FingerLakes1.com Reporter Gabriel Pietrorazio gained two award placers in the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists pro-chapter’s 2019 Excellence in Journalism statewide contest.
Previously, as a Connecticut resident, Pietrorazio received six finalist nods for submitted pieces in this year’s statewide journalism contest across four categories: arts and entertainment, feature story, local reporting, as well as reporting series in the hyperlocal field for reporting during his tenure last summer as the Thomaston town reporter at the Town Times, a weekly newspaper owned by Prime Publishers, Inc.
With more than 800 submissions across all media markets in this year’s contest, first place winners were acknowledged virtually in a video created by the pro-chapter yesterday at 2 p.m. on their Facebook page.
Although he did not win any top first-place prizes, two of his six finalist pieces were acknowledged among the top-three placers.
Pietrorazio received the third-place prize in the arts and entertainment category for an article titled “Eagle sculptures appear in meadow.”
He was also acknowledged as the second-place runner-up in the reporting series category for his work with creating “Talk of the Town,” a video podcast program where he connected with the four state lawmakers from the House and Senate within the newspaper’s coverage area following the General Assembly session in June for longform policy interviews ranging in conversations from offering mental health services to EMT and first responders to opening bear hunting laws.
Below is a list of his finalist pieces based on category:
Arts & Entertainment:
Eagle sculptures appear in meadow; Town Times – Prime Publishers; Gabriel Pietrorazio
Feature Story:
The Justin B. Weaver Scholarship Fund: Area student receives scholarship; Town Times – Prime Publishers; Gabriel Pietrorazio
Young volunteer restores cemetery; Town Times – Prime Publishers; Gabriel Pietrorazio
Residents Recall the Flood of 1955; Town Times – Prime Publishers; Gabriel Pietrorazio
Local Reporting:
Black bear sightings on the rise; Town Times – Prime Publishers; Gabriel Pietrorazio
Reporting Series:
Talk of the Town: Reviewing the Connecticut General Assembly with elected officials; Town Times – Prime Publishers; Gabriel Pietrorazio, Nicholas Perugini
Gabe covered health and indigenous affairs in the Finger Lakes between 2019 and 2022. His award winning coverage was cited by the federal government and provided residents with an invaluable service during the coronavirus pandemic.