News-Times recognized by Oregon news association for outstanding coverage

Published 4:30 am Wednesday, July 23, 2025

The results are in, and writers for the News-Times were showered with honors for their work in 2024.

The Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association presented the awards in its Better Newspaper Contest on Friday, July 18, at the Boulder Falls Center in Lebanon. The News-Times staff received a total of 11 awards for their coverage of Hillsboro and Forest Grove.

The News-Times was honored with second place in General Excellence, which denotes the best overall newspaper of its size in Oregon.

News-Times and sister publication reporters Nick LaMora, Ray Pitz, Gary Allen and editors Lauren Bishop and Kaelyn Cassidy were collectively honored with first place in Best Spot News Coverage for multiple stories on the Lee Falls Fire in August 2024.

For individual awards, sports reporter Wade Evanson also took home first place in Best Sports Story for “Ethan Chung living hoop dream.”

Reporter Nick LaMora won second place in Best Writing for “Rising from the ashes” on the anniversary of the Weil Arcade building fire; “Unsolved mysteries” on the lore of the Boxer mascot statues at Pacific University; and “The past came crumbling down”, coverage on the demolition of the Wilkes House.

For individual stories, LaMora won second place for Best General Feature Story for “Unsolved mysteries”; second place in Best Educational Coverage for “Restoration or demolition?” on plans for the old Banks High School building; and third place in Best Coverage of Business or Economic Issue for “Rising from the ashes.”

LaMora was also awarded third place in Best Enterprise Reporting alongside editor Lauren Bishop for “‘Outright intimidation’” covering an ethics complaint in North Plains. Bishop also took home second place in Best Enterprise Reporting for “Horning’s Hideout had legal troubles long before co-owner’s murder.”

For a story published in The Times, covering Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and Sherwood, LaMora won first place in Best Enterprise Reporting for “Questions remain surrounding man’s death on TriMet Max Light Rail train.”

Former News-Times photojournalist Jaime Valdez won second for Best News Photo for a shot captured while covering the Lee Falls Fire as well as third for Best Photo Essay for “Beetle battle brings ‘cautionary tale.’” Valdez won a total of 10 ONPA awards for 2024.

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

Bishop won another first-place award for a story in conjunction with her colleagues in the Columbia County Spotlight.

Assistant editor Cassidy was honored with two second-place solo awards for her reporting at the Columbia County Spotlight and another first-place honor in conjunction with colleagues through ONPA in 2024.