Ink Link News earns 11 NH Press Association Awards

Arts & Entertainment Reporting – Class 2 – 3rd Place

Manchester Inklink

Honoring Josie: Debut novelist takes a deep dive into a historic local crime

Nathan Graziano

Arts & Entertainment Reporting – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Monadnock Ledger-Transcript

Under the Horizon opens for big names, releases EP within a year of founding

Jesseca Timmons

Arts & Entertainment Reporting – Class 2 – 1st Place

Business NH Magazine

Despite Two Closures, NH’s Museums Continue to Rebound

Scott Merrill

This well-reported, multifaceted news-feature article makes a strong case for community support of museums. Scott Merrill of Business NH focuses on the funding uncertainties New Hampshire museums face even as they are rebounding from pandemic-induced decreased traffic, causing at least two to close in 2024. By discussing the funding sources most endangered museums rely on—umbrella organizations, donations, and grants as well as sponsorships, admissions, events, and gift shop sales rather than memberships and admissions tickets—he explains why arts-focused nonprofit entities must diversify their sources of funding and improve their ways of communicating their value to stakeholders. Interviews with museum board chairs, academic deans, museum directors and fundraisers show the advantages and disadvantages of different revenue sources and highlight the disparities for readers who may be unaware of or misunderstand the causes of funding challenges. For example, one director clarifies that not all museums receive local, state, or federal funding, which is why they rely so heavily on sales of tickets, events, or gift shop merchandise. A sidebar on the “economic multiplier effect” of museums in New Hampshire also helps potential patrons see the value of their contributions and patronage.

Arts & Entertainment Reporting – Class 1 – 3rd Place

Concord Monitor

Bringing home Concord’s ‘roving woman’: Ceremony commemorates lost musician Connie Converse

Rachel Wachman

Arts & Entertainment Reporting – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Portsmouth Herald

Portsmouth couple celebrates ‘The Holdovers’ success at Oscars: ‘Super excited’

Ian Lenahan

Arts & Entertainment Reporting – Class 1 – 1st Place

Concord Monitor

Life on-screen: Concord documentarian duo Samuel and Dan Habib to premiere new film in NH

Rachel Wachman

“With the press of a button, Samuel Habib asked the question through his computer: ‘What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken in your life?’ Pensive silence met his words.” These first two sentences of Rachel Wachman’s lede set the tone and tempo for the words that follow. Wachman’s respectful, matter-of-fact reporting on Habib, a young man with cerebral palsy, exemplifies this category’s focus on “clarity and relevance for those beyond the entertainment community.” Even as the news hook is the upcoming New Hampshire Film Festival premiere of a documentary about Habib’s life as a 20-something-year-old seeking advice about “how to be … an adult with a disability,” Wachman avoids treating co-creators Habib and his father as novelties or superheroes. The article provides a glimpse into Habib’s life, including his successes as an Emmy-winning short film producer, his passion for travel, the adaptations he’s employed for shooting film, and his straightforward method of dealing with ableism. As a preview of the film’s upcoming premiere and future showings, it subtly encourages the public to widen their understanding of disability, dispelling stereotypes with well-selected quotations and allaying discomfort with assurances of humor even as difficult topics are discussed.

Best Design – Class 2 – 3rd Place

Business NH Magazine

Overcoming Hurdles

Jenn Farkas

Good use of color and is interesting to look at, and mental health is a difficult concept to convey.

Best Design – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Business NH Magazine

40 Influential Leaders

Christine Carignan, Jenn Farkas

Good use of lots of small photos… I hope there was a key inside of who’s who! Like the colors behind the nameplate.

Best Design – Class 2 – 1st Place

Business NH Magazine

The Food Issue cover

Christine Carignan, Jenn Farkas

Nice clean cover, good use of typography in skillet.

Best Design – Class 1 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

NHLife eclipse page

Nick Upton

Simple but powerful use of stock images capture the energy of the then-upcoming eclipse. The generous use of white space makes this page one that readers will flock to read.

Best Design – Class 1 – 2nd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

NH Weekend – Greatest Show on Earth

Holly Davis

This colorful package bursts with fun, especially its outstanding use of the vertical clown photo. It draws the audience into engage with the entire layout. Nice work with white space as well.

Best Design – Class 1 – 1st Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Gawking on Sunshine

Kris Pisarik

This is a clean, crisp design with bold use of color throughout the page. The stunning eclipse photos draw the reader’s eye to engage in the page. Excellent combination of type, graphics and photos.

