RI Press Association honors journalists for 2020 work

The Rhode Island Press Association on Friday presented 136 awards to journalists throughout the state for writing, design and photography in its editorial contest for 2020.

The association also inducted four new members into its Journalism Hall of Fame: Tracy Breton, retired Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for The Providence Journal; Jim Gillis, reporter and columnist for The Newport Daily News; Betty Cotter, the founding managing editor of The South County Independent; and John Palumbo, the president and publisher of Rhode Island Monthly.

During the annual banquet, the press association elected officers for next year: Elyse Major of Providence Media and Ethan Shorey of The Valley Breeze will serve as co-presidents; Michael McDermott of The Providence Journal will remain vice president; Sarah Francis of Rhode Island Monthly will remain treasurer; and Linda Lotridge Levin, University of Rhode Island, emeritus, will remain secretary.

The award winners in the various categories are:

DESIGN

Best Cover: First: Doreen Chisnell, Rhode Island Monthly, “East Bay vs. West Bay”; Second: Nick DelGiudice, Providence Monthly, “Dining's New Reality”; Third: Paul J. Spetrini, South County Life Magazine, “Love Will Prevail”; Honorable mention: Abigail Brown, Providence Monthly, “Let’s Go!”

Best Feature Front Page: First: Doreen Chisnell and Alex Gagne, Rhode Island Monthly, “The Way Things Used to Be”; Second: Rhode Island Monthly staff, “La Corona de Central Falls”; Third: Rhode Island Monthly staff, “The Things They Carry”

Best Sports Front Page: First: William Geoghegan, The Independent, “Sidelined”; Second: Brendan McGair, The Woonsocket Call, “Letting Their Voice Be Heard”; Third: Providence Journal staff, “Over and Out”

PHOTOGRAPHY

Feature Photo: First: Nick DelGiudice, Providence Monthly, “Speakeasy Bars”; Second: Glenn Osmundson, Jewish Rhode Island, “Water Everywhere!”; Third: Harold Hanka, The Westerly Sun, “Covid Everywhere”

Food Photo: First: Angel Tucker, Rhode Island Monthly, “The Quahog Guide”; Second: Brandon Harmon, Hey Rhody, “But First, Brunch”; Third: Kris Craig, The Providence Journal, Raspberry Coconut Doughnut; Honorable Mention: Nick DelGiudice, Hey Rhody, Truck to Table

General News Photo: First: Harold Hanka, The Westerly Sun, “Rallying for Justice”; Second: Ernest A. Brown, Woonsocket Call, “An Angel of Grace”; Third: Kris Craig, The Providence Journal, Seniors Moment

Personality Photo/Portrait: First: Angel Tucker, Rhode Island Monthly, “The Future of Farming”; Second: Harold Hanka, The Westerly Sun, “Lion-izing Wheeler’s Teachers”; Third: Wolf Matthewson, Providence Monthly, “The Influencer”; Honorable Mention: David DelPoio, The Providence Journal, “Rebecca Gibel”

Photo Series/Picture Story: First: Wolf Matthewson, Rhode Island Monthly, “Halloween Haunts”; Second: Kris Craig, The Providence Journal, “Banding Loons”; Third: Doreen Chisnell and Casey Nilsson, Rhode Island Monthly, “Keep on the Sunny Side”; Honorable Mention: Mackenzie Bremges, SO Rhode Island, “A Sweet Life”

Sports Photo: First: Paul J. Spetrini, The Independent, “Side by Side”; Second: Michael Derr, The Independent, “Celebration”; Third: Kris Craig, The Providence Journal, “Underwater Falcon”; Honorable Mention: Robert Emerson, The Valley Breeze, “Keep Your Eye on the Ball”

Spot News Photo: First: Harold Hanka, The Westerly Sun, “Back to School”; Second: David DelPoio, The Providence Journal, “Tragic Fire”; Third: Sandor Bodo, The Providence Journal, “Riot Aftermath”; Honorable Mention: Ernest A. Brown, The Woonsocket Call, “Tension Mounts”

