The West Linn Tidings took home 12 awards, including Story of the Year.

The West Linn Tidings took home 12 awards — including first place for Best Story of the Year — in the 2025 Pacific NW Better Newspapers Contest organized by the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association.

The honors included recognition for reporting, photography, special sections and more. To be eligible, entries had to be from the calendar year of 2024. For the first time, the contest included entries from the states of Washington and Idaho as well as Oregon.

“I am always proud to work with some of the best journalists in the Pacific Northwest, but these awards are a good chance to reflect on the work we do,” said West Linn Tidings editor Patrick Malee. “I am especially proud of Holly for winning Story of the Year — a first for our newspaper during my tenure. As local journalism continues to face an uncertain future, I hope community members will reflect on what these types of stories mean to them.”

Added publisher J. Brian Monihan: “I’m so happy for all our journalists to be recognized by our peers for their outstanding work. These awards are also an important reminder to our readers about the many stories we produce that have a direct impact on our communities. If we didn’t write these stories, who would?”

The full list of awards is as follows:

Best Educational Coverage

Second place, Mac Larsen: “A part of humanity”

Best Enterprise Reporting

First place, Holly Bartholomew: Reporting on fallout from police investigation of Dr. David Farley

Second place, Holly Bartholomew: Reporting on a case of harassment on West Linn City Council

Third place, Holly Bartholomew: Reporting on disappearance of Christina Ase

Best Feature Story — General

First place, Holly Bartholomew: “Part of the crew”

Best Sports Story

Third place, Miles Vance: “Back on top”

Best Spot News Coverage

First place, Holly Bartholomew: “Grand Ronde tribe protests PGE efforts to condemn land”

Third place, Holly Bartholomew: “Community supports families of teens critically injured in crash”

Best Writing

First place, Holly Bartholomew (multiple stories)

Best Feature Photo

First place, J. Brian Monihan: “West Linn’s wild weekend”

Best Sports Photo

Second place, Miles Vance: “West Linn opens with 3-1 playoff win”

Best Story of the Year

First place, Holly Bartholomew: ‘Finally someone listened’