Displaying items by tag: etspj

Team coverage of Sept. 27 disaster spanned three devastated East Tennessee watersheds

KNOXVILLE — Hellbender Press continued its tradition of excellence in journalism in 2024 with award-winning coverage of the unprecedented disaster spawned by Tropical Storm Helene in the Southern Appalachians.

Editor and Publisher Thomas Fraser and writer and reporter John Stambaugh accepted the awards at an East Tennessee Society of Professional Journalists downtown banquet in May.

The society sponsors the competition each year to recognize the best journalism in East Tennessee published in 2024. This year’s contest was judged by the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists.

Hellbender Press received three first-place awards in the digital-only category, all related to Helene: Hurricane Helene Breaking Coverage; Deadline/Breaking News Reporting; and Series/Package/Project Writing.

Two of the judges drew parallels with news coverage of other historic events. 

The honor continues Hellbender Press’s tradition of excellence in journalism.

KNOXVILLE — Hellbender Press: The Environmental Journal of Southern Appalachia, was honored with a first-place award by the East Tennessee Society of Professional Journalists (ETSPJ) for its probe into a controversial municipal airport proposed by the city of Oak Ridge.

Reporters Wolf Naegeli and Ben Pounds and Hellbender Press editor and publisher Thomas Fraser accepted the award during ETSPJ’s 2023 Golden Press Card awards, held May 16 at Maple Hall in downtown Knoxville. The honors, which are bestowed upon television, radio, print and digital media, “strive to honor the best journalism in the eastern region of Tennessee from the past year,” according to ETSPJ.

Hellbender Press was honored with first place in the digital space for its investigation into the proposed airport, which the city maintains would juice economic development, especially in the high-tech business realm. 

KNOXVILLE — The East Tennessee chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (ETSPJ) once again will partner with the League of Women Voters Knoxville/Knox County (LWVKKC) to hold the annual legislative forum of the Knox County delegation.

The forum, which was postponed by snow, is now set for 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17. 

The event is set for the YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center, located at 124 S. Cruze St., in East Knoxville near downtown. A parking lot next to the building and street parking are available.

Jesse Mayshark, an ETSPJ board member and co-founder of Compass Knox, will serve as moderator. The event is open to the public.