Sound Publishing employees have won numerous awards at the 2018 Washington Newspaper Publishers Association annual meeting, including a dozen awards for the Eastside group.

The publishers gathered for the association’s 131st annual meeting in Yakima to vote on various awards on Oct. 11–13. Sound Publishing’s Eastside group includes the Snoqualmie Valley Record, Bothell-Kenmore, Kirkland, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and Issaquah Reporters.

Mercer Island Reporter staff won two awards: Katie Metzger, city reporter, won third place in General Feature Story-Short for “Finley the Therapy Dog” and former staff writer Daniel Person won third place in Investigative Reporting for “Rape Allegations against Top Cop.”

Issaquah Reporter staff won five awards, including third place in General Excellence for their division. Former reporter Nicole Jennings won first place in Social Issue Story for “Seeking Insite,” former editor Carrie Rodriguez won second place in Business Feature Story for “Females seek out STEM Fields,” former reporter and current designer Megan Campbell won third place in Government Story for “City Manager addresses Presentation,” and former designer Diana Nelson won third place in Lifestyle/Culture for the “50+ Young and Healthy” special section.

Redmond Reporter staff won a single award. Editor Andy Nystrom won first place in Color Feature Photo for “Soaking up the Spotlight.”

Snoqualmie Valley Record staff won two awards, including third place in General Excellence for their division. Aaron Kunkler, business and environment reporter, won first place in Environmental Story for “Mountain Goat Options.”

Bellevue Reporter staff won two awards. Madison Miller, education reporter, won second place in Education Story for “Parents protest Vote for Playfield Infill,” and former reporter Raechel Dawson won first place in News of the Weird for “Santas Strike at Walmart.”

For a complete list of winners, visit issuu.com/wnpafiles/docs/2018_wnpa_awards_tab_final_proof.