Local newspapers, journalists honored at Virginia Press Association Awards
Despite enormous challenges, local journalist are still producing some great work.
Journalists and media professionals across the state of Virginia were honored at the Virginia Press Association’s annual gala on April 11 in Lynchburg, an occasion that shines a light on the fine work that is still getting produced despite considerable challenges. Publications tend to tout only their own awards, and the various categories and competing divisions are so confusing that it’s hard to get a good view of how our local media performed collectively. So I created a list of local winners below. It’s also a chance to review all the important stories that were covered over the last year.
For the third year in a row, The Daily Progress was selected as the best daily newspaper of its size in Virginia, taking home 33 awards at the Virginia Press Association’s annual gala on April 11, including 14 first-place awards, eight second-place prizes and 11 third-place honors for its newsroom reporters. The contest was judged by members of the South Carolina Press Association and the National Newspaper Association. Locally, The Cavalier Daily, Cville Weekly, Nelson County Times, The Crozet Gazette, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and The Central Virginian also collected awards.
Online news website Cardinal News won big this year, taking home the Integrity in News Reporting prize, and the Fauquier Times took home the prize for investigative journalism. Locally, the only investigative journalism prize was taken home by The Cavalier Daily!
Congratulations to all the winners. Local media takes a lot of criticism, but there are still dedicated journalists doing great work.
The Daily Progress
Breaking News Writing ( Daily Group 1): Second Place: Emily Hemphill / Lawmakers, UVa faculty blame Trump admin’s ‘gross overreach’ for Ryan resignation / Third Place: David Velazquez / Scott Beardsley named UVa’s 10th president
Business and Financial Writing ( Daily Group 1): : First Place: Heather Price Ives / Judge Comment: “Strong writing and choice of topics, detailed and comprehensive reporting.” / Second Place: Emily Hemphill
Column Writing ( Daily Group 1): First Place / The Reeducation of Charlottesville / Reporter: Price Thomas / Judge Comment: “These columns on education were conversational, engaging and persuasive.”
Critical Writing ( Daily Group 1): First Place / Dinner With Simon / Simon Davidson
Judge Comment: “I’m sitting here at my desk hungry after reading these reviews. I need to make a trip to your community. Great use of words to describe the flavors, smells and presentation of food, along with the stories of the people behind it.”
Editorial Writing ( Daily Group 1,Daily Group 3): Second Place: Reynolds Hutchins
Judge Comment: Really liked the various viewpoints on myriad of topics. Interesting and appealing.
Education Writing ( Daily Group 1): First Place: Dmitry Martiroso
Feature Profile Writing - (including News Obituaries) ( Daily Group 1): Second Place: Hawes Spencer / Late Charlottesville mayor, planner Satyendra Huja remembered as the ‘Urban Turban’/ Third Place: Hawes Spencer / Eugene Williams, Charlottesville civil rights leader and housing reformer, dies at 97
Feature Series or Continuing Story -‘( Daily Group 1): First Place / Pride in their Union / Emily Hemphill
Judge Comment: Unique and well-written series. I enjoyed reading the obstacles each couple had to overcome to be where they are now. Great job.
Feature Story Writing - (excluding Obituaries) ( Daily Group 1): Third Place: Heather Price Ives / These Greene County witches are more about welfare than wickedness / Judge Comment: “Well done explanation of a sensitive subject.”
Feature Writing Portfolio ( Daily Group 1): First Place: Jane Sathe feature writing portfolio /Judge Comment: “Compelling work. The hand of a pro is evident.” / Second Place: Joana Suleiman feature writing portfolio / Judge Comment: “Well done. Interesting range of good topics done quite well.”
Government Writing ( Daily Group 1): First Place: Dmitry Martirosov / Judge Comment: “Very compelling writing and genuinely enjoyable to read.” / Third Place: Heather Price Ives / Judge Comment: “A very strong package that stood out in a field of skilled writers.”
Government Writing (OPEN): Third Place: David Velazquez / Judge Comment: “Engaging, well-written and varied coverage.”
Health, Science and Environmental Writing ( Daily Group 1): Third Place: Caroline King / Judge Comment: “Good articles that provide a good understanding of the science behind groundbreaking health and science research.”
Public Safety Writing ( Daily Group 10: : First Place: Hawes Spencer / Judge Comment: “From a mass shooting, to a guru, to a crosswalk painter, these pieces are concise and informative.”
Second Place: Heather Price Ives / Judge Comment: “Solid reporting on public institutions dropping the ball.”
Third Place: David Velazquez / Judge Comment: “Clear writing on important issues.”
Sports Writing Portfolio ( Daily Group 1): First Place: : Chris Gionta Sports Writing Portfolio
Judge Comment: “Chris tells these stories so well and effortlessly. He includes many important details, and kept my attention from beginning to end. Engaging sports writing. Great job.”
The Cavalier Daily
In-depth or Investigative Reporting ( Non-Daily Group 3): Second Place: Ford McCracken / An in-depth look at why the DOJ accused U.Va. of mishandling antisemitism
Judge Comment: “An important accountability story. It took a deeper look at an incident that had involved federal officials, trying to shed light on whether the allegations were true and how the process could be more transparent, by speaking with witnesses and obtaining public record.”
Breaking News Writing ( Non-Daily Group 3): Second Place / Ryan and Sheridan provide full accounts of Ryan’s resignation. They differ significantly / Reporters: Ford McCracken, Cecilia Mould /
Judge Comment: “A story that covers several months of wrangling concludes with university’s president resigning. The resignation is immediate and timely; the rest of the story details what led to this final moment. Well resourced and very well written.”
