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Winners announced for our annual CT SPJ Excellence in Journalism Awards for 2018 entries

This year, we had 842 entries in 39 different categories. They ranged from arts and leisure stories to data and investigative reporting.

All Media Special Awards

First Amendment Award
First Place
D’Amelio attorney says arrest expunged; threatens lawsuit; NancyonNorwalk; Nancy Chapman

Stephen A. Collins Public Service Award
First Place
The Hartford Courant’s five-year fight for Adam Lanza documents; Hartford Courant; Dave Altimari, Andrew Julien, Matthew Kauffman, Josh Kovner

Theodore Driscoll Award for Investigative Reporting
First Place
Denied: A look into inmate health care; Connecticut Mirror; Jacqueline Rabe Thomas and Clarice Silber

Arts & Entertainment

Hyperlocal
First Place
Curious about Ed Vebell, patrons pack Historical Society; WestportNow.com; James Lomuscio
Second Place
Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t; Valley Courier; Pem McNerney
Third Place
Jim DeCesare feature; Canton Today Magazine; Bruce Deckert

Regional A
First Place
Can Hartford’s Parkville neighborhood be an arts destination? These developers think so.; Hartford Courant; RebeccaLurye
Second Place
New Da Vinci discovered?; Waterbury Republican-American; Tracey O’Shaughnessy
Third Place
The new face of drag; The Day; Mary Biekert

Regional B
First Place
Stamford’s State Cinema to close, despite family’s efforts; Stamford Advocate; Barry Lytton
Second Place
Danbury composer channels ire over fallen innocents; News-Times; Christina Hennessy
Third Place
One hot summer night at the Shaboo; The Chronicle; Claire Galvin

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
Dreams and illusions; Seasons Magazine; Frank Rizzo
Second Place
Looking in Theatre offers students the chance to open the doors to dialogue; Connecticut Magazine; Theresa Sullivan Barger

Third Place
‘Samson et Dalila’ … et Darko; Hartford Magazine; Frank Rizzo

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Little princess; News 12; Marissa Alter, Mark Sogofsky
Second Place
There is life; News 12; Nina Kapur, Christopher Wood

Audio Storytelling

Regional A
First Place
Case unsolved; The Day; Karen Florin, Lindsay Boyle, Erica Moser, Peter Huoppi, Carlos Virgen, Tim Cotter, Izaskun Larraneta
Second Place
Young voters could decide the election. We talked to a few of them.; Hartford Courant; Mike Hamad
Third Place
Here’s what you can expect if Connecticut gambles on sports betting next year; Hartford Courant; Mike Hamad

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Adaptive sailing program launches in Stonington; WNPR; David DesRoches
Second Place
What secrets are hidden inside the call of a bat?; WNPR; Patrick Skahill
Third Place
A pound for pound history of Connecticut’s weights and measures; WNPR; Patrick Skahill

Breaking News

Hyperlocal
First Place
At 9/11 memorial, rain mixes with tears; WestportNow.com; James Lomuscio
Second Place
Staples student in custody after violence threat; WestportNow.com; James Lomuscio
Third Place
Flu complications caused New Canaan boy’s sudden death, say officials; New Canaan News; Erin Kayata and Humberto Rocha

Regional A
First Place
Official: Woman lit dynamite, thought it was candle; blew off fingers; Connecticut Post; Tara O’Neill
Second Place
Milford man charged with assault after standoff; Connecticut Post; Amanda Cuda, Jim Shay
Third Place
Teen dead after police pursuit, crash; victim ID’d; Connecticut Post; Tara O’Neill, Jim Shay

Regional B
First Place
‘God was by our side’; The Chronicle; Michelle Firestone
Second Place
Man purposely crashed car into Middlesex Hospital, set himself on fire, officials say; Middletown Press; Cassandra Day
Third Place
Police detonate pressure cooker found outside Israel Putnam School in Meriden; Record-Journal; Bryan Lipiner, Lauren Sellew

Business

Hyperlocal
First Place
Mitchells: Guided 60 years by a mom & pop philosophy; WestportNow.com; James Lomuscio
Second Place
Marci Moreau gets naked; West Hartford LIFE; Mara Dresner
Third Place
Commuter Coffee says goodbye at Railroad Place; WestportNow.com; James Lomuscio

Regional A
First Place
Credit union scam remains a mystery; The Day; Lee Howard
Second Place
Ticket to a new life; Hartford Courant; Matthew Ormseth
Third Place
How business strategies put Obsitnik in the GOP primary; Connecticut Post; Dan Haar

Regional B
First Place
Fans, friends mourn loss of late ‘Wild’ Bill Ziegler’s Nostalgia store; Middletown Press; Cassandra Day
Second Place
Torrington couple opens new cafe, taking another step in longtime history of family home; Register Citizen; Ben Lambert
Third Place
Shucking returns to Copps Island Oysters in Norwalk; The Hour; Kaitlyn Krasselt

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
Mind, body & soul: mActivity is a different kind of fitness center; Seasons Magazine; Frank Rizzo
Second Place
The spectrum of success; Seasons Magazine; Theresa Sullivan Barger
Third Place
On the road again; Seasons Magazine; Carol Latter

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Attracting Amazon: How much Connecticut spent to become home to HQ2; NBC 30; Dan Corcoran, Dave Michnowicz
Second Place
Jump drum; News 12; Marissa Alter, Jim Mennino
Third Place
Wanke’s Yankee; News 12; Nina Kapur, Christopher Wood

Continuing Coverage

Hyperlocal
First Place
Lunch ladies battle for jobs; Branford Eagle; Sally E. Bahner
Second Place
Town wrestles with school security issues; Branford Eagle; Sally E. Bahner
Third Place
At P&Z, strong opposition to medical marijuana facilities; WestportNow.com; James Lomuscio

Regional A
First Place
Voters in CT suburbs, once reliably Republican, may power a blue wave in age of Trump; Hartford Courant; Daniella Altimari
Second Place
Is school desegregation working?; Connecticut Mirror; Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, Jake Kara
Third Place
Bullets over Brass City; Waterbury Republican-American; Jonathan Shugarts

