Margaret Regan, former TW arts editor who contributes to the paper as a freelance writer, won three Press Club awards, including top honors in two categories.
Regan took first place for general reporting among medium publications for "A River Ran Through It" (May 3, 2001), a story examining the effort to restore the Santa Cruz River and Tucson's birthplace at the foot of A Mountain. Judge Michael Moore of Montana's Missoulian said Regan's piece "does what we too often fail to do in journalism--it puts things in historical context. And when the topic is water, context is everything. A very nice tapestry of past, present and future. Good characters, sharp observations, clear writing."
Regan won first place for personality profiles among medium publications with "Arizona Irish" (March 15, 2001), which told the tale of Arizona immigrant Mim Walsh. "Mim Walsh's diary is a real find," wrote judge Christine Evans of the Palm Beach Post. "The writer allowed Mim's voice to shine through, illuminating this odd slice of Arizona-Irish history."
Regan also won second place for arts criticism among statewide publications for "Open Spaces, Intimate Places" (March 1, 2001), a review of artworks by Greg Benson and Cynthia Miller. Judge Elizabeth Maupin of The Orlando Sentinel said Regan "writes beautifully specific descriptions of the works themselves and combines that with pertinent background information and intelligent commentary. What's more, the prose is light and refreshingly free of the smartass attitudinizing that weighs a lot of the other entries down."
Tucson Weekly senior writer Jim Nintzel and freelance contributor Dave Devine shared second-place honors for general reporting among medium publications with "The Crossroads" (July 12, 2001), which the judge described as "a thorough look at Tucson's troubled transportation system. Lots of numbers and dry facts here could have spelled trouble. Instead, the stories are full of people who bring the numbers and facts to life. Important information that people need to make important decisions."
Nintzel won a second-place award for personality profiles among medium publications for "Fish Tricks" (August 9, 2001), a look at the ups and downs of local musical legend Fish Karma. "A funny piece about a funny guy," wrote Evans. "The writing sings."
Nintzel also earned third-place honors in sustained coverage for his series of articles on last year's Tucson City Council campaigns. Judge Jim Strauss of the Great Falls Tribune said that Nintzel "brought energy, fresh angles and insight to the Tucson elections. Coverage outlined candidate stands in easy-to-follow grids and summaries. Separate articles dug into the increasing costs of local elections. The reporting was thorough and the writing clear and engaging."
Columnist Tom Danehy won second place for sports column writing statewide. Judge Ralph Routon of the Northwest Florida Daily News said Danehy was "clearly willing to tackle prominent people as well as the oft-overlooked personalities and angles."
Danehy took third-place honors for commentary among medium publications for "Double Standard" (December 20, 2001), which Judge Jane Eisner of the Philadelphia Inquirer described as "a muscular argument that home-schooled children should not be allowed to play high-school sports."
Danehy earned an honorable mention for sports reporting among medium publications with "Booster Rocket" (November 8, 2001), which examined the booster club at Sierra Vista's Buena Vista High School.
