Weekend Update.

I laid ever-so-slightly low this last weekend. Popped into the Big Heavy World open house on Friday, then spent all day Saturday recording.

Sunday, a bunch of Seven Days scribes went to Montpelier for the Vermont Press Association Awards. I tied for first place in the arts criticism category with Margot Harrison, our literary authority. Brent Hallenbeck of the Freeps took third. There was no second place.

Next stop, Pullitzer.

Here's the full breakdown of our accolades, courtesy Cathy Resmer:

* 2nd place feature photograph, non-daily, Jay Ericson.
* 1st place feature story, non-daily, Paula Routly.
* 3rd place best local story, non-daily, Cathy Resmer.

We competed against all VT newspapers for these awards:

*2nd place best state story, Ken Picard.

* The Mavis Doyle Award, given to one VT reporter who exemplifies the qualities of Mavis Doyle, former statehouse reporter. The award is a general excellence prize for exceptional work, and stresses fairness, accuracy, and a desire to further the public interest. That prize went to our own Ken Picard.

What a team.

Later that night, 7D soul-stealer Matt Thorsen came over to take pictures of our dwarf hamster for my story in Wednesday's animal-themed issue. It turned into a family photo shoot, with the cats getting in on the action. Too cute.

Comments

[Molly]

The hamster name like my name! Is good name for people and hamsters.

[jay]

Congrats on the well-deserved accolades!

[Eva the Deadbeat]

HURRAH for Casey and Margot (also known as the best sister ever) and Paula and Cathy! Man, you guys do good! but if I had to call the tie breaker...well, I am a wee bit biased... ;)

[cresmer]

We also won 1st place for best non-daily newspaper, for the 2nd year in a row.

[Murf]

Congratulations on the award. Was it for a particular piece you wrote or for doing a good job all year long?

[casey]

Thanks, everybody. It's not that big of a deal, but I am proud of our crew.

Cresmer: I left something out? What about my award-winnning attention to detail?

Murf: It was a general arts criticism award, but I did submit specific pieces. Actually, Cathy did it for me, as I'm too lazy and distracted to be on top of such things. I think she sent a story on an older gentleman who wrote a how-to book on Gregorian Chant, as well as my Kimmock review(!!!).

[Murf]

YES! I was hoping it was for that Kimmock review. I love that piece.