ST. GEORGE — The Colorado Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has announced the winners of the 2023 Top of the Rockies Excellence in Journalism Contest. Eight St. George News writers were among those awarded.
Top of the Rockies is a regional, multi-platform contest for reporters and news organizations in four states, including Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. The 2023 contest had over 1,750 entries from more than 100 news media outlets and freelancers. St. George News competed in the large newsroom division, with three first-place finishers.
“We are pleased to see so many news media outlets competing in Top of the Rockies,” contest coordinator Deb Hurley Brobst said in a press release. “We are seeing top-notch journalism from journalists throughout the region, no matter what the staff size.”
St. George News received recognition in a variety of categories, including breaking news, arts & entertainment, legal, religion and sports.
“Our gifted writers continue to prove their dedication to our readers with unparalleled reporting in Southern Utah,” St. George News Editor-in-Chief Joseph Witham said. “We sincerely appreciate receiving this esteemed recognition from our peers in the Society of Professional Journalists.”
First-place awards
Reporter Haven Scott received a first-place accolade in the spot news photography/videography category for his multimedia coverage of a devastating fire in the Little Valley area of St. George. His winning report includes footage of the blaze and an on-site interview with Fire Chief Robert Stoker.
After the St. George City Council voted against an initiative designed to fund the police department amid growing crime and growth, correspondent David Dudley set out to investigate why this seemingly slam-dunk budget proposal failed.
Dudley’s resulting first-place article caught the attention of a contest judge, who noted, “The in-depth look at the St. George’s police budget and how it impacts service to the community was a standout. Good journalism on display here.”
In the religion news category, correspondent Adele Park was awarded first place for a story exploring the Islamic celebration of Ramadan in Southern Utah. Park’s article touches on the importance of the holiday for local Muslims through carefully captured video and photography with a sensitive eye toward the community’s cultural customs.
Second-place awards
In the sports columns category, reporter Chris Reed received second place for a pair of articles. In one of the columns, he gives homage to the late Vin Scully, who was an influential figure for Reed as a young journalist.
In the other winning column, Reed touts the people of St. George for the way they welcomed the annual Ironman triathlon, especially coming out of an era of division resulting from the global pandemic.
Senior Reporter Mori Kessler won second place in the religion news category for his look at a life-size replica of an Old Testament tabernacle in St. George. His report includes a video tour of the tabernacle with information about its historical and biblical context.
Third-place awards
In the legal feature category, reporter Alysha Lundgren explores the question of landlocked public land in Southern Utah. Her story delves into the legal headaches these public spaces have been known to cause.
St. George News Managing Editor Aspen Stoddard received third place in the religion feature category for her report examining how various individuals and cultures in Southern Utah mark the summer solstice.
Reporter Jessi Bang was recognized with a third-place win in the arts & entertainment and food criticism category for her profile of a 56-year-old St. George woman who fulfilled a lifetime dream of opening her own yogurt business.
This year’s winners were among a plethora of other award-worthy stories that St. George News’ dedicated team of reporters, videographers and editors worked to deliver to readers throughout Southern Utah and beyond. Subscribe to the St. George News newsletter for free, daily access to the best in local news, sports and informative shows.
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