Herald staff honored for coverage of Fred Meyer shooting, jet crash, judge’s legal troubles

Tri-City Herald
·2 min read

The Society of Professional Journalists honored seven current and former Tri-City Herald staff members for their coverage of breaking news and editorials in 2022.

The NW Excellence in Journalism awards were announced June 1 and recognize the best work by journalists in Region 10, which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.

Richland Fred Meyer shooting

Tri-Cities law enforcement officers talk with employees and customers who witnessed the February, 2022 shooting at the Fred Meyer in Richland, WA. Jennifer King/jking@tricityherald.com
Tri-Cities law enforcement officers talk with employees and customers who witnessed the February, 2022 shooting at the Fred Meyer in Richland, WA. Jennifer King/jking@tricityherald.com

Reporters Kristin M. Kraemer, Annette Cary and Cameron Probert together with photographers Bob Brawdy and Jennifer King received first-place honors in the breaking news category for their coverage of a fatal shooting at the Richland Fred Meyer on Feb. 7, 2022.

Justin Krumbah, 38, an Instacart shopper, was killed and a store employee was wounded. The alleged shooter, Aaron Christopher Kelly, has pleaded innocent by reason of insanity.

Plane crash, building fire

The charred remains of a privately owned small jet rests on a runway surrounded by emergency vehicles in September, 2022 at the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco. Passengers escaped before the plane burst into flames. Bob Brawdy/bbrawdy@tricityherald.com
The charred remains of a privately owned small jet rests on a runway surrounded by emergency vehicles in September, 2022 at the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco. Passengers escaped before the plane burst into flames. Bob Brawdy/bbrawdy@tricityherald.com

Brawdy won first place for spot news photography for his image of the dramatic Feb. 4, 2022, fire that gutted the historic Cascade building in downtown Kennewick. He won second place in the same category for his image of a jet crash at the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco.

A Cessna Citation carrying 10 people, including a surgical team, crash landed after landing gear failed. Passengers and crew escaped before fire engulfed the privately-owned aircraft.

Trust shattered, judge acquitted

The Tri-City Herald Editorial Board, led by opinion page editor Cecilia Rexus, was honored for a Sept. 17, 2022 editorial concerning allegations of abuse against Benton Franklin Superior Court Judge Sam Swanberg, “Public trust in Tri-Cities, WA Judge Sam Swanberg has been shattered. He must step down.”

A jury acquitted Swanberg of domestic violence charges, and he returned to the bench in September.

Chehalis River flooding

Reporter Eric Rosane, who joined the Herald in 2022, was part of a team at The Daily Chronicle of Centralia that took second place for environment and natural disaster reporting for its work covering flooding in the Chehalis River Basin.

For a full list of awards, go to spjwash.org/2022-nw-excellence-in-journalism-winners/

Sign Up: Boom Town Tri-Cities

Stay up to date on Tri-Cities growth and development with our weekly business newsletter. Get the latest on restaurant and business openings and closings, plus the region’s top housing and employment news. Click here to sign up. In your inbox every Wednesday.