Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists Honors NewCanaanite.com with 18 ‘Excellence in Journalism’ Awards

The Society of Professional Journalists, Connecticut Chapter, honored NewCanaanite.com with 18 ‘Excellence in Journalism’ awards on Thursday.

NewCanaanite.com earned eight 1st place Excellence In Journalism awards from the CT Society of Professional Journalists on May 26, 2016.

NewCanaanite.com at the CT SPJ’s annual meeting and awards ceremony in Wallingford earned the following eight first-place, five second-place and five third-place awards in the Hyperlocal category for work published in 2015:

1^st Place

• In-Depth—‘We Never Want To Say No’: State Eliminates Funding for Kids In Crisis, Jeopardizing Services (by Michael Dinan)
• Government—‘Consonance’ on Carter Street: Owners of Historic Silvermine Home Seek To Re-Assemble Barn (by Michael Dinan)
• Sports Photo—Smoking Glove: New Canaan Rams Catcher Zack Smith Behind the Plate (by Terry Dinan)
• General Column—Beverly Greenberg, 92: Cherished New Canaan Colleague, Volunteer, Friend and ‘Aunt Bev’ (by Terry Dinan)
• Video Storytelling—Video: Crossing Guard Terry Darden Receives His Gift from the Community (by Michael Dinan)
• Sports News—‘I Think It’s Ridiculous’: New Canaan Girl Ousted from Softball Tournament Because She’s Too Young (by Michael Dinan)
• Leisure—Crajah House: The Alpacas of Oenoke Ridge (by Michael Dinan)
• Infographic Reporting—Search: History of New Canaan Street Names (by Michael Dinan)

2^nd Place

• Local Reporting—‘By the Time We Caught It, It Was Too Late’: No Urinals in Men’s Rooms at Town Hall (by Michael Dinan)
• General Column—Back To School Memories: Forging Friendships in Unexpected Ways (by Jes Sauerhoff)
• Feature Story—Oenoke Ridge Family Loses Well-Loved, 300-Year-Old Apple Tree (by Michael Dinan)
• Business—Fast Friends To Open Women’s Fashion Boutique Scout & Molly’s on Elm Street (by Michael Dinan)
• Courts/Crime—Civil Suit: New Canaan Woman Was Driving Under the Influence in Oct. 30 Crash on Silvermine Road (by Michael Dinan)

3^rd Place

• Diversity Coverage—Wilky Gilmore: ‘He Was One of Our Own’ (by Terry Dinan)
• In-Depth—‘On the Backs of Our Neediest Programs’: Seeing Saxe Middle School with Principal Greg Macedo (by Michael Dinan)
• Business—Gates Restaurant To Close Sunday; New Canaan Institution Has Been Sold (by Michael Dinan)
• Sports Feature—‘Complete Your Path’: New Canaan Football’s Jarrett Torromeo (by Terry Dinan)
• Feature Story—Nicoletti’s Market: Anchor of Bygone Italian Neighborhood in New Canaan (by Terry Dinan)

Established in 1966, the Society of Professional Journalists “works to improve and protect journalism,” according to its website: “SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry and works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists.”

We also note here that New Canaan resident Scott Ericson, a 1993 NCHS grad, won first-place in the Sports Feature category for his article For Westhill Football Player, It’s All About Heart … and a New Kidney, published in The Advocate of Stamford.

The Hartford Courant won first-place for two of the night’s major awards, the Stephen A. Collins Public Service Award and Theodore A. Driscoll Investigative Award, for its Soccer Stadium Investigation coverage.

NewCanaanite.com was founded Jan. 31, 2014 by brothers Michael and Terry Dinan.