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Winners
of the Conn. SPJ's
Excellence in Journalism Contest
Associated
Press
June 2, 2005
NORTH HAVEN, Conn. -- The Record-Journal of Meriden won one of the top
prizes in the Society of Professional Journalists' annual Excellence in
Journalism Awards Thursday night for an investigation into the Meriden
Daffodil Festival's financial practices.
The paper won the Stephen A. Collins Public Service Award for work done by
Eliot White, Hannah Glover, James Smith and Martin Waters.
"It takes courage for a newspaper to take on a small town sacred cow
- in this case, the Daffodil Festival - and show the kind of tenacity the
Record-Journal did in examining its financial practices and pushing for
better management of the event," the judges said.
The Hartford Courant took home the Theodore Driscoll Investigative Award
for a series on troubles in the state's vehicle emissions testing program
by Jack Dolan and Lisa Chedekel.
"Noteworthy also was that this series was more than a series. It was
a rolling investigation," the judges said. "As the Courant put
the pedal to the metal, bureaucrats scurried and politicians acted,
generating more news and more leads of which the newspaper took full
advantage."
The First Amendment Award went to the Connecticut Post's Frank Keegan for
a tribute to E. Barlett Barnes after Barnes' death. Barnes was a strong
advocate for the Freedom of Information law in Connecticut and served a
four-year term as a state FOI commissioner.
"Keegan re-lives past victories for the press and expresses a
wonderful hope for the future. We see Barnes in every First Amendment
"freedom fighter" we know," the judges said.
Other 2004 SPJ award winners included:
REGIONAL NON-DAILY OP-ED COLUMN, First Place:
License To Club With Impunity; Connecticut Law Tribune, Andy Thibault
The judges said: "Colorful and hard-hitting take on a difficult
issue."
REGIONAL NON-DAILY HEADLINES, Second Place:
Alien Eats Lawyer's Brain, Party Down With Sister Anastasia, DOC
Mouthpiece -- Liar or Fool?
Connecticut Law Tribune, Andy Thibault
REGIONAL NON-DAILY GENERAL COLUMN
A Curse Removed, A Demon Slain, Connecticut Law Tribune, Andy Thibault
REGIONAL NON-DAILY, OP-ED COLUMN
Revenge Of The Nerds & Losers, Connecticut Law Tribune, Andy Thibault
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