Two River Times Wins Awards

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WEST TRENTON – The New Jersey Press Association announced this week that The Two River Times won a number of editorial awards as part of the 2016 “Better Newspaper Contest” held annually.
Senior reporter John Burton won a first place award in the Education Writing category for his pieces on ongoing segregation issues at the Red Bank Charter School – “Segregation in Red Bank Schools: How It Happened and What Can Be Done” and “Controversy Continues Over Charter School.”
Burton and reporter Joseph Sapia collectively won a first place award for Coverage of Elections/Politics. Burton contributed pieces, “Local Politicians Weigh In On Presidential Race,” “Trump’s Sway Felt In Monmouth County,” and “Independents Seize Their Opportunity,” the latter of which Sapia contributed reporting.
In the Environmental – Health & Science category, Scene section feature “Debbie Mans: Midwesterner with Jersey Sand in Her Shoes,” won second place. The feature, written by Joe Sapia and accompanied by a photo by Danny Sanchez, profiled the executive director of the New York-New Jersey Baykeeper group.
Also in the Environmental – Health & Science section, reporter Gretchen Van Benthuysen won a third place award for her article “Pledging Support to Local Farms Comes With Benefits,” reporting on the benefits of buying local produce.
Reporter Jay Cook won first place in the Robert P. Kelly Award, recognizing first-year journalists. His pieces, “NJ Transit Officials Tour Proposed Power Line Corridor,” and “NJ Surfing Trailblazers Set to Reunite,” covered a proposed powerline project in Monmouth County, along with an anniversary of a 1960’s surfing association in Long Branch.
Sports Editor Rich Chrampanis won a third place award for a sports writing portfolio with his stories “Agrawal Enjoys Best of Both Worlds,” “From the World Cup to Colts Neck High, Frankie’s Back!” and “CBA’s Rivera Wins State Title on Last Second Pin.”
In the Packaging the News – Special Issue category, The Two River Times won first place for the annual wedding edition on March 17, titled “I Do!” with credit to Features Editor Judy O’Gorman Alvarez and Cassie Galasetti.
Second place in that same category was awarded to the Dec. 8 holiday issue “Holiday Times.” Contributing to that special section was Alvarez, Elizabeth Wulfhorst, Burton, Tori Sickles, Sasha Sickles and Mike Quon.

This story as published in the Feb. 9-16 edition of the Two River Times newspaper.