Island Packet staff wins 26 SC Press Association awards — plus President’s Cup for 4th year
The Island Packet has won the President’s Cup for being the outstanding mid-sized daily newspaper in the South Carolina Press Association awards for the fourth year in a row — and the sixth time in the last seven years.
In addition to the President’s Cup, current and former staff members at the Packet received 26 awards, including five first-place honors, for their work in 2022.
The newspaper’s work was entered alongside other medium-size daily newspapers and websites across South Carolina. Here is a breakdown of the winning stories:
FIRST-PLACE AWARDS
Enterprise Reporting: Sarah Haselhorst with Sammy Fretwell from The State for “Oyster shells sell for top dollar as biologists scramble to protect shellfish beds”
In-depth Reporting: Jake Shore and Kacen Bayless for Murdaugh family crime coverage
Lifestyle Feature Writing: Sarah Claire McDonald for “Sweetgrass baskets: A dying art form and the Hilton Head artisans who refuse to see it go”
News Feature Writing: Karl Puckett for “Built on backs of slaves: New mapping shows clearer picture of SC’s historic rice fields”
Profile Feature Writing: Sofia Sanchez for “Hilton Head foster mom celebrates caring for 100 babies in over 30 years”
SECOND-PLACE AWARDS
Beat Reporting: Sarah Haselhorst for these three stories related to climate and the environment:
“Is Parris Island doomed? Some say yes as waters rise, but the Marines fight to defend it“
“A USC lab was built on a Beaufort County barrier island decades ago. Now it’s in the water”
“Flooding plagues Beaufort County neighborhood as finger-pointing prolongs solution”
Community Service: David Lauderdale for the “Lowcountry Swamped” series:
Developers won’t stop until we’re another Atlanta
How to keep cookie-cutter growth from killing SC’s golden goose
Stop the rape of the Lowcountry by voting ‘yes’ on greenspace referendum
E.A. Ramsaur Award for Editorial Writing: David Lauderdale for these three editorials:
“Cruel eviction of low-income Hilton Head workers hits a hornet’s nest: The church”
“Murdaugh jailhouse calls show SC legal system has no smell test, or is that also for sale?”
“Don’t hide evidence in Murdaugh murder case if you want public trust in justice”
Enterprise Reporting: Jake Shore for “Feud involving lawyer Lin Wood raises ethics questions about Yemassee police chief”
Food Writing: Karl Puckett for “Lowcountry boil is ‘king’ in Beaufort. Meet the cook tasked with preparing it for 2,500”
Government Beat Reporting: Karl Puckett for these three stories:
“Without explanation, this Beaufort board closed a public meeting. What was going on?”
“Taxpayers helped send employees’ kids to camp — and Beaufort County tried to ‘disguise’ it”
“The wife of Beaufort’s development director works for a developer. Is that a conflict?”
Health Beat Reporting: Sarah Haselhorst for these three stories:
“For decades, Wally Sumner has been Alljoy’s backbone. Now he needs a helping hand”
“Watch the teeth! Hands-on shark research in Lowcountry may one day help cure human illnesses”
“Marine recruits taken to hospital with heat-related symptoms as heat index soars to 106”
Lifestyle Feature Writing: Mary Dimitrov for “There’s a ghost here: 140-year-old Port Royal building has more than just history”
Short Story: Sebastian Lee for “Large alligator climbs 10 steps to greet Hilton Head couple at their front door”
Sports Enterprise Reporting: Mary Dimitrov for these stories:
“From a stadium of 14,000 to one of 1,000. Why did former Purdue coach choose USC Beaufort?”
“At Purdue, basketball coach made $632,926. Here’s how much she will make at USC Beaufort”
THIRD-PLACE AWARDS
Breaking News Reporting: Staff for coverage of a Marine fighter jet crash:
“Fighter jet crashes on former SC governor’s family property in Beaufort County; pilots OK”
“What we know and what we don’t know about the Beaufort County jet fighter crash”
“Video shows military jet on fire before it crashes in Beaufort Co.”
“Oak trees ‘fried’: Cleanup at Beaufort fighter jet crash site called an ‘extreme operation’”
“Jet fighter was nearing end of service prior to Beaufort crash. Marines seek public’s help”
General Excellence: Staff
General News Photo: Drew Martin for a photo of a building being torn down and removed from Pritchards Island
Government Beat Reporting: Sam Ogozalek for these three stories:
“1 bridge or 2? Beaufort County, Hilton Head officials seemingly at impasse over US 278 plan”
“5 takeaways from Hilton Head’s proposed $119M budget. How your taxes are spent”
“Jury awards $50M to Bluffton mayor in defamation suit against longtime local critic”
Growth and Development Beat Reporting: Blake Douglas for these three stories:
“Rents are higher and rising faster on Hilton Head than in other coastal cities. Here’s why”
“After 40 years, rising housing costs finally push this Hilton Head islander to the mainland”
“300 face eviction on Hilton Head as Chimney Cove apartments for sale, many are stranded”
Lifestyle Feature Writing: Sarah Claire McDonald for “What’s it mean to be a coastal grandmother in SC? Whether you’re 22 or 73 you might be one”
News Feature Writing: Sofia Sanchez for “Finally home: Family reunited with man’s ashes 15 years after his death on Hilton Head”
News Video: Drew Martin for a video about murder charges against Alex Murdaugh
Obituary: David Lauderdale for “Sea Pines hospitality icon ‘Happy’ Mitchell dies after setting gold standard on Hilton Head”
Personality Photograph or Portrait: Karl Puckett for a photo of Bam Robinson of Sheldon and his truck decorated with Christmas lights
Sports Feature Story: Sarah Claire McDonald for “Dylan Frittelli hit one of the best shots ever at the RBC Heritage. He was penalized for it”
