PROVIDENCE — The Boston Globe Rhode Island team won 32 awards — including first place for Best Website, Distinguished Journalist, Best News Columnist, Best Email Newsletter, and other categories — in the 2024 Rhode Island Press Association contest honoring work published in 2023.
Alexa Gagosz, Amanda Milkovits, Brian Amaral, Carlos Muñoz, Dan McGowan, Ed Fitzpatrick, and Steph Machado each received multiple honors at the awards ceremony, which was held at the Quonset “O” Club in North Kingstown, R.I., on May 10.
Edward Fitzpatrick was honored for general excellence as Distinguished Journalist, for his work including as the host of the award-winning Rhode Island Report podcast, which judges lauded for “expanding the R.I. Globe’s reach.”
“Edward’s storytelling gave him the edge,” the judges commented. “He told big stories — immigration and Covid-19, among them — through real people. Finding those individuals and earning their trust to hear their stories is not easy, but Edward does it so often, you’d guess otherwise.”
Alexa Gagosz’s weekly newsletter about food and dining, “The Globe Rhode Island Food Club,” won first place among email newsletters. Gagosz also garnered top honors for her coverage of housing and homelessness in Rhode Island, winning first place in the Single Topic Series category for the third year in a row. Dan McGowan won first place for Best News Columnist, and his must-read weekday morning newsletter, “Rhode Map,” won third place among newsletters in Rhode Island.
Here are the stories and topics that were singled out for awards:
Best website
First place: Boston Globe Rhode Island
Distinguished Journalist
First place: Edward Fitzpatrick, The Boston Globe
General Election Coverage
Second place: The Boston Globe Rhode Island Staff, “2023 Special Election Coverage”
Globe Rhode Island’s Dan McGowan broke the news of Congressman David Cicilline’s unexpected retirement from the 1st Congressional District seat he’d held for 12 years – a job many people assumed he’d keep for the rest of his life. From there, the entire team worked to track endorsements, note who threw their hat into the political ring and which big names chose not to, and explain the controversies as they arose. When fraudulent signatures were discovered on the nomination papers for the sitting lieutenant governor, Edward Fitzpatrick covered every aspect of the scandal. The team engaged with readers, moderated debates, and recapped all of the important developments so our audience could make an informed choice come Election Day. To cap off the comprehensive coverage, we released a special edition of the Rhode Island Report podcast, offering listeners key takeaways from not just Gabe Amo’s historic win, but the results of the bond issues that affect readers where they live.
News Story (In Depth)
Second place: “‘Beach Rage’: R.I. Shore Access Incident Leads to Broken Umbrella, Arrest of Property Owner” by Brian Amaral
Third place: “In a Small Town, a Big Issue About the First Amendment” by Amanda Milkovits
Spot News Story
Third place: “Watch: R.I. Resident Captures Video of Tornado in Johnston” by Brian Amaral
Honorable mention: “Near Flooded Blackstone River, Cumberland Shelter is Kayaking Dogs to Safety” by Carlos Muñoz
Education Story
First place: “Do We Still Need Police Officers in Rhode Island Schools” by Steph Machado
Science/Health Care Story
Honorable mention: “In Midst of Opioid Crisis, Two R.I. Companies Are Accused of Shortchanging Patients in Recovery” by Brian Amaral
Profile/Personality Story
Honorable mention: “A Retired Police Investigator is Making Sure an Unsolved Cranston Case Won’t Be Forgotten” by Amanda Milkovits
Feature Story — Short
Second place: “Nearly 80 Years Later, Remains of WWII Soldier Will Finally Be Laid to Rest in R.I.” by Alexa Gagosz
Honorable mention: “5 Taylor Swift Songs Friars Fans Can Sing When They See Coach Ed Cooley with Georgetown Next Season” by Amanda Milkovits and Carlos Muñoz
Feature Story — In-Depth
Third place: “Brown Grad, Named to Forbes 30 Under 30, Dies After Completing Marathon” by Edward Fitzpatrick
Food/Dining Story
Honorable mention: “Summer Food Guide: 12 Unsung, Yet Perfect Places to Eat in Rhode Island This Summer” by Alexa Gagosz
Unique/Most Unexpected Story
Third place: “Bear Wanders into Pawtucket Backyard, Steals Steak, Gets Tranqualized” by Brian Amaral
Sports Feature Story
First place: “The Grog and Dog Jog is Back, Restoring an Outlandish R.I. Tradition” by Edward Fitzpatrick
Second Place: “For the First Time in 56 Years, This Little League Team Could Go All the Way” by Carlos Muñoz
News/Feature Columnist
First place: Dan McGowan, Boston Globe Rhode Island
Investigative/Analytical News Story
Second place: “Michael Mota and the Art of the Virtual Con” by Amanda Milkovits
Third place: “Infant, Toddlers Face Long Wait for Crucial Early Intervention Services in R.I.” by Steph Machado
Single-Topic Series
First place: “Housing and Homelessness in Rhode Island” by Alexa Gagosz
Third place: “Tidewater Landing Project” by Brian Amaral
Honorable mention: “Washington Bridge Closure and Aftermath” by The Boston Globe Rhode Island Staff
Community Journalism
First place: “On Honor Flight Rhode Island, a Community Trip Filled with Memories, Camaraderie, and Gratitude” by Amanda Milkovits
Neighborhood Coverage
First place: “In This Neighborhood, a New R.I. Shore Access Law Brings New Shore Access Disputes” by Brian Amaral
Local Tourism Story
Second Place: “Giant ‘Stuffies’ Are Part of a New R.I. Tourism Campaign. Locals Aren’t the Biggest Fans” by Alexa Gagosz
Third place: “Rhode Trip! Some Days, It’s All About Northern Rhode Island’s Simpler Pleasures” by Brian Amaral
History Journalism
Second place: “At 350 years running, Newport’s White Horse Tavern is the oldest restaurant in the country” by Carlos Muñoz
Third place: “The Forgotten History of Block Island’s Harborside Inn” by Alexa Gagosz
Government Reporting
Third place: “New R.I. Ethics Commission Appointee Faced Sexual Harassment Allegations From Six Women” by Edward Fitzpatrick and Amanda Milkovits
Best Email Newsletter
First place: “Food and Dining in R.I.” by Alexa Gagosz
Third place: “Rhode Map” by Dan McGowan
Lylah Alphonse can be reached at lylah.alphonse@globe.com. Follow her @WriteEditRepeat.