Dec. 10, 2022

From investigative reporting to column-writing, the Daily Post won nine awards in the San Francisco Press Club’s Excellence in Journalism Contest. The annual contest drew 424 entries, exceeding last year’s high of 333. Entries came from a variety of news outlets, ranging from the New York Times and KQED to the San Francisco Chronicle and KPIX.

An award-winning cartoon by Dave Price.

Editor Dave Price won the top award in the Bay Area competition for political columns. He also won an award for a series of columns on the lighter side of local news.

Post Reporter Emily Mibach was honored for investigative reporting for her story about the Menlo Park Fire Protection District. While fire board member Rob Silano was publicly praising Chief Harold Schapelhouman, Mibach discovered that Silano had written a secret memo disparaging the chief and calling him “insubordinate.”

The Post doesn’t often print editorial cartoons, but two cartoons in 2021 caught the eye of judges.

One award-winner was a diagram showing “The Palo Alto Process” by Price and the other was about the Palo Alto Police Department’s decision to encrypt police radio transmissions, by Steve Curl.

Award winning cartoon by Steve Curl.

The subject of police radio encryption also earned the Post a second-place award for editorials.

The Post won a second-place award for front page design for the edition saying the Giants won the National League championship.

In the headline category, Price won the:

• second-place award for best headline (“Lawyer, put that on my tab” about a community college official who had his personal legal fees paid by the college),

• and third place (for “Refreshing liquid falls from sky — Petrichor floats in the city’s air,” celebrating the first rainfall following a dry summer).

The Press Club’s contest is judged by reporters, editors and producers in other U.S. cities, and nobody from the Bay Area decides on the awards.

This year the awards were presented at a banquet at the San Francisco Airport Bayfront Hilton, hosted by broadcasters Wendy Tokuda and Reed Cowan. The keynote speaker was journalist Phil Matier.

Previous awards

Post reporter wins prestigious James Madison freedom of information award (2023)

Awards won by the Post in 2022.

Awards won by the Post in 2021.

Awards won by the Post in 2020.

Awards won by the Post in 2019.

Awards won by the Post in 2018.