Winners for 2021 Excellence in Journalism contest announced
An outdoor event to celebrate the winners of our Excellence in Journalism contest is planned for Saturday, June 25, from noon-4 p.m. at the Ansonia Nature Center pavilion, 10 Deerfield Road, Ansonia. More details here.
All Media Special Awards
First Amendment Award
First Place
A free press, a fair election; Good Morning Wilton; Heather Borden Herve
Stephen A. Collins
Public Service Award
First Place
Lost to abuse; Hearst CT Media; Clare Dignan,
Verónica Del Valle
Theodore Driscoll Award
for Investigative Reporting
First Place
Policing the police; Hearst CT Media; Bill Cummings
Arts & Entertainment
Hyperlocal
First Place
Conversations with the irrepressible Dolly
Curtis; Easton Courier; Jane Paley, Richard Falco
Second Place
Cultivating wellbeing, belonging, curiosity, and
empathy through art; East Haven Courier;
Pem McNerney
Third Place
Darien group uses art to paint picture of
equality; Darien Times; Susan Shultz
Regional A
First Place
Styx = grilled cheese; Waterbury Republican-American; Michael Chaiken
Second Place
Youth performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ aiming
to teach conflict resolution; New Haven
Register; Ben Lambert
Regional B
First Place
After BLM silencing, choral censorship battle
reaches national stage; Arts Paper;
Lucy Gellman
Second Place
Local artist remembered for making ‘community
beautiful’; Record-Journal; Devin Leith-Yessian
Magazine
First Place
An artist out of Aesop; WAG Magazine; Phil
Hall
Second Place
The Remains look back; Connecticut Magazine; Michael Catarevas
Broadcast
First Place
Ballet is for everyone; News 12; Annalisa
Klebers,Christopher Wood
Audio Storytelling
Hyperlocal
First Place
Navel gazing podcast: The Valley Indy’s
post-election autopsy; Valley Independent
Sentinel; Eugene Driscoll
Second Place
Navel gazing podcast: Lauretti, DOT Boss, VCOG
Rick talk multi-million dollar train station grant; Valley Independent Sentinel; Eugene Driscoll
Regional A
First Place
Looking for the Todt family; The Day; Taylor
Hartz, Sten Spinella, Peter Huoppi, Carlos Virgen
Second Place
We spoke to residents whose lives have been
forever changed by COVID-19. These are their stories.; Hartford Courant; Michael Hamad, Timothy Reck
Magazine
First Place
Author Dan Crowley & SCSU President Dr. Joe
Bertolino; Connecticut Voice; Christopher Byrne
Broadcast
First Place
Juveniles, joyrides, & justice; WNPR; Walter
Smith Randolph, Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, Jim Haddadin
Second Place
31st July 2021 Edition; Connecticut East This Week; Brian Scott-Smith
Third Place
2nd January 2021 Edition; Connecticut East This Week; Brian Scott-Smith
Breaking News
Hyperlocal
First Place
Ansonia police investigate shooting; city
researching surveillance system; Valley
Independent Sentinel; Eugene Driscoll,
Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Second Place
Derby police officer shoots person on Division
Street; Valley Independent Sentinel;
Eugene Driscoll
Regional A
First Place
Former Hartford police sergeant keeps teen from
jumping off Founders Bridge; Hartford
Courant; Christine Dempsey
Second Place
Opponents of mandatory vaccinations for public
school dominate hearing; Hearst CT Media;
Ken Dixon
Regional B
First Place
Flooding; New
Britain Herald; Justin Muszynski
Second Place
‘It’s really unreal:’ Wilbur Cross students
rattled after lockdown; Arts Paper;
Lucy Gellman
Broadcast
First Place
Eviction orders spiked in Connecticut when
federal moratorium lapsed; WNPR; Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, Jim Haddadin, Walter Smith
Randolph
Second Place
A small jet crashes into a bulding in Farmington;
WTIC-AM; John
Silva
Third Place
Hurricane Ida cleanup; News 12; John
Craven, Mark Sogofsky
Business
Hyperlocal
First Place
Darien man’s cereal company gets nationwide
attention; Darien Times; Susan Shultz
Second Place
DeLauro visits downtown Branford merchants to
gauge recovery efforts; The Sound;
Pam Johnson
Regional A
First Place
‘There’s no one easy explanation’ why restaurant
workers left industry; The Day; Erica Moser
Second Place
The fourth estate’s future; Waterbury Republican-American; Michael Puffer
Third Place
Connecticut diners could expect to pay more for
menu items; Hartford Courant; Susan Dunne
Regional B
First Place
Newtown diner; News-Times; Rob Ryser
Second Place
Flip enriches middleman, burns tenants; New Haven Independent; Tom Breen
Third Place
Increased demand for bicycles, repairs fueled by
