The four-state Prime of the Rockies journalism contest honored The Colorado Solar with 23 awards Saturday evening, together with 13 first-place citations in classes starting from well being and the surroundings to social justice, opinion and editorial cartooning — by far essentially the most amongst Colorado information organizations.
The competition, sponsored by the Colorado Skilled Chapter of the Society of Skilled Journalists and open to information organizations in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming, drew greater than 1,750 entries from over 100 shops and freelancers that have been judged by journalists from Illinois and Ohio. The competition accepts entries from small, medium, giant and extra-large newsrooms, based mostly on workers dimension.
The Solar, regardless of its comparatively smaller workers, competed within the extra-large newsroom division together with The Gazette from Colorado Springs, Colorado Public Radio and The Denver Put up. The Gazette was acknowledged with 4 first locations, CPR had three first locations and The Denver Put up had one first place within the extra-large class and was acknowledged with three firsts within the medium-sized newsroom class for tales and a photograph co-published with ProPublica.
“I’m so pleased with the popularity that Solar journalists obtained from our friends throughout the West,” stated Solar editor Larry Ryckman. “However we do that vital work for our readers, not for awards. These are only a reflection of the help from the 1000’s of Coloradans who flip to us as their trusted information supply day-after-day.”
The Solar’s Jennifer Brown led the way in which with three particular person first-place awards for her protection of a nationwide medical ethics debate, Medicaid points throughout the state’s psychological well being system and Colorado’s controversial wolf reintroduction program.
John Ingold took a pair of prime prizes for a narrative that deconstructed marijuana legalization and one other that chronicled efforts to enhance vaccination charges among the many state’s Latino inhabitants. Reporter Shannon Najmabadi additionally scored two firsts for her tales on wind generators and a college sexting scandal.
Michael Sales space, who covers the surroundings, local weather change and associated points for The Solar, was acknowledged with a primary place award for beat protection. A set of tales by reporters Tatiana Flowers, Tamara Chuang and Brammhi Balarajan took prime honors for social justice reporting, whereas a collaborative mission wanting on the century-old Colorado River Compact, led by The Solar’s Chris Outcalt, took first within the “prolonged protection” class.
Flowers additionally contributed to a mission by the Colorado Information Collaborative, a consortium of stories organizations throughout the state, referred to as “Chasing Progress,” which judges referred to as a “compelling collaboration about actual individuals pursuing the American dream.” It took first place for enterprise reporting.
Solar contributor Mark Jaffe, usually acknowledged for his protection of the vitality business, confirmed his versatility by successful first place within the arts and leisure class along with his take a look at the precarious economics of opera.
Solar contributors took two of the highest three spots in editorial cartooning. The weekly cartoon “What’d I Miss?”, written by R. Alan Brooks and drawn by Cori Redford, took first for addressing social points via the lens of its distinctive characters, whereas Solar contributor Drew Litton took third. Solar columnists additionally dominated their class, with Trish Zornio successful the highest prize and Mike Littwin taking second for collections of their work.
Second-place finishes have been awarded to Erica Breunlin in training writing for her tales on Colorado’s trainer housing disaster, and Eric Lubbers for his informational graphic that crunched census information to present inhabitants migration in Colorado.
The Solar landed eight third-place awards, together with separate public service honors in two divisions. The mission “Colorado’s Failed Adoptions” by Brown, Najmabadi and Olivia Prentzel took third amongst extra-large newsrooms. Brown additionally contributed to the Colorado Information Collaborative’s third-place end for “On Edge: Psychological Well being In Colorado.”
Different Solar third-place finishes: Lubbers and Danika Worthington in characteristic web page design for his or her Colorado Sunday cowl “The place are all of the salmon?”, photographer Hugh Carey (sports activities pictures), Jason Blevins (enterprise), Nancy Lofholm (training), Kevin Simpson (local weather reporting) and Najmabadi (politics).
