Beverly Press reporter Rance Collins was honored by the city of West Hollywood on June 9 for his reporting on local issues. (photo by Jon Viscott)

Beverly Press and Park Labrea News reporter Rance Collins received a proclamation from the West Hollywood City Council on June 9 recognizing him for his outstanding journalism and award-winning reporting on West Hollywood and the greater Los Angeles area.

“I am really excited that right here in West Hollywood we get to honor an amazing local journalist who has made sure he’s entrenched himself in the community and helped promote not only the benefits of a free press but writing articles and interviewing hard topics sometimes,” Councilman John Erickson said. “It’s great to see such a robust local press going on … thank you for making sure the free press stands strong and has only gotten stronger.”

In an acceptance speech, Collins stressed the importance of local, independent journalism.

“Without these basic community truth-tellers, the real truth of what’s happening in our world can’t be clear,” Collins said. “There’s a lot of times that what you see on the ticker on one of the national networks might not match what the on-the-ground reporting from the people who actually live in the community have to say.”

Collins received a first place California News Publishers Association award on May 17 for his series on Fountain Avenue bike lanes. He is also nominated for Journalist of the Year by the Los Angeles Press Club, to be announced on June 22.