Regional B
First Place
Coverage of the May 2018 tornardo/microburst; Record-Journal; Mary Ellen Godin, Matt Zabierek, Jeniece Roman, Bailey Wright, Devin Leith-Yessian, Lauren Sellew
Second Place
Mold issues grow in Stamford schools; Stamford Advocate; Erin Kayata
Third Place
Purdue faces uphill battle to overcome opioid controversy; Stamford Advocate; Paul Schott

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
‘Nowhere to go’: Some CT Transit bus drivers wearing adult diapers on the job; NBC 30; Dan Corcoran, David Michnowicz

Courts/Crime

Hyperlocal
First Place
Asleep at the switch: Madison Police remove three dispatchers for sleeping on the job; The Source; Zoe Roos
Second Place
Lunch ladies charged in half-million dollar scam; New Canaan News; Humberto Rocha

Regional A
First Place
One family’s sole survivor; The Day; Karen Florin
Second Place
With soccer dreams shattered, Mitchell Anderson to be sentenced for Dillon Stadium fraud; Hartford Courant; Jenna Carlesso, Matthew Kauffman
Third Place
Life in a cult: fear, abuse; Hartford Courant; David Owens

Regional B
First Place
Saved by the cell; Journal Inquirer; Alex Wood
Second Place
Norwalk father watches son play in Babe Ruth World Series, an immigration checkpoint changes all; The Hour; Justin Papp
Third Place
Experts: Prevention of Claxton’s suicide not possible in Conn.; Stamford Advocate; Barry Lytton

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
Wrongfully imprisoned for 27 Years, Mark Schand is finally living the life he always wanted; Connecticut Magazine; Erik Ofgang

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Home companion arrest raises questions about hiring process; NBC 30; Dan Corcoran, Garett Allison
Second Place
HPD wrong way pursuit; NBC 30; Len Besthoff-Reporter, David Michnowicz
Third Place
Danger in the driver’s seat: Dozens of CT transit drivers report assaults; NBC 30; Dan Corcoran, David Michnowicz

Data

Regional A
First Place
Home prices across Connecticut have failed to recover since peak in 2007; Hartford Courant; Kenneth R. Gosselin
Second Place
Totals don’t tell full story of drug overdoses; Connecticut Post; Tara O’Neill
Third Place
In divided territory, dispute rages on; Hartford Courant; Alex Putterman

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Missing pieces: Guns stolen from CT suburbs turning up at crime scenes; NBC 30; Shyang Puri
Second Place
Connecticut governor’s race: Where are contributions coming from?; WNPR; Patrick Skahill

Diversity Coverage

Regional A
First Place
Access to AP courses often elusive for low-income students; Connecticut Mirror; Jacqueline Rabe Thomas
Second Place
Strategic outreach bridging gap in pregnancy-related outcomes; Connecticut Health I-Team; Elizabeth Heubeck
Third Place
After tumultuous summer, Hartford police look to hire more minority officers; Hartford Courant; Matthew Ormseth, Jenna Carlesso

Regional B
First Place
Latino students face unique hurdles; Greenwich Time; Jo Kroeker
Second Place
Black, Hispanic cops a minority on Danbury police force; News-Times; Zach Murdock
Third Place
A year after Hurricane Maria, residents displaced from Puerto Rico still adjusting; Record-Journal; Jeniece Roman

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
The spectrum of success; Seasons Magazine; Theresa Sullivan Barger
Second Place
Spreading peace: Former gang member’s center focuses on resolving conflict; Hartford Magazine; Matthew Broderick

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
For a teen with Autism, being different was seen as being dangerous; WNPR; David DesRoches

Editorial

Regional A
First Place
Haddam Selectwoman is owed an apology; Hartford Courant; Stephen Busemeyer
Second Place
Arming teachers makes schools more dangerous; Connecticut Post; Jacqueline Smith
Third Place
Elizabeth Esty must resign; Hartford Courant; Stephen Busemeyer

Regional B
First Place
Unthinkable is now devastatingly routine in schools; The Hour; Nancy Shulins
Second Place
Meriden School Readiness Council operated in secret; Record-Journal; Jeffery Kurz
Third Place
Keeping Sandy Hook investigation secret is inconsistent with democracy; Record-Journal; Glenn Richter

Editorial Cartoon

Regional A
First Place
Passing the buck; The Day; Jacinta Meyers
Second Place
Fake news; The Day; Jacinta Meyers

Regional B
First Place
Wallingford microburst hits twice; Record-Journal; Kevin Markowski

Education

Hyperlocal
First Place
Staples students, victims of sexual assault, look to change school policy; Westport News; Justin Papp
Second Place
Parents banned from eating lunch with children at Darien schools; Darien News; Lynandro Simmons

Regional A
First Place
Metropolitan Business Academy students show, not tell, on final exam; New Haven Register; Brian Zahn
Second Place
How safe are Connecticut students at school?; Connecticut Mirror; Jacqueline Rabe Thomas
Third Place
No pressure, but … another principal takes over at Bassick; Connecticut Post; Linda Lambeck

Regional B
First Place
Sacred Heart Greenwich threatens to ban student over Planned Parenthood sticker; Greenwich Time; Emilie Munson
Second Place
Despite little progress, more efforts underway to recruit minority teachers; News-Times; Zach Murdock
Third Place
Greenwich schools consider menu overhaul after complaints; Greenwich Time; Jo Kroeker

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Connecticut’s rural schools get creative to stay viable; WNPR; David DesRoches
Second Place
The high cost of educating students displaced by Hurricane Maria; NBC 30; Shyang Puri, Garett Allison
Third Place
Cyberthreats become disruption in Connecticut schools; NBC 30; Dan Corcoran, Garett Allison

Feature Photo

Hyperlocal
First Place
Drawing a crowd; Harbor News; Kelley Fryer
Second Place
Compo cloud; WestportNow.com; Anna-Liisa Nixon
Third Place
Greeting daddy; WestportNow.com; Gordon Joseloff

Regional A
First Place
Barn reading; Hartford Courant; Brad Horrigan
Second Place
Cancer wedding; The Day; Sarah Gordon
Third Place
Lizard encounter; The Day; Dana Jensen

Regional B
First Place
Mail roots; Record-Journal; Dave Zajac
Second Place
Jumping for joy; The Chronicle; Roxanne Pandolfi
Third Place
Up in the air with acro yoga; Record-Journal; Richie Rathsack

Feature Story

Hyperlocal
First Place
Race. Wreck. Fix. Repeat; The Source; Pem McNerney
Second Place
Whimsical trail brings hope to Belltown; Glastonbury Citizen – Rivereast News Bulletin; Elizabeth Regan
Third Place
Grand marshal Larry Aasen on war and remembrance; WestportNow.com; James Lomuscio

Regional A
First Place
A ‘horrific’ scene unfolds; Hartford Courant; Christine Dempsey
Second Place
Training empowers everyday people to help save lives; New Haven Register; Peter Hvizdak
Third Place
Fighting hate; Waterbury Republican-American; Michael DeGirolamo Jr.

