The Cape May County Herald has won 16 awards, including seven for first place, in the New Jersey Press Association’s annual contest for weekly newspapers, for work done in 2024.
The first-place awards went to reporters Shay Roddy, Christopher South, Collin Hall and Vince Conti, to assistant editor Joe Dziublenski, and to the staff for a special report and editorials connected to it.
The staff was honored with the Lloyd P. Burns Memorial Award for Public Service for a series of stories on the lack of transparency in local government, especially at the county level but also among municipalities.
The judges wrote: “An important topic at the center of journalism. Well-rounded long-term coverage with clearly presented opinion pieces, articles and scorecard tables. Encouraging to see the resulting public response…”
It was the second straight year the Herald won the Public Service award; last year a series of stories by Roddy on the severance package of an Upper Township school superintendent garnered the prize.
The Herald’s editorial writing team also took home a first place, for editorials about the lack of government openness and pushing for greater transparency.
Roddy took first place for investigative reporting, as he did last year, with a story about the long delay in getting the Five Mile Dune project underway. He also shared a first with Conti for political reporting, won two second-place awards, for special subject writing with a story about Cape May fishermen with a legal case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court, and for coverage of crime and public safety, and took two thirds, for his coverage of government (Art Weissman Memorial Award – stories about Avalon High Dunes violations) and of business and economics.
The judges said of his Five Mile Dune investigative story: “This piece shows the depth of research the reporter did and his willingness to hold officials’ feet to the fire.”
South won first place in the “Fresh Approach to Routine Reporting” category for his story about the special dangers that motorcyclists face on the road and a second place in health and science writing for stories about allegedly tainted well water in Upper Township.
The judges said of his motorcyclists story: “This is a very informative article with a thorough examination of the risks motorcyclists face on the road. It’s an important piece for all motorists – two-wheeled or four!”
Hall took first place for business and economics reporting. The judges wrote: “A trio of articles that went above and beyond the mainstream business features, with a focus on details and historical context. Bravo!”
Conti, besides sharing a first with Roddy for political reporting, also took home a third place in environmental writing for a story about marshland restoration.
The judges wrote of the political reporting: “Detailed reporting and captures the reader’s interest and holds it through snappy, sharp writing.”
Dziublenski won both the first- and third-place awards for headline writing. The judges said: “Fun! These headlines were both clever and informative for the reader.”
Page designer Carol Newton won a third-place award for her work designing two sections of “Review and Opinion” pages.
Reporter Karen Knight also took home a third place, in arts and entertainment writing, for a feature on the filming of the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” in Cape May.
The awards will be presented at the Press Association’s Spring Awards Celebration in April.
