Colorado Newsline wins 6 awards in Society of Professional Journalists contest

Colorado Newsline took home six awards during a Society of Professional Journalists Colorado Pro Chapter reception at the Slate Hotel in Denver on Saturday.

The chapter’s 2026 Top of the Rockies journalism contest included more than 2,000 entries from 100 news outlets and 25 freelancers from Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Utah. It was the contest’s largest-ever pool of entries.

“We are pleased to honor so many journalists and media outlets for their tireless journalistic efforts,” said Deb Hurley Brobst, SPJ Colorado Pro Chapter president. “We are seeing top-notch work from journalists throughout the region, no matter what the staff size.”

Newsline, a nonprofit, nonpartisan outlet that launched in 2020 and is based in Denver, competed in the contest’s small newsroom category. The outlet operates with four full-time staff members.

This is what Newsline’s journalists won:

Chase Woodruff, senior reporter

First place, features: short form, for Survival rates of Colorado’s reintroduced wolves are falling below a critical threshold

Second place, investigative reporting, for U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans misrepresented family’s immigration history

Sara Wilson, reporter

Second place, news reporting: single story, for Colorado food banks begin work to meet increased need as SNAP benefits pause

Delilah Brumer, reporter fellow

Second place, social justice reporting, for Racial equity research fills in historical gaps to chronicle experience of Black Coloradans

Second place, spot news photography/videography, for lead image in People across Colorado ​demonstrate against Trump administration ​i​n ‘No Kings’ ​protests

Kevin Mohatt, freelance photographer

First place, spot news photography/videography, for lead image in Tens of thousands of Coloradans rally and march against Trump at No Kings protests