The Business Journal's 2023 Gruner Award winners (from left) Frank Lopez and Edward Smith

San Joaquin Valley reporters and photographers were celebrated for their public service journalism on Wednesday.

The Fresno State Mass Communications and Journalism Department hosted the 35th annual George F. Gruner Awards on the Fresno State campus. The awards honor George F. Gruner, a former executive editor of the Fresno Bee.

The Business Journal won two Gruner awards. Reporter Frank Lopez won the award for best feature story for weekly newspapers for his feature on the rise in popularity of the Valley’s own cryptid — the Fresno Nightcrawler.

Former Business Journal reporter Edward Smith won the award for best writing for weekly newspapers for his reporting on an apartment complex in Selma that came under new ownership, leaving 30 families in search of a new home.

Fresno Bee reporter Yesenia Amaro received the top prize, The Public Service Award for large newspapers, for her report about differences in funding for Community Regional Medical Center and Clovis Community Medical Center.

Amaro’s award also came with a $500-dollar prize.

Fresno Bee reporter Carmen Kohlruss won the Best News Story for her article, “Yosemite forcing mobile homeowners to leave without compensation.”

Carmen Kohlruss also won Best Feature Story for large newspapers for her article, “Grief remains as Oak Fire ends.”

Jim Boren, former executive editor at the Fresno Bee and current Fresno State journalism professor, said that to keep up with the evolving fabric of the journalism industry, next year’s awards will be open to news sites that don’t have print newspapers.

The full list of winners and honorable mentions:

BEST NEWS STORY

Large newspapers:

• First place: Carmen Kohlruss, Fresno Bee, “Yosemite forcing mobile homeowners to leave without compensation.”
• Honorable mention: Ishani Desai, Bakersfield Californian, “Bakersfield 3 trial, Queen convicted.”
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Small newspapers:

• First place: Sheyanne Romero, Visalia Times-Delta, “A face to the killer, Tulare County detectives close decades-old Angelica Ramirez cold case.”
• Honorable mention: Parker Bowman, Hanford Sentinel, “Family of Lawrence ‘Hoss’ Jones opposes killer’s parole.”
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Weeklies:

• First place: Sam Moore, Sun Gazette, “Pro-life pregnancy centers a concern for health care void.”
• Honorable mention: Claudia Elliott, Tehachapi News, “Local man shocked to learn home was sold because taxes weren’t paid.”
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BEST FEATURE STORY

Large newspapers:

• First place: Carmen Kohlruss, Fresno Bee, “Grief remains as Oak Fire ends.”
• Honorable mention: Marijke Rowland, Modesto Bee, “National TV ad reveals long-forgotten part of Modesto’s past.”
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Small newspapers:

• First place: Parker Bowman, Hanford Sentinel, “Adventist nurses reflect on working through the pandemic.”
• Honorable mention: Lauren Jennings, Visalia Times-Delta, “Love of cruising drives Visalia low-rider shop to build one-of-a-kind cars.”
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Weeklies:

• First place: Frank Lopez, Business Journal, “More than Fresno famous: How the nightcrawler captured the world’s imagination.”
• Honorable mention: Sam Moore, Sun-Gazette, “Clague takes his final bow as inspiring music teacher.”
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BEST NEWS OR FEATURE PHOTO

Large newspapers:

• First place: Andy Alfaro, Modesto Bee, ‘Ladonna Doshier and her dog, Li’l Miss Missy, would benefit from a program for those who live in their cars.”
• Honorable mention: Craig Kohlruss, Fresno Bee, “Desert Storm veteran Eddie Caldwell salutes during Veterans Day Parade.”
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Small newspapers:

• First place: Ron Holman, Visalia Times-Delta, “Robert Taylor and daughter Lennox relish cool water on a hot day.”
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Weeklies:

• First place: Nick Smirnoff, Tehachapi News, “Clowie Hammond declares victory in pie-eating contest.”
• Honorable mention: Nicole Little, Mariposa Gazette, “Friends enjoy a hike at the Stockton Creek Preserve.”
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BEST SPORTS PHOTO

Large newspapers:

