Editor, cartoonist at small papers in S. Appalachia among finalists in National Journalism Awards

An editorial writer from a 35,000-circulation newspaper and an editorial cartoonist from a paper with only 18,000 circulation, both in Southern Appalachia, were among the finalists in the National Journalism Awards announced today by the Scripps Howard Foundation.

Bonnie Williams, editorial page editor of the Anderson Independent- Mail, an E.W. Scripps Co. paper in South Carolina, was a finalist in the editorial-writing competition, won by Sonni Efron of the Los Angeles Times. The other finalist was Tom Condon of The Hartford Courant. "Williams' moving voice resonates with her region's readers," the judges said. "She gets the tone right time after time." Most of the editorials she entered were in local or state issues, the paper reported.

A cartooning finalist was Mike Lester, left, of northwest Georgia's independently owned Rome News-Tribune, who won last year's Sigma Delta Chi Award for cartoons. The winner was Steve Kelley of The Times-Picayune in New Orleans; the other finalist was Michael Ramirez of Investor’s Business Daily. "The judges praised Lester's modern humor, calling his work 'more cultural than political' and 'personable and accessible'," his paper reports.

The awards, which include cash prizes, will be presented April 18 during a dinner at the National Press Club in Washington. Congratulations to all the winners, especially those who proved you don't have to be at a big paper to do big work.