Good morning, Netizens...

The Spokesman-Review waltzed in the doorway of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Northwest and took second place in the annual Excellence in Journalism contest. That is no mean trick because it takes a lot of fortitude, dedication and belief in ones self to write news each day and make it meaningful. However, when our local paper takes on such big bastions of journalism and news media as The Seattle Times, KING-TV and the Portland Oregonian, and takes second place for the best web site design, we collectively can throw our chests out with pride.

Ryan Pitts, the Spokesman-Review web site developer, deserves a slap on the back for a job well done, considering he brought forth a new web design and redesigned the Blog pages over the last year. Speaking as an armchair observer, I can state without qualification that he was patient without a flaw in getting the update(s) to us, and repeatedly worked late into the day making things work as smooth as silk.

Of course, if you are going to sing the praises of one, you should not neglect to mention Photographer Dan Pelle and who also won second place overall for several excellent multimedia productions.

Reporter Kevin Graman won second in watchdog reporting for “Lives Lost at Home,” a report on the suicides of veterans who came into contact with the Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center and that travesty we call the Spokane Veteran's Administration.

Given the competition, we have nothing to be ashamed of at all.

Dave

---

---