Best Use of Audio or Podcast – Class 2 – 3rd Place

InDepthNH

Wayne King’s Podcast Showcases Versatile Talent

Wayne D. King

Best Use of Audio or Podcast – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Business NH Magazine

BizCast NH

Christine Carignan and Matthew Mowry

Best Use of Audio or Podcast – Class 2 – 1st Place

Inside Sources/NH Journal

New Hampshire Journal Podcast

Michael Graham

Very informative, professional podcast. Great get having Kelly Ayotte on the day after her win. The host did a great job of keeping the conversation moving. Sununu was another great guest. As a politics nerd myself, I’ll definitely be checking this podcast out.

Best Use of Social Media – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Granite State News Collaborative

Know Your Vote Social Media Campaign

Know Your Vote Team

Fantastic use of various social media platforms to explain to young people how to vote in NH. Great use of straight video, text on video and I especially appreciated the bilingual approach. Fantastic example of an educational social campaign.

Best Use of Social Media – Class 2 – 1st Place

Granite State News Collaborative

Did you Know? Local News Campaign

GSNC Social Media

At a time when trusted news sources — especially at the local level — are more important than ever, I thought this was an incredibly informative and creative campaign. I especially liked the song, which did a great job of capturing what it’s like to be a local journalist and a local news consumer.

Best Use of Social Media – Class 1 – 3rd Place

Concord Monitor

Table Bakery Video

Rachel Wachman

Social media is for people stories! I love that the reporter took the time to do a separate video for social highlighting the written piece, and I also love that the text accompanying the social video tells the story too. Really nice work — we need more of this type of social storytelling!

Best Use of Social Media – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Boston Globe

Social Media for Globe New Hampshire

Sadie Layher

Great use of cute/fun animal video, loved the use of music as well. I would have liked to see more specific examples submitted of Facebook/Twitter posts instead of having to look at the overall accounts, but definitely a strong social presence at a time when more NH coverage on social media is sorely needed.

Best Use of Social Media – Class 1 – 1st Place

Concord Monitor

Concord Monitor Wrapped 2024

Rachel Wachman

Love this! What a unique way to do a year in review recap! Not many newspapers are this forward thinking. Wish I had thought of this one myself! I especially enjoyed the slide with all of the reporters and editors with photos, names and titles. It’s so important for readers to feel connected with their local papers!

Best Use of Video – Class 2 – 3rd Place

Inside Sources/NH Journal

Diner Table Economics

Michael Graham

Creative way to present your interviews.

Best Use of Video – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Tony Schinella

Gifts For Nearly 3,000 Needy Children In New Hampshire Are Being Shipped Around The State

Nice on location coverage.

Best Use of Video – Class 2 – 1st Place

Granite State News Collaborative

Education Standards Explainer Videos

Jonathan Decker

Awesome, awesome, awesome way to use video to simply complex topics!

Best Use of Video – Class 1 – 3rd Place

Conway Daily Sun

In the Press Box with Grace Castonguay

Lloyd Jones, Rob Struble

I appreciated the editor’s enthusiasm.

Best Use of Video – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Concord Monitor

Ice Cream Truck Video

Rachel Wachman

Nice behind the scenes look but I would have appreciated a bit more to it.

Best Use of Video – Class 1 – 1st Place

Concord Monitor

Table Bakery Video

Rachel Wachman

Overall, a good video and I appreciated the behind the scenes component to this. Using her story as VO at points would have made this entry better.

Business Reporting – Class 2 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Bulletin

The ‘Wild West’ of hooking up large solar projects in New Hampshire

Claire Sullivan

With all the talk about the benefits of squeezing solar anything into every available location possible, this report rips the scab off a wound that will not heal. Hopefully engaging investigations like this will push consumers and lawmakers to force change.

Business Reporting – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Business NH Magazine

Child Care Crisis Increases Workforce Woes

Sheryl Rich-Kern

This report very effectively illustrates one of the top financial, health, and wellness issues taxing the Granite State’s workforce. It explores the multifaceted issues contributing to the problem. The lede is expertly crafted and compels readers to dig in and pay attention with the goal of influencing and expediting a solution.

Business Reporting – Class 2 – 1st Place

Business NH Magazine

A Guide to Startup Success

Staff

Business NH Magazine took the opportunity to now only skate to where the puck is going to be, it also helps entrepreneurs and prospective small business hopefuls learn how to navigate the slippery ice of their startup phase. Clearly the publisher has the staff and bandwidth to produce such a well-crafted and comprehensive guide, but it has great potential to improve economic development statewide – a must read for anyone considering starting a business in NH.

