, Tenn.

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    • Nashville, vote hopefully, not fearfully
    • Trump should rise above theater, be more civil
    • On civility: Don't be nice be a good citizen
    • Plazas (cont.)
    • How to make voting great again in America
    • Clinton, Holt prove incivility is bipartisan
    • How to be civil at Thanksgiving gathering
Carmage Walls Commentary Prize
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