"Your writing and reporting really made that story sing. It was the best crafted piece I'd seen in a long time - loaded with great detail and a real behind-the-scenes look."

     - Newspaper editor

"Your dramatic telling of the Franklin/McCoy saga have been compelling reads. Your A1 radiation piece was a nice piece of enterprise that shows you're not only observant - having picked up the lead from the CDC Web site - but that you've got the instincts to recognize a good story when you see it. Your work on the bombing range story showed your hustle and skill at adding the human face to a story. Keep up the impressive work."

     - Newspaper editor

"Fine job on the snowbird story. I appreciated your range of reporting - Brevards, Texas, the Canadian consulate and holiday travel report. You got good information, good quotes - and you pulled them all together in a very readable way. I thought the story was smart, sophisticated and interesting."

     - Newspaper editor

"Your delightful article captured the allure and charm of teeny boppers - a task that is generally as elusive as trying to find your shadow in a room with no light! Not only did you capture the essence of middle schoolers, but you did it with a flair that is seldom equaled and never surpassed! It was the best I have read in years."

     - Newspaper reader

"You've carried the paper lately with your centerpieces. It shows a great knack for finding the 'people' side of the news."

     - Newspaper editor

"The Editor's Award, which recognizes extraordinary behind-the-scenes efforts, goes to Stephanie Erickson, for her work Jan. 24 on the brush fires that threatened homes near the Lake/Polk county line. Stephanie reported on the front lines of the blaze at 6 a.m., went back to the office when things appeared under control, then was sent back down to the blaze when winds whipped it up and out of control. As fate would have it, another brush fire broke out and threatened homes in the Sugarloaf Mountain area. Stephanie worked that scene for a couple of hours until a relief reporter arrived, then headed further south to the big blaze. She talked her way into the living room of an elderly couple whose house was in the line of fire and filed a comprehensive A-1 account of the fire. Then Stephanie remained on the scene until midnight, making it an 18-hour day."

     - Award announcement