Business Reporting – Class 1 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

historic horse racing

Roberta Baker

Business Reporting – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Conway Daily Sun

Story Land’s 70th

Tom Eastman

Business Reporting – Class 1 – 1st Place

Concord Monitor

Business: Lionheart Classical’s Florida-based landlord, Concord Monitor

Jeremy Margolis

The depth and detail in this deep-dive investigation is remarkable. Jeremy Margolis appears to have successfully produced new wrinkles in this intriguing story every time he established a new source, or turned over a new rock. This is top-notch investigative business reporting that is a credit to the writer, as well as the Monitor.

Columnist of the Year – Class 2 – 1st Place

Manchester Inklink

It’s Your Money

Maureen Milliken

The days of the great cash flow are over and fiscal and financial realities are now stark for the majority of Americans. As inflation climbed, costs rose, bills and property taxes skyrocketed, and household budgets got a lot leaner. The personal belt-tightening cinched hard and fast. Here we are, in a semi-state of economic shock, looking for guidance. Amen for Columnist Maureen Milliken. She synthesizes from a vast well of financial information, suggesting we take another look at old assumptions and habits; more importantly, and with fine writing skills, she offers clear insight on how to be more financially literate — a must in this age. Good work!

Columnist of the Year – Class 1 – 1st Place

Conway Daily Sun

Marvel columns

William Marvel

An elegant turn of phrase, sharp observations and circumspect wisdom, built over years witnessing tremendous social and cultural change — these are bright glimmers of insight that burst through the paragraphs of a William Marvel column, illuminating, exposing, and with quicksilver leaps, connecting ideas into a sequence of paragraphs that capture the reader. With rational intellect and compelling arguments, columnist William Marvel demands critical thinking, an exercise so desperately important in these days of a media flooded with shallow opinions. Nicely done, Mr. Marvel.

Community Service Award – Combined – 3rd Place

InDepthNH

InDepthNH.org Works To Save Local News

Nancy West, Garry Rayno, Paula Tracy, Bob Charest

Community Service Award – Combined – 2nd Place

InDepthNH

The Truth About a State Representative Shocks NH City

DAMIEN FISHER

Community Service Award – Combined – 1st Place

New Hampshire Bulletin

The New Hampshire landfill debate

Claire Sullivan

Crime/Court Reporting – Class 2 – 3rd Place

The Rochester Voice

The Farmington Murders

Harrison Thorp

This was a terrifying story that described the horrors of these murders in a straightforward way, yet still got across the atrocity of it. I liked that the author spoke to witnesses who added a real touch of drama — and tragedy — to the story.

Crime/Court Reporting – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Granite State News Collaborative

Nashua Asphalt Plant

Kathryn Marchocki, Scott Merrill, Kylie Valluzzi

When I first saw the title I thought, “Oh no, I’m going to be bored.” But it turned out to be a charming, well-written, if disturbing story about a real hazard that could exist for a community that has already known its challenges.  Well-told, simply put, and convincing.  Well-done.

Crime/Court Reporting – Class 2 – 1st Place

Business NH Magazine

Banks Battle Escalating Fight Against Scammers

Scott Merrill

This was full of information for people who are, or might become, victims of scamming.  Well-written, with many risks that most people (including me) do not know about. A good take on a scary subject that helps people know what to look out for in what seems like innocent situations.

Crime/Court Reporting – Class 1 – 3rd Place

Concord Monitor

Breaking a multi-generational cycle: A woman from Loudon abused as a child seeks justice

Jeremy Margolis

This was a well-told story of a horrific past and the author did a great job of following every twist and turn this poor woman’s life had. The author portrayed the facts without melodrama, just stating them so they hit you in the face.  Great job.

Crime/Court Reporting – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Concord Monitor

Cottage community rebuilds beloved dock after it was destroyed in boat crash

Catherine McLaughlin

So poetically written. Loved “… the

new replacement dock’s

bright-hued wood seems raw,

like the pink skin of a new

scar.” Though this was less searing than some of the other entries, I felt it gave such a feeling of the dock and what it meant to its people.

Crime/Court Reporting – Class 1 – 1st Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Alexandra Eckersley Criminal Case

Jonathan Phelps

Wow.  An incredible story told in a straightforward, clear way.  This was something to be truly emotional about but the author kept it moving forward, without blame, even though the facts were so brutal.  I liked how the author covered all the aspects, from the trial, to the effect it had on the mother — I especially liked when the prosecutor asked the mother about leaving her baby in the cold and the mother said, “Did you think I wanted to do this?”  I saw the whole scene, and it stopped me, dead in my tracks.  Such powerful writing. The writer managed to convey it without making it melodramatic, just stated the facts, but the horridness of the whole tragedy came through.  Well done.

Editorial writing – Combined – 2nd Place

The Rochester Voice

The Rochester Voice Editorials from 2024

Harrison Thorp

Did you hear the one about an editor being threatened with arrest by city officials for trying to cover a public meeting related to the Right to Know Law? Best of a strong collection of local editorials.