Regional B
First Place
Coastal town offers a sheltering sky; News-Times; Rob Ryser
Second Place
Lost, but not forgotten: Meriden’s Vietnam casualties; Record-Journal; Leigh Tauss
Third Place
Second-hand retailer Euphoria mixes commerce, community; Fairfield County Business Journal; Phil Hall

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
Service dog frauds: The safety of truly dependent people could be at risk; Hartford Magazine; Leonard Felson
Second Place
A room of their own: Local couple’s efforts provide peace and comfort in difficult times; Seasons Magazine; Theresa Sullivan Barger
Third Place
The ancient tradition of seeking sanctuary in churches has been reborn in Connecticut; Connecticut Magazine; Erik Ofgang

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Hating on CT; NBC 30; Len Besthoff, Garett Allison
Second Place
Rejected: Vanity license plates you won’t see on the road; NBC 30; Dan Corcoran, Jon Wardle
Third Place
Mysterious suitcase helps Connecticut man discover his grandfather’s WWII service; WNPR; David DesRoches

General Column

Hyperlocal
First Place
Bill Seiden, 91: A reporter’s retrospective; WestportNow.com; James Lomuscio
Second Place
Musings from Mara; Glastonbury LIFE; Mara Dresner

Regional A
First Place
Connecticut Landmarks neglects 1700s Stonington house, despite endowment; The Day; David Collins
Second Place
The ballad of the Depression Kid; Connecticut Post; Ken Dixon
Third Place
Side issues are the economy; Connecticut Post; Dan Haar

Regional B
First Place
We could sure use Lincoln today; Record-Journal; Jeffery Kurz
Second Place
Birth mother vs. bio mother; Stamford Advocate; Deborah DiSesa Hirsch
Third Place
Empty nest, packed emotions; Stamford Advocate; Deborah DiSesa Hirsch

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
In our midst: Garage of dreams; Hartford Magazine; Rand Richards Cooper
Second Place
In our midst: How she heals; Hartford Magazine; Rand Richards Cooper
Third Place
In our midst: Key man; Hartford Magazine; Rand Richards Cooper

Government

Hyperlocal
First Place
Norwalk wired $900K to scammers; may settle reimbursement lawsuit; NancyonNorwalk; Nancy Chapman
Second Place
East Hampton hub ballots destroyed, questions remain; Glastonbury Citizen – Rivereast News Bulletin; Elizabeth Regan

Regional A
First Place
Connecticut politics take a toxic turn; Hartford Courant; Neil Vigdor
Second Place
New debate stirs over Hartford’s residency requirement; Hartford Courant; Jenna Carlesso, Vinny Vella
Third Place
Malloy myth is dead wrong; he slashed state spending; Connecticut Post; Dan Haar

Regional B
First Place
Prison health care compromised; Journal Inquirer; Will Healey
Second Place
Developer BLT seeks new tax district to expand footprint in Stamford neighborhood; Stamford Advocate; Barry Lytton
Third Place
Overtime pays for Danbury cop shortage; News-Times; Dirk Perrefort

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
A day in the life; Hartford Magazine; Rand Richards Cooper

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Structurally deficient bridges in Connecticut at risk for closure; NBC 30; Shyang Puri, Garett Allison
Second Place
Tenant troubles; NBC 30; Len Besthoff, Katherine Loy, Garett Allison
Third Place
Connecticut has given private schools over $3M in public cash for security upgrades; WNPR; David DesRoches

Headline

Hyperlocal
First Place
RTM to utility wires: We will bury you; WestportNow.com; Gordon Joseloff
Second Place
Three speeds, one mission etc; The Sound; Pam Johnson

Regional A
First Place
Grits, froyo, sweetings; New Haven Register; Lynn Schnier
Second Place
Custer’s last strand?; The Day; Joe Turco
Third Place
In the merry merry month of May; The Day; John Ruddy

Regional B
First Place
Unorthodox sanctuaries/Spring in step/ Marilyn moon row; Stamford Advocate; Ashley Winchester
Second Place
At sixes and sevens/A springer in her step/Before you go, go; Greenwich Time; Sue Nusbaum
Third Place
Mettle, zen, taps; News-Times; Lynn Schnier

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
Super bowl/Savage garden/The Twain you shall meet; Connecticut Magazine; Albert Yuravich

Health

Hyperlocal
First Place
Schools grapple with handling sexual assault complaints; WestportNow.com; James Lomuscio
Second Place
When it comes to suicide prevention, direct is best; Guilford Courier; Pem McNerney

Regional A
First Place
Costs and access still barriers to health care, survey finds; Connecticut Health I-Team; Kaitlyn Regan, Ryan Conchado, Kevin Crompton, Jailene Cuevas, Melanie Espinal, Jonathan Gonzalez, Andrew Hans, Megan Hill, Patrick Quinn O’Neill, August Pelliccio, Michael Riccio, Alyssa Rice
Second Place
From tears to Cinderella at prom; Hartford Courant; David Owens
Third Place
Former Middletown swimmer putting a face to PTSD; Hartford Courant; Rebecca Lurye

Regional B
First Place
Every time they shoot up could be the last; Journal Inquirer; Zachary F. Vasile
Second Place
After surviving teenage suicide attempt, Wallingford woman creating awareness; Record-Journal; Mary Ellen Godin

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
Smarter diets; Hartford Magazine; Theresa Sullivan Barger
Second Place
A doctor in your phone; Hartford Magazine; Theresa Sullivan Barger
Third Place
Psychedelic drugs show promise for treatment of PTSD; Connecticut Magazine; Erik Ofgang

