News awards exemplary employees

Several staff members of the Deseret Morning News were praised for exemplary efforts during the newspaper's annual awards luncheon Tuesday.

The 35th annual Mark E. Petersen Awards went to 11 staff members for their excellent service to the newspaper in 2005.

The Mark E. Petersen Writing Award went to Marjorie Cortez for her informative, thoughtful column and editorial writing. One nominator said that Cortez provides a sane, insightful voice to the newspaper's pages.

"She's a joy to read and always refreshing, on point, knowledgeable, insightful, thoughtful and most deserving of the newspaper's highest ranking honor," said John Hughes, editor and chief operating officer, while reading Cortez's nomination.

The award is named in honor of Mark E. Petersen, who worked for the Deseret News 60 years, serving as managing editor, general manager, president and chairman of the board.

For his firsthand coverage of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, John Hart received the Robert D. Mullins Reporting Award, named for a former Deseret News reporter who received the Pulitzer Prize in 1962. The award recognizes newspaper reporting of the highest caliber.

Hart "painted a vivid picture of the cities destroyed by the storm," Hughes said, noting that Hart slept in his car, searched for gas and traveled hours to find phone lines in order to file his stories and photographs.

An Extraordinary Achievement Award went to L. Glen Snarr who was lauded for his service to the newspaper as reporter, city editor, executive news editor, board member and chairman of the board. As part of the recognition, the Deseret News Publishing Co., together with the LDS Foundation, have established the L. Glen Snarr scholarship in journalism at Brigham Young University.

Other contributions to the paper were recognized with two Outstanding Performance Awards presented to city desk reporter Joe Bauman, for his passionate reporting and willingness to cover any breaking assignment, and to artist Christie Jackson, whose creative and artistic abilities create outstanding story packages for the newspaper.

In addition, the paper gave special merit awards to:

• Tiffany Erickson, an education reporter, for her overall reporting and willingness to step in and make sure nothing is missed in education coverage;

• Ray Grass, outdoor editor, who this past year won a national award for best outdoor section in the Deseret Morning News' circulation size;