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Thanks to Everyone Who Made the New England Newspaper Convention a Success!

Vermont publications gather for a group shoot with their awards after the New England Better Newspaper Competition Awards banquet on March 23, 2024.

We had a fantastic time at the New England Newspaper Convention on March 22-23 at the Westin Waltham Hotel in Waltham, MA! We want to thank everyone who attended, sponsored, or won an award for helping to make the event a success.

The convention was a great opportunity for newspaper professionals from across New England to come together, learn from each other, and network. The live educational programming covered a wide range of important topics, from the challenges facing the newspaper industry to how to make publications successful. There were also plenty of opportunities for attendees to connect with colleagues and make new friends.

We are especially grateful to our sponsors, whose generosity helped to make the convention possible. We would also like to congratulate all of the publications that entered and all the award winners in the 2023 New England Better Newspaper Competition on their achievements. We’re excited to see so many publications proudly showcasing their awards and sharing their successes with their audiences! Here are some of the articles:

We look forward to seeing you all at the next New England Newspaper Convention!

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SPJ Region 1 Conference April 19-20 at Emerson College

My name is Adam Sennott, I’m the president of the New England chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. SPJ-NE is hosting the organization’s Region 1 conference on April 19-20. Please, join us for an exciting in-person event at Emerson College on Boylston Street, in the heart of Boston, MA!

We’re excited to announce that Lesley Visser, one of the best sports journalists of all time and a pioneer for women in the industry, will be our keynote speaker.

The Society of Professional Journalists Region 1 Conference is a must-attend gathering for journalists, reporters, and media enthusiasts. Immerse yourself in insightful panel discussions, engaging workshops, and networking opportunities with industry professionals. Discover the latest trends, techniques, and challenges in the ever-evolving world of journalism. Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and grow with fellow journalists from across the region. Mark your calendars and get ready for an unforgettable experience!

College SPJ chapters should email spjnewengland@gmail.com for a student discount promo code to share with members. Individual student journalists not affiliated with a campus chapter may also email for the code.

Don’t miss our featured speaker, Dale R. Anglin, Inaugural Executive Director, Press Forward on Saturday, April 20 at 2:30 pm. Press Forward is a national coalition investing more than $500 million to strengthen local newsrooms, close longstanding gaps in journalism coverage, advance public policy that expands access to local news, and scale the infrastructure the sector needs to thrive. We can’t wait to hear what she has to say!

Other Panels Include:

How to Get a Job, featuring:
Paula Bouknight, assistant managing editor for hiring and development for the Boston Globe
Chris R. Vaccaro, media executive, author, and professor

Investigative Reporting, featuring:
Todd Wallack, correspondent on WBUR’s investigative team.
Patricia Wen, staff writer for the Boston Globe magazine and former Spotlight editor
Jenifer McKim, deputy investigative editor at the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting
Phillip Martin, senior investigative reporter for the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting

Report for America presentation featuring:
Kim Kleman, executive director of Report for America

The Business of Journalism, featuring:
Doug Struck, Emerson College professor and former reporter for the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, and other newspapers. He reported extensively from Iraq over 16 years and covered conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, the West Bank, East Timor and the southern Philippines.

Covering the Gardner Heist, featuring:
Stephen Kurkjian, one of the most acclaimed investigative reporters in the country. A forty-year veteran of the Boston Globe, he is the paper’s former Washington bureau chief and a founding member of its investigative Spotlight Team. Kurkjian has won more than twenty-five national and regional awards, including the Pulitzer Prize on three occasions.
Bruce Gellerman, award-winning journalist and former senior correspondent for WBUR.

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PRESS RELEASE: Across New England, more than 36,000 elementary school students are reading their way into climate action

Media Contact:
Rachel Danford at contact@energydetectives.org
A digital copy of this press release can be found at energydetectives.org/news

Across New England, more than 36,000 elementary school students are reading their way into climate action

Agawam, MA — Cooler Communities, a Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation project, is committed to making climate education in the classroom simple, fun, and free for teachers and students. Their mission is to support teachers in connecting classroom learning to climate solutions through literacy and other means, inspiring students to become climate stewards. Educators across New England are taking advantage of these resources and have already ordered over 36,000 free copies of a new children’s picture book, The Energy Detectives: The Mystery of the Snow, with new orders coming in every day.

