Nelson Star reporter Tyler Harper has been nominated for a Ma Murray Award for a story profiling a popular local radio host who died last year after a lifelong struggle with addiction.
Harper’s story, “Pineapple Man limbos into the sunset,” which looked at the on and off-air life of Andreas Pittinger, is one of three finalists in the Feature Article Award category for newspapers with circulations under 25,000.
It was published in the Star on March 14, 2019.
The other finalists are Tara Bowie of the Keremeos Review, and Brandon Barrett and Whitney Sobool of Whistler’s Pique Newsmagazine.
Last year Harper won the same category for “The Pieces of Darwin Greyeyes,” a profile of a local artist who went missing.
He also won bronze in the Outdoor Recreation category for “Giving Kootenay Lake back to special needs swimmers.”
The Ma Murray Awards are presented by the B.C. and Yukon Community NewsMedia Association and recognize excellence in community newspapers.
This year’s awards gala is April 25 in Richmond.