Your hometown reporters at Times Review Media Group earned five awards for excellence at the Press Club of Long Island media awards dinner and 50th anniversary celebration, held at Fox Hollow in Woodbury Thursday evening.
Riverhead News-Review staff writer Melissa Azofeifa, contributing editor Chris Francescani, and former digital content director Tara Smith were honored for their collective coverage of the killing and remembrance of Preston Gamble, taking third place in the narrative-crime and justice category. Our team reported on the 15-year-old’s still unsolved shooting death, attended the community’s candlelight vigil in the days following their loss and shared his mother’s story six-months after his death.
Alongside photographer Jeremy Garretson, Mr. Francescani also took home a first place award in the narrative-lifestyle feature category for a Southforker article exploring the history and current state of the dangerous commercial fishing industry, which the writer described as “America’s oldest industry and one of the nation’s last bastions of the man-versus-nature, hunter-gatherer tradition of our ancestors.”
Staff writer Nicholas Grasso was awarded first place in the narrative-arts category for his Northforker feature highlighting Paolo Bartolani’s Rites of Spring music festival, which implores North Forkers to rethink their notion of “classical” music and enjoy the arts in their natural environment and cultural landscape.
Rounding out Times Review’s trio of first place victories is former staff writer Victoria Caruso and photographer David Benthal’s Northforker creature feature touting the underrated monkfish. Ms. Caruso’s piece describes the fish as a “monstrous creature conjured from a dark fairy tale,” and took first place in the narrative-food and beverage category.
Southforker writer Emily Toy and photography Doug Young took third place in the narrative-food and beverage category. The feature documents Il Capuccino, a 50-year-old Sag Harbor Italian institution, which she describes as her family’s “old faithful.”
Contributing sports writer Michael Lewis was honored for his coverage of a Southold boys basketball victory that honored fallen player Dylan Newman. Mr. Lewis’ heartfelt document of an action-packed auditorium awash in green t-shirts, Dylan’s favorite color, took third place in the narrative-sports news category.
Congratulations to all for these major achievements, and thanks to all the readers who inspire the team to strive for excellence every day.
