The announcement on whether the awards are for first or second place in the respective categories will be made in August at CNPA's annual awards luncheon, to be held this year in Monterey. Awards are made on the basis of a paper's circulation. Eligible stories were those published in 2000. The series featured a survey of 1,200 high school sophomores throughout San Luis Obispo County that asked about their parents' marital status and how divorce, if applicable, affected their ability to have relationships, learn and stay out of trouble. For best feature, Patrick S. Pemberton's story on the Grizzly Academy, a program held at Camp San Luis for troubled teens, was honored.
General excellence reflects the overall quality of the publication.
Cambrian Staff Writer Kathe Tanner received individual honors in the environmental-ag resource category for reports on underground contamination caused by MTBE, a gasoline additive. She also placed in the investigative category for coverage of the sale of old Air Force property on the coast just south of town. This year, the CNPA contest drew 3,335 entries in 27 categories. There were nine divisions of circulation size, including daily and weekly newspapers.