Editorial Writing ( Non-Daily Group 3): Second Place: The University of Virginia presidency and the question of institutional transparency / Scarlett Sullivan, Naima Sawaya, Wylie Brunman, Farah Eljazzar, Michael King, Ryan Cohen /
Third Place: Former University of Virginia President Jim Ryan’s Resignation, administrative silence and shared governance / Naima Sawaya, Scarlett Sullivan, Wylie Brunman, Farah Eljazzar, Nathaniel Carter, Paul Kurtzwei
Feature Series or Continuing Story ( Non-Daily Group 3): : First Place: Artificial Intelligence at the University of Virginia / Lidia Zur Muhlen, Lucia Gambacini / Judge Comment: “A cautionary tale about a technology being ballyhooed at every turn in the road”
Second Place: Black History Month at the University of Virginia / Cecilia Mould, Emory Huffman, Mia Tan, Peter Kratz, Sophie Hay, Sophie Long / Judge Comment: “Straight forward and clear, a timely perspective with a message of acceptance and healing.”
General News Writing ( Non-Daily Group 3): : First Place: The aftermath of former University of Virginia President Jim Ryan’s resignation / Cecilia Mould, Ford McCracken, Brendon Bordwine, Grace Little, Mia Tan, Naima Saway
Judge Comment: “Extremely thorough, well-balanced analysis of an ongoing issue that rocked UVA to its core. Piece detailing political donations by board members was a real eye-opener.”
Second Place: : The University of Virginia and the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education / Brendon Bordwine, Cecilia Mould, Grace Little, Lucia Gambacini, Lauren Seeliger, Brandon Kile
Judge Comment: “Great job tracking this story. Good use of quotes throughout with making story dense. Love the illustrative use of the schools seal “Sic Semper Tyrannus” Well done”
Third Place: : From threats to an agreement: The Department of Justice and the University of Virginia / Nicolas Biernacki, Cecilia Mould, Grace Little, Nina Broderick, Ford McCracken, Abigail Larkin
Judge Comment: “Deep dive into the DOJ prosecutor’s background was enlightening. Side-by-side comparison of The Compact and The Agreement was useful and educational.”
Podcast ( Non-Daily Group 3,Non-Daily Group 4): : Second Place: On Record / t: Evelyn Lewis, Gabriella Oakes, Tess Wolf, Anniston Li
Judge Comment: “The Cavalier Daily earns second place for its exceptional ability to look beyond the university gates. By featuring deep dives into Charlottesville’s ‘Loaves and Fishes’ food distribution and the cultural significance of the OAAA’s Black History Month theme, this podcast serves as a vital bridge between students and the broader community. It is a sophisticated example of how student media can foster civic empathy and local awareness.”
Cville Weekly
Critical Writing ( Non-Daily Group 4): Second Place: Sarah Lawson / Pages column / Judge Comment: “A compendium of terrific stories of colorful stories. Very fine work.”
Feature Profile Writing (including News Obituaries) ( Non-Daily Group 4): : First Place: James Sanford / “Waive of kindness” / Judge Comment: “A pretty good obit. What makes it stand out are its non-standard lead for an obit and its use of multiple sources.”
Nelson County Times
Education Writing ( Non-Daily Group 1): Third Place: Madi Kirkma / Nelson schools see improvement; Nelson high school earns distinguished; Nelson schools had decrease in chronic absenteeism
Health, Science and Environmental Writing ( Non-Daily Group 1): First Place: Justin Faulconer / : Assessment seeks ways to improve health of residents; Nelson residents learning of impacts to SNAP, Medicaid cuts; Forum tackles federal funding cut
Judge Comment: “Justin Faulconer breaks some serious topics such MAPP2Health assessment or funding changes for Medicaid and food assistance programs for readers. He doesn’t overwhelm them with jargon but explains clearly what is happening to Nelson County and why it matters”
Picture Story or Essay ( Non-Daily Group 1,Non-Daily Group 2): First Place: Lee Luther Jr. / Nelson rodeo / Judge Comment: “First place is an outstanding picture story with several individual photos that could be prize winners on their own. Great work.”
The Crozet Gazette
Feature Photo ( Non-Daily Group 3): : Third Place: Malcolm Andrew/ The Woodturner / Judge Comment: “I liked how the different wooden bowls were used to add interest to this feature photo.”
Health, Science and Environmental Writing ( Non-Daily Group 3): Second Place: Lisa Martin: Health, Science and Environmental Writing Portfolio
Public Safety Writing ( Non-Daily Group 3): First Place: Theresa Curry
Judge Comment: “A grand series of personality and informational features that personify community emergency services! The “feature” style uses human sources to provide context. And readers should get the delivered messages. Well written, well sourced.”
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Government Writing ( Online): Second Place: Erin O’Hare / A camping ban, low-barrier shelter and ‘million-dollar clean team’: local impact on unhoused residents / Judge Comment: “Thorough coverage of the issues and very readable.”
Health, Science and Environmental Writing ( Online): Third Place: Anastasiia Carrier / Gaps in care: Youth mental health in central Virginia / Judge Comment: “Puts a compelling human face on health care policy”
The Central Virginian
Social Media ( Non-Daily Group 2): : First Place: John Hajduk II / Explosive Hydrilla at Lake Anna / Judge Comment: “Nice story told with boater interview, residents and many examples of problem. Stating problem with map at start was excellent.”