Editor’s note: Awards And Accolades

GPHN Honored For Photos, Features In Top Of The Rockies

For the third year, Greater Park Hill News has been recognized for excellence in journalism, garnering two awards in the 2017 Top of the Rockies regional journalism competition. The competition, sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists, includes news organizations in the four-state region of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Winners were announced in mid-April at the Denver Press Club.

Park Hill resident Mark Silverstein won First Place in the Feature Photography Division for his monthly photo feature Birdland, which appears every month on Page 3. Silverstein’s gorgeous photos of birds in their habitats in and around Park Hill are accompanied by extended captions highlighting their rituals and behaviors.

We also received a Second Place citation in the Special Issue Division for our feature spread titled “Food, Glorious Food.” The special section was designed by art director extraordinaire Tommy Kubitsky and written by yours truly.

Highlighting the national culinary month of July, the special section included an exhilarating interview with Chef Jorge de la Torre, the dean of culinary education at Johnson & Wales University in Park Hill. De la Torre dished up his take on the rapidly-evolving food landscape in Colorado and nationally, the next big trends, being good stewards of the earth, and his own favorite Park Hill dishes. The interview was accompanied by a roundup of restaurant-related news about eateries in and around the neighborhood.

If you missed them the first time, Silverstein’s images of birds, as well as the special section honoring all things food, can be seen and read at greaterparkhill.org.

Kudos to other local journalists

We extend kudos and congratulations to Jeffrey A. Roberts, who is also an occasional contributor to our newspaper, and to Alan Prendergast, a longtime writer for Westword. These fellow Park Hill residents were also honored last month for journalism excellence in the annual Top of the Rockies competition.

For the second year Roberts, the executive director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, received first place for blog writing. The mission of his organization is to ensure that Coloradans, including journalists, the general public and public officials, understand and use the public’s rights of access to the records and proceedings of government and the judiciary.

His blog can be read at coloradofoic.org.

As noted last year, being honored by our peers is a great feeling. But more importantly, producing journalism that makes a difference – whether it be challenging city hall, or weighing in on cultural events and the arts – is ultimately rewarding. Here at the Greater Park Hill News, we blend sometimes-controversial subject matter and opinions with the kind of community news that our neighbors have also come to rely on.

Nearly every month, for example, our education expert Lynn Kalinauskas provides critical analysis of policies that impact our local schools. Columnist Brian Hyde, a retired hydrologist, writes with authority about water issues. For the past several months, Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. Chair Tracey MacDermott has been writing about sustainability and the need to better preserve and protect our planet. Last month Jack Farrar launched a monthly  feature designed to highlight people who embody the great character of Park Hill.

Contributions are welcome

Park Hill is fortunate to have a population that includes high-profile political activists, social justice advocates, and community leaders. Our neighbors run the gamut, from the intelligent to the creative to the curmudgeonly. Everyone is welcome to contribute to this newspaper and participate in democracy in action.

That said, we do have guidelines that enable us to continue a tradition of excellence. We will not publish letters that contain personal attacks on private individuals. As your editor, I respect the various, and sometimes provocative, opinions from neighbors. I am committed to ensuring the information that appears in these pages is accurately presented. If you suspect a factual error in a news or commentary piece, please contact me to determine whether a correction is warranted.

Letters to the editor should be 400 words or less and may be edited for space, as necessary. They should be sent to editor@greaterparkhill. org. Deadlines are the 15th of each month, for the following month’s issue.

People who are interested in contributing a longer news or feature story or commentary can contact me directly, at the same email address. Freelancers are welcome to contact me for writer’s guidelines and to pitch news stories and guest commentaries.

Thanks for contributing to the conversation, and thanks for your readership.