Spotlight’s Scott Keith wins statewide award

The Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association has bestowed a major award on Columbia County Spotlight reporter Scott Keith.

The Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association presented the awards in its Better Newspaper Contest on Thursday, July 18, at Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond. The association recognized reporters and editors across the Portland region and the Spotlight’s sister publications for their outstanding coverage.

Keith won second place in the Best Feature Story category for his coverage of Scappoose resident Frank Weber, a World War II veteran who was set to turn 99 last year .

The association recognized reporters and editors from the Spotlight and other sister publications, among other media outlets across Oregon, for their outstanding coverage.

Several other local reporters and editors were recognized at last week’s ONPA conference in as well, including Spotlight sports editor Wade Evanson, who received third place for Best Local Column. Evanson’s columns were submitted on behalf of the News-Times, the Spotlight’s sister publication in Forest Grove and Hillsboro, although many of them appeared in the Spotlight last year as well.

Lauren Bishop, editor for the (Forest Grove and Hillsboro) News-Times, The (Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and Sherwood) Times, the Newberg Graphic and the Spotlight received two solo first-place wins and three more accolades for stories written in conjunction with colleagues.

Assistant editor Kaelyn Cassidy was honored with nine awards through ONPA in 2023, which she spent at the Spotlight’s sister publication the Wilsonville Spokesman.