The Durango Herald staff has won 48 press awards in two newspaper contests, including awards for general excellence, best website and public service journalism.
The newspaper won 24 awards in the Top of the Rockies contest, sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists, and 24 awards in the annual Colorado Press Association contest, including the Sweepstakes prize for best in category.
The contests covered editorial, advertising, and photo and design work done mostly in 2019.
The Herald won the General Excellence award for editorial content in the CPA contest. It competed against 17 publications, including The Greeley Tribune, Aurora Sentinel, Westword and The Aspen Times.
The Herald also won first place for general website excellence and public service for its sustained coverage on homelessness in the Top of the Rockies contest. It competed against 20 publications, including Farmington Daily Times, Longmont Times-Call, Colorado Politics and Four Corners Free Press.
“The Herald’s contest successes go to the print and digital readers, and the advertisers, who appreciate the value of a local communications company,” said Richard Ballantine, chairman of Ballantine Communications Inc., which owns the Herald. “And while writers, editors, ad sales reps and designers are featured here, their good work would not be possible without the many skilled individuals elsewhere in the company. Thanks, from all of us, for reading.”
Sweepstakes award, Class 4, staffGeneral Excellence: Editorial, staffBest Website – Daily: Staff, for Herald’s website, www.durangoherald.com.Best Editorial Writing: Robert Meyerowitz, first place, a collection of editorials.Best Investigative Story Package: Mary Shinn, first place, “Regretting the ER.” The judge said: “This story does exactly what investigative reporting is supposed to do. It outs an injustice. Well written, well researched.”Best Multimedia: Jerry McBride, first place, “Firefighters burn thousands of acres”Breaking News Video: Jerry McBride, first place, “Pine Tree Fire”
Best Feature Photograph: Jerry McBride, first place, “Thanksgiving delivered”Blooper of the Year: Staff, second place, for an in-depth correction about erroneously identifying La Posta Road (County Road 213) by the wrong county road number. “Definitely overkill, but funny,” the judge wrote of our 215-word Setting it Straight correction.
Best Agriculture Story: Mary Shinn and Patrick Armijo, second place, “One-two punch hits ranchers.” The judges wrote: “Lucid writing gives this story the edge over several articles with a similar level of detail.”Best Breaking News/Deadline Reporting: Jonathan Romeo, second place, “Feds say Durango train ignited 416 Fire”Best Environmental Story: Jonathan Romeo, second place, “A changing Mesa Verde” The judges wrote: “Many stories could have landed here, but this one does a good job of localizing a broad issue while remaining concise.”Best Sports Column Writing: John Livingston, second place, for a collection of columnsBest Sports Story: John Livingston, second place, “Dropping into Durango.” The judge said: “The reader can see the view just from the words.”Best Sustained Coverage: Jonathan Romeo, second place, “416 Fire” aftermath coverageBest Feature Photograph: Jerry McBride, second place, “Nifty Nanny.” The judges wrote: “Great moment with terrific action and emotion.”
Best News Photograph: Jerry McBride, second place, “A civil rights violation?” The judges said, “Those four words and question mark are all you need. The photo tells the rest of the story. I feel like I’m there. Love it.”Best Photo Slideshow or Gallery: Jerry McBride, second place, “The Good Fight Boxing Gym”
General Website Excellence: Durango Herald Development Team: first place, www.durangoherald.comSports: Columns: John Livingston, first place, “Surviving life with Mom and the Rockies”Features – Short form: Jonathan Romeo, first place, “The man who killed Colorado’s last grizzly bear”Feature Page Design: David Holub, first place, feature page designAg and Environment – Enterprise: Jonathan Romeo, first place, “Tainted by uranium”Public Service: Bret Hauff, Mary Shinn and Jonathan Romeo, first place, Sustained coverage on homelessness in DurangoHealth – Enterprise Reporting: Shannon Mullane, first place, “Leaning on their peers”General Podcasting Excellence: John Livingston, second place, “Living Sports by John Livingston: Episode 13: Professional soccer player Lauren Milliet”
Single Page Design: David Buck, second place, Feature page designMarijuana Enterprise Reporting: Patrick Armijo, second place, “A mission of uncertainty”Health – General Reporting: Mary Shinn, second place, “Ending the cycle of ER visits”Ag and Environment – General Reporting: Jonathan Romeo, second place, “Rancher or tax scofflaw?”Sports Photography: Jerry McBride, second place, “Iron Horse”Headline Writing: David Buck, second place, “Trails of destruction”News Reporting – Single Story: Bret Hauff, second place, “Iced out”Breaking News Story: John Livingston, third place, “Hardrock 100 canceled”Features – Short form: Bret Hauff, third place, “A woodcutter’s bliss”General Podcasting Excellence: Bret Hauff, Katie Chicklinski-Cahill, third place, “The Durango Herald in Your Ear: Eps. 2: Aliens, ninjas and adoptions; Eps. 3: Voters, early Christmas and wolf rescues; Eps. 4: Tiny homes, Santa v. Krampus death match and teaching young’uns”Single Page Design: David Buck, third place, Feature page designSports – General Reporting: John Livingston, third place, “Dropping into Durango”Editorials: Robert Meyerowitz, third place, collection of editorialsAg and Environment – Enterprise: Jonathan Romeo, third place, “A changing Mesa Verde”Ag and Environment – General Reporting: Liz Weber, third place, “Bringing back the wolf”Headline Writing: David Buck, third place, “The ketamine cure”
Single Page Design: David Buck, second place, Feature page designMarijuana Enterprise Reporting: Patrick Armijo, second place, “A mission of uncertainty”Health – General Reporting: Mary Shinn, second place, “Ending the cycle of ER visits”Ag and Environment – General Reporting: Jonathan Romeo, second place, “Rancher or tax scofflaw?”Sports Photography: Jerry McBride, second place, “Iron Horse”Headline Writing: David Buck, second place, “Trails of destruction”News Reporting – Single Story: Bret Hauff, second place, “Iced out”Breaking News Story: John Livingston, third place, “Hardrock 100 canceled”Features – Short form: Bret Hauff, third place, “A woodcutter’s bliss”General Podcasting Excellence: Bret Hauff, Katie Chicklinski-Cahill, third place, “The Durango Herald in Your Ear: Eps. 2: Aliens, ninjas and adoptions; Eps. 3: Voters, early Christmas and wolf rescues; Eps. 4: Tiny homes, Santa v. Krampus death match and teaching young’uns”Single Page Design: David Buck, third place, Feature page designSports – General Reporting: John Livingston, third place, “Dropping into Durango”Editorials: Robert Meyerowitz, third place, collection of editorialsAg and Environment – Enterprise: Jonathan Romeo, third place, “A changing Mesa Verde”Ag and Environment – General Reporting: Liz Weber, third place, “Bringing back the wolf”Headline Writing: David Buck, third place, “The ketamine cure”
Best Advertising Special Section: Hunter Harrell, Tad Smith, Christian Ridings, Advertising Executives, first place, “Healthy Living – Overcoming Obstacles”Best Health Care Ad: Heather Mobley, Christian Ridings, first place, “Absolutely!”Best Real Estate Ad: Kelly Bulkley, Gary Markstein, first place, “Sotheby’s – Durango Lifestyle”Best Use of Color in an Ad: Jamie Opalenik, Christian Ridings, first place, “What a Girl Wants”Best Use of Multimedia Advertising: Cole Davis, Christian Ridings, first place, “Louisa’s Clearance”Best Small Space Ad: Amy Baird, Christian Ridings, second place, “Wagon Wheel-Never Weak”
