3 Press Democrat journalists receive national honors

Three journalists from The Press Democrat have received national honors for their work.

Investigative reporter Andrew Graham received a first place award for business and financial reporting in the Best of The West journalism contest, which receives submissions from news organizations across the western United States. He was honored for a story about the potential impact of President Biden’s wind energy policies on communities along Humboldt Bay.

Contest judge Michael Diamond of the Asbury Park Press in New Jersey wrote that, “Humboldt Bay has lots of wind and deep water, assets that could create the next gold rush, but not everyone is cheering. The writer digs into a high-impact issue with grace, clarity and historic perspective. Wonderful.”

Columnist Kerry Benefield was honored with a second-place Best of the West award in long-form feature writing for her powerful profile of Ralph Harms, an 85-year-old man with terminal cancer who made the decision to die with dignity under California’s End of Life Option Act.

“A fascinating subject and an important topic well-told through the eyes of one man and his family,” contest judge Amy Bertrand of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote.

Graham and reporter Ethan Varian also received third-place honors in the 88th National Headliner Awards competition, one of the oldest national journalism contests in the country.

They won for their investigation into lax oversight of affordable housing deals, which led Sonoma County officials to change policies and commit to stronger enforcement. The investigation was previously honored with a James Madison Award, recognizing public records reporting, by the Northern California Chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists.

“I am extremely proud of these writers and the recognition they’ve earned from their peers,” said Richard Green, editor of The Press Democrat and chief content officer of its parent company, Sonoma Media Investments. “Andrew, Kerry and Ethan care so much about this community and the craft of powerful reporting and storytelling.”

Green added, “I say it often, but it bears repeating: We’re not in this business for awards or honors. We appreciate them, certainly, but we devote ourselves to important work that makes a difference in the place we call home. These awards only inspire this newsroom to work harder and be even more cognizant of the high expectations of Press Democrat readers and subscribers. I care more about them than generous words from contest judges. It’s their support that enables us to tell these important stories.”

Graham came to The Press Democrat in February 2021 from Wyoming, where he worked at the nonprofit, investigative-focused digital news site WyoFile. He has a master’s degree in Environmental Science Journalism from the University of Montana.

Benefield was raised in Santa Rosa and returned to work at The Press Democrat in 2003. She has covered transportation, politics, education and prep sports. Since 2014, she has three times been named an Associated Press Sports Editors top 10 columnist. She is now The Press Democrat’s local columnist.

Varian covers housing and homelessness for The Press Democrat. Before joining the paper in March 2020, he was a staff writer at the San Fernando Valley Business Journal. He also contributed regional news, business and culture stories to publications including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Guardian US.