The Gazette family of newspapers recently achieved a remarkable feat by winning over 50 awards at the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2025 Top of the Rockies Excellence in Journalism competition. The Denver Gazette, The Colorado Springs Gazette, and Colorado Politics combined to secure the most awards among the 80 media organizations that participated in the competition.
Among the standout winners were Carol McKinley of The Denver Gazette, who retired last month, winning five awards, including three first places for her compelling long-form feature story on the hunt for the last Colorado Orange apple tree. Additionally, Michael Karlik’s story on the arguments presented for or against the disqualification of then-candidate Donald Trump received high praise for its thorough and informative coverage.
Other notable winners included Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette, who won for his humorous and well-told sports feature on the Nuggets beating the Atlanta Hawks and David Migoya’s investigative piece on Vail’s exclusive delivery service that shed light on sweetheart deals.
The awards also recognized impactful reporting on social justice, mental health, climate, and legal issues, showcasing the diverse and high-quality journalism produced by The Gazette family of newspapers. With a strong showing at the competition, The Gazette family continues to uphold its reputation for delivering insightful and award-winning journalism to its readers.
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Photo credit denvergazette.com