Editorial writing – Combined – 1st Place

Bow Times

Banned in Bow

Charles G. Douglas, III

“Banned in Bow” rises to the top of this category for its clear and concise stand on a matter that should be important to all of us — the First Amendment rights of citizens. Bonus points for making the case in under 450 words.

Editorial writing – Combined – 3rd Place

Conway Daily Sun

Guerringue editorials

Mark Guerringue

Good set of thought-provoking editorials on matters of importance to the Conway community.

Education Reporting – Class 2 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Business Review

Robots head to school

Trisha Nail

Education Reporting – Class 2 – 2nd Place

InDepthNH

Should Public Money Fund Private School Educations Via EFAs

GARRY RAYNO

Education Reporting – Class 2 – 1st Place

Granite State News Collaborative

Education Standards Series

Kelly Burch, Rhianwen Watkins

Education Reporting – Class 1 – 3rd Place

Portsmouth Herald

Here are jobs and programs UNH is eliminating in $14M cuts: ‘The mood is very somber’

Ian Lenahan

Foster’s Daily Democrat reporter Ian Lenahan reported  on the UNH cuts due to declining enrollment. Lenahan had a good summary lead, answered the audience question letting the readers know no teaching faculty were affected, and  addressed possible future cuts.

Education Reporting – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Concord Monitor

Education: Catherine McLaughlin, Concord Monitor

Catherine McLaughlin

The Concord Monitor has three hyper-local stories by Catherine McLaughlin with strong leads and a photo of interest to the Concord community. The reporting on Deerfield included paying more for high schoolers, fire and EMT training, and a mother and son education story. While the focus is on Concord, the stories inform readers throughout the region.

Education Reporting – Class 1 – 1st Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Students test-drive career paths at track

Michael Cousineau

This Union Leader submission by reporter Michael Cousineau explores how seniors see the future and students as young as middle school explore options such as racing. One story investigates the difficulties of staffing schools. Stories run page one in the Sunday paper with photos that support the reporting and strong leads.

Environmental Reporting – Class 2 – 3rd Place

Granite State News Collaborative

Nashua Asphalt Plant

Kathy Marchocki, Scott Merrill, Kylie Valluzzi

Environmental Reporting – Class 2 – 2nd Place

New Hampshire Bulletin

Landfills and leachate in New Hampshire

Claire Sullivan

Environmental Reporting – Class 2 – 1st Place

Business NH Magazine

Extreme Weather is Jeopardizing NH’s Farms

Scott Merrill

Environmental Reporting – Class 1 – 3rd Place

Laconia Daily Sun

Citizen scientists critical in monitoring water quality

Daniel Sarch

Environmental Reporting – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Keene Sentinel

Grid-tie denial casts dark cloud over Alstead farm’s solar project

Abigail Ham

Environmental Reporting – Class 1 – 1st Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Carbon cuts deeply into timber

Roberta Baker

Feature Photo – Combined – 2nd Place-tie

Business NH Magazine

Owners of Wheat

Christine Carignan

Simple, pleasing, business portrait

Feature Photo – Combined – 1st Place

Business NH Magazine

Celebrating Milestone Anniversaries

Christine Carignan

Interesting idea, nicely posed and easy read. Well lit, clear and sharp

Feature Photo – Combined – 2nd Place-tie

New Hampshire Union Leader

Lets it fly

David Lane

Nice found weather feature,  simple background , easy feel

Feature Photo – Combined – 2nd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Puddles of pollen

Mark Bolton

A nice graphic element. Kudos to the photographer who put some thought into making the best of the rain delay and getting an interesting image out of it.

Feature Photo – Combined – 1st Place

Valley News

Frigid Fundraiser

James M. Patterson

Fun photo shows personality of subject, You can almost read his playful character. The peoples expressions in background add dimension to the of image. Thorough caption info.  Nice job.

Feature Story – Class 2 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Business Review

Fold’d offers a second chance

Emily Reily

A well-written feature about a community undertaking. Would be interested to hear from a few employees about the impact Fold’d has had to round out story a touch more.

Feature Story – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Monadnock Ledger-Transcript

Morphs & Milestones in Francestown grew out of parents’ desire to help their daughter

Jesseca Timmons

This could have easily been a run-of-the-mill new business story, but the reporter wisely grounded it in the people, making it just as much their story as it is Morphs & Milestones’. The lede and first paragraph are textbook examples of how to hook your readers.

Feature Story – Class 2 – 1st Place

Nashua Ink Link

Lil’ Free Farmstand: Fighting hunger and building community in Nashua

Dan Splaine

The reporter clearly did the leg work on this feature, talking to a large number of people from all points of the operation. Excellent quote selections. Overall, a very well-rounded, well-written piece about an important community service.