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Nailed by complaints: Issues plaguing Connecticut nail salons; NBC 30; Shyang Puri
Second Place
Laser hair removal services; NBC 30; Sandra Jones
Third Place
Dirty school air; NBC 30; Len Besthoff-Reporter, David Michnowicz, Garett Allison

Humorous Column

Hyperlocal
First Place
Matter of opinion; Stamford Magazine; Beth Levine

Regional A
First Place
You’re in the bathroom, get off your phone; Hartford Courant; Rand Richards Cooper

Regional B
First Place
Isn’t It Romantic?; Stamford Advocate; Jerry Zezima
Second Place
News cycle sets Kid’s wheels turning; Stamford Advocate; John Breunig
Third Place
Sofa, I need to move on to another; The Chronicle; Traci Hastings

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
A day to forgive; Seasons Magazine; Matthew Dicks
Second Place
The cargument; Hartford Magazine; Sarah Wesley Lemire

In-Depth

Hyperlocal
First Place
Race. Wreck. Fix. Repeat; The Source; Pem McNerney
Second Place
Shoreline gathers for March for Our Lives; Branford Eagle; Sally E. Bahner

Regional A
First Place
A killer’s obsession: Writings outline descent into darkness, despair; Hartford Courant; Josh Kovner, Dave Altimari
Second Place
Nearly three quarters of Hartford children live in areas with high rates of gun violence; Hartford Courant; Rebecca Lurye
Third Place
An East Lyme family’s honest obituary; The Day; Lindsay Boyle

Regional B
First Place
Ousted residents never had their say; Journal Inquirer; Will Healey
Second Place
Opioid crisis fuels massive litigation against Purdue Pharma; Stamford Advocate; Paul Schott
Third Place
Maintenance deferred: Without funding, problems can grow like … mold; Stamford Advocate; Erin Kayata

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
King’s death sparked riots in Hartford 50 years ago: A look at the lasting effects; Hartford Magazine; David Holahan
Second Place
The battle to preserve Plum Island; Connecticut Magazine; Erik Ofgang
Third Place
Summer of discontent; Seasons Magazine; James Battaglio

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Firefighter PTSD; NBC 30; Len Besthoff, David Michnowicz, Jon Wardle
Second Place
Consignment shop sold; NBC 30; Sandra Jones
Third Place
The push for ‘green’ cemeteries in Connecticut; NBC 30; Dan Corcoran, Jon Wardle

Infographic Design

Regional B
First Place
Create your own budget; Record-Journal; Ron Rainey, Richie Rathsack

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
Apples to apples; Connecticut Magazine; Greg Moody
Second Place
Recycling: In or out?; Connecticut Magazine; Greg Moody

Infographic Reporting

Regional A
First Place
An interactive look at development in Hartford; Hartford Courant; Jenna Carlesso, Kenneth Gosselin, Timothy Reck
Second Place
See how your town fares in home price recovery; Hartford Courant; Kenneth R. Gosselin

Investigative

Hyperlocal
First Place
Police investigation shows safety concerns ahead of dredging death at Guilford Yacht Club; Guilford Courier; Zoe Roos

Regional A
First Place
Nurses’ drug abuse top cause of disciplining, but once sober, some nurses get relicensed; Connecticut Health I-Team; Kate Farrish, Carl Jordan Castro
Second Place
Denied: A look into inmate healthcare; Connecticut Mirror; Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, Clarice Silber
Third Place
Race for Gov; contrast of words, business; business record under scrutiny; Connecticut Post; Ken Dixon

Regional B
First Place
Lyman Hall gym teacher resigned after student complaints of sexual harassment; Record-Journal; Matt Zabierek
Second Place
Scaife keeps in touch, on city’s dime; Record-Journal; Leigh Tauss
Third Place
Andover figure lost job over lewdness; Journal Inquirer; Emily Brindley

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Letters from Whiting; NBC 30; Len Besthoff, Jon Wardle, Matthew Glasser
Second Place
Nailed by complaints: Issues plaguing Connecticut nail salons; NBC 30; Shyang Puri
Third Place
Mortuary mixup; NBC 30; Sandra Jones

Leisure

Regional A
First Place
A fresh start 27 years later; Hartford Courant; Don Stacom
Second Place
What makes a great fried clam?; The Day; Mary Biekert
Third Place
Homecoming of sorts for Danny Meyer; Hartford Courant; Leeanne Griffin

Magazine

First Place

Perfectly imperfect heirloom apples are making a comeback

Erik Ofgang;   Connecticut Magazine

Second Place

Barbecue – Hot stuff: Your guide to everything smoky, saucy and sloppy

Kelly Vaughan;   Hartford Magazine

Third Place

Barcelona – Walking the city: Its riches unfold for travelers on foot

Joan DeNatale Green, Rick Green;   Hartford Magazine

 Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Food and fun; News 12; Sean McCabe, Nina Kapur, Christopher Wood

Hyperlocal
First Place
Perfecting perfection in the Village of Essex; Valley Courier; Pem McNerney

Local Reporting

Hyperlocal
First Place
A major problem at the 11th hour for Scranton Library; The Source; Zoe Roos
Second Place
Bluepoint Wellness: Marijuana as blueprint for pain control; Branford Eagle; Sally E. Bahner
Third Place
500 Main St.: Why has “the most dangerous intersection in Westport” never been fixed?; Westport News; Sophie Vaughn

Regional A
First Place
2014 stabbing death of Melissa Millan; Hartford Courant; Dave Altimari, David Owens, Nicholas Rondinone
Second Place
New debate stirs over Hartford’s residency requirement; Hartford Courant; Jenna Carlesso, Vinny Vella
Third Place
Scary bear encounters; Hartford Courant; Christine Dempsey

Regional B
First Place
Remaining Washington Village residents struggle with deteriorating conditions; The Hour; Justin Papp
Second Place
Homeless: A life and death in Danbury; News-Times; Zach Murdock
Third Place
Social workers: Fostering love; The Chronicle; Ekaterine Tchelidze, Claire Galvin

