Feature Briefs

Students receive journalism awards

Western students and alumni received 15 awards in the 2002 Society of Professional Journalists regional Mark of Excellence competition.

The College Heights Herald was named Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper. Louisville senior Brian Moore and Caroline Lynch, who graduated in December 2002 were editors in spring and fall 2002, respectively.

Writing award winners were Lynch, first place, editorial writing; Kyle Tucker, a senior from Clarksville, Tenn., first place, sports column writing; Paducah junior Kyle Hightower, second place, sports column writing; Louisville senior Rex Hall Jr., third place, spot-news reporting; Bowling Green alumnus Taylor Loyal, third place, general news reporting; Bowling Green senior Dave Shinall, second place, in-depth reporting and second place, non-fiction magazine article; (tie) J. Michael Moore, a sophomore from Franklin, Tenn., second place, sports writing; Louisville alumnus Ryan Clark, second place, sports writing.

Photography award winners were: Thomas Cordy, a senior from Huntsville, Ala., first place, spot news; Robyn Larsen, an alumna from Idaho Falls, Idaho, second place, spot news; Henrik Edsenius, a senior from Nybro, Sweden, third place, spot news; La Grange senior Jenny Sevcik, second place, general news and third place photo illustration; H. Rick Mach, a senior from Sterling, Va., first place, photo illustration; and Cassandra Shie, an alumna from Sterling, Va., second place, photo illustration.

The competition featured universities in Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. First-place winners go on to compete in the national SPJ competition. Awards will be given out at its national convention in September in Tampa, Fla.

Western public television goes digital

WKYU-TV will launch its digital public television service today at noon. Starting tomorrow, the digital service will sign on daily at 8 a.m. The signal will broadcast to 11 counties surrounding Bowling Green.

The digital service upgrade is required by the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC requires all public TV stations to offer a digital broadcast by todays’ May 1 deadline.

WKYU-TV is the only public television station in Kentucky operated by a university. Costs for the first phase of the digital service totaled $492,767. It was funded by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Western paid $157, 057 toward the upgrade.

New GIS technology at Western

The department of geography and geology received a new technology device that will allow it to study and analyze the geology of an area better.

The Digital Vectorized Geologic Quadrangle (DVGQ) series studies rock types and structures. It will be used to improve the quality of Kentucky’s drinking water.

The Hoffman Institute and Center for Water Resource Studies will help foot the costs.

–Josh Coffman