pandemic; Journal Inquirer; Matthew P. Knox
Magazine
First Place
Stopping embezzlement: How to protect your
business from the thief within; New Haven
Biz; Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Second Place
In the black; Today Magazine; Bruce Deckert
Third Place
New Haven-area manufacturers anticipate
long-term impacts — some positive — from supply chain crisis; New Haven Biz; Liese
Klein
Broadcast
First Place
Cannabis billboards; NBC 30; Katherine
Loy, Garett Allison, Jonathan Wardle
Second Place
The Porch; News 12; Mark Sudol, Mark Sogofsky
Third Place
Rein’s Deli dealing with kosher meat, worker
shortage; NBC 30; Caitlin Burchill, David Mulligan
Continuing Coverage
Hyperlocal
First Place
Water company controversy; Fairfield Citizen; Katrina Koerting
Second Place
Police, fire officials sex assault case; Shelton Herald; Donald
Eng, Brian Gioiele
Third Place
Coverage of controversy over proposed chicken
slaughterhouse approved in residential neighborhood; Easton Courier; Ann
Marie Somma, Kelly Wendt
Regional A
First Place
State lawmaker arrest; Connecticut Post; Brian Lockhart
Second Place
CNN staffer charged; Hearst CT Media; Tara O’Neill, Liz Hardaway, Peter Yankowski
Third Place
Covid and group homes; Hearst CT Media; Julia Bergman
Regional B
First Place
Inappropriate conduct in schools investigation;
Middletown Press; Cassandra Day, Adam Hushin
Second Place
Heat shut off; New Britain Herald; Erica Drzewiecki
Third Place
Grand Cafe occupation; Arts Paper; Lucy
Gellman
Magazine
First Place
Delicious; Seasons Magazine; Amy S. White
Broadcast
First Place
State trooper sentenced, resigns after 2019
drunk driving crash in cruiser; NBC 30;
Caitlin Burchill
Courts/Crime
Regional A
First Place
Hamden homicide victim was new father excited
for his upcoming high school graduation; New
Haven Register; Meghan Friedmann
Second Place
How the FBI ID’d a CT man in the U.S. Capitol
mob; Hearst CT Media; Dan Brechlin, Lidia Ryan, Bryan Haeffele
Regional B
First Place
She needs to come home; The Hour; Rich
Chumney
Second Place
Middletown mother of six fatally stabbed showed
strength in final moments, daughter says; Middletown Press; Cassandra Day
Magazine
First Place
On the trail of a killer; Connecticut Magazine; Erik Ofgang
Second Place
From Cuba to Connecticut; Today Magazine; Odalys
Bekanich
Broadcast
First Place
Car crime 2.0; NBC 30; Len Besthoff, Jonathan
Wardle, Jose Gomez
Second Place
Justice for Mari; News 12; Lauren Fabrizi, Keith
Sunthorn
COVID-Investigative
Regional A
First Place
A cancer patient was sent to prison for DUI. Two
months later, he was dead from COVID.; Connecticut
Mirror; Dave Altimari, Kelan Lyons
Second Place
COVID and Trump towns; Hearst CT Media; Jordan Fenster
Third Place
Griffin Health’s lucrative COVID testing
contracts; Connecticut Mirror; Dave Altimari
Regional B
First Place
After $2,774 COVID test, Dunner persists;
New Haven Independent; Tom Breen
Second Place
Are Danbury area political candidates
vaccinated?; News-Times; Currie Engel
Third Place
Effort to expand vaccine access continues in
Meriden amid challenges; Record-Journal;
Michael Gagne
Magazine
First Place
Business, interrupted: Insurance claims often
denied for pandemic-related business closures; New Haven Biz; Michelle Tuccitto
Sullo
Broadcast
First Place
Blue Hills FD PPP; NBC 30; Len
Besthoff, Jonathan Wardle
COVID-News
Hyperlocal
First Place
Ethics and responsibility — the social contract
of contact tracing after WHS outbreak; Good
Morning Wilton; Heather Borden Herve
Second Place
One year later–video interview with Wilton’s
(and CT’s) first COVID-19 patient, Chris Tillett; Good Morning Wilton; Heather Borden Herve
Third Place
Darien nurse beats COVID-19, returns to treating
pandemic patients; Darien Times; Susan Shultz
Regional A
First Place
COVID-19 long-haulers struggle with persistent
mental health issues; Hartford Courant;
Eliza Fawcett
Second Place
‘Barely a Band-Aid’: Experts say $600 stimulus
could be too little too late for struggling workers; New Haven Register; Brian Zahn
Third Place
Hill Health Center nurses make steep climb to
vaccinate seafarers; Connecticut Health
I-Team; Kate Farrish
Regional B
First Place
Local seniors struggle to schedule vaccinations,
face long wait times; Record-Journal;
Mary Ellen Godin
Second Place
Hunt for vaccines; News-Times; Currie
Engel
Third Place
Contact tracing — could it be telling us more?;
Record-Journal; Lauren Takores
Magazine
First Place
COVID shutdown; Today Magazine; Katherine Napier