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Crumbling concrete & grand lists; NBC 30; Len Besthoff, David Michnowicz
Second Place
Proposal to turn rock quarry into reservoir faces mountain of opposition; WNPR; Patrick Skahill
Third Place
About time; News 12; Sean McCabe, Christopher Wood, Lori Golias

News Photo

Hyperlocal
First Place
We need change; The Source; Kelley Fryer
Second Place
Sad afternoon; WestportNow.com; Dave Matlow

Regional A
First Place
Lucky shots; Hartford Courant; Mark Mirko
Second Place
Car fire; The Day; Sean D. Elliot
Third Place
Tearful testimony; The Day; Sean D. Elliot

Regional B
First Place
Police train for a school shooting response; Record-Journal; Dave Zajac
Second Place
Grabbing some gear after the storm; Record-Journal; Richie Rathsack
Third Place
A high tech holiday; The Chronicle; Amar Batra

Non-Page 1 Layout

Regional A
First Place
Enough; Hartford Courant; Chris Moore
Second Place
Searching for success; Hartford Courant; Chris Moore
Third Place
Season’s sweetings; New Haven Register; Lynn Schnier

Regional B
First Place
Big 10 bound: Berlin native Burby signs letter of intent to play for Rutgers; New Britain Herald; David Glovach
Second Place
Greenwich Town Party; Greenwich Time; Sue Nusbaum
Third Place
Crews to the rescue; News-Times; Sue Nusbaum

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
How to beach – Non-page1 layout; Hartford Magazine; Christopher Moore
Second Place
The ultimate “Hamilton” quiz: Non-page 1 layout; Hartford Magazine; Christopher Moore

Page 1 Layout

Regional A
First Place
All but forgotten; The Day; Melissa Johnson, Jacinta Meyers
Second Place
We the people …; Waterbury Republican-American; Jim Flynn
Third Place
New Haven Top 50; New Haven Register; Alyson Bowman

Regional B
First Place
The year that was; The Hour; Sue Nusbaum
Second Place
An unforgettable fire; The Chronicle; Jennifer Lemanski
Third Place
Ship wrecked; Greenwich Time; Sue Nusbaum

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
Cover: The changing city; Hartford Magazine; Christopher Moore
Second Place
Top chefs share secrets – page 1/cover layout; Hartford Magazine; Christopher Moore, Patrick Raycraft
Third Place
Inspired: A renaissance of young artists – Page 1 layout; Hartford Magazine; Christopher Moore, Patrick Raycraft

Photo Essay

Regional A
First Place
Convention season; Hartford Courant; Mark Mirko
Second Place
Swabs report in; The Day; Sean D. Elliot
Third Place
Shearing the Sheep; The Day; Sean D. Elliot

Regional B
First Place
Snowclone; Greenwich Time; Sue Nusbaum, Tyler Sizemore
Second Place
Lighting the sky; Greenwich Time; Tyler Sizemore
Third Place
Dance of the ages; News-Times; H. John Voorhees III

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
Going all in on New Haven’s future; Seasons Magazine; Stan Godlewski
Second Place
The raw, the cooked, the bowls and the boiling; Seasons Magazine; Nick Caito

Religion

Hyperlocal
First Place
Bishop takes control of St. Paul’s Church in Darien; Darien News; Lynandro Simmons
Second Place
A new mission for Sister Caroline; The Sound; Pam Johnson
Third Place
Rector to stay amid tensions; Darien News; Humberto Rocha

Regional A
First Place
Painstaking, sacred work; Hartford Courant; Jordan Otero Sisson

Regional B
First Place
Joined in grief and faith; News-Times; Rob Ryser
Second Place
Florida couple hopes to establish Presbyterian church in Wallingford; Record-Journal; Bailey Wright
Third Place
‘A different style of church’ — Megachurch Hillsong makes home in Norwalk; The Hour; Justin Papp

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Stations of the cross; News 12; Frank Recchia, Mark Sogofsky

Reporting Series

Hyperlocal
First Place
This is ABC; 06880: Where Westport Meets the World; Dan Woog, Susan Woog Wagner
Second Place
Celebrating seniors; Valley Courier; Rita Christopher

Regional A
First Place
Extreme inequality: Connecticut’s wealth dilemma; Connecticut Mirror; Keith Phaneuf, Clarice Silber and Jake Kara
Second Place
Connecticut’s vanishing shoreline; Connecticut Mirror; Jan Ellen Spiegel
Third Place
Helping hands; The Day; Julia Bergman, Amanda Hutchinson, Kimberly Drelich, Karen Florin, Erica Moser, Mary Biekert

Regional B
First Place
Transfer trauma; Journal Inquirer; Will Healey
Second Place
Serving up love: The Covenant Soup Kitchen; The Chronicle; Claire Galvin

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
At a price! The high cost of local town living; NBC 30; Len Besthoff, Shyang Puri, Dan Corcoran, Jill Konopka, Max Reiss, Matthew Glasser, Katherine Loy, Garett Allison, Jon Wardle, David Michnowicz, Steve Pancione
Second Place
CT do better; NBC 30; Len Besthoff, Shyang Puri, Dan Corcoran, Matthew Glasser, Katherine Loy, Garett Allison, Jon Wardle, David Michnowicz

Sports Column

Regional A
First Place
A role model, flaws and all; Hartford Courant; Mike Anthony
Second Place
As records fall at girls State Open track, debate rages over transgender issue; GameTimeCT.com; Jeff Jacobs
Third Place
Family, legacy led Dan Hurley to UConn; Hartford Courant; Dom Amore

Regional B
First Place
Culture change: New Britain football sees recent season as strong building block for program; New Britain Herald; David Glovach
Second Place
Clyde Washburn: A life well lived; The Chronicle; Mike Sypher

Sports Feature

Hyperlocal
First Place
Remembering Frank ‘Coach’ Crisafi; East Haven Courier; PJ Foti
Second Place
Adakonis go-karts his way to top national ranking; Ridgefield Press; Tim Murphy
Third Place
‘A very rewarding journey’; Glastonbury LIFE; Mara Dresner

Regional A
First Place
The growing pressure and demands of coaching each year lead to some asking: ‘Is it even worth it?’; GameTimeCT.com; Doug Bonjour
Second Place
Epic rock-paper-scissors battle settles SCC baseball quarterfinal matchup; GameTimeCT.com; Pete Pagagua
Third Place
Amby Burfoot is giving it another go; The Day; Steve Fagin