Feature Story – Class 1 – 3rd Place

Conway Daily Sun

The Big Wind

Tom Eastman

Great historical research by the reporter; a superb example of one of the most important roles of local journalism: connecting our present to our past, and highlighting community members who were or are influential/important.

Feature Story – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Portsmouth Herald

Ruth Lewin Griffin lived ‘one hell of a life.’ Tributes pour in for Portsmouth icon.

Ian Lenahan

Very well-sourced, clearly written, not too over-details coverage of this legend. This story combines history, impact and personality — serves as the ultimate guide to the life and legacy of this Seacoast icon.

Feature Story – Class 1 – 2nd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Together in leather for ride-or-die camaraderie at Bike Week

Dave Pierce

Great voice and writing in this piece; great lede, clever description of the Smith/Laughlin/MacDonald friendship talking about being bartenders and crashing on each others’ couches. Great description of the … ahem… “dicey” conversations with the riders was great. My only critique is that it could have used a stronger nutgraph.

Feature Story – Class 1 – 1st Place

Valley News

Visions for Creative Housing

Liz Sauchelli

This story is a newsy feature, but keeps itself in feature territory with the multiple voices of the families benefitting from this new facility, and the perspective of the families. It features a tight lede, and a great nutgraph under “quest for independence” starting with “There’s a widely accepted rhythm…” GREAT scene setting and letting the residents show the story (rather than telling it) with the “positives” section around dinner at the end. Good details about how residents pay/the business/ops side of this facility. I hope the reporter will do follow-ups with the residents and families; I can see a “One Year Later” longform to talk about the ups and downs of how the families/residents have adjusted.

First Amendment Award – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Bow Times

Armband Debate

Charles G. Douglas, III

New facts came out in this story which put the whole situation in context and helped explain the issues to people reading the story could understand what was playing out.

First Amendment Award – Class 2 – 1st Place

Bow Times

Banned in Bow

Charles G. Douglas, III

Very well-written.  A controversial story that was told in a fair, clear, measured way, not taking sides, a true journalistic way of presenting facts.

General Excellence – Combined – 1st Place

Monadnock Ledger-Transcript

Monadnock Ledger-Transcript

If More than 3 names type: Staff

These editions are jam-packed with local news. The town meeting issue has an expansive and exhaustive look at a critical school vote. Bunny montage provided balance. The car crash reporting was sober, but delicate. Great photo selection in all issues. 175th was a good year for the MLT.

General Excellence – Combined – 3rd Place

Conway Daily Sun

CDS General Excellence Entry

Staff

The Unsung Heroes feature is pure gold. A local newspaper at its finest. Polar plunge photo in the same issue was cherry on top–movement and emotion in one moment.

General Excellence – Combined – 2nd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

General Excellence: Union Leader/NH Sunday News

Staff

Seriously good local journalism in these editions. Carbon credit piece is very informative. Sports coverage is unparalleled. Regular political and business coverage, which can easily put off some readers, is digestible.

General News Photo – Class 1 – 3rd Place

Conway Daily Sun

Last Day

Rachel Sharples

A difficult assignment that tends to be chaotic but was captured perfectly here. Great situational awareness to have captured the student and the emotion of the day. Great moment in time.

General News Photo – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Conway Daily Sun

Soldier’s salute

Rachel Sharples

Powerful image. A technically difficult photograph with harsh light but toned well. A touching storytelling photograph. Nice work.

General News Photo – Class 1 – 1st Place

Valley News

Police Arrest 90 at Dartmouth

James M. Patterson

Great photojournalism. Really nice use of available light. Each image tells a story and is impactful.

General news story – Combined – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Bulletin

‘I am female’: Transgender students fight back against sports bill

Ethan DeWitt

Very nice job dealing with a politically charged topic.

General news story – Combined – 3rd Place

Concord Monitor

Backyard Homeless Encampment

Michaela Towfighi

Strong, descriptive writing. Covers many aspects of the homelessness through the lens of one property owner, making a large issue accessible to the readers.

General news story – Combined – 2nd Place

Boston Globe

Trans student athletes and girls’ sports in N.H.

Steven Porter and Amanda Gokee

An comprehensive look at the competing legislation on transgender issues and the student-athletes affected by them. Some sue. Some move. Some give up sports. All have a story worth telling.

General news story – Combined – 1st Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Their stories from the streets

Michael Cousineau

Empathetic writing and striking visuals bring to life some of the unhoused veterans on Manchester’s streets. Each person is treated with dignity and an compassionate curiosity about how they got to where they are.  Cousineau focuses less on how policy is made and more on how it affects individuals, reminding readers that everyone has a story.