• First place: Craig Kohlruss, Fresno Bee, “Jose Ramirez lands a punch against Jose Pedraza during their junior welterweight fight.”
• Honorable mention: Andy Alfaro, Modesto Bee, “Central Catholic’s Malachi Miller fouls out at a critical point in the division basketball final.”
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Small newspapers:

• First place: Ron Holman, Visalia-Times Delta, “Redwood’s Gavin House takes a foot to his face in a championship soccer game.”
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Weeklies:

• First place: Jamie Stewart, Shafter Press, “Shafter’s head coach celebrates the team’s first Valley championship since 1955.”
• Honorable mention: Jeannie Tyrrell, Mariposa Gazette, “Varsity senior Apollos Powell helps lead the Grizzlies to a defeat over Denair.”
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BEST SPORTS STORY

Large newspapers:

• First place: Robert Kuwada, Fresno Bee, “Stem cells, hyperbaric chambers and Aaron Rodgers. How Jake Haener got back on the field.”
• Honorable mention: Henry Greenstein, Bakersfield Californian, “Bakersfield College mishandled players’ eligibility, but it went unnoticed.”
• Honorable mention: Quinton Hamilton, Modesto Bee, “How supply chain issues are affecting Modesto-area football.”
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Small newspapers:

• First place: Parker Bowman, Hanford Sentinel, “Tigers’ Evangelo raises money for cancer research while on the field.”
• Honorable mention: Vongni Yang, Visalia Times-Delta, “How Redwood’s Kai Preisendorf is inspired by his late mother.”
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Weeklies:

• First place: Claudia Elliott, Tehachapi News, “Access struggle: School facilities inadequate for sports teams.”
• Honorable mention: Jeannie Tyrrell, Mariposa Gazette, “Hughes family has Olympic-size goals on the horizon.”

• BEST COLUMN

Large newspapers:

• First place: Garth Stapley, Modesto Bee, “An apology, if The Modesto Bee really did get deceived by abusive mother — 50 years ago.”
• Honorable mention: Robert Price, Bakersfield Californian, “Supreme Court confirmations got more complicated with Earl Warren.”
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Small newspapers:

• First place: Paul Hurley, Visalia Times Delta, “In Memoriam: Jim Houck set the standard in Valley journalism.”
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Weeklies:

• First place: Madison Kirkpatrick, Mariposa Gazette, “In the past few weeks, I am prouder than ever to be a journalist.”
• Honorable mention: Claudia Elliott, Tehachapi News, “Covering news in the ‘olden days.’”
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BEST EDITORIAL

Large newspapers:

• First place: Bakersfield Californian, “How many children will die before the system is fixed?”
• Honorable mention: Garth Stapley, Modesto Bee, “Sexual abuses at Modesto church end with settlements, a step toward healing.”
• Honorable mention: Tad Weber, Fresno Bee, “Kevin McCarthy would rather help tax cheaters than honest Americans following the rules.”
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Small newspapers:

• First place: Eric Woomer, James Ward, Visalia Times-Delta, “After sex scandal, Fresno State and trustees must act swiftly to restore trust.”
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Weeklies:

• First place: Greg Little, Mariposa Gazette, “Recent trial highlights work of sheriff’s office.”
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BEST WRITING

Large newspapers:

• First place: Erin Tracy, Modesto Bee, “Some Stanislaus victims and families feel betrayed by changes to California murder law. Here’s why.”
• Honorable mention: Ishani Desai, Bakersfield Californian, “Central Valley Holocaust Memorial: Keep the stories going.”
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Small newspapers:

• First place: Parker Bowman, Hanford Sentinel, “The smell of pizza and nostalgia hang in the air at Pizza Planet.”
• Honorable mention: Joshua Yeager, Visalia Times-Delta, “Pandemic may have helped daycare operator accused in infant’s death avoid earlier probe.”
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Weeklies:

• First place: Edward Smith, Business Journal, “New owner to renovate apartments, meaning 30 families must go.”
• Honorable mention: Claudia Elliott, Tehachapi News, “Elk in Tehachapi: Some people love them, others have come to hate them.”