Gazette newspapers win 28 awards in Colorado journalism contest

The Gazette family of newspapers won more than two dozen awards in the Colorado Press Association’s annual best in journalism competition.
Colorado Politics took home 13 awards, The Denver Gazette hauled in three, and the Colorado Springs Gazette won 12.
Of the Colorado Politics awards, five entries took the first-place spot. They included stories from Marianne Goodland, Marissa Ventrelli and Thelma Grimes on agriculture, the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, artificial intelligence, and law enforcement and mental health.
Reporters Ernest Luning, Michael Karlik, Evan Wyloge and Luige del Puerto also won awards.
Reporters Scott Weiser, John Moore and Kyla Pearce each won an award for The Denver Gazette for their reporting on the wolf reintroduction program, the arts and the Colorado trail.
Brent Briggeman and Marissa Kraus secured recognition in sports writing.
The full list is below.
Colorado Politics awards
First Place Best: Agriculture Story, Marianne Goodland
First Place Best: Data Journalism Reporting, Tapping TABOR: Colorado lawmakers turn to surplus dollars to fund tax credits, Marianne Goodland
First Place: Best Feature Story, Colorado to launch first-in-the-nation app that could revolutionize responder safety, Marianne Goodland
First Place Best: Health Enterprise/Health Feature Story, Unintended consequence: 2020 law pushes law enforcement away from intervening in mental health cases, Marissa Ventrelli
First Place Best: Investigative Story Package, As AI technology vaults forward, groups press for national regulation, Thelma Grimes
First Place: Best Public Service Project Unintended consequences: New law on accessibility leads to removal of public records from websites, Marissa Ventrelli
Second Place: Best Agriculture Story, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis criticized for blaming wolf reintroduction program costs on ranchers, Marianne Goodland
Second Place: Best Data Journalism Reporting, Colorado’s 2024 vote: A slight red shift in a still predominantly blue state | ANALYSIS, Ernest Luning and Evan Wyloge
Second Place: Best Headline Writing, The Replacements: 28 lawmakers appointed to 29 seats by small groups of party insiders, Luige Del Puerto and Marianne Goodland
Second Place: Best Investigative Story Package, Colorado to launch first-in-the-nation app that could revolutionize responder safety, Marianne Goodland
Second Place: Best Opinion Writing, Ernest Luning
Second Place: Best Public Service Project, Are laws cracking down on car theft responsible for downward trend in Colorado? Thelma Grimes
Second Place: Best Social Justice or Equity Reporting Is Colorado’s Supreme Court about to kill implicit bias reform? Michael Karlik
The Denver Gazette awards
Second Place: Best Agriculture Story, Dead cattle and high blood pressure: Wolf depredation takes toll on Colorado ranchers, Scott Weiser
First Place: Best Arts & Entertainment Column Writing, John Moore
Second Place: Best Environmental Story, Colorado Trail, Colorado Trail Kyla Pearce
Colorado Springs Gazette awards
First Place: Best Sports Column Writing, Brent Briggeman
Second Place: Editorial Best Sports or Sports Event Story, The Classical Academy triplets: Brotherhood in life, football and band, Marissa Kraus
Second Place: Photo and Design Best Informational Graphic, The Operator, Dale Dimitri
Second Place: Photo and Design Best News Photograph, Graduation, Jerilee Bennett
Second Place: Best Page Design, Brewing Black Magic, Elizabeth Holderfield
Colorado Springs Gazette advertising awards
First Place: Best Advertising Campaign, Pot O’ Gold Kustoms, Klassy Karmen Michelle Thomsen
First Place: Best Advertising Special Section, Education Guide 2024, Gina Pietramale, Michelle Thomsen, Savannah Eller, Jerry Herman, O’Dell Isaac, Carlotta Olson, Glenn Wallace
Second Place: Best Advertising Special Section, Local Arts Guide, Gina Pietramale, Jonathan Toman
First Place: Best News Media/House Ad Promotion, Daily Dose of Digital, Kelly Spieker, Adam Harris, Michael Greene
Second Place: Best News Media/House Ad Promotion, Gazette Charities Foundation Empty Stocking Fund, Adam Harris, Kelly Spieker
First Place: Best Print Ad, Louie’s Pizza, Halloween, Michelle Thomsen, Stefani Rackley
Second Place: Best Print Ad Tick Tock Shop Spadea Wrap, Michelle Thomsen, Stefani Rackley