Salem Reporter in April shared the account of Melinda Lou Kayser, a Salem woman who died on a Salem sidewalk after Marion County Officials determined she could take care of herself. The three-part series showed how, over the course of decades, Oregon’s mental health system failed her again and again. The judges for the 2025 Northwest Excellence in Journalism competition took notice – “Sentenced to the Sidewalk” by senior reporter Abbey McDonald won first place for series in the 2025 Northwest Excellence in Journalism competition. Reporter Hailey Cook placed second in photo essays for her pictures at Soup Squad, a local grassroots group serving meals at Wallace Marine Park. It is Cook’s first regional award, in her first year working at Salem Reporter. “These pictures tenderly capture the kindness of people feeding the hungry… and their pets,” the awarding judge wrote. Arya, 11, pokes her head out of her owner’s coat to get a view of his chili hot dog. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter) “We strive to provide Salem high quality journalism and these honors reflect the judgment of our peers that we are meeting that goal,” said Editor Les Zaitz. “The work of Abbey and Hailey represents our commitment to provide the community the kind of news so important to the people of Salem.” The awards were announced Friday, May 29. The contest, organized by the regional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, evaluated 1,100 entries submitted by media outlets in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. McDonald worked on her series for five months, conducting dozens of interviews with those who knew Kayser and those who work with people facing similar challenges. The series wove together emotional anecdotes with cutting explanations of complex public policy and law. Zaitz said such in-depth reporting is a hallmark of Salem Reporter’s approach to the local news. “This work takes patience, it takes persistence and it takes resources,” Zaitz said. “Only with support from the community is such revelatory reporting possible.” Read part one of the “Sentenced to the Sidewalk” series below. SENTENCED TO THE SIDEWALK: One woman’s misery reveals flaws in Oregon commitments See the full list of this year’s winners here. In the 2024 contest, Salem Reporter won SPJ awards for its breaking news coverage of the deadly shooting at Bush’s Pasture Park, an in-depth profile of a Marion County Circuit Court Judge, and more. See last year’s wins here. STORY TIP OR IDEA? Send an email to Salem Reporter’s news team: [email protected] Salem Reporter your trusted source for accurate, independent local news – every day. Stay informed and connected to your community. Subscribe today. The post Salem Reporter wins regional journalism award for “Sentenced to the Sidewalk” series appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less