Second Place
Sense of loss; Connecticut Magazine; Meg Weisberg
Broadcast
First Place
One year later: CT’s ‘patient zero’ reflects;
NBC 30; Heidi
Voight
Second Place
Therapy dog helps kids heal from pandemic;
NBC 30; Heidi
Voight, Gregg Monte
Third Place
Governor’s new COVID strategy; NBC 30; Nicholas
Doscher, Jamie Ratliff
COVID-Photo
Hyperlocal
First Place
A distanced show of support; Harbor News; Kelley
Fryer
Regional A
First Place
Getting vaccinated; New Haven Register; Arnold Gold
Second Place
Closing day; Hartford Courant; Mark Mirko
Third Place
Friendly hands; Hartford Courant; Mark Mirko
COVID-Series
Hyperlocal
First Place
COVID creativity; The Sound; Pem McNerney and Kelley
Fryer
Regional A
First Place
The lost year; The Day; Staff
Second Place
Connecticut’s uneven recovery; Connecticut Mirror; Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, Kasturi Pananjady
Third Place
Reflect/rebuild; Hearst CT Media; Staff
Regional B
First Place
COVID-19 vaccine project; Record-Journal; Jareliz
Diaz, Mary Ellen Godin, Jesse Buchanan, Lauren Takores
Broadcast
First Place
The new normal; News 12; Chris Vaccaro, Kelly
Drossel, Doug Geed, Erin Colton, Phil Dowling, Kevin Benjamin, Henry Salmaggi,
Christine Amante, Sandrina Rodrigues, Christine McGrath, Shawn Brown
Second Place
The next normal CT; News 12; Mark
Sudol, Mark Sogofsky
Data
Hyperlocal
First Place
Wiltons changing demographics: Census 2020
reveals more diversity, fewer children and lasting impact; Good Morning Wilton; Kathy Bonnist
Regional A
First Place
Women of color overrepresented in domestic
violence arrests, data show; Connecticut
Health I-Team; Lisa Backus
Second Place
Data show decrease in prison sex abuse reports,
survivor advocates say fear and ambivalence persist; Connecticut Health I-Team; W. Tanner Bryant, Jodie Mozdzer Gil
Third Place
COVID-19 risk level differs from town to town
based on how many people have been vaccinated; Hartford Courant; Tim Reck
Regional B
First Place
The highest-paid workers in north central
Connecticut towns do it with overtime; Journal
Inquirer; Eric Bedner
Broadcast
First Place
Failing foundations; News 12; News 12
Networks
Second Place
5 things to know about juvenile crime in
Connecticut; WNPR; Jim Haddadin
Diversity Coverage
Hyperlocal
First Place
Superintendent Harrison details difficult
decision to leave ER9 schools; Easton
Courier; Nancy Doniger, Richard Falco
Second Place
Sister, don’t give up; Trumbull Times; Don
Eng
Third Place
Fairfield group rebukes racist antagonists:
‘Never let them win’; Fairfield Patch;
Anna Bybee-Schier
Regional A
First Place
Deep roots drive Newhallville stakeholders to
advance neighborhood equity; Connecticut
Health I-Team; Sujata Srinivasan, Melanie
Stengel
Second Place
Targeting disparities in colorectal cancer
screening; Connecticut Health I-Team;
Elizabeth Heubeck
Third Place
UConn group, Connecticut photographer take on
anti-Asian violence and the fight against invisibility; Hartford Courant; Susan Dunne
Regional B
First Place
Danbury’s Hispanic population; News-Times; Julia
Perkins
Second Place
Fewer Black and Hispanic residents are getting
vaccines; Stamford Advocate; Verónica Del Valle
Third Place
From Jim Crow south to Connecticut, Meriden man
has spent lifetime battling racism; Record-Journal;
Jeffery Kurz
Magazine
First Place
MLK memorial; Today Magazine; Katherine Napier
Second Place
The secret lives of doctors: Dr. Marja Hurley,
the mentor; Connecticut Magazine; Theresa Sullivan Barger
Broadcast
First Place
Justice for all: Mental health in PD; News 12; Shosh
Bedrosian, John Dempsey, Frank Bruce
Second Place
1619 Project emails; NBC 30; Len
Besthoff, Jonathan Wardle
Editorial
Hyperlocal
First Place
GMW’s holiday message from the editor; Good Morning Wilton; Heather Borden Herve
Regional A
First Place
The history lessons taught on Jan. 6, 2021;
Hearst CT Media; John Breunig
Regional B
First Place
An insurrection that failed at the nation’s
Capitol; Record-Journal; Jeffery Kurz
Second Place
Connecticut Supreme Court takes a step backward;
Record-Journal; Glenn Richter
Editorial Cartoon
Regional A
First Place
Vaccine zeros; The Day; Jacinta Meyers
Regional B
First Place
COVID holidays; Record-Journal; Kevin Markowski
Second Place
Mill rate and pickleball; Record-Journal; Kevin
Markowski
Third Place
Community chest; Record-Journal; Justin Piccirillo
Education
Hyperlocal
First Place
Living the American dream, with help from SAE;
The Sound; Pam Johnson
Second Place
