Sandpoint Reader Earns 20 Idaho Press Club Awards, Including Second-Place General Excellence Honor
The Sandpoint Reader had a strong showing at the annual Idaho Press Club Awards Banquet in Boise on May 3, claiming 20 total awards in the Publication-Weekly Division and finishing second in general excellence for the third consecutive year.
The ceremony, held every first Saturday in May, recognizes the best journalism produced across Idaho each year. The Reader’s editorial team swept multiple categories, with staff members earning seven first-place plaques among their haul of top honors.
Individual Honors Span Multiple Categories
Editor-in-Chief Zach Hagadone led the publication’s first-place finishes, earning top awards in the Watchdog Report and Editorial categories. His winning watchdog piece covered the Sandpoint City Council’s vote to amend its non-discrimination ordinance — a story with significant local impact for Bonner County residents. Hagadone also picked up four second-place awards in the Data Journalism, Column, Political Report, and Outdoor Feature categories, along with two third-place finishes in Spot News Coverage and Business Report.
Beyond his work as an editor, Hagadone serves on the Idaho Press Club board and was among the presenters at this year’s banquet — believed to be the first time a North Idaho journalist has held that distinction at the event.
Senior Writer Soncirey Mitchell also earned two first-place awards, winning in the Health/Medical Report and Crime Report categories. Her Crime Report winner covered a state attorney general’s ruling on a matter involving a figure named Korn. Mitchell added a third-place finish in the Agriculture Report category, rounding out a strong individual performance.
Publisher Ben Olson claimed three first-place plaques — in Light Feature Report, Series, and Sports Story. His award-winning series chronicled a backpacking journey through the Balkans, while his sports piece focused on a charity fishing event. Olson also earned two second-place finishes and four third-place awards spanning outdoor, arts, serious feature, and column categories.
“This annual awards banquet is always a reminder that I am lucky to work with two very talented journalists here at the Reader,” Olson said. “I’m proud of what they have accomplished.”
Bonner County Daily Bee Also Recognized Statewide
The Sandpoint Reader was not the only Bonner County outlet to take home hardware. The Bonner County Daily Bee earned two first-place awards in the Publication-Daily Division. Staff members Caroline Lobsinger, Chloe Cochran, Max Oswald, and Jack Freeman won first place for General Excellence in Print, and Oswald separately claimed first place in the Special Purpose Publication category for a Fall Sports 2025 edition.
The strong showing from both Sandpoint-based outlets underscores the depth of local journalism in North Idaho’s Panhandle region, where community coverage continues to hold significant reader value.
The Idaho Press Club supports journalists statewide through training programs, legislative advocacy on press freedom and public records access, and guidance on media law. The organization represents outlets across all of Idaho, from major dailies to independent weeklies like the Reader.
Local journalism in the Sandpoint area continues to reflect a broader civic culture — one that also supports arts programming like the POAC Confluence exhibit featuring six women in contemporary practice and community events such as family-friendly biking programs brought to Sandpoint by the Lake Pend Oreille School District.
What Comes Next
Both the Sandpoint Reader and the Bonner County Daily Bee return to their regular publication schedules following the banquet. The Idaho Press Club will continue its training and advocacy work throughout 2026, with the next annual awards cycle recognizing journalism published this calendar year. North Idaho’s two award-winning newsrooms now carry fresh statewide recognition heading into the summer coverage season.