1. Christian Wihtol, Bricks $ Mortar, Eugene Weekly, EugeneWeekly.com.

2. Annie Aguiar, reporter, Lookout Eugene Springfield, LookoutEugene-springfield.com.

3. Eve Weston, reporter/photographer, Eugene Weekly, EugeneWeekly.com.

Christian Wihtol has the unique ability to make real estate and business reporting very, very interesting. Wihtol joined Eugene Weekly back in November 2024 and since then, he’s dug up stories on everything from a timber-empire heir building a non-permitted home to new hospital projects. With his Bricks $ Mortar column being so popular, there’s no wonder he won Best Journalist.

Wihtol is a former Register-Guard reporter with decades of experience, and it shows. Each week, Wihtol makes what otherwise would be a boring update on real-estate acquisitions and controversies into a well-refined, engaging story that keeps the reader coming back for more. “I appreciate that readers enjoy my work, and I’ll keep on doing it as long as they keep reading it.,” Wihtol says.

Camilla Mortensen, EW editor-in-chief and owner, was nominated for Best Journalist but withdrew from the race to avoid a conflict of interest and ensure fairness among nominees. Mortensen won Best Journalist the previous two years before becoming EW’s owner.