Wilton keeps Warriors name; Wilton Bulletin; J.D. Freda
Third Place
ER9 boards of education approve DEI surveys;
Easton Courier; Ann Marie Somma and Nancy Doniger
Regional A
First Place
Critical race theory has proved divisive. What
is it?; The Day; Erica Moser
Second Place
English learners and pandemic; Connecticut Post; Cayla Bamberger
Third Place
Like you ‘lost a piece of you’: Pandemic forces
CT students to apply to college with leaner resumes; New Haven Register; Brian Zahn
Regional B
First Place
You go into a panic; The Hour; Emily
Morgan
Second Place
Co-op gets into its back-to-school rhythm;
Arts Paper; Lucy Gellman
Third Place
I lived through hell; Stamford Advocate; Ignacio Laguarda
Magazine
First Place
Simple as ABC; Today Magazine; Bruce Deckert
Second Place
Back to school out and proud; Connecticut Voice; Dawn Ennis
Third Place
Yale’s $7B capital campaign reflects shifts in
nonprofit fundraising focus; New Haven
Biz; Liese Klein
Broadcast
First Place
As new school year begins, some
immunocompromised families feel left behind; WNPR; Walter Smith Randolph
Second Place
Girls future firefighter camp; NBC 30; Nicholas
Doscher, Jamie Ratliff
Third Place
Remote learning:
The student perspective; NBC 30;
Len Besthoff, Jonathan Wardle, Sarah Willson
Feature Photo
Hyperlocal
First Place
Snow day; The
Source; Kelley Fryer
Second Place
Children enjoying ride at Easton Fireman’s
Carnival; Easton Courier; Richard Falco
Third Place
A grand finale in Guilford; Guilford Courier; Wesley Bunnell
Regional A
First Place
Bird conservation; New Haven Register; Arnold Gold
Second Place
Whale yoga; The Day; Sarah Gordon
Third Place
Spaw treatment; The Day; Sean D. Elliot
Regional B
First Place
Tropical Storm Elsa leaves flooding, hazards on
local roads; Record-Journal; Aaron Flaum
Second Place
Beyond the branches; Record-Journal; Dave
Zajac
Third Place
Fall foliage in the park; Record-Journal; Aaron
Flaum
Magazine
First Place
Ghostly glitterati; 1794 – Cheshire Academy; Stan Godlewski
Second Place
Still-life dancer; Connecticut Voice; Stan Godlewski
Third Place
Paddle on; Seasons Magazine; Stan Godlewski
Feature Story
Hyperlocal
First Place
After 70 years in limbo, Seymour soldier
accounted for; Valley Independent
Sentinel; Eugene Driscoll
Second Place
Megan Leubner: Crisis hero award winner; North Haven Courier; Jason J. Marchi
Third Place
Sign of spring: Darien roadside tradition takes
on added meaning this year; Darien Times;
Susan Shultz
Regional A
First Place
Escapes from Afghanistan, coordinated from a
home office in Connecticut; Connecticut
Mirror; Mark Pazniokas
Second Place
Alzheimer’s wedding; Hearst CT Media; Andrew DaRosa
Third Place
Good times and bad at the Lighthouse Inn;
The Day; John
Ruddy
Regional B
First Place
A rare glimpse of redemption; CTNewsJunkie; Lisa
Backus
Second Place
7 years later; News-Times; Rob Ryser
Third Place
Everything she did in the community was light:
Activist Maia Leonardo passes on at 28; Arts
Paper; Lucy Gellman
Magazine
First Place
The last of the Connecticut River watermen;
Estuary Magazine; David Holahan
Second Place
The founder; Connecticut Magazine; Rand Richards
Cooper
Third Place
The fabulous ’70s decade of after dark magazine;
Connecticut Voice; Frank Rizzo
Broadcast
First Place
Girl whisperer; News 12; Suzanne Goldklang, Frank
Bruce
Second Place
From prison to Trinity College; WFSB; Audrey
Russo
Third Place
One more chat with dad; News 12; Sean
McCabe
General Column
Hyperlocal
First Place
Buy Nothing Facebook groups build connection
during trying times; Valley Independent
Sentinel; Jodie Mozdzer Gil
Second Place
Winter weather report: Hot with a chance of
boiling over; Easton Courier; Richard Lechtenberg
Regional A
First Place
Enriching the rich; Connecticut Mirror; David Holahan
Second Place
MLK in CT and the continuing story of
segregation; Hearst CT Media; Hugh Bailey
Third Place
Let freedom ring?; Connecticut Mirror; David Holahan
Regional B
First Place
Critical race theory is our modern-day
‘Crucible’; CTNewsJunkie; Barth Keck
Second Place
Trump threw away his legacy on human trafficking;
Norwich Bulletin; Chandra Bozelko
Third Place
Is my son OK?; News-Times; Sandra Diamond Fox
Magazine
First Place
War torn; Connecticut
Magazine; Ron Farina
Second Place
Our storied collections; Connecticut Magazine; Albie Yuravich
Third Place
Running for my life; Connecticut Magazine; Joseph M. Korzon
Government
Hyperlocal
First Place
Citizen complaint sparks heated debate about
police records in Old Saybrook; Harbor
