Entertainment writer Andrew Dansby won first place in the arts and entertainment category for his sweeping project on the cult-favorite film Rushmore. It was directed by Houston native Wes Anderson and filmed at city landmarks like the St. John’s School, Lamar High School and Memorial Park. The film celebrated its 25th anniversary late last year.
Business columnist Chris Tomlinson earned first place in special topic column writing for his four-part series exploring the roles of Texas regulators and pipeline operators in the deadly blackouts during the 2021 freeze.
“This topic is one of the most complicated I’ve tried to address in a commentary, and I am grateful the judges recognized the importance of pipeline regulation to everyone in the state,” Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson’s columns examine allegations that natural gas pipeline operators and traders triggered the 2021 blackouts while trying to manipulate prices.
“A story of outrageous profiteering and the political and regulatory systems that not only enabled but defended it,” the judge wrote. “Complicated material is not only accessible, it’s a gripping read. Great job.”
Smith and Conley’s entry was lauded by a Best of the West judge for shining a spotlight on a condition afflicting millions of Americans. The 1,300-word profile, accompanied by photos and a short video produced by Conley, was written from the perspective of Christine Coglaiti, the ER nurse, as she struggled through her daily life.
“Brilliantly written story that demonstrates the frustration, and hopelessness faced by people with long Covid,” the judge wrote. “Writing from the point of view of the patient is both raw and very effective; it helps the reader understand what it’s like to struggle with this little-understood illness.”
Dansby was praised for the thoroughness of his project, “‘Rushmore’ at 25: Wes Anderson's most Houston film was not actually set in Houston.” The profile looks into Anderson’s earliest days as a director, his decision to film “Rushmore” in Houston, and why the movie “holds some special place in this city’s sense of self.”
“This package is very well-produced without losing heart of the story, which is the Houston-ness of ‘Rushmore,'” the judge wrote. “The writer makes a case for this being the most Houston film, sticks with it and presents an excellent well-written and well-thought out case. Excellent job finding a regional peg. Delightful!”
Dansby’s deep dive is an innovative oral history that includes the perspectives of “Rushmore” cast and crew, co-writer Owen Wilson and Anderson himself.
“I’ve watched Rushmore some 100-plus times, so I wanted to do something special for the 25th anniversary of a film made in Houston by a native, Wes Anderson,” Dansby said. “Our Rushmore package revealed a great disparity between a pretty simple idea — to celebrate the film — and the execution of that idea, which ended up being a labor-intensive process that sprung from a couple dozen interviews with the filmmaker, actors, a cinematographer, a producer, some students who appeared in the film, a pair of location scouts, a set photographer and one beekeeper.”
Best of the West, founded in 1987, is a journalism contest for newspapers, magazines and news websites with more than 1,000 annual entries from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
The Houston Chronicle is no stranger to the competition. Last year, Chronicle journalists won two contests and earned second-place finishes in multiple categories. Best of the West will announce its complete list of 2024 winners by early May, the website says.