Government Reporting – Class 2 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Bulletin

Voting rights in New Hampshire

Ethan DeWitt

Thorough reporting of a complex issue. Despite a lot of moving parts, it is explained well and shows that the extra calls were made in order to provide readers with all the information possible.

Government Reporting – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Tony Schinella

New Principal Spied On Board Member While Superintendent

If More than 3 names type: Staff

A controversy that spans two communities. A great job in connecting the two, and in digesting and explaining why the public might be concerned. While the information came in a flurry, the journalist did an exceptional job making sure the various angles were covered. A wonderful reminder as to why the media serves as watchdog.

Government Reporting – Class 2 – 1st Place

Manchester Inklink

Emails detail police chief’s targeting of a local business after an employee criticizes officers

Pat Grossmith

This story stunned me. It shows a dogged pursuit of truth and news gathering. It is both a touchy topic and an important one for the public to be alerted to. Well done.

Government Reporting – Class 1 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

City’s former homeless director: ‘No regrets’ after resignation

Paul Feely

Great reporting.

Government Reporting – Class 1 – 2nd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

police shortage

Roberta Baker

Nice work getting to the core of a very complicated situation and showing all the challenges present.

Government Reporting – Class 1 – 1st Place

Concord Monitor

Seized and Sold

Michaela Towfighi

This is some great reporting. Comprehensive, interesting and informative. You cover this topic from many angles and it is excellent work. By far, the best entry in the bunch.

Graphic/Cartoon/Illustration – Combined – 3rd Place

Business NH Magazine

Health Care Statistics

Jenn Farkas

Good organization of a lot of statistics.  Nice use of color and art.

Graphic/Cartoon/Illustration – Combined – 1st Place

Business NH Magazine

Money Over Mind

Jenn Farkas

Clean and striking illustration illustrates the headline well.  Nice cover.

Graphic/Cartoon/Illustration – Combined – 2nd Place

Laconia Daily Sun

Housing Sisyphus

Michael Shine

Illustrates the point well, even though I didn’t get the Sisyphus reverence.  (Maybe dressed as a Greek?) But shows the struggle and what the struggle is clearly.

Health Reporting – Class 2 – 3rd Place

Granite State News Collaborative

Amid political anxiety, providers see uptick in requests for long-acting birth control.

Kelly Burch

Well written article about something that was (and continues to be) top of mind for many.

Health Reporting – Class 2 – 2nd Place

New Hampshire Bulletin

New Hampshire’s fight against forever chemicals

Claire Sullivan

Makes the subject of PFAS – something impacting everyone – accessible for all readers with ease.

Health Reporting – Class 2 – 1st Place

Business NH Magazine

Money Over Mind/Overcoming Hurdles

Scott Merrill

A masterful blending of stats and figures with the personal stories to illustrate impact. Standout entry.

Health Reporting – Class 1 – 3rd Place

Concord Monitor

Hospice Series

Rachel Wachman

The center of the series is a heartfelt and thoughtful human interest story about a charming and buoyant woman on hospice, followed by insights about the stats and benefits of choosing hospital. The scene is well-painted with visual and detailed language, and hospice professionals are sourced. The topic gave rise to sentimental emotions as I read, but I left wondering what the downsides or negative experiences of hospice might be. The topic has universal appeal, as we all face death, a topic often unspoken. The heart of the series is flanked by an FAQ on hospice care and another human interest story on hospice volunteers. Altogether, an educational series in honor of hospice month. It felt somewhat promotional for the concept—I would have liked to understand the dark sides of hospice (as I’m sure they exist). Alas, strength in writing, storytelling, and photojournalism pull this to the top of the stack.

Health Reporting – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Boston Globe

Hospital acquisitions drive up health care costs for N.H. patients

Amanda Gokee

Hooked with room fee anecdote, supported with additional patient experiences. Shows both sides of the story, along with providing consumer insights and legislative options for mitigating future issues. Covers an important, widespread issue.

Health Reporting – Class 1 – 1st Place

Concord Monitor

Medical Aid in Dying

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan

A phenomenal series about one woman’s journey to plan aid in dying out-of-state—alongside an accounting of NH’s own legislation on the matter. A beautifully written series, with photos captured along the way. I found myself wanting to read on in the series. What a beautiful way to capture the issue—and this woman’s life. Strength in writing, storytelling, and photojournalism pull this to the top of the stack.

Investigative story/series – Class 2 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Bulletin

In New Hampshire governor’s race, some finance reports are clearer than others

Ethan DeWitt

Getting literally into the fine print. Politicians place fast and loose with reporting when they believe no one will read the documents. And that’s why journalists do.