News; Eric O’Connell
Second Place
Easton to increase security at the polls
following breach; Easton Courier; Nancy Doniger, Ann Marie Somma
Third Place
Proposed zoning bills reveal political divide in
Darien; Darien Times; Susan Shultz
Regional A
First Place
Ned Lamont’s year in the shadow of COVID;
Connecticut Mirror; Mark Pazniokas
Second Place
Old Saybrook releases $190,000 settlement
records days before FOI hearing; New
Haven Register; Meghan Friedmann
Third Place
Trump supporters missing from State Capitol as
anticipated protest fizzles; Hearst CT
Media; Ken Dixon
Regional B
First Place
Latest clash in Stamford mayoral race; Stamford Advocate; Brianna Gurciullo
Second Place
State reps get personal as CROWN Act passes
house; Arts Paper; Lucy Gellman
Third Place
Anti-mask disruption; News-Times; Currie
Engel
Broadcast
First Place
Sedition hunters; NBC 30; Len Besthoff, Jonathan
Wardle, Lorraine Roe
Second Place
Helping firefighters with cancer; News 12; John
Craven, MarkSogofsky
Headline
Hyperlocal
First Place
Headllines from the sound; The Sound; Pam
Johnson
Regional A
First Place
Hot dog days of summer; red zone blues; vaccine
boost; New Haven Register; Susan Nusbaum
Second Place
Ruddy headlines; The Day; John Ruddy
Third Place
Water logged; hail to the Yalies; open bar;
New Haven Register; Susan Nusbaum
Regional B
First Place
Haze, companies, spirit; News-Times; Lynn
Schnier
Second Place
Organ tranplant / Sweet dreams satisfied / Full
STEAM ahead; Greenwich Time; Ashley Winchester
Third Place
Prayer, fishing, noise; News-Times; Lynn
Schnier
Magazine
First Place
War torn; The dark of light; The mother of all
voices; Connecticut Magazine; Albie Yuravich
Second Place
Down south for the count; Off the beaten paths;
Goose is cooking; Connecticut Magazine;
Greg Moody
Health
Regional A
First Place
Medical providers are taking nature therapy
seriously; Connecticut Health I-Team;
Jenifer Frank
Second Place
For some transgender people, pandemic paves path
to transition; Connecticut Health I-Team;
Carol Leonetti Dannhauser
Third Place
Yale Study links housing instability and risky
sexual behaviors; Connecticut Health
I-Team; Kate Farrish
Regional B
First Place
Undercounted; News-Times; Currie Engel, Shayla
Colon
Second Place
Artists team up to “vacúnate Fair Haven”;
Arts Paper; Lucy Gellman
Third Place
Officials: In Northwest CT, ‘There aren’t a lot
of resources’ to address rural health care needs; Register Citizen; Emily M. Olson
Magazine
First Place
Since the lockdown, drinking among women is a
growing health problem; Connecticut
Magazine; Theresa Sullivan Barger
Second Place
Concussion symptoms can be devastating. But what
happpens when they won’t go away?; Connecticut
Magazine; Theresa Sullivan Barger
Third Place
Helping teens find their authentic selves;
Connecticut Voice; Jane Latus
Broadcast
First Place
Help coming for undocumented immigrants trapped
in Connecticut hospitals; WNPR; Jacqueline Rabe Thomas
Second Place
Therapy dog helps kids heal from pandemic;
NBC 30; Heidi
Voight, Gregg Monte
Third Place
Bringing mommy home to die; News 12; Frank
Recchia, Lori Golias
Humorous Column
Hyperlocal
First Place
The great silverware caper of 1908; Easton Courier; Bruce
Nelson
Second Place
It’s weird to be normal; Guilford Courier; Julianna Gribbins
Regional A
First Place
Happy to be taken for a ride; Hearst CT Media; John Breunig
Second Place
Miss Misinformation pageant; Connecticut Mirror; David Holahan
Third Place
The secret language of autism; Hearst CT Media; John Breunig
Regional B
First Place
My beef with Mr. Harding; Record-Journal; Glenn
Richter
Second Place
Is it me, or is it … ? Oh, it’s me; Record-Journal; Glenn
Richter
Magazine
First Place
Final thoughts; Seasons Magazine; Matthew Dicks
Second Place
Adventures with the weed; Connecticut Magazine; A. H. Saxon
In-Depth
Hyperlocal
First Place
Superintendent Harrison details difficult
decision to leave ER9 schools; Easton
Courier; Nancy Doniger, Richard Falco
Second Place
They helped us, now we can help them; North Haven Courier; Pem McNerney
Regional A
First Place
From Kabul to New Haven: 30 hours to freedom;
The Day; Taylor
Hartz
Second Place
‘A record of rejection.’ State batting away one
group’s onslaught of election fraud claims; Hearst CT Media; Ken Dixon
Regional B
First Place
Stop pointing fingers, we all lost Afghanistan;
Greenwich Time; David Rafferty
Second Place
Train station passes; The Hour; Abigail
Brone
Magazine
First Place
Submarine down!; Connecticut Magazine; Michael J.