Regional B
First Place
Biggest victory: After beating cancer, football more than game for New Britain’s Hernandez; New Britain Herald; David Glovach
Second Place
Season-ending injury cannot keep Kellner out of gym; Stamford Advocate; Scott Ericson
Third Place
‘I’ve never been a quitter,’ says ex-NFL player Amari Spievey; Middletown Press; Cassandra Day

Regional C (Magazine)
First Place
At UConn, Dan Hurley is taking on “the ultimate challenge”; Connecticut Magazine; David Borges
Second Place
For Anne Worcester, this tennis tournament is a labor of love; Connecticut Magazine; Paul Doyle

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
A life saving gift; News 12; Mark Sudol, Robert Cook
Second Place
Big dreams; News 12; Lauren Fabrizi, Keith Sunthorn

Sports News

Hyperlocal
First Place
Trailblazer: Gaughran is first girl on Ridgefield LL travel team; Ridgefield Press; Tim Murphy
Second Place
Simsbury tops Avon for fifth straight win and Valley Gridiron Classic; CollinsvillePress.com; Gerry deSimas, Jr.
Third Place
Alfredo finds success as rookie in NASCAR series; Ridgefield Press; Tim Murphy

Regional A
First Place
Playing with risk; Hartford Courant; Alex Putterman
Second Place
Coaches, parents question policy for high school transgender athletes; Hartford Courant; Lori Riley
Third Place
NCAA investigating UConn men; New Haven Register; Jeff Jacobs

Regional B
First Place
Gunn’s three touchdowns spark New Britain football over South Windsor, moves to 3-0; New Britain Herald; David Glovach
Second Place
Barber, Muir unstoppable as Greenwich shuts out New Canaan for CIAC Class LL state title; Greenwich Time; David Fierro
Third Place
Brusnwick’s Cornelius Johnson chooses Michigan; Greenwich Time; David Fierro

Sports Photo

Hyperlocal
First Place
Record set; North Haven Courier; Kelley Fryer
Second Place
Players and fans celebrate after winning in eight innings; CollinsvillePress.com; Gerry deSimas, Jr.

Regional A
First Place
No. 1 Ansonia suffers heartbreaking loss; Waterbury Republican-American; Bill Shettle
Second Place
Goalie save; The Day; Sarah Gordon
Third Place
Reach for the win; Hartford Courant; Brad Horrigan

Regional B
First Place
Powder Puff takedown; Record-Journal; Dave Zajac
Second Place
Not as close as once thought; Stamford Advocate; H. John Voorhees III
Third Place
Catching some air during Snocross; Record-Journal; Justin Weekes

Video Storytelling

Hyperlocal
First Place
Norwalk plants trees at Roodner Court; NancyonNorwalk; Harold Cobin
Second Place
Video: Justin Paul back at Coleytown Middle School; WestportNow.com; Helen Klisser During

Regional A
First Place
Sanctuary church in Old Lyme; The Day; Tim Cook
Second Place
Ella; Hartford Courant; Patrick Raycraft
Third Place
Brian Merritt: From guitar player to guitar maker; The Day; Peter Huoppi

Regional B
First Place
Christmas season brings Harry Potter, Phantom of the Opera and fiery hot cocoa to Cava; Record-Journal; Ashley Kus
Second Place
Organist keeps music alive at Meriden church; Record-Journal; Ashley Kus
Third Place
Kidcity museum in Middletown; Record-Journal; Bailey Wright

Regional D (Broadcast)
First Place
Christopher Wood composite; News 12; Christopher Wood
Second Place
Mark Sogofsky composite; News 12; Mark Sogofsky

Background on new venue for annual dinner

It’s time for making changes to the way we run our annual Excellence in Journalism awards dinner. Just as the media landscape is changing all around us, so should we. 

This year, we are trying a new type of venue for our awards dinner. Why? you ask. As most things, it comes down to money. 

The cost of hosting a sit-down dinner is becoming higher than the amount of money the chapter receives in organizing it. Simply put, CTSPJ is losing thousands of dollars each year because of the dinner.

The venue for the past two years has cost more than $4,000, and ticket sales have not been able to cover that amount. The chapter’s reserves have absorbed the deficits in recent years and can continue for the next decade or more, but it’s important the chapter reduce costs now in order to maintain existence much longer. Making changes is something the board has discussed for many years, but we decided last year to taking a hard look at other options available. 

Process:

At the July 1 board meeting, members voted unanimously to examine a different direction for its award dinners. In past few years, the dinners have been held at function facilities with a sit-down dinner in the suburbs. It was agreed that a new format, involving a buffet dinner either at a restaurant or at a rented space in a city would be best. Hartford and New Haven were discussed as locations to focus on, with a greater focus on sites near public transportation.

Board members were then tasked with finding possible locations and submitting them to discuss at a meeting in December. At that meeting, the board meet to review 16 recommendations in the two cities. Cost and capacity were the major issue in reducing the number of selections down to three: The Press in Hartford, City Steam in Hartford and Bar in New Haven.

A final site was picked on Jan. 12. Unfortunately, that venue later announced it would be unable to host our dinner due to its building being sold. The board then voted on a backup option: The Hawthorne, 2421 Berlin Turnpike, Berlin. 

This site offers plenty of free parking but is still near public transportation. Stay tuned for more options about this venue and details for buying your dinner ticket. 

NJ SPJ and The Deadline Club host podcasting workshop in NYC on March 16

[Show slideshow]

Here’s your chance to learn the basic skills of creating your own podcast.

In a one-day workshop on March 16, you can learn about the possibilities of podcasting, what makes for a good podcast and how to promote it.

We’ll also provide you with hands-on training for how to record, edit, script and produce a podcast.
The workshop is co-sponsored by The Deadline Club and the New Jersey chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

It will take place in the offices of Retro Report, 633 Third Ave., New York City.
The workshop will begin with registration at 9:30 a.m. Instruction will run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., with a break for lunch.

Participants must bring their own laptop computer and smart phone.

