Laurence Hammack
P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va., 24010 – 540-981-3239 (w)
laurence.hammack@roanoke.com
Education
Bachelor of sciences degree in communication studies, 1985, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Experience
Reporter for The Roanoke Times, 1985 to present. Currently covering Botetourt County, the Lexington area and the Alleghany Highlands. Previous beats include investigative/enterprise reporter, health care, Roanoke city courts and police, local government, environment, federal courts, general assignment.
Reporter and news editor for The Collegiate Times, Virginia Tech’s student newspaper, 1983 to 1985.
Awards
National
Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Award, 2002, for excellence in reporting on drug and alcohol issues, for a series on OxyContin abuse in Southwest Virginia.
Two PASS awards from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2005 and 2006, for coverage of civil commitment of sex offenders and sexual abuse of children via the Internet.
Third place from the Association of Health Care Journalists and finalist from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, 2014, for a seven-part series, “Understanding Obamacare.”
Regional
Southern Journalism Awards, 2000, second place in a completion that included 13 states, for coverage of Virginia’s two “super-max” prisons, where two inmates died amid widespread claims of excessive force.
Statewide
Virginia Press Association, seven first place awards, and more than a dozen second and third place awards, in a competition that includes the state’s four largest papers and The Washington Post. Winning entries include in-depth and investigative reporting, special projects, spot news, general news writing, government writing, environmental writing, public safety writing and news writing portfolio.
Virginia Coalition for Open Government, Freedom of Information Award, 2009, for FOIA-based reporting that led to the resignation and criminal conviction of a Roanoke City Councilman who double-billed taxpayers for his meals and travel expenses.
Virginia Bar Association Journalism Awards, three first place awards, 1996, 1997 and 2005.
Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Excellence in Journalism Award, two first place awards, 2000 and 2008, for reporting on domestic violence and for a story about the widespread practice of Carilion Clinic, the region’s largest hospital, of collecting unpaid medical bills though court action, sometimes mistakenly suing patients who should have qualified for charity care.
Virginia Property Rights Coalition, John Marshall Award, 2012, for reporting on questionable uses of eminent domain.