PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Moments of intimacy and exuberance, stories of devastation as well as advocacy for rent control over the past year all made for award-winning journalism at the New England Newspaper & Press Association’s New England Better Newspaper Competition last weekend.
Three Gazette staff members, writers Emilee Klein and Sam Ferland, and photographer Daniel Jacobi II, received awards, including Jacobi’s first-place prize for sports feature photo.
The contest divides competitors into categories based on publication frequency, mode (print or online-only) and circulation. The Gazette falls into the category of daily newspapers with a circulation of less than 13,000.
“We’re very pleased to see the work of three of our newsroom staff members recognized as being among the best of their peers in New England in 2025,” Executive Editor Dan Crowley said. “It’s a testament to their hard work and commitment to high-quality local journalism.”
In addition to two other nominations, Jacobi walked away with a plaque in the sports feature photo category for his image, “Basking in Victory,” which captured the moment the Amherst Regional High School Hurricanes won their second-ever PVIAC Class B lacrosse championship last May.
Jacobi’s other honors include a runner-up recognition in the sports action photo category for “Collision at the net,” which shows a UMass defenseman and Boston College forward skating into the UMass goalie, and a third-place finish in the news feature photo category for “Dog Show Smooch,” which shows an intimate moment between Veterinarian Assistant Brandon Owen and his dog Cocoa during a dog show at Northampton High School.
Klein was recognized with a third-place award in the category of environmental reporting for her July 2025 piece highlighting the economic challenges that Williamsburg residents and business-owners faced following a 2023 flood.
The story, “Soaked from below: Region confronts rising water tables unable to absorb water during more intense storms,” also delves into the changing New England seasons, highlighting the risks of wetter and warmer weather in the region, including pooling and flooding.
Ferland received third place in the housing news category for his story, “Tenants take rent fight to Beacon Hill: Activists tell lawmakers housing costs are unsustainable without caps.”
Ferland chronicled a trip to the State House in Boston where hundreds of residents from across Massachusetts rallied in support of proposed rent control legislation, which would give local municipalities the option to cap rent increases in their communities.
“For Daniel to receive three photography awards speaks to his talents and the visual dimensions he brings to our storytelling,” said Crowley. “This is the second consecutive year Emilee has been recognized for environmental reporting, while Sam was a key contributor to the Gazette’s housing coverage this past year. The recognition is well-deserved.”
Staff at the Gazette’s sister paper, the Greenfield Recorder, also earned three awards. Sports columnist Chip Ainsworth was awarded first place for his long-running column, “Keeping Score,” while reporter Madison Schofield came home with two second-place awards: one in the category of Business/Economic Reporting for her November 2024 article about an app that helps consumers find where they can buy farm-fresh eggs in Franklin and Hampshire counties, and another in the Education Reporting category for her March 2025 article that covered how area school districts are handling the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).