The Gazette family of newspapers won more than 50 awards at the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2025 Top of the Rockies Excellence in Journalism competition.

Combined, this year marks one of the most successful hauls for The Denver Gazette, The Colorado Springs Gazette and Colorado Politics. The Gazette family won the most awards among the roughly 80 media organizations who joined the competition.   

Colorado Politics won 15 awards, including five first places; The Colorado Springs Gazette took home 22, including seven first places; and The Denver Gazette secured 15, including nine first places.

The Denver Gazette’s Carol McKinley, who retired last month, secured five awards, including three first places.  

“This is a well-crafted piece on a fascinating topic. Good historical details, nice writing,” said the judge of McKinley’s story, “The hunt for the last Colorado orange apple tree,” which took the top prize in the long-form feature category. 

“And the apple sounds delicious,” the judge added. 

Another judge called Colorado Politics’ Michael Karlik’s first-place story on the arguments submitted by groups for or against the Colorado case to disqualify then-candidate Donald Trump: “An excellent summary of a national story. No assumption that readers are familiar with the legal or political complexities involved, but doesn’t get overly bogged down in its explanations. Excellent service journalism.”

Ernest Luning also took home four awards for Colorado Politics, including first place for his story on a Republican congressional candidate rejecting the endorsement from the Colorado GOP over the latter’s call to burn Pride flags.

Sports writer Chris Tomasson won first place for The Denver Gazette for his article: McDonald’s vs. ‘4-inch steaks’: How the Nuggets beat Atlanta Hawks to David ‘Skywalker’ Thompson.

“Good and funny story about recruiting a top player. Well told and part of basketball history,” the judge said. 

Of investigative reporter David Migoya’s story on Vail’s exclusive delivery service, which also won first place, the judge said, “This is a compelling investigation of sweetheart deals in Vail. It showcases dogged reporting and the use of public records to hold public officials and private businesses accountable.”

The Gazette’s Christian Murdock won first place for social justice photography about living in the streets, which a judge called a”poignant, poetic and beautiful image creates an engaging contrast to the subject’s tragic circumstances, making the audience look longer and more deeply.”

Mary Shinn won first place for climate reporting for her story exploring how beavers restore wetlands, control floods and protect rivers.

The judge called it a “beautifully written and balanced narrative” that “looks at one of nature’s own answers to mitigate flooding that follows wildfires — beavers.”

More than 80 news media outlets and 20 freelancers from Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico entered the competition. All told, participants submitted roughly 1,850 entries.

The Los Angeles Press Club judged the entries.

The Denver Gazette

Education News: First Place, A Colorado daycare was cited for dozens of violations dating back to 2017; the state didn’t intervene until November, David Migoya

Single Page Design: Third Place, June 30, D1, Michael Lee

Breaking News Story: First Place, ‘Death around every corner’: inside Arapahoe County’s missile silo rescue mission Noah Festenstein, Carol McKinley

Feature – Long form: First Place, The hunt for the last Colorado orange apple tree, Carol McKinley

Sports – Feature, First Place, McDonald’s vs. ‘4-inch steaks’: How the Nuggets beat Atlanta Hawks to David ‘Skywalker’ Thompson, Chris Tomasson

Mental Health News: First Place, A hell of a love story: Columbine survivor’s honest look at marriage struggles after mass shooting, Carol McKinley

Business Enterprise Reporting: Third Place, Liquor Wars, David Migoya

Business Feature: First Place, Insider deal creates ‘monopoly’: How Vail’s exclusive delivery service sparked a lawsuit and controversy, David Migoya

Solutions Journalism: Second Place, A DNA Scandal, Jenny Deam, Christopher Osher

Special Topic/Section: Second Place, The Venezuelan gang, Nicole Brambila

A&E and Food – Criticism: First Place, John Moore

Ag and Environment-News: Third Place, The hunt for the last Colorado Orange apple tree, Carol McKinley

Social Justice Reporting: First Place, How uranium mining affected the Navajo Nation, its people, and its land, Scott Weiser

Legal Feature: Third Place, Netflix docu-series re-ignites JonBenét Ramsey case, but no definitive answers, Carol McKinley