Investigative story/series – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Manchester Inklink

‘Manhunt’ of homeless man subject of police internal investigation

Pat Grossmith

This brings to light shocking police behavior that compelled administrators to take action. Why did the patrolmen do what they did? Because they thought no one was watching…

Investigative story/series – Class 2 – 1st Place

InDepthNH

What Really Happened To Michael Carney

Damien Fisher

Sometimes posing the questions is enough. Who hid communications between a police chief and his married lover after she killed her husband in self-defense? Deleted text messages. Whistleblowers. Shifting stories. This electric series reads like a gripping novel. Just because you can see only smoke, it doesn’t mean there isn’t fire.

Investigative story/series – Class 1 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Ayotte collects checks from US’s largest landlord

Kevin Landrigan

No politician wants to explain where that $2m in stocks came from. This does what every investigative piece should do: make the powerful feel uncomfortable.

Investigative story/series – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Concord Monitor

Seized and Sold

Michaela Towfighi

Takes a rudimentary issue like property tax and brings it to life with the stories of disadvantaged people who’ve lost their homes, as NH communities ignored the Governor’s emergency orders and seized property anyway. Good journalism!

Investigative story/series – Class 1 – 1st Place

Concord Monitor

Investigative: Jeremy Margolis, UNH protests, Concord Monitor

Jeremy Margolis

A rock solid investigative piece using all the classic tools of investigative journalists to shine light on actions so odious that exposure is required. It blends national issues with NH angles. This should make everyone in the room want to go out and file a Right to Know request immediately.

Journalist of the year

Concord Monitor

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan

The quality of writing spanning a diverse series of reporting topics stands out. From chronicling the last moments of a dying woman to a former state politician’s apparent misuse of pandemic relief funds, the reporter makes the subject matter understandable and relatable.

Lifetime achievement Award – Class 1 – 1st Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Michael Cousineau Lifetime Achievement

Michael Cousineau

Lifetime achievement Award – Class 1 – 1st Place

Concord Monitor

Lifetime Achievement – Ray Duckler

Ray Duckler

Photo essay – Class 1 – 3rd Place

Valley News

Visions for Creative Housing

Alex Driehaus

Three very nice pictures stories.  We like them all and would have liked to give them all a first place. 

Good collection of images that shows the photographer worked hard to get variety of images to tell the story.

Photo essay – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Valley News

Reviving the East Bethel Church

James M. Patterson

Good group of photos, photog took good advantage of nice natural light.  Nice moments with some likable stand-a-lone images.

Photo essay – Class 1 – 1st Place

Valley News

The Last Herd

Jennifer Hauck

Nicely done with an easy narrative, well written captions and good sequencing. We especially liked the strong final image to conclude the package.   This entry had several standout images that could have been entered as singles.

Photographer of the year – Class 1 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

A photographer for all seasons

Mark Bolton

Nice collection of every day slices of life

Photographer of the year – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Valley News

James M. Patterson Portfolio

James M. Patterson

Shows photographer’s versatility and in image selection to show off multiple skills. Easy to read photos

Photographer of the year – Class 1 – 1st Place

Concord Monitor

Photographer of the Year – Geoff Forester

Geoff Forester

Hard to beat collection.  Exceptional showing of skills in feature, news, sports and that lightning photo sings.  Well done, each image has a heightened level of intensity

Political Reporting – Class 2 – 3rd Place-tie

New Hampshire Bulletin

As Trump solidifies support, some New Hampshire primary traditions lose their stature

Ethan DeWitt

Well sourced and thoughtful.

Political Reporting – Class 2 – 3rd Place-tie

Granite State News Collaborative

Know Your Vote Youth Voter Guide

Know Your Vote Team

Engaging resource

Political Reporting – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Berlin Sun

Will Civil War question become Haley’s presidential liability

Lisa Connell

Quality report about an infamous viral moment. This shows why retail politics are so authentic and dangerous.

Political Reporting – Class 2 – 1st Place

Manchester Inklink

Sign of the Times: Love thy neighbor – unless their politics are on display

Andrew Sylvia

Hell hath no fury like someone who gets their campaign sign vandalized.

Political Reporting – Class 1 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Hillsborough County Attorney Race

Jonathan Phelps

This got ugly.

Political Reporting – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Boston Globe

Libertarian Party leaders back MAGA movement — against their own nominee

Steven Porter

If anything captures the chaos that is politics in 2024, this might be it. Strong writing.

Political Reporting – Class 1 – 1st Place

Boston Globe

How changing demographics and voting patterns could affect the 2024 election

Steven Porter and Amanda Gokee

A comprehensive look at, not at a horse race, but a state and its voters in flux.