Weather Photo: First: Harold Hanka, The Westerly Sun, “Sea of Green”; Second: David DelPoio, The Providence Journal, “Got Us Covered”; Third: Bob Breidenbach, The Providence Journal, “Obstaplunge”

WRITING

Business Story: First: Melanie Thibeault, The Valley Breeze, “A Sad Farewell”; Second: Ethan Shorey, The Valley Breeze, “Officer finds positive outlet in 'Stars and Stripes'”; Third: Joseph B. Nadeau, The Woonsocket Call, “Just Like Yesterday”

Arts/Entertainment Story: First: Paul J. Spetrini, South County Life, “Raising the Stakes”; Second: Andy Smith, The Providence Journal, “With stages shuttered by virus, R.I. performers improvise”; Third: Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, “Memories of a child star and a bygone era”; Honorable Mention: Nancy Burns-Fusaro, The Westerly Sun, “Big Lux’s new song, video meet the moment”

Arts/Niche Columnist: First: Gail Ciampa, The Providence Journal; Second: Ron Scopelliti, The Smithfield Times; Third: Peg Brown, The Smithfield Times; Honorable Mention: Paul V. Palange, The Smithfield Times

Arts Review/Criticism: First: Nancy Burns-Fusaro, The Westerly Sun, “Radio Golf”; Second: Channing Gray, The Providence Journal, “Radio Golf”; Third: Abbie Lahmers, Providence Monthly, “Home is Where the Art Is”

Education Story: First: Ann M. Martini, Providence Media, “Beyond Campus”; Second: Marilyn A. Busch, The Smithfield Times, “Smithfield Beings Virtual Schooling”; Third: Barry Fain, Providence Monthly, “Academia During Crisis”

Feature Story/In-Depth: First: Casey Nilsson, Rhode Island Monthly, “The Things They Carry”; Second: Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, “Locked Out”; Third: Scott Barrett, The Newport Daily News, “After 65 years of marriage, this Middletown couple was separated by COVID …”; Honorable Mention: Christopher Allen, Newport This Week, “Mysterious Case of Adam Emery” Feature Story/Short: First: Melanie Thibeault, The Valley Breeze, “Lasagna Mamas”; Second: Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, “Real Big Quahog”; Third: Jacquelyn Moorehead, The Valley Breeze, “Night Light”; Honorable Mention: Elyse Major, Hey Rhody, “On Your Honor”

Food/Dining Story: First: Bill Seymour, South County Life Magazine, “Scouts Honor”; Second: Gail Ciampa, The Providence Journal, “Pastor's cooking videos feed the soul”; Third: Robert Isenberg, Providence Monthly, “Dining: The New Reality”; Honorable Mention: Helena Touhey, South County Life Magazine, Passing it Down

Headline Writing: First: Peter Donahue, The Providence Journal; Second: Paul J. Spetrini, South County Life Magazine; Third: Ethan Shorey, The Valley Breeze

Investigative/Analytical News Story: First: Laura Damon, The Newport Daily News, “‘I trusted him’”; Second: Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, “Emails show Brown University wants to kill ’pestilential’ agreement giving women equity in sports”; Third: Tom Mooney, The Providence Journal, “A Kindness Abused”; Honorable Mention: Robert Isenberg, Providence Monthly, “Can Neighborhoods Save the City?”

News/Features Columnist: First: Mark Patinkin, The Providence Journal; Second: Ellen Liberman, Rhode Island Monthly; Third: Fran Ostendorf, Jewish Rhode Island

News Story/In-Depth: First: Megan Schmit, Providence Media, “College Town or Ghost Town?”; Second: G. Wayne Miller, The Providence Journal, “A State Deserted”; Third: Laura Damon, The Newport Daily News, “Black leaders describe ‘polite and subtle’ racism in Newport”; Honorable Mention: Robert Isenberg, East Side Monthly, “Breaking News”

News Story/Short: First: Tom Mooney, The Providence Journal, “Virus Takes Control”; Second: Savanna Dunning, Newport Daily News, Female, “Black leaders across Newport County cheer on Vice President-elect Kamala Harris”; Third: Robert Isenberg, Providence Monthly, “Small Business Strong”; Honorable Mention: Nicole Dotzenrod, The Valley Breeze, “State’s new car inspection system is much more strict”