To register for the workshop, go here: https://conta.cc/2I9BNH4

Register before March 1 to take advantage of the early bird rate of $65 for professionals and $25 for students. After March 1, registration rises to $75 for professionals and $35 for students. The fee does not include lunch.

Speakers for this event include:

Alex Kapelman has produced content for WNYC, KCRW, Audible, and Gimlet Media. His audio work has been featured on NPR and BuzzFeed, and in publications like The Atlantic and New York Magazine; he has also been tapped as a contributor to NPR. Alex co-founded Pitch, a critically acclaimed narrative podcast series, and is the founder of Podcast Love, a podcast company that provides consulting for brands and teaching tools for podcasters.

He is also an adjunct journalism instructor at New York University. Alex will present on how to get great content, specifically tailored for podcasting.

Mike Savino produces a daily news podcast for the Record-Journal in Meriden, Ct. Mike oversees local and state government coverage for the newspaper. He is is a national board member of SPJ and president of the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information.

Mike will talk about the tools and techniques of podcasting.

John Ensslin is creator and producer of several podcasts, including Studio SPJ, Record Talk Radio and On the Record. John has worked for newspapers in New York, New Jersey and Colorado. He is a past national president of SPJ and is the current president of SPJ New Jersey.

John will talk about how to script and edit your podcast.

For more information on the workshop, call John Ensslin at 973-513-5632 or email him at johnensslin@gmail.com.

Excellence in Journalism 2018 travel grants available

We are pleased to announce that, for the fourth year in a row, we’re offering a travel grant for one member and one student to attend the 2018 national conference. This year’s Excellence in Journalism Conference will be held in Baltimore from Sept. 27-29. Last year’s winners were Jill Konopka of WVIT-30 NBC and Analisa Novak, recent graduate from CCSU.

Connecticut SPJ is offering a grant of up to $1,000 to cover the cost for one member to attend, as well as another $500 to help a student attend. If you’re interested in applying for the grant, please send a a short essay, along with your SPJ member number, to Cindy Simoneau, a past president of the CTSPJ board, at simoneauc1@southernct.edu. Simoneau will prepare all entries for a blind review by the CTSPJ board.

Applications are due by July 6 at noon. The winners must be members in good standing of CTSPJ. New members are welcome to apply.

SPJ June Newsletter: A message from the president

A message from the president

June 2018

Congratulations to all the winners

Thank you to everyone who attended the 2017 Excellence in Journalism awards ceremony on May 24. It was a great night celebrating all of the great work from journalists around the state. We honored the late Lucy Crosbie, long time publisher of the Chronicle in Willimantic and a trailblazer for women in Connecticut Journalism, by inducting her into our Hall of Fame. We also recognized the efforts of former Connecticut Public Affairs Network President Paul Giguere in improving transparency of government at the state level with the Connecticut Network. We hope to see you all again next year at our annual May dinner.

EIJ 2018 travel

We are pleased to announce that, for the fourth year in a row, we’re offering a travel grant for one member and one student to attend the 2018 national conference. This year’s Excellence in Journalism Conference will be held in Baltimore from Sept. 27-29. Last year’s winners were Jill Kopnoka of WVIT-30 NBC and Analisa Novak, recent graduate from CCSU.

Connecticut SPJ is offering a grant of up to $1,000 to cover the cost for one member to attend, as well as another $500 to help a student attend. If you’re interested in applying for the grant, please send a a short essay, along with your SPJ member number, to Cindy Simoneau, a past president of the CTSPJ board, at simoneauc1@southernct.edu. Simoneau will prepare all entries for a blind review by the CTSPJ board.

Applications are due by June 29 at noon. The winners must be members in good standing of CTSPJ. New members are welcome to apply.

Have you listened to our Podcast yet?

In case you missed it — and where have you been —, Connecticut SPJ has launched its own podcast, with episodes airing twice per month. June’s episodes include conversations with Society of Professional Journalists about the Facebook Journalism Project and Whistleblower Project, and an interview with retiring Day publisher Gary Farrugia. While you’re on our Soundcloud page, be sure to check out past programming including our first episode with Connecticut SPJ President Mike Savino and Board Member Pete Paguaga, and the audio from our Women in Journalism event in March.

Come celebrate FOI

Our friends at the Connecticut Council for Freedom of Information are holding their annual meeting luncheon on June 26 beginning at 11:30 a.m. At the luncheon, CCFOI will honor the work of some journalists and FOI advocates, including Hartford Courant reporter Matt Kauffman and former First Amendment Lawyer and CCFOI president Dan Klau, who recently became a state of Connecticut judge. The CCFOI Board of Directors also plans to nominate Mike Savino, outgoing CT SPJ president, as its new president.  

The event is at the Pond House at Elizabeth Park in Hartford, and tickets at $55 at the door.

Reporting on suicides

After the CDC said earlier this month that suicide rates have jumped around the country, a report that was released in between celebrity suicides, Poynter posted several articles looking at how journalists generally cover suicides. Poynter reposted a 2014 story looking at suicide contagions and the media’s role in copycats, the organization also published suggested best practices. Covering suicides is clearly a difficult task for journalism, including decisions on when and how to report on them. While journalists are certainly free to agree or disagree with Poynter, we suggest they review the SPJ Code of Ethics whenever they are tasked with covering suicide. This is useful when it comes to a specific incident or the topic as a whole.

Another loss for CT journalism

Peter M. Casolino, longtime photographer for the New Haven Register and Hartford Courant, died on June 15 after a brief illness. He was a photographer and editor for the Register from 1991 through 2014, and more recently worked as a contract photographer for the Courant. He also graduated from Southern Connecticut State University.

Peter was only 51 and leaves behind a young son. A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help Peter’s son, Ryan, get through the loss and to pay for his future education.

New CT SPJ President

At the annual dinner in May, Connecticut SPJ elected Bruno Matarazzo, of the Republican American, as its new president beginning July 1. Bruno joined the board in 2014 and currently serves as treasurer. He replaces Mike Savino, who reached his term limit. Savino will now serve as immediate past president. Congratulations to Bruno!

Job Openings

See who’s hiring

Looking for work, or know someone who is? Perhaps you know a student looking for an internship opportunity. Check out the jobs bank we’ve just added to our website. We’ll keep adding job postings as we learn of them, so please share with us any openings. Keep in mind that some of these postings may have expired or been filled.