The program’s approach is the brainchild of Massachusetts philanthropist Harold Grinspoon and uses children’s literature to make climate concepts concrete and engaging for students. The free books are paired with free, hands-on, standards-based lessons that are adaptable to teachers’ needs. “We kept hearing that teachers wanted to introduce climate education in the classroom, but resources and time were lacking. The enthusiasm for this pilot program shows that there’s a real interest and need for climate education resources that are simple and convenient”, said Uli Nagel, Director at Cooler Communities.

Teachers who have already used the resources are appreciative;

  • “The book was a big hit. And I liked it too as a teacher! I felt like the children could easily connect concepts from the lessons with what was happening in the book.” — Robyn Wayrynen, STEAM Educator
  • “I would definitely recommend the curriculum, it’s easy to follow and easy to modify, too, for whatever you and your students need.” — Rachel Conklin, K-4 Science Educator.

With many more free copies of the book available for order, a library of free, standard-based lessons and activities on their website, and a second children’s book in the works, Cooler Communities hopes to be a trusted climate education resource for classroom teachers across New England and beyond.

Educators can order free copies of The Energy Detectives: The Mystery of the Snow for all their students and explore the free standards-aligned lessons on the website: www.energydetectives.org.

About The Energy Detectives: The Energy Detectives is a series of free educational books that inspire children to become climate stewards. Through exciting mysteries and relatable characters, these books encourage young readers to explore sustainability, energy efficiency, and climate solutions.

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PRESS RELEASE: Empowering Businesses with Self-Serve Draft Dispensing Technology

Media Contact:
GS Draft System Solutions
Attn: Media Relations
19 Rancho Circle
Lake Forest, CA 92653
(949) 409-4048

GS Draft Pours Success: Empowering Businesses with Self-Serve Draft Dispensing Technology

GS Draft offers comprehensive draft beverage system solutions tailored to meet the needs of both emerging and established businesses. They have got it covered whether it’s coffee, kombucha, or any draft beverage. Their focus on using top-notch equipment, carrying out impeccable installations, and providing ongoing maintenance and support services ensures that their custom beverage systems will optimize operations and consistently deliver the high-quality experience that customers demand.

Milford, Connecticut – In today’s fast-paced beverage service industry, customers expect high-quality craft drinks that are delicious and served quickly. As self-serve technology becomes increasingly popular, patrons expect to serve themselves in style and convenience. While businesses are embracing the new age of self-serve technology, launching this new beverage service can be challenging.

Choosing the right self-serve system that meets their needs while staying within budget is a common balancing act. Once a business has identified its desired self-serve draft beverage system, implementing and managing this technology can be an arduous task in and of itself.

This is why many businesses see the benefits of working with a beverage dispensing company that handles everything under one roof. This includes design, custom beverage systems, installation, repairs, and everything related to beverage dispensing.

Working with just one company is a big advantage in keeping projects on schedule and achieving the best outcome. Businesses have reported that working with three to four different companies on one self-serve draft beverage system can be stressful and cumbersome, to say the least. Imagine juggling multiple vendors—keeping schedules aligned and managing communication can be overwhelming for any business.

For businesses wanting to add a self-serve beverage system for added revenue, a streamlined experience is key. Dealing with a single company like GS Draft simplifies the entire process. Customers have a one-stop shop from design to custom beverage systems and installation. This is especially advantageous for new businesses, who often grapple with the complexities of starting up. Established businesses also appreciate the convenience.

GS Draft’s experts handle equipment and installation details seamlessly. Customers don’t need to shop around or decipher technicalities. A knowledgeable partner ensures the project stays on track and delivers the best possible outcome. Working with just one company minimizes coordination challenges. GS Draft’s all-inclusive approach keeps everything synchronized reducing the time and coordination for its customers.

GS Draft’s products are transforming the beverage service across various sectors by enhancing efficiency, minimizing labor costs, and maximizing revenue. They assist companies in improving their beverage service every step of the way. An excellent instance of this is 8 Thousand Pizza, situated at 1201 Boston Post Road #2012 in Milford, Connecticut. The restaurant offers a broad variety of food items, including pizza, wings, and an extensive range of draft beverages.

What sets it apart is its 34 self-serve tap wall that enables customers to sample draft beverages at their leisure. Upon check-in at the front desk, customers can show their ID and receive a wristband to access the self-serve wall, making it easy and convenient for them to serve themselves.

