That's AWARD WINNING Liberal Blowhard To You, Pal

 Your Humble Columnist thanks the North Carolina Press Association for the First Place Award for "Serious Columns" in Division C (Community Papers with over 10,000 circulation). 

They also had this to say: "Mr. Rhoades makes his columns seem effortless. Besides strong writing, narrative power, and clarity, he strikes a good balance between humor and biting criticism. So many good things to say about these entries; among them: they’re well paced, descriptive, effective. And so pleasurable to read as a journalist and as a reader."

This is the second win for me, since I also won in the same category in 2005. It's ironic--the column's intended to be humorous and I keep winning in "serious columns." The editors tell me it's the subject matter, not the tone that makes the determination. But I notice that, even though my fiction isn't intended to be humorous, I keep getting put on humor panels at conferences. Curious, that. 

The column that won me the prize is here and here.

  

Congratulations to my fellow winners from The Pilot: Hannah Sharpe (First Place in General News Photography, Best Video, and Best Multimedia Project, Third Place education reporting); Fearless sports photographer Donna Ford (First Place, Sports Feature Photo); Deborah Salomon (Third Place Headline Writing); The staff of The Pilot (First Place Headline writing, Second Place Appearance and Design,  Third Place Photo page, Third Place Use of photographs); Andie Rose and Steve Dodson, (Third Place,  Niche Publication for Pinestraw Magazine); and my long-suffering editor, Steve Bouser ( First Place editorial page). 

Thanks to Editor John Nagy for his support, for continuing to publish me every week despite the slings and arrows of the right wing goon squads,  and for dinner.