The Federal Way Mirror recently achieved the top prize for General Excellence at the 2026 Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA) Better Newspaper Contest. The awards were presented during the 139th WNPA convention held on October 3 in Everett. The contest recognized community newspapers across the state for work published between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026.
Keelin Everly-Lang, representing The Federal Way Mirror, accepted the first-place General Excellence award alongside Mirror editor Bailey Jo Josie. General Excellence is considered one of the contest’s most prestigious honors. The team recognized for this achievement included Keelin Everly-Lang, Andy Hobbs, Joshua Solorzano, Ben Ray, Shane Gillispie, and Elvira Anderson.
In addition to the top team honor, Joshua Solorzano received an individual award, securing second place in the News of the Weird category. Solorzano was recognized for his article titled “Human toe found at Dash Point State Park,” an event significant to the Federal Way community's local geography.
The WNPA serves as an advocate for community newspapers throughout Washington State. The association is dedicated to supporting its members by advancing editorial excellence, fostering financial viability, promoting professional development, and upholding a high standard of publication quality and community leadership. The 2026 contest saw participation from forty-six papers from across Washington, with awards distributed across 75 categories, totaling 609 honors.
The Federal Way Mirror is part of Sound Publishing, a network of newspapers and websites operating across King County. Several other publications within the Sound Publishing network also received awards at the 2026 Better Newspaper Contest. The Courier-Herald and The Auburn Reporter each earned second-place prizes in different groups for General Excellence, while The Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber secured a third-place prize in the same category.
Individual writing honors were also awarded to two editors from Sound Publishing. Steve Hunter, who serves as editor for both The Auburn Reporter and Kent Reporter, was recognized with second place for News Writer of the Year. Ray Miller-Still of The Courier-Herald received third place for Feature Writer of the Year and also for News Writer of the Year. These recognitions highlight the broader journalistic talent within the network that includes The Federal Way Mirror. The convention concluded on October 3, 2026, marking the close of the contest period's recognition for the preceding year of journalistic work.