Colorado Community Media journalists honored in 2022 Top of the Rockies journalism contest

I'm proud of the achievements of our staff. It's a testament to the dedication that they have for their communities and for the importance of local news.”

Colorado Community Media Publisher Linda Shapley

Colorado Community Media won eight awards at the 2022 Top of the Rockies Excellence in Journalism Awards, which were presented April 9 during the Society of Professional Journalists’ regional conference in Denver on Saturday.

CCM journalists competed in the large newsrooms division and earned one first-place, two second-place and five third-place awards.

“I'm proud of the achievements of our staff,” said CCM Publisher Linda Shapley. “It's a testament to the dedication that they have for their communities and for the importance of local news."

Individual award winners were:

• First place, politics/news, “Littleton election results: Council election signals Littleton's 'openness to change'; Voters skip hot issues in Littleton school board election; Littleton boosted its sales tax. Here's what that means” by Robert Tann, Littleton Independent

• Second place, A&E news or feature story, “A bucket list art show” by Deb Hurley Brobst, Canyon Courier

• Second place, religious feature, “Hospital chaplain is celebrated for years of service” by Christy Steadman, Washington Park Profile

• Third place, best solutions journalism, “365 days of eternity” by Bob Wooley, Arvada Press

• Third place, news reporting/single story, ”Unsolved slaying of a homeless man, one year later” by David Gilbert, Littleton independent

• Third place, obit reporting, “Never the same: Evergreen, Conifer mourn loss of football coach” by Deb Hurley Brobst, Canyon Courier

• Third place, politics/news, “Centennial election results: Centennial council races see partisan undercurrent; Masks, racial ed don't drive change in Cherry Creek election; SouthGlenn redevelopmemt, housing among election issues” by Ellis Arnold, Centennial Citizen

• Third place, social justice reporting, “Douglas County school diversity and racial equality," a three-part series by Jessica Gibbs, Highlands Ranch Herald

Top of the Rockies is a regional, multi-platform contest that honors the work of reporters and news organizations in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. 

Colorado Community Media, which is owned by the Colorado News Conservancy, is a network of 26 weekly and monthly newspapers in Colorado, spread across much of the Front Range.