Staff photographers George Sakkestad and Vicki Thompson took top honors in the photography categories. Thompson's Sept. 29 work for the "Why Ask Y" story took first place for photo essay, while Sakkestad's Sept. 15 "Some Like It Hot" pictures took second. Sakkestad also took a certificate of achievement for his June 9, 2004, feature photo, "Praying on one leg."

The association awarded Sakkestad second place for the feature photo "Spirited Athletes" on the cover of the Jan. 21, 2004, Saratoga News. Sakkestad and Thompson jointly received a certificate of achievement for the Oct. 6 cover photo essay, "Horse Play," in the Saratoga News.

Cartoonist Steven DeCinzo took second place for his June 10, 2004, cartoon that ran in the Almaden Resident and a certificate of achievement for the Aug. 11 Cupertino Courier cartoon.

According to the newspaper association's website, "The Better Newspapers Contest is an annual newsroom competition that is sponsored by CNPA for the purpose of recognizing the most outstanding journalistic achievements published by daily and weekly California newspapers in one calendar year."

Awards were given out at a luncheon on July 9.

Other winners from the Silicon Valley Community Newspapers group were:

First place, feature photo—"Time Tells" by Jacqueline Ramseyer, Aug. 4, Cupertino Courier;

Second place, writing—"Close Encounters" by Moryt Milo, Nov. 10, Campbell Reporter;

Second place, columns—Moryt Milo, Campbell Reporter.