The Cannon Beach Gazette and Seaside Signal of EO Media Group earned four awards in the Northwest Excellence in Journalism competition sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists, held in Abany, Saturday, June 6.

Reporter Erick Bengel earned two awards for work in the Gazette. He placed second in the lifestyles category for coverage of a citywide miniature golf fundraiser for Tolovana Arts Colony. He placed third in arts reporting and criticism for his coverage of Cannon Beach musician Michael Corry’s remix of his “Codger Pole” music CD.

Nancy McCarthy, retired editor of both newspapers, earned third place in the government and politics reporting category, for coverage of attempts to unseat Gearhart Mayor Dianne Widdop.

The awards included third place in general excellence for the Seaside Signal.

The awards, for work published during 2014 at the annual banquet of the Oregon Territory Chapter of the SPJ in Albany. The chapter covers Oregon and Southwest Washington.

The newspapers compete against nondaily newspapers in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Montana.

McCarthy also earned third place in the best local column category. Her columns covered recollections of the murder of the 2-year-old baby in Cannon Beach, what nature can teach during a vacation and connections made at Cannon Beach’s annual “welcome home salmon” ceremony.

“I’m happy the Sigma Delta Chi judges recognized the commitment, hard work and long hours put in by the Cannon Beach Gazette staff, which is dedicated to publishing a quality community newspaper,” said Nancy McCarthy, who recently retired as editor of the Gazette. “This is a great compliment for the paper, which had been under the new ownership of the EO Media Group for only one year when the newspaper’s editions were submitted for judging.”

McCarthy also won a third-place award for government and politics reporting category, for coverage of attempts to unseat Gearhart Mayor Dianne Widdop.

“The Cannon Beach community has greatly supported the Gazette, and the staff appreciates that support,” McCarthy said. “Without it, the reporters, sales representatives and the other staff members could not produce such a successful newspaper.”

McCarthy also earned third place in the best local column category. Her columns covered recollections of the murder of the 2-year-old baby in Cannon Beach, what nature can teach during a vacation and connections made at Cannon Beach’s annual “welcome home salmon” ceremony.