FRESNO — Sports stories and photography published in sister newspapers The Bakersfield Californian and Tehachapi News earned honors Thursday night at the 38th annual George F. Gruner Journalism Awards.

The awards bestowed during a ceremony at Fresno State recognize exceptional journalism published in 2025 in eight counties in the Central Valley. The Californian competes in the large dailies and digital division, while Tehachapi News competes against other small daily and weekly newspapers.

In addition to prizes for meritorious public service in journalism, winner and honorable mention awards are given in each of seven categories in the two divisions.

“These honors reflect the importance of what we endeavor to do daily: serve readers by delivering important news, features and information,” Executive Editor Christine L. Peterson said. 

• Best sports story, freelance writer Jon Hammond, for his Pen in Hand column “Miracle on the Mountain” about a gathering of former football players to remember their title-championship game from 40 years earlier. A judge deemed Hammond’s column, published in Tehachapi News, “well-written and researched,” putting readers in the middle of the game. 

• Best news or feature photo, freelance photographer Nick Smirnoff, for “A juicy bite,” an image published in Tehachapi News that the judges called a “superb stop-action moment” at an apple-bobbing competition. 

• Honorable mention for sports photo, again for Smirnoff, for “Flying high,” an image capturing a motorcycle stunt rider reaching heights up to the grandstand lights. 

• Honorable mention for sports photo, freelance photographer Rodney Thornburg, for “Out of reach,” an image published in The Californian that captured a diving, sideways stretch by a soccer goalie. 

• Honorable mention for news or feature photo, Californian staff reporter Peter Segall, for “Bakersfield Police Department clears homeless encampment.” A judge commented on its “starkness.”

The awards named for Gruner, who retired as executive editor of The Fresno Bee and died two years ago at the age of 99, are sponsored by the Fresno State Institute for Media and Public Trust, Department of Media, Communications and Journalism, and James B. McClatchy Foundation. The entries are judged by award-winning journalists from outside the area.