Front Page Design: First Place, July 20, Laurel Foster

Colorado Politics

Columns/Op-Ed pieces: Second Place, Ernest Luning

Columns/Op-Ed pieces: Third Place, Ernest Luning

Politics News: First Place, Republican congressional candidate rejects Colorado GOP’s endorsement over call to burn Pride flags, Ernest Luning

Politics News: Third Place, Trump’s rally in Colorado shines spotlight on immigration issues as critics blast ‘fear-mongering,’ Ernest Luning

News Reporting- Single Story: First Place History, democracy, and violence: Groups weigh into SCOTUS ahead of Trump disqualification arguments, Michael Karlik

Mental Health Feature: Third Place, Colorado’s rural communities struggle with mental health care access – and stigma, Marissa Ventrelli

Beat Reporting: Second Place, “Tina Peters,” Marianne Goodland

Mental Health News: First Place, Unintended consequence: 2020 law pushes law-enforcement away from intervening in mental health cases, Marissa Ventrelli

Legal News: First Place, Is Colorado’s Supreme Court about to kill implicit bias reform? Michael Karlik

Solutions Journalism: First Place, Is Colorado’s local government sector functional or dysfunctional? | ANALYSIS, Thelma Grimes

Solutions Journalism: Second Place, ‘Tough’ or ‘soft’ on crime? That framing misses the point, experts say Thelma Grimes

Public Service Second Place: Are laws cracking down on car theft responsible for the downward trend in Colorado? Thelma Grimes

Personal/Humor Column: Second Place, Capitol M, Marianne Goodland

Personal/Humor Column: Third Place, Capitol M, Marianne Goodland

General Reporting Series or Package: Second Place, Douglas County judge’s errors, Michael Karlik

The Colorado Springs Gazette

Religion News: Second Place, The changing church: Some consolidate, some sell buildings and move, others close their doors, Debbie Kelley

Business News: First Place, The height of controversy: Proposed 36-story high-rise in downtown Colorado Springs spurs views vs. vibrancy debate, Rich Laden

Single Page Design: First Place, Dale Dimitri – All-time rock stars, Dale Dimitri

Single Page Design: Second Place, Sarah Warrender – Piggy Bank Perspective, Sarah Warrender

Information Graphic: First Place, Hall Pass/Todd Helton, Brent Briggeman

Feature Page Design: Third Place, Distorted documentary, Elizabeth Holderfield

Beat Reporting: Third Place, Mary Shinn

Photo package: Third Place, Returning to Ukraine, Christian Murdock

Sports: Columns, Second Place, Brent Briggeman

Sports: Feature, Third Place, From Doherty star to Olympic champion, volleyball icon Haleigh Washington now helping launch new pro league, Marissa Kraus

Multimedia Story: Third Place, State wrestling finals recap: 10 local athletes bring home state titles, Sports Staff

Climate Reporting: First Place, The beaver effect: How nature’s engineers restore wetlands, control floods, and protect rivers, Mary Shinn

Public Service: Second Place, Colorado’s dysfunctional family court, Christopher Osher

Social Justice Photography/Videography: First Place, Living on the streets, Christian Murdock

Legal News: Second Place, False testimony by ex-CSPD officer led to man’s acquittal in attempted murder trial, according to IA report, Zachary Dupont

General Reporting- Series or Package: Third Place, Homeless, Debbie Kelley

News Photography/Videography: Third Place, Homecoming, Parker Seibold

Obit Writing: First Place, Jim Bishop’s castle: A towering legacy forged through sickness and tragedy, Seth Boster

Sports: News: Third Place, Full cadet wing attendance no longer required for Air Force football games, marking the end of a tradition, Brent Briggeman

Health News: Second Place, Colorado’s veterinary shortage: Animals being euthanized as owners struggle with costs, professionals labor to meet demand, Kelly Hayes

Legal Feature: First Place, Shaken baby: The death and brief life of Dylan Mitchell, Stephanie Earls

Front Page Design: Third Place, My City My Team Our Time, Nichole Montanez