Rookie of the year – Class 2 – 3rd Place

Inside Sources/NH Journal

Evan Lips for Rookie of the Year

Evan Lips

Rookie of the year – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Manchester Inklink

Rookie of the Year: Mya Blanchard

Mya Blanchard

Rookie of the year – Class 2 – 1st Place

New Hampshire Bulletin

Claire Sullivan – New Hampshire Bulletin

Claire Sullivan

Well researched, presented clearly in linear form, easy to read. Contentious issues have fair an balanced presentation.

Rookie of the year – Class 1 – 3rd Place-tie

Concord Monitor

Rookie of the year: Alexander Rapp, Concord Monitor

Alexander Rapp

Rookie of the year – Class 1 – 3rd Place-tip

Concord Monitor

Rookie of the year: Charlotte Matherly, Concord Monitor

Charlotte Matherly

Rookie of the year – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Concord Monitor

Rookie of the year: Rachel Wachman, Concord Monitor

Rachel Wachman

Rookie of the year – Class 1 – 1st Place

Concord Monitor

Rookie of the year: Jeremy Margolis, Concord Monitor

Jeremy Margolis

Report was current, topical and relevant.

Sports Photo – Class 2 – 3rd Place

Manchester Inklink

Battle for the ball

Stacy Harrison

Sports Photo – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Manchester Inklink

Queen of the City

Stacy Harrison

Sports Photo – Class 2 – 1st Place

Manchester Inklink

Memorial junior breaks 60-year-old record

Stacy Harrison

This photo captures a split-second of raw determination, suspended in midair. It’s a peak moment of intensity, with the athlete’s determination written across his face as he braces for landing. Strong composition draws the viewer in, framing the jumper perfectly between officials and track, with vibrant color and sharp detail.

Sports Photo – Class 1 – 3rd Place

Valley News

Diving to Score

James M. Patterson

Sports Photo – Class 1 – 2nd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Bishop Guertin celebrates

Mark Bolton

Sports Photo – Class 1 – 1st Place

Conway Daily Sun

Almost There

Rachel Sharples

This photo shows a wide range of emotions and perseverance. The determination on Inkpen’s face is clear, as he is propelled forward by two other cyclists who are eagerly rooting for him in the final stretch. Seeing another rider in the background, clearly pushing up against his own limits, adds depth to the story this image tells, and underlines the highs and lows of the race. A strong portrait about grit, community, and the will to keep going.

Sports Writing – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Tony Schinella

Bay State Games Refs Walk Before End Of Tourney

If More than 3 names type: Staff

Sports Writing – Class 2 – 1st Place

InDepthNH

Mr. Writing on the Fly

George Liset

Like a quiet walk in the woods, the writer draws you in and inspires a genuine interest in the subject matter.

Sports Writing – Class 1 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Fisher Cats’ rookie bat dog wows fans and players

Alex Hall

Sports Writing – Class 1 – 2nd Place-tie

Conway Daily Sun

Matt’s Famous Schuss

Tom Eastman

Sports Writing – Class 1 – 2nd Place-tie

New Hampshire Union Leader

Need for speed satisfied — for now

Paul Feely

Sports Writing – Class 1 – 1st Place

Keene Sentinel

Rob Colbert

Michael M. McMahon

The love of the game, the value of a true mentor and the meaning of the word team all come through.

Spot News Photo – Class 1 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

Hampton Foam

Jodie Andruskevich

Spot News Photo – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Valley News

Trooper Airlifted After Colliding with Firetruck

James M. Patterson

Spot News Photo – Class 1 – 1st Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

293 crash

David Lane

An amazing moment in time, well composed and capturing not just the wreck but the danger in the recovery.

Spot news story – Class 2 – 3rd Place

Tony Schinella

Concord Firefighters Battle 2-Story Homeless Shack Fire

Spot news story – Class 2 – 2nd Place

Manchester Inklink

Police put the brakes on ‘bike kids’ bad behavior

Carol Robidoux

Spot news story – Class 2 – 1st Place

New Hampshire Bulletin

NH federal court strikes down ‘banned concepts’ teaching law

Ethan DeWitt

Spot news story – Class 1 – 3rd Place

New Hampshire Union Leader

When Mother Nature throws a curveball: Snowfall no big deal for Fisher Cats groundskeeper

Alex Hall

Spot news story – Class 1 – 2nd Place

Portsmouth Herald

Whale slams boat, topples 2 fishermen off Rye coast: ‘Oh no, we’re going down’

Ian Lenahan

Spot news story – Class 1 – 1st Place

Boston Globe

Protests and encampments at Dartmouth and UNH

Amanda Gokee and Steven Porter

Timely and in-depth response and detailed coverage of a fast moving and complex story.