Bielawa
Second Place
Invisible empire: The history of the KKK in Connecticut;
Connecticut Magazine; Christopher Hoffman
Third Place
From Vietnam to snow patrol; Today Magazine; Bruce
Deckert
Broadcast
First Place
East Windsor officer goes over the line; NBC 30; Len
Besthoff, Jonathan Wardle
Second Place
Connecticut remembers 9/11, 20 years later;
NBC 30; Heidi
Voight, Lorraine Roe, Jon Wardle, Thea DiGiammerino, Keisha Grant, Kevin
Nathan, Len Besthoff, Dan Corcoran, Dominique Moody, Katherine Loy
Third Place
Book sales and borrowing rise during COVID;
NBC 30; Nicholas
Doscher, Jamie Ratliff
Infographic Design
Regional A
First Place
Chaos at the Capitol; Hearst CT Media; Bryan Haeffele, Ian Murren
Second Place
Winds of change; The Day; Scott Ritter
Third Place
How much water do we use?; Hearst CT Media; Bryan Haeffele
Regional B
First Place
UConn women in the Final Four; Journal Inquirer; Hollister Breslin
Infographic Reporting
Regional A
First Place
The language of the pandemic; The Day; Maria
Reagan, Timothy Cotter
Second Place
2021 Connecticut town-by-town municipal election
results; Hartford Courant; Tim Reck
Investigative
Hyperlocal
First Place
Fairfield PD captain resigns after internal
affairs probe: report; Fairfield Patch;
Anna Bybee-Schier
Regional A
First Place
‘This will all be underwater’: As climate change
arrives in CT; Hartford Courant; Eliza Fawcett, Alex Putterman
Second Place
Rising seas; Hearst CT Media; Jordan Fenster
Regional B
First Place
Emails reveal debate over LGBTQ video in
Southington; Record-Journal; Jesse Buchanan
Second Place
How $100M+ flowed to megalandlords; New Haven Independent; Tom Breen
Magazine
First Place
Face to face with the greatest generation;
Today Magazine; Bruce Deckert
Broadcast
First Place
Failing foundations- crumbling conditions;
News 12; Shosh
Bedrosian, Christopher Wood, Frank Bruce
Second Place
Brewery surveillance video shows trooper’s
actions before drunk driving crash in Southbury; NBC 30; Caitlin Burchill
Third Place
As sperm donation demand increases, some seek
donors on social media; NBC 30; Caitlin Burchill, David Mulligan
Leisure
Hyperlocal
First Place
Sunday nature walk: Summer’s end; Easton Courier; Tomas
Koeck
Regional A
First Place
C’est magnifique!; The Day; Kristina
Dorsey
Second Place
They can chicken out; Connecticut Post; Ashley Winchester
Third Place
Ultimate New Haven pizza guide; Hearst CT Media; Leeanne Griffin
Regional B
First Place
Christmas Eve tradition declines; Feast of the
Seven Fishes less important for Italian-Americans; Journal Inquirer; Tim Leininger
Second Place
Returning to movie theaters; New Britain Herald; Erica Drzewiecki
Third Place
Who has the best fast-food chicken sandwich? JI
reporters rate seven of them; Journal
Inquirer; Tim Leininger
Magazine
First Place
Chef Danilo Mongillo reopens Strega, bringing
his across-the-Atlantic delights to Milford; Connecticut Magazine; James Gribbon
Second Place
The taste of home: the surprising vineyards of
the Connecticut River Valley; Estuary
Magazine; Eric D. Lehman, Amy Nawrocki
Third Place
The incredible shrinking lawn: How to create a
nature-friendly yard; Connecticut
Magazine; Theresa Sullivan Barger
Broadcast
First Place
Homegrown cannabis in CT; NBC 30; Len
Besthoff, Jonathan Wardle
Second Place
Road trip Norfolk; News 12; Lori
Golias
Third Place
Lasagna with love; News 12; Suzanne
Goldklang, Christina Alaio
Local Reporting
Hyperlocal
First Place
Still seeking justice for family lost on 9/11;
Easton Courier; Nancy Doniger
Second Place
A difficult day for Branford; The Sound; Pam
Johnson, Kelley Fryer
Third Place
He could have died; New Canaan Advertiser; Grace Duffield
Regional A
First Place
In Hamden and New Haven, ex-offenders fight
violence on the front lines; New Haven
Register; Meghan Friedmann
Second Place
Homemade guns are showing up more at Connecticut
crime scenes, police say; Hartford
Courant; Christine Dempsey
Third Place
CT town at forefront of national debate over
facial recognition tech; New Haven
Register; Meghan Friedmann
Regional B
First Place
Everything she did in the community was light:
Activist Maia Leonardo passes on at 28; Arts
Paper; Lucy Gellman
Second Place
Local residents denounce riots; The Chronicle; Michelle
Warren
Magazine
First Place
Peace, comfort dogs, and joy; Seasons Magazine; Renee DiNino
Second Place
Coyotes calling; Today Magazine; Samantha Lewis
Broadcast
First Place
History is worth saving; News 12; Shosh
Bedrosian, Christopher Wood, John Dempsey, Christina Alaio
Second Place
‘Every kid deserves a chance to play’: Windsor
honors coach lost to COVID-19; NBC 30;
Heidi Voight, Gregg Monte
Third Place
Same spot at the table; News 12; Lauren
Fabrizi, Frank Bruce
News Photo
Hyperlocal
First Place
A day to remember: Guilford observes 20th
anniversary of 9/11; Guilford Courier;
Wesley Bunnell
Second Place
Girl with flag at Memorial Day Parade; Easton Courier; Richard
Falco
Regional A
First Place
Tree lighting; New Haven Register; Arnold Gold
Second Place
Standing for liberty; The Day; Sean D.
