Steamboat Pilot & Today was the recipient of six Colorado Press Association awards this past weekend.

You can support the Pilot & Today by reading at SteamboatPilot.com or by picking up the paper around town Monday through Saturday. Additionally, you can donate to the Pilot & Today at steamboatpilot.com/donate/.

The 2021 Out of the Shadows series that shone a light on mental health in Routt County won first place in both the Investigative Story Package and Public Service Project categories.

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The series included more than 25 pieces from the entire staff over six weeks on topics such as suicide, substance abuse, stigma and access to care.

Judges commented on the strong reporting, photos and infographics.

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“It shows a newsroom’s commitment to thoroughly reporting a single topic with depth, variety and accuracy,” a judge wrote.

“Wow to ‘Out of the Shadows,’” wrote a judge. “A well-rounded package that included multiple stories from a variety of angles, with photos, graphics, sidebars, personal stories. This had to have taken a number of hours for interviews, research and writing. It far exceed the competition. It was engaging and personal.”

Frontline Heroes took second place in the editorial special section category. Published on March 20, 2021, Frontline Heroes marked one year of the COVID-19 pandemic and recognized the community’s frontline heroes and reflected on the pandemic with a timeline, stories, photo gallery and more.

“Calving Season: The yearly make-or-break moment for ranchers in a changing industry (with photo gallery)” was awarded first place for best business news/feature story.

Reporter Dylan Anderson and photographer John Russell teamed up to create this visually engaging and informative piece in April 2021.

Judges described the article as “an insightful and entertaining look at an industry most of us never think about beyond complaining about the price of hamburger.”

Anderson was also honored with a second-place award for “Amid teacher shortage, program offers some an alternative path to classroom,” a story that showcased a new program addressing the teacher shortage in Northwest Colorado in October 2021.

Additionally, assistant editor Shelby Reardon won first place in sports column writing for “Humbled by the Howelsen poma lift,” which she wrote in December 2020.

In the press association awards, newspapers compete based on size of staff, pitting the Pilot & Today against Greeley Tribune, Aspen Times, The Pueblo Chieftan, Loveland Reporter-Daily and Vail Daily.