The Bulletin’s reporters, photographers and editors work hard every day to report the latest news, dig into local issues and document the lives lived and challenges faced in our communities.

Sometimes that work is rewarded with feedback from local readers. We love to hear it. Email us any time at news@bendbulletin.com, or interact in comments or on social media to let us know what you think.   

Sometimes our work is lauded by peers as well. Our reporting in 2021 recently garnered seven awards from the Greater Oregon Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, the nation’s oldest journalism organization. I couldn’t be more proud of my colleagues for their accomplishments. 

First place awards went to photographer Ryan Brennecke and reporter Zack Demars. Brennecke was awarded first place in the Photo & Design category for his photo essay titled “The Promise: An Aging survivor heads to Hawaii.” Brennecke photographed Bend’s Dick Higgins, a survivor of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor before, during and after his December trip to Hawaii to witness the 80th commemoration the attack. Demars won first place for his hard news story in the writing category, “Central Oregon remembers 9/11, 20 years later.”

Second place awards went to photographer Dean Guernsey, editorial page editor Richard Coe, public lands reporter Michael Kohn, Demars and assistant features editor David Jasper. 

Guernsey won second place in the Photo & Design category for his portrait photography, “The Firefighter.” That’s the photo at the top of this newsletter. Coe came in second in the writing category for his Editorial & Commentary entitled, “A failure of the community on Emerson Avenue.” Kohn took second in the writing category for his series on drought in Central Oregon, and Jasper won second place for his column, “A hike up Overturf Butte affords a view of Bend Life.” Demars won second place in the hard news story writing category for his story “Afghan vets feel anger, hope as 20 years of war come to an end.”   

Reporter Bryce Dole and Tim Trainor, editor of The Bulletin’s sister paper the Redmond Spokesman, also brought home awards from their time reporting at past publications.

We have a dedicated and talented crew at The Bulletin, and I am grateful to work among them. 

Thanks for reading, and please reach out any time. 

— Julie Johnson, city editor