Boulder Reporting Lab took home 22 awards at the Colorado Press Association’s 2025 Better News Contest, including the General Excellence award for best newsroom in its division. The nonprofit newsroom also received sweepstakes honors for Editorial Excellence and Overall Excellence in Other Media, recognition given to news organizations that earn the highest number of awards across categories.
In all, BRL won 19 editorial awards and three sweepstakes prizes, reflecting the breadth of its accountability and community-driven reporting in 2024, the newsroom’s third full year of publishing. The wins included 12 first-place honors, spanning investigative, feature, environmental, education, health and public service reporting, as well as best website, best newsletter and best news photograph.
Among the top recognitions:
Senior reporter John Herrick won four solo first-place awards, recognized for his work on Boulder crime trends, an in-depth feature on long-term homelessness, a story examining the city’s displacement of Black residents and his data-driven City Council Vote Tracker. Herrick also received recognition for his election coverage and for sustained reporting on debates in city council chambers over the war in Gaza.
Tim Drugan won first place for best environmental story for his coverage of efforts to abandon the Pearl Street Mall’s aging gas line, and for best health enterprise story documenting lead contamination concerns at Boulder’s municipal airport. Drugan and Herrick together earned top honors for both best investigative package and best public service project for their reporting on Xcel Energy’s wildfire-prevention power shutoffs, which revealed widespread confusion and safety risks.
Contributor Jenna Sampson received first place for best education story for her reporting on how BVSD’s wellness centers, launched to support Marshall Fire survivors, have transformed student well-being. Sampson also placed in the sports category for her coverage of a pioneering women’s climbing route in Boulder. Photographer Don Kohlbauer won first place for best news photograph for his powerful image of families responding to the life sentence in the King Soopers shooting case.
The BRL team received first place for best newsletter (BRL Today) and best website, recognizing Boulder Reporting Lab’s digital presence as Boulder’s front page.
The Colorado Press Association’s annual contest recognizes the best journalism across the state. For Boulder Reporting Lab, the sweepstakes awards marked another milestone in its continued recognition and impact, three years after its founding.
Congratulations on yet again being recognized for quality and depth of reporting here in Boulder. I thank goodness the BRL exists and has such a talented cast that sticks with a story line through the end with curiosity and thoroughness.
Congratulations
I’m proud of you for a good showing in the Colorado Press Association journalism contests. I’m proud of CPA, too, because it is recognizing the changing ways local news is responsibly reported. You have seized on a viable model for well-edited local news reporting. Well done.
Ron Stewart
Retired newspaper reporter, editor and publisher
Lafayette, CO
Congratulations everyone! Thank you for all your hard work!
Congratulations! You have made Boulder better informed on many levels. I also appreciate your deep dives like today’s article on San Lorenzo.