See all the opportunities here

Thanks for your continued support.

Your president,

Mike Savino

Finalists announced for 2017 Excellence in Journalism Contest

Here is the finalist list for the Excellence in Journalism Contest for 2017. (Click link to download or print). 

Excellence in Journalism Contest 2017-18

Awards will be announced at the annual awards dinner on Thursday, May 24. 

CT SPJ testimony on House Bill 5175 regarding FOIA appeals

The Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists would like to submit the following testimony regarding HB 5175, An Act Concerning Appeals Under the Freedom of Information Act.

We stand in strong opposition to this bill so long as it proposes a filing fee on FOI complaints. CT SPJ opposes any effort to levy a fee on FOI complaints, but $125 per filing is excessive.

Such a fee would provide an incentive for municipalities to deny requests for information it doesn’t wish to disclose. Furthermore, it is punitive to the public whenever municipal officials have not been given adequate training on the FOI act, and thus aren’t familiar with all of the requirements.

Please don’t forget that the FOI act also dictates the public’s access to both documents and meetings of government boards and agencies. That means people with a broad range of experience and access to resources, such as legal counsel, decide whether to grant or deny public access at any given time.

We understand that budget constraints have made it difficult for some municipalities to process frequent FOI requests, and for the FOI Commission to adjudicate complaints in a timely manner. We therefore support the stated of intent of the bill, which is to “permit the Freedom of Information Commission to grant relief from vexatious requesters to public agencies.”

Connecticut SPJ does support the changes proposed in section 5 of this bill, which give the Commission some flexibility to address vexatious complaints. Furthermore, the language appears to give that flexibility to the Commission, and relief to municipalities, without prohibiting or deterring the public from exercising its right to access information.

Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony,

Mike Savino

President, Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists

2017 Excellence in Journalism Contest open for entries

The CTSPJ 2017 Excellence in Journalism Contest is now open for entries.

You can enter the contest here. Deadline for entries is Feb. 15 at 11:59 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19, at 5 p.m. All entries must have been published or broadcast in 2017.

We are adding two new categories this year: Data and Health reporting.

Magazines remain in their own circulation class, Region C (Magazines). 

Please review the circulation class list before entering. If you do not see your media outlet on the list, please contact contest clerk Jessica Garin at Jessica.Garin.U@gmail.com.

With the changing news industry and changes at individual news outlets, the CTSPJ board will continue to review the circulation classes each year. If you have feedback on the placement of your news outlet, please contact Contest Chair Jodie Mozdzer Gil at jmozdzer@gmail.com. Any requests for review will be considered by the full CTSPJ Board of Directors before the following year’s contest.

Categories

All media outlets compete against each other in the top three special awards categories. For the rest of the categories (below), media outlets will compete in their circulation class.

Stephen A. Collins Public Service Award
This is a special award open to all media for a story or stories having a significant impact in the public interest. Entries must include supporting documentation such as letters, editorials, evidence of a change in public policy, showing how the entry had an impact. Please include a cover letter with the entry.
Theodore Driscoll Award for Investigative Reporting
This is a special award open to all media for a single story or formal series containing information, obtained through reporter initiative not readily available to the news media or public.
First Amendment Award
This is a special award open to all media for a single story, column or series which increases public understanding of the role of the press in a free society.

Editorial Cartoon | A single cartoon online or in print
Single Editorial | Represents the opinion of the publication, station or news website as an organization
General Column | A single (other than sports or humorous) that expresses an opinion or point of view on an issues or event
Humorous Column | A single column on any topic with the purpose to entertain
In-Depth | A single story that helps audience understand situation beyond information provided in a normal news story
Investigative | A single story containing information obtained through reporter initiative that was not readily available to the news media or the public
Data | A reporting project that relied heavily on analyzing data.
Health reporting | A story dealing with health-related topics.
Feature | Any story written for a reason other than timeliness. (Please note, this was omitted from an earlier list in error)
Religion | A story dealing with religious topics
Government | A story dealing with government topics
Courts/Crime | Any story dealing with issues of the criminal justice system, except for breaking news
Arts & Entertainment | A single story dealing with the arts
Business | A single story dealing with business
Leisure | A story dealing with travel, food, gardening, or other leisure topics
Continuing Coverage | No more than 10 articles that follow the same topic over time
Diversity Coverage | Single story on a diversity issue
Education | A single story on an education issue
Reporting Series | A formal series of no more than 10 articles, including investigative, in-depth or feature series
Local Reporting | A story that shines light on an issue important to a single town or region. This category is meant for those stories that fulfill the mission of community journalism.
Breaking News | A single story or package of stories and social media updates that involves coverage of a spot news event written under an immediate deadline.
Sports News | A single story on a sports news topic
Sports Feature | A single story on a sports topic, written for a factor other than timeliness
Sports Column | A single column on a sports topic
Sports Photo | A single sports photo
Feature Photo | A single feature photo
News Photo | A single news photo
Photo Essay | A collection of photos, either in print or online, that together tell one story.
Page 1 Layout | A category for the person who arranged the text and images, not for the writers or photographers of the materials on the page.
Non-Page 1 Layout | Any single page design that was not on page 1
Headline | A single entry is made up of three headlines, all the work on a single individual
Infographic Design | The design of a single static or interactive graphic
Infographic Reporting | The reporting of a single static or interactive graphic
Video Storytelling | Use of video to tell a story alone or bolster written reporting
Audio Storytelling | Use of audio to tell a story alone or bolster written reporting

Entry fees:

• $10 for active Connecticut SPJ members
• $25 for non-members and news organizations
• $50 for the three top awards
• $5 for student members
• $10 for students who are not members
• If you do not know your member number, please contact SPJ’s national membership coordinator, Linda Hall, at LindaH@SPJ.org or at (317) 927-8000. 

Podcast: How news organizations should handle sexual misconduct allegations

In his new podcast, CT Pro Chapter President Mike Savino talks to national SPJ President Rebecca Baker about how the news media should handle sexual misconduct allegations. Savino and Baker talk about both how to report on allegations, and how news organizations should handle complaints from within. 

Click here to listen to the podcast or listen below.