Helen Klisser During WestportNow.Com
The Branford Eagle won 16 awards, including first place awards for its coverage of Superstorm Sandy, at the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) annual excellence awards contest Thursday night.
Veteran reporters Marcia Chambers and Sally E. Bahner and photographer Mary Johnson took first-place honors for their stories and photos about Superstorm Sandy and Sandy Hook among others. Chambers won for her court coverage of a dog named Desmond who was strangled to death.
Entries of all contestants were judged by professional journalists from other states.
The awards were announced Thursday night at the annual SPJ dinner at the Fantasia in North Haven. The Branford Eagle is published by the not-for-profit Online Journalism Project.
Overall Johnson won eight awards, four in first place, including with Chambers in the spot news online category for “Branford Holds Vigil for Sandy Hook.”
Chambers won five, with three in first place and an honorable mention for her coverage of the roll-your-own corruption scandal at the state legislature.
Bahner won three, with one in first place for her Superstorm Sandy coverage.
Johnson won three awards for photo essays, including first place for the dedication of the town’s new fire headquarters, second place for an essay on flowers and honorable mention for chronicling the dawn of a new Amtrak bridge.
One other OJP affiliate, the Valley Independent Sentinel, also won big at the awards ceremony. Click here to read the story.
Last year we won 13 awards and the year before 12 awards.
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Congratulations Marcia, Sally and Mary for your amazing attainment of 16 awards presented to Branford Eagle reporters and photographer at the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists annual excellence awards ceremony! What a remarkable record of journalistic achievements. Kudos to all staff members for your professional reporting and photography! 12 awards...13 awards...and now 16 awards this year... the number keeps increasing each year. Hope you celebrated big!