The State’s Wilks, Monk honored by S.C. press association
The State’s Avery G. Wilks was named the South Carolina Daily Journalist of the Year for 2018 during the S.C. Press Association’s Annual Meeting and Awards banquet in Columbia.
Wilks was one of several journalists from The State Media Co. who received top awards at the meeting, held at the The Marriott downtown. John Monk received the Jay Bender Award for Assertive Journalism, and the newspaper shared the Montgomery/Shurr FOI Award with The Post and Courier of Charleston.
Overall, The State received 23 awards.
Wilks, a Chester native and University of South Carolina graduate, was honored for a “journalistic tour de force” in 2018. He led The State’s coverage of the failed nuclear construction project at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Jenkinsville and the fallout for the two companies involved, South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. and Santee Cooper. SCE&G and its parent company, SCANA, were eventually purchased by Dominion Energy.
He also reported on the unusually high pay, secretive practices and expensive perks of the Tri County Electric Cooperative, which serves parts of Calhoun, Orangeburg, Richland, Lexington, Kershaw and Sumter counties. After his reporting on the cooperative, its customers forced a special election that led to the ouster of the cooperative’s entire board. It was the first time in the 80-year history of South Carolina’s 20 electric co-ops that customers had done that.
“The breadth and doggedness of his work related to the failed V.C. Summer project, SCANA, Dominion, Santee Cooper and the electric co-ops is impressive,” the judges wrote.
“Out of an impressive pool of nominees, Wilks stood out for the quality of his work and significant impact on our state,” the judges said. “It was a journalistic tour de force.”
It’s the second straight year that a journalist from The State was named South Carolina’s daily Journalist of the Year. Sammy Fretwell was honored last year.
Monk, whose responsibilities include court coverage, was honored for successfully challenging a federal judge’s decision to close a sentencing hearing. He also fought to convince a state judge to release a grand jury report on state government corruption.
“There are a lot of great reporters in South Carolina but Monk comes closest to being an indispensable journalist,” the judges wrote. “He stands boldly to protect the rights of the public and journalists.”
Monk previously received the Bender award in 2016 and 2014.
The State received the Montgomery/Shurr FOI award for supporting Monk’s efforts to open the sentencing hearing and to release the grand jury report. The State also continued its fight to open the meetings and financial records of the GOP caucus in the state House of Representatives.
“When it comes to critical stories of the moment, The State is always there reporting them and initiating legal challenges,” the judges wrote.
Other awards include:
First place
Ashlen Renner and Gavin McIntyre, sports video, “What it’s like to play for South Carolina’s only women’s tackle football team”; Avery G. Wilks, government beat reporting, business beat reporting, individual use of social media; McIntyre, news video, “S.C. State commemorates 50th anniversary of Orangeburg Massacre”; Sarah Ellis, short story, “Face-eating squirrels ravage jack-o’-lanterns in Columbia neighborhood”
Second place
Avery G. Wilks, Judson Chapman Award, “High pay and expensive perks: Has ‘absolute power’ corrupted SC electric co-ops?”; Isabella Cueto, lifestyle feature writing, “Why 5,000 people in Lexington County are just crazy about ... rocks?”; Jeff Wilkinson, growth and development beat reporting; Lucas Daprile, enterprise reporting, “As college tuition soars, USC spends millions on mostly empty private plane”; Noah Feit, news headline writing; Robert Ariail, cartoons; The State staff, election/political coverage; The State staff, best website, large daily newspaper division; Susan Ardis, food writing, “This SC barbecue festival goes whole hog. Here’s how to experience it.”
Third place
Gavin McIntyre, news video, “Democrat James Smith makes final push in governor race before election”; Sammy Fretwell, digital project, “Illegal wildlife trade series”; Sarah Ellis, faith beat reporting and government beat reporting; Sarah Ellis, Cody Dulaney, Teddy Kulmala and Jeff Wilkinson, series of articles, “Are we losing the Five Points we love? The district’s identity is at a crossroads”