WW Wins National Prize for Coverage of Right-Wing Extremism

Katie Shepherd received the award for her coverage of an assault committed by a violent right-wing brawler.

By Aaron Mesh
Department of Homeland Security officers guard a Patriot Prayer protest in Terry Schrunk Plaza on June 30, 2018. (Sam Gehrke)

From the Department of Shameless Self-Promotion: WW's coverage of right-wing extremism was named the best in the nation last week by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia.

Former WW reporter Katie Shepherd received the award for her coverage of an assault committed by a violent right-wing brawler, Tusitala "Tiny" Toese.

Last February, Shepherd revealed that prosecutors had dropped a case against Toese, even though they had a witness, a cooperating victim and a confession. Her reporting led to one of the first guilty pleas by a right-wing extremist in Oregon in the past decade.

Shepherd was hired last year by The Washington Post. Read her award-winning coverage here, here and here.

Her prize headlines several honors for WW at the AAN Awards, including:

Second prize for health care coverage: "Alt-Vaxx" by Rachel Monahan

Third prize for long-form news story: "Both Sides Now" by Nigel Jaquiss

Third prize for special publication: Summer Road Trip Guide 2019

Honorable mention for innovation / format buster: "Portland At All Hours"

Explore more on:

AAN AwardsAssociation of Alternative NewsmediaDepartment of Shameless Self-PromotionKatie Shepherdright-wing extremismTusitala "Tiny" Toese

Aaron Mesh

Aaron Mesh

Aaron Mesh is WW's editor. He’s a Florida man who enjoys waterfalls, Trail Blazers basketball and Brutalist architecture.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office.

Support WW

Support