Elliot
Third Place
Visiting firebrand; The Day; Sean D.
Elliot
Regional B
First Place
Funeral of Officer Benjamin Lovett; Journal Inquirer; Jim Michaud
Non-Page 1 Layout
Regional A
First Place
9/11; Hearst
CT Media; Bryan Haeffele
Second Place
From beyond the grave; Waterbury Republican-American; Bill O’Brien
Third Place
The 14th Regiment, Connecticut; Waterbury Republican-American; Jim Flynn
Regional B
First Place
UConn basketball preview; Journal Inquirer; Hollister Breslin
Second Place
Celebrating 150 years; New Britain Herald; James Drzewiecki
Magazine
First Place
Off the beaten paths; Connecticut Magazine; Greg Moody
Second Place
Home & design guide; Connecticut Magazine; Alyson Moschcovich
Third Place
The Remains look back; Connecticut Magazine; Greg Moody
Page 1 Layout
Regional A
First Place
Pandemic deaths leave an irreplaceable void;
The Day; Scott
Ritter
Second Place
When the dream came to CT; Hearst CT Media; Sue Nusbaum
Third Place
Big blaze, big loss, big art; Waterbury Republican-American; Jim Flynn
Regional B
First Place
Funky, diverse; Greenwich Time; Susan Nusbaum
Second Place
Bonded by tragedy; News-Times; Lynn
Schnier
Magazine
First Place
River’s realty enriches valley; Today Magazine; Bruce
Deckert
Second Place
Connecticut Magazine 50th anniversary cover;
Connecticut Magazine; Ryan Olbrysh
Third Place
Fame and the Forrest Gump effect; Today Magazine; Bruce
Deckert
Photo Essay
Hyperlocal
First Place
The Easton Fireman’s Carnival is in town!;
Easton Courier; Richard Falco
Second Place
Easton celebrates Memorial Day; Easton Courier; Richard
Falco and Kelly Wendt
Regional A
First Place
Tropical Storm Henri in CT; Hearst CT Media; Staff
Second Place
Bone finder; Hearst CT Media; Patrick Sikes
Third Place
Danbury Mall shooting; Hearst CT Media; Liz Hardaway, Peter Yankowski, Tara O’Neill, Sandra Diamond Fox, H. John
Voorhees III, Patrick Sikes, Nicole Funaro, Lidia Ryan
Regional B
First Place
Mad science; Greenwich Time; Susan Nusbaum,
Christian Abraham
Second Place
Wadin’ and shadin’; Stamford Advocate; Susan Nusbaum, Christian Abraham
Third Place
Independence through art; Stamford Advocate; Susan Nusbaum,Christian Abraham
Magazine
First Place
Between two worlds; Seasons Magazine; Stan Godlewski
Second Place
Pilobolus dance; Connecticut Voice; Stan Godlewski
Third Place
The egg & I; Seasons Magazine; Mary Quinn
Religion
Hyperlocal
First Place
In search of grace; Easton Courier; Jane
Paley
Second Place
What it takes to get through the darkest of dark
times; The Sound; Pem McNerney
Regional A
First Place
Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe; Waterbury Republican-American; Jay Dunn
Second Place
Farewell, Father Joe; Waterbury Republican-American; Tracey O’Shaughnessy
Third Place
For Old Lyme minister, it’s social justice and
more; The Day; Elizabeth Regan
Regional B
First Place
Kapelye conjures Hanukkah miracles on Tower Lane;
Arts Paper; Lucy Gellman
Second Place
Queer And Christian: Children of God find the
light; Arts Paper; Leah Andelsmith
Third Place
A tinge of racial or religious fear; The Hour; Abigail
Brone
Magazine
First Place
Have faith: How LGBTQ+ clergy are welcoming us
home for the holidays; Connecticut Voice;
Dawn Ennis
Second Place
Going where the spirit leads; WAG Magazine; Phil
Hall
Broadcast
First Place
Exorcism in Stamford; News 12; Sean
McCabe, John Dempsey
Reporting Series
Hyperlocal
First Place
Students help beloved counselor find kidney
donor — right in town; Good Morning
Wilton; Kathy Bonnist, Heather Borden
Herve
Second Place
Making music; Valley Courier; Rita Christopher
Regional A
First Place
Lost to abuse; Connecticut Post; Clare Dignan,
Verónica Del Valle
Second Place
Planning for a changing climate; Connecticut Mirror; Jan Ellen Spiegel
Third Place
Fish tales: Life on the sea; The Day; Joe
Wojtas, Greg Smith, Erica Moser
Magazine
First Place
MLK’s vision; Today Magazine; Bruce Deckert,
Naviah Barrow, Katherine Napier, Lisa G. Samia, Sarah Thompson, Terri
Wilson
Broadcast
First Place
Back to in-person school: How the pandemic is
affecting Connecticut education; WNPR;
Walter Smith Randolph, Jacqueline Rabe Thomas,
Jim Haddadin
Second Place
Connecticut remembers 9/11, 20 years later;
NBC 30; Heidi
Voight, Lorraine Roe, Jon Wardle, Thea DiGiammerino, Keisha Grant, Kevin
Nathan, Len Besthoff, Dan Corcoran, Dominique Moody, Katherine Loy
Sports Column
Regional A
First Place
A daughter’s promise; Hearst CT Media; Jeff Jacobs
Second Place
Baylor coach Kim Mulkey’s COVID comments
ignorant and dangerous; Hearst CT Media;
Jeff Jacobs
Third Place
Like father, like son, both knew UConn football
was a challenge Jim Mora couldn’t resist; Hartford Courant; Dom Amore
Regional B
First Place
Gildea, Strand shared a special bond; The Chronicle; Mike
Sypher
Second Place
Rich kids sports offer road to Ivies; Greenwich Time; David
Rafferty
Third Place
When it comes to sports gambling, the game is
rigged; Greenwich Time; David Rafferty
Sports Feature
Hyperlocal
First Place
She just wanted to play; Valley Courier; Pem
McNerney
Second Place
Remembering Newington co-op’s historic 5 OT win;
CollinsvillePress.com; Gerry deSimas, Jr.
