The Gazette family of newspapers — Denver Gazette, The Gazette of Colorado Springs and Colorado Politics — earned dozens of journalism awards, including 11 first place finishes, from the Society of Professional Journalists Top of the Rockies 2023 Contest.
The contest, open to media outlets from Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming, is a “regional, multi-platform contest for reporters and news organizations” administered by the SPJ Colorado Pro Chapter and covers work from 2022.
The Denver Gazette won the following:
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First Place, Multimedia Story: “Colorado’s 462 faces of fentanyl” by Carol McKinley
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First Place, News Reporting Single Story: “Prosecutor struggled with Aldrich bomb threat case that was dismissed” by Christopher Osher
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First Place, Sports Columns: Woody Paige
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First Place, Sports News: “Deion Sanders” by Tyler King and Paul Klee
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Second Place, A&E and Food Criticism: John Moore
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Second Place, Ag and Environment News: “‘Non-survivable’ evacuation routes threaten some of Colorado’s most wildfire-prone areas” by Evan Wyloge
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Second Place, Business Enterprise Reporting: “Retail Delivery Fee” by Dennis Huspeni
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Second Place, Education News: “Cherry Creek School District faces federal discrimination, harassment inquiries” by David Migoya
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Second Place, Front Page Design: “McKinnon’s Megadeal” by Lill Mayor
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Second Place, Legal Feature: “A wrongful DUI arrest by Loveland PD kept woman from her kids for months. It’s part of a pattern, attorney says” by Hannah Metzger
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Second Place, News Column: John Moore
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Second, Place Business News: “Denver’s housing permit backlog plight” by Dennis Huspeni and Mark Samuelson
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Third Place, Climate Photography/Video: “Tarantulas research” by Tim Hurst
The Colorado Springs Gazette won the following:
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First Place, Climate Reporting: “Tipping point: The Colorado in Peril” by Mary Shinn, Debbie Kelley, Stephanie Earls, Seth Boster, Jessica Van Dyne, Marianne Goodland
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First Place, Breaking News Story: Club Q Shooting by Debbie Kelley, Carol McKinley, Breeanna Jent
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Second Place, Features Short Form: “By a master’s hands in the Colorado mountains, the bamboo fly rod lives on” by Seth Boster
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Second Place, Mental Health Feature: “‘Hero’ Army vet who tackled Club Q mass shooter says he acted on instinct” by Stephanie Earls
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Second Place, News Photography/Video: Club Q shooting by Christian Murdock, Parker Seibold, Jerilee Bennett, Skyler Ballard
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Second Place, Public Service: “Tipping Point” by Mary Shinn, Debbie Kelley, Stephane Earls, Seth Boster, Jessica Van Dyne, Marianne Goodland
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Second Place, Sports Feature: “Edie Worthington blazes women’s trail with Air Force football” by Stephanie Earls
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Second Place, Sports Photography/Video: Avalanche win the Stanley Cup by Christian Murdock
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Third place, Climate Photography/Video: “Tipping Point: Lake Powell” by Skyler Ballard
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Third Place, Sports News: “Service acedemy athletes figure to see direct path to pro sports removed by provision in defense spending bill” by Brent Briggeman
Colorado Politics won the following:
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First Place, Breaking News Story, “Roe decision rattles ballot chase amid heavy spending by Democrats in Colorado’s GOP primaries” by Ernest Luning
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First Place, Extended Coverage, “Open Secret” by Marianne Goodland
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First Place, Headline Writing: “‘Lies, lies and damn lies’: Boebert’s GOP Challenger swings back at ads alleging help scheme” by Ernest Luning
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First Place, Politics Feature, “Colorado lawmakers move further left, but will the laws follow suit? | COVER STORY” by Hannah Metzger
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First Place, Religion News: “Colorado activists on both sides of abortion debate gear up for big fight” by Debbie Kelley and Luige Del Puerto
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Second Place, Column Personal/Humor: Capitol M by Marianne Goodland
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Second Place, Headline Writing: “TRAIL MIX | Newest Boebert challenger lands in Democratic primary with a splat” by Ernest Luning
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Second Place, Legal News: “Racial discrimination in jury selection” by Michael Karlik
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Second Place, Obit Reporting: “House Minority Leader Hugh McKean” by Marianne Goodland
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Second Place, Religion News, “Colorado bill aims to create reporting requirements for health care sharing ministries” by Hannah Metzger
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Third Place, Education News: “Bill advances to protect Colorado educations from doxxing” by Hannah Metzger
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Third Place, Feature Long Form: “COVER STORY | Facing ‘hopeless’ future, many young Coloradans turn away from having children” by Hannah Metzger
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Third Place, Health News: “Colorado insurance rates will be more expensive than Polis administration promised” by Marianne Goodland
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Third Place, Legal Feature: “COVER STORY | Failure to train: The 7 minutes that cost Boulder $3.41 million” by Michael Karlik
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Third Place, Legal News: “COVER STORY | Contrition: Amid conflicts of interest, judges in Colorado correct course” by Michael Karlik
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Third Place, Politics Feature: “COVER STORY | Unsustainable? Colorado’s government keeps growing” by Marianne Goodland
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Third Place, Public Service: “COVER STORY | Colorado ends free DMV driving tests, forces drivers to spend hundreds at private companies” by Hannah Metzger
