'Press’ named best in class

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The New York Press Association (NYPA) has named The Riverdale Press the best large-circulation community newspaper in the state for the second year in a row.

The Press won the Past Presidents’ Award for General Excellence in NYPA’s 2015 Better Newspaper Contest on Saturday.

“We appreciate your hard-news approach on the front page with in-depth reporting on key issues, and strong, focused feature content,” judges wrote. “Your editorials are strong, direct and support news coverage. Community engagement is also 100%.”

Judges reviewed The Press’ work from last year. Major topics included the mayor’s controversial zoning plans and heroin busts and use among teens — the subject of an in-depth series by former associate editor Isabel Angell.

She won first place for education coverage in this year’s competition, in which 177 newspapers throughout the state sent a total of 2,836 entries in dozens of categories.

“Although the feature was long, it was a quick read and a great inside look at what is happening to our teens,” judges wrote of Ms. Angell’s series, “Nice kids. Good Schools. Hard drugs.” 

“The reporter also wrote about kids going hungry after school lets out, a breaking news gas blast at a school and overcrowding,” they added. “Isabel Angell is a real pro that any newsroom would cherish. Kudos, Isabel, for a stellar submission.”

Ms. Angell recently left The Press to work for WNYC’s “The Takeaway.”

Editor Shant Shahrigian and publisher emeritus Richard Stein shared a second-place award for their editorials, which judges described as “clever, biting and well-written.” Mr. Shahrigian also won an honorable mention for coverage of crime, police and courts.

 

NYPA, Isabel Angell, Shant Shahrigian, Richard Stein

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