Third Place
Being grateful a key for Helstein during
pandemic; Greenwich Sentinel; Paul Silverfarb
Regional A
First Place
NFA senior Valeria Yraita-Zevallos draws
strength from the women who raised her; The
Day; Vickie Fulkerson
Second Place
UConn’s top 5; Hearst CT Media; David Borges
Third Place
The Equus Effect, an experiential equine program;
Hartford Courant; Lori Riley
Regional B
First Place
‘Big Guy’ leaves a lasting legacy; The Chronicle; Mike
Sypher
Second Place
Preparation, practice have helped Nick Grosso
get to the NCAA tournament; Connecticut
Wrestling Online; Gerry deSimas, Jr.
Third Place
A guardian over all of us; Record-Journal; Bryant
Carpenter
Magazine
First Place
Okwandu relishes recollection of UConn title;
Today Magazine; Nishant Gopalachar
Second Place
Raising the game; Seasons Magazine; Andrew Kelsey
Third Place
The beloved Hartford Whalers: A team that
continues to inspire to this day; Seasons
Magazine; Dennis House
Broadcast
First Place
Adaptive blind baseball; NBC 30; Matt
Finkel
Second Place
Grandma Marge; News 12; Marissa Alter, Jim Mennino
Third Place
A perfect game; NBC 30; Matt Finkel
Hyperlocal
First Place
Avon stops Lewis Mills to win CCC Tier 4 title
and secure a playoff berth; CollinsvillePress.com;
Gerry deSimas, Jr.
Second Place
Avon beats Wallingford to win first American
Legion baseball state championship; CollinsvillePress.com;
Gerry deSimas, Jr.
Third Place
Hand defeats Guilford 43-18, qualifies for
playoffs; The Source; Dean Bibens
Sports News
Regional A
First Place
Bueckers will get paid; Hearst CT Media; Paul Doyle
Second Place
Covid lab at UConn; Hearst CT Media; Mike Anthony
Third Place
UConn pitcher Justin Willis, family survived
harrowing escape from collapsed condos in Surfside, FL; Hartford Courant; Dom Amore
Regional B
First Place
Coventry’s Prior has plenty in reserve; Journal Inquirer; Adam Betz
Second Place
UConn offer serves as motivation for Windsor
football senior Samuels; Journal Inquirer;
Kyle Maher
Broadcast
First Place
Play like Danni; News 12; Marissa Alter, Jim Mennino
Second Place
UHart moves to Division III; NBC 30; Matt
Finkel
Sports Photo
Hyperlocal
First Place
A flat out; The Sound; Kelley Fryer
Regional A
First Place
Out of the box; The Day; Sean D. Elliot
Second Place
Sweet leap; Hartford Courant; Mark Mirko
Third Place
Pass defended; The Day; Sean D. Elliot
Regional B
First Place
Interference; Record-Journal; Dave Zajac
Second Place
Manchester beats Peabody; Journal Inquirer; Jim Michaud
Third Place
Endzone elation; Record-Journal; Dave Zajac
Video Storytelling
Hyperlocal
First Place
‘Modified and totally not normal’ Barlow Palooza;
Easton Courier; Nancy Doniger, Richard Falco, Tomas Koeck
Second Place
Mr. Pompa’s surprise: Days before kidney
transplant, more GOOD news for beloved WHS counselor; Good Morning Wilton; Heather Borden Herve
Regional A
First Place
Died in Salisbury Prison; Waterbury Republican-American; Lee Lewis, Martin Begnal
Second Place
Dog delivers paper in Mystic; The Day; Peter
Huoppi
Third Place
The secret to finding a parking spot in Mystic;
The Day; Peter
Huoppi, Rick Koster
Broadcast
First Place
Adaptive blind baseball; NBC 30; Matt
Finkel
Second Place
In my heart; News 12; Mark Sogofsky
