The staff of the Arizona Capitol Times with their awards from the Arizona Newspapers Association. From left Luige del Puerto, Jim Small, Christian Palmer, Don Harris, Bill Coates, Phil Riske and Josh Coddington.

The Arizona Capitol Times walked away with 11 awards in the Arizona Newspapers Association 2007 Better Newspapers Contest on Sept. 22.
Sixty-six newspapers and 14 high schools throughout Arizona entered the contest for a total of 1,844 entries this year. Members of the Nevada Press Association judged the entries, giving Arizona Capitol Times three first-place awards, three second-place awards and five third-place awards in its division.
Arizona Capitol Times received one of its first-place awards for the best special section in the under 3,500 circulation division for its “Best of Capitol Mall 2006” section. Capitol Times also won second place for “General Excellence” and three third-place awards for reporting and newswriting excellence, departmental news and copywriting excellence, and journalistic achievement.
Three reporters won individual awards. A first-place award was given to Christian Palmer for his article, “Dirty campaign muddies hog farm issue,” published Oct. 20, 2006.
Jim Small received a first-place award for his coverage of illegal immigration in the “Best Sustained Coverage or Series” category.
Bill Coates won four awards, two for the news feature stories, “Collared urban creatures” and “Round the clock justice,” and two for best news photograph and best feature photograph in the division.
The Arizona Newspapers Association also awarded the Arizona Supreme Court’s communications department with the “Freedom of Information” award to Communications Director Cari Gerchick and Communications Specialist Emily Poland.
Rep. Jonathan Paton, R-30, also received the “Freedom of Information” award this year because of his interest in the public’s access to government records and meetings.