The Winners
Nine awards across three categories, recognizing the editorial writers and columnists whose work moved their communities this year. The awards were presented at the 2026 Senior Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.
Focused Editorials
Editorials examining a single, clearly defined issue, action or decision affecting a local community.
- Arnessa Garrett, opinion page editor, The Times-Picayune | The Advocate, Louisiana
- Amelia Robinson, opinion and community engagement editor, The Columbus Dispatch, Columbus, Ohio
- Julieta Chiquillo, Jennifer Nagorka and Rudy Bush, members of the editorial board, The Dallas Morning News, Dallas, Texas
- Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas
- Isabella Loy, assistant editor; Rebecca Poynter, publisher; and Dan Ruthemeyer, managing editor, Stanwood Camano News, Stanwood, Washington
Personal Interest Columns
Signed columns written from an individual perspective, exploring family life, community experiences and everyday challenges or successes.
- Patrick Lalley, editor, Sioux Falls Live, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Erica Wilson, senior reporter, The Herald-Zeitung, New Braunfels, Texas
- Alex Fryer, editorial writer and columnist, The Seattle Times, Seattle, Washington
Signed Political and Social Commentary
Signed columns offering opinion and analysis on political, governmental or broader social issues.
- Ronell Smith, freelance writer, The Dallas Morning News, Dallas, Texas
- Alex Fryer, editorial writer and columnist, The Seattle Times, Seattle, Washington
The name behind the prize
The prize is named for the late Benjamin Carmage Walls, whose newspaper career spanned seven decades. Walls primarily owned community newspapers and advocated strong, courageous and positive editorial page leadership.
His daughter, Lissa Walls Cribb, is CEO of Southern Newspapers, which underwrites the awards.
Previous winners
Read the winning editorials and columns from earlier years of the competition.