Profile/Personality Story: First: Laura Damon, The Newport Daily News, “Art helped Newport man Kenneth Blane turn around his life”; Second: Paul Kandarian, Rhode Island Monthly, “Cold Case”; Third: Robert Isenberg, Providence Monthly, “The Thinker”; Honorable Mention: Daniel Kittredge, Cranston Herald, “Telling the story”

Religion/Spirituality Story: First: Aida Sherif, The Providence Journal, “RI pastor reflects on COVID changes”; Second: Donita Naylor, The Providence Journal, “Tiffany church window”; Third: Joseph B. Nadeau, The Woonsocket Call, “Prayers from on high”

Reporting on the Environment: First: Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal, “For the birds”; Second: John Taraborelli, Rhode Island Monthly, “A very big year”; Third: Todd McLeish, Rhode Island Monthly, “A rake’s progress”; Honorable Mention: Lauren Clem, The Valley Breeze, “Shedding light on history

Science/Health-Care Story: First: Casey Nilsson, Rhode Island Monthly, “La corona de Central Falls”; Second: Mark Patinkin, The Providence Journal, “On ventilators in NYC, their odds bleak, two patients saved by an R.I. doctor and nurse”; Third: Annie Sherman, Rhode Island Monthly, “The horse whisperers”

Single-Topic Series: First: Ethan Shorey and Nicole Dotzenrod, The Valley Breeze, “Stop work”; Providence Journal staff, “1,000 Deaths”; Providence Journal staff, “Summer of Uncertainty”; Lauren Clem, The Valley Breeze, “Community rallies for change after fatal motorcycle crash”

Sports Columnist: First: Bill Koch, The Providence Journal; Second: Brendan McGair, The Woonsocket Call; Third: Daniel Pieroni, The Smithfield Times Magazine

Sports Feature Story: First: Bill Koch, The Providence Journal, “Cassie Cirella”; Second: Mark Daniels, The Providence Journal, “The family business; Third: Eric Benevides, The Valley Breeze, “Courageous comeback”; Honorable Mention: Brendan McGair, The Woonsocket Call, “Unfinished business”

Sports Story

First: William Geoghegan, The Independent, “Pure heart”; Second: Steve Rogers, Newport Daily News, “Rogers High School athletes adjust to playing with no fan support”; Third:

Eric Rueb, The Providence Journal, “Taking the plunge”

Spot News Story: First: Tom Mooney, The Providence Journal, “Not all that neighborly”; Second: Madeleine List, The Providence Journal, “Demonstrators, police clash on the streets of Providence”; Third: Ethan Shorey, The Valley Breeze, “She’s counting the cars, watching the crazy”

Unique/Most Unexpected Story: First: Eric Rueb, The Providence Journal, “‘I have never done the governor’s hair!’”; Second: Chuck Staton and Gina Mastrostefano, Providence Monthly, “A guide to quarantine casual”; Third: Russ Olivo, The Woonsocket Call, “Exploring history”; Honorable Mention: Donita Naylor, The Providence Journal, “1736 headstone”

DISTINCTION

Special Section: First: Casey Nilsson, Rhode Island Monthly, “The Life-Changing Magic of Vintage”; Rhode Island Monthly; Second: Kaitlyn Murray and Meaghan Susi, Rhode Island Monthly, “Your Ultimate Summer Guide”; Third: Sarah Francis, Rhode Island Monthly, “East Bay vs. West Bay”; Honorable Mention: Staff, The Bay, ”The Wine Lover's Guide to The East Bay”

General Election Coverage: First: The Providence Journal; Second: The Valley Breeze; Third: The Bristol Phoenix

Photographer of the Year: First: Nick DelGiudice, Providence Media; Second: Kris Craig, The Providence Journal; Third: Michael Derr, The Independent

Distinguished Journalist: First: Casey Nilsson, Rhode Island Monthly; Second: Tom Mooney, The Providence Journal; Third: Alex Kuffner, The Providence Journal; Honorable Mention: Jamie Coelho, Rhode Island Monthly