On the individual-achievement front, the Phoenix organization managed to sweep three categories in its class. Boston Phoenix reporter Jason Gay took first place in the General News Story category for his December 10, 1999, report from inside the WTO protests, “Seattle Was a Riot” (www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/99/12/09/WTO.html). He was followed in second place by Providence Phoenix freelancer Steve Stycos for his July 7, 2000, feature on sick buildings, “Air of Indifference,” and by Worcester Phoenix news writer Chris Kanaracus, who placed third for his May 12, 2000, profile of expunged Democratic state rep Bill McManus, intriguingly headlined “Not as Dumb as They Hoped” (http://www.worcesterphoenix.com/archive/features/00/05/12/mcmanus.html).

We did even better in the Social Issues Feature category, taking four top spots: Boston Phoenix media reporter/senior writer Dan Kennedy landed in first place for his June 23, 2000, cultural commentary “Why We Love To Hate Microsoft” (www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/00/06/22/microsoft.html); Providence Phoenix news editor Ian Donnis scored second for “Down by Law,” (http://www.providencephoenix.com/archive/features/99/10/14/HAZARD.html) his October 14, 1999, report on wrongful convictions; Providence Phoenix reporter Justin Wolff came in third for “Casino Games,” (http://www.providencephoenix.com/archive/features/00/01/20/CASINO.html) his January 20, 2000, look at a Narragansett Indian casino proposal; and Boston Phoenix freelance contributor Lisa Birk received honorable mention for “The Gang Star” (www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/00/07/06/saroeum%5Fphoung.html), her July 7, 2000, profile of a reformed Cambodian gangster who helps kids in Revere leave gang life.

The Boston Phoenix stable of freelance photographers grabbed all four top honors for Personality Photo. Kathleen Dooher took first for her November 5, 1999, portrait of the crew at Zeitgeist Gallery; Mark Ostow came in second for his October 15, 1999, portrait of Cambridge pol Ken Reeves; third place went to Geoffrey Kula for his November 5, 1999, “Best” pic of Jack’s Joke Shop; and Dana Smith grabbed the Honorable Mention slot for his September 3, 1999, portrait of Norman Mailer.

Score three for the Boston Phoenix in the Human Interest Story category. Features writer Chris Wright was rewarded with first place for his time spent undercover in the Billerica House of Correction (“My Time in Jail,” April 21, 2000, www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/00/04/20/JAIL.html); Michelle Chihara grabbed third for an account of her ride-along adventure with Boston’s guerrilla hip-hop marketing crew (“Hype N the Hood,” December 10, 1999, www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/99/12/09/hype%5Fin%5Fthe%5Fhood.html); and freelancer Steve Almond received honorable mention for his profile of New England’s shrinking local candy industry (“The Kings of Candy,” March 17, 2000, www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/00/03/16/candy.html).

In addition to his Social Issues trophy, Dan Kennedy took first place in the Religious Reporting category for his sweeping Boston Phoenix overview of Bush, Gore, American culture, and God (“Let Us Prey,” March 24, 2000, www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/00/03/23/DON_T_QUOTE_ME.html) and received honorable mention for his Boston Phoenix coverage of A Civil Action lawyer Jan Schlichtmann, activist Erin Brockovich, and the flap surrounding a controversial Salem power plant (“Screen Greens,” May 12, 2000, www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/00/05/11/don%5Ft%5Fquote%5Fme.html).

Kristen Lombardi also took home a first-place Religious/Ethnic Reporting plaque for her Boston Phoenix feature on racial profiling (“Drive-By Racism,” May 18, 2000, www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/00/05/18/cityscape.html) and came in third for her Worcester Phoenix coverage of the firing of UMass Memorial surgeon William Meyers for speaking out against managed care (“Muzzled,” January 28, 2000, http://www.worcesterphoenix.com/archive/features/00/01/28/MEYERS.html). Third place in that category was captured by Michelle Chihara for her overview of Boston’s Brazilian community (“The Rio World,” October 29, 1999, www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/99/10/28/brazil%5Fbilly.html).

Continuing our parade of firsts, freelancer Eliza Wilmerding topped the Sports Story category for her Boston Phoenix profile of a female boxer (“The Nurse That Hurts,” June 16, 2000, www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/00/06/15/flyweight.html), and Ian Donnis snagged a first for Business and Economic Reporting with his Providence Phoenix appraisal of the downtown Providence Place Mall (“Sudden Impact,” August 19, 1999, http://www.providencephoenix.com/archive/features/99/08/19/MALL.html).

Boston Phoenix freelance illustrator Kevin Banks received honorable mention in the Illustration category for his December 31, 1999, rendering of musician Joe Strummer.

“Cellars by Starlight” columnist Brett Milano held up the Boston Phoenix Arts section’s end with a third-place award for his piece on the break-up of local rockers Letters to Cleo (“No More Letters,” June 30, 2000, www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/music/00/06/29/cellars%5Fby%5Fstarlight1.html).

And certainly not least, Boston Phoenix reporter Laura A. Siegel was handed honorable mention for her report on proposed uses of real estate on top of the depressed Central Artery (“The Final Frontier,” April 28, 2000, www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/00/04/27/final%5Ffrontier.html).

Congratulations to all our winners — and to the relatively unsung folk who supported their efforts. Good work, everyone.