WENATCHEE—The Lynnwood Times added seven more awards to its repertoire in the prestigious Tier 4 category at the Washington Newspaper Publisher Association’s (WNPA) 138th annual Journalism Convention, Saturday, October 4, as part of its 2025 Better Newspaper Contest. The competition pitted newspapers from all over the state, divided into groups by circulation, and spanned a variety of categories.
Lynnwood Times Senior Reporter Kienan Briscoe won four of those seven, including the prestigious News Writer of the Year award, Lynnwood Times Owner and Publisher Mario Lotmore won two, and Reporter Merrick Parnell won one.
These achievements come after the Snohomish County-based news outlet secured 11 awards in 2023, and 14 total awards in 2021. The Lynnwood Times did not participate in 2024.
News Writer of the Year: Kienan Briscoe, Second Place
Senior Reporter Kienan Briscoe won second place for 2025 News Writer of the Year. This prestigious award examines a journalist’s complete body of work throughout the year which is evaluated by a panel of judges – all seasoned professional journalists and WNPA ranking members.
With the WNPA representing approximately 130 newspapers throughout Washington State, this is quite an achievement.
News Story – Short: Kienan Briscoe, First Place
Kienan Briscoe also won first place in the News Story – Short category (which examines work in the range of 500 words or fewer). Briscoe’s First Place winning story was ‘White couple, who enslaved adopted Black children, sentenced to hundreds of years in prison’ published in March 2025.
Government Story: Kienan Briscoe, First Place
Briscoe also won First Place in the Government Story category for his ‘Cannibalism, sexual assault, and murder: The alleged fantasies of newly appointed council member’ story also published March 2025.
Election Story – Third Place
Lynnwood Times Publisher Mario Lotmore won Third Place in the Election Story Category for his ‘Muslim Republican candidate brutally assaulted in politically motivated attack’ published October 2024.
Second Place went to Bellingham-based Cascadia Daily News Staff for their Turning Point: Voters ponder state of America after Trump victory.
First Place went to Jennifer Rodas, with the Wenatchee World, for her ‘WA’s voter registration rules questioned under new Trump order.’
Sports Personality Profile: Merrick Parnell, Second Place
Lynnwood Times Reporter Merrick Parnell won Second Place in the Sports Personality Profile category for his ‘Casey Bryant: Bringing Silvertips hockey to life through his broadcasts’ published July 2024.
First Place went to Eddie Macsalka, with the Key Peninsula News, for his ‘Grace-Ful Moves Help Seahawks Star Guard Reach the Next Level.’
Investigative Reporting: Mario Lotmore and Kienan Briscoe, Second and Third Place
Both Publisher Mario Lotmore and Senior Reporter Kienan Briscoe won awards in the Investigative Reporting category, Lotmore taking Second Place for ‘Boeing airplanes just as safe as Airbus despite media hype’.
Briscoe taking Third Place for ‘New Investigation: Lynnwood City Council Vice President alleged Everett address.’
First Place went to Isaac Stone Simonelli, with Cascadia Daily News, for his ‘Northwest Youth Services: Uncovering a Culture of Fear.’
About the WNPA
Washington Newspaper Publishers Association is an advocate for community newspapers, freedom of the press and open government. The association is dedicated to helping members advance editorial excellence, financial viability, professional development, and a high standard of publication quality and community leadership.
WNPA represents community newspapers in Washington state. It is the successor to the Washington Press Association, founded in 1887 by newspapers in Dayton, Ellensburg, Seattle, Tacoma, Yakima and Walla Walla.
Today, WNPA operates a statewide advertising network, manages a website containing all the legal advertisements that were published in print newspapers, and provides training and legal advice to its members. In collaboration with Allied Daily Newspapers and the Washington Coalition on Open Government, WNPA advocates for transparent government and press freedom.
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