In summary, 8 Thousand Pizza exemplifies what customers seek, which is convenience and ease at its finest. The owner, Skye Kwok, said, “GS Draft is among only a few national companies that offer everything under one roof, including custom design, installation services, high-tech equipment, maintenance, and service.”

During a recent interview, Connecticut resident John O’Connell, GS Draft’s Executive VP and Co-Founder, commented, “Our draft systems are meticulously engineered to balance pressures and temperatures, guaranteeing that each beverage is served at its optimal condition. GS Draft delivers excellence in every pour.”

GS Draft installed Frictionless Self-Serve TapWalls™ recently at the Gillette Stadium, and they also installed the bottom-filling ReverseTap Smart Dispensers in MGM Springfield.

GS Draft’s product line-up consists of the following:

– Frictionless Self-Serve TapWalls™

– ReverseTap Smart Dispensers

– Self-Serve Tap Walls and Kiosks

– QuickTap Fast Dispensing

– Custom Long Draw and Direct Draw High-Quality Draft Systems

For complete information, visit: https://www.gsdraft.com/

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Better Newspaper Competition Award Presentations and Photos from March 23

It takes highly skilled, passionate, and determined individuals to create high-quality publications. Every year, the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) recognizes the accomplishments of the best newspaper professionals in New England through the Better Newspaper Competition, which is the largest and most comprehensive journalism recognition program in the region.

The winners of the 2023 competition were announced, and the awards were presented during a celebratory banquet on March 23, 2024. Please browse the files below to see the results of the contest.

Thank you to everyone for the work you do, and congratulations to all of the winners!

If you are looking for photos from the awards banquet they can be found at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/fc640jqv2v82kp19i0hvw/h?rlkey=ifiabmpj6iboenwq7ftgfvtng&dl=0

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Antonia Noori Farzan

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Antonia Noori Farzan is a Rhode Island native who joined The Providence Journal in 2021. She previously worked at The Washington Post and, before that, spent several years at alt-weeklies in Arizona and Florida. Antonia is a graduate of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and Hamilton College.

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Justin Silverman

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Justin Silverman is executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition. A Massachusetts-based attorney, Justin helps lead NEFAC’s First Amendment and open government advocacy throughout the six-state region.

Justin’s commentary has appeared in dozens of publications including The New York Times, Washington Post and The Boston Globe. He is a former journalist and publisher. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Maine School of Law and New England Law | Boston.

Justin graduated from Suffolk University Law School in 2011. While a student, he worked as a full-time law clerk at the Boston firm Prince Lobel & Tye, LLP. At the firm, he worked directly with the lead counsel of what would become a $24 million arbitration case involving the insufficient payment of commissions to financial advisor co-claimants.

As a law student, Justin frequently contributed to the Digital Media Law Project at Harvard Law School‘s Berkman Center for Internet and Society. He interned there during his third year of law school, writing about media law and technology.

Learn more

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Ethan Genter

Photo credit Ray Ewing

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Photo credit Ray Ewing

Ethan Genter is the news editor at the Vineyard Gazette. He has covered local government, the fishing industry, and tourism in coastal New England since 2014.

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Michael Gagne

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Michael Gagne is a native of Woonsocket, R.I., who has been covering local government and education since 2012 in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Michael currently covers local government in the city of Danbury and the town of Brookfield in Connecticut for The News-Times/Hearst Connecticut Media. Before that, Michael was a reporter with the Record-Journal in Meriden, covering breaking news, local government, elections and schools, as well as pursuing enterprise stories. Michael was also a reporter for the Republican-American in Waterbury, as well as the Herald-News in Fall River, Mass. Michael studied journalism and political science at the University of Rhode Island.

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Christopher Wheelock

Sun Journal business reporter, Chris Wheelock

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Sun Journal business reporter, Chris Wheelock

A long-time journalist, Christopher Wheelock got his start with Armed Forces Radio & Television after college. Seventeen years at CNN International brought exposure to major national and international stories, from 9/11 and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to natural disasters like the 2004 Asia tsunami and earthquake. Christopher’s local news experience includes stops in Colorado, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. His print and digital experience includes business writing and photography in Michigan. Business has always held a special place in his heart, as a former business owner and senior writer for one of CNNI’s top business anchors. He’s proudly married to a Michigander, loves cooking, anything outdoors and a fat stray. He and his wife are very happy to have made Maine their home.

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