VTDigger took home more than a dozen journalism awards at the 2025 New England Newspaper & Press Association conference. Photos by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerVTDigger took home 13 journalism prizes Saturday at the 2025 New England Newspaper & Press Association conference in Portland, Maine, inclu ding five first-place finishes.The nonprofit, independent digital news outlet received honors across a broad spectrum of categories in the 2024 New England Better Newspaper competition, including first place in the  “Climate Change or Weather Reporting” category for its collaborative, 10-part Downstream series. The series, which eight reporters contributed to, looked at what changed a year after catastrophic flooding devastated large parts of Vermont.Reporters Carly Berlin and Habib Sabet, and former intern Babbette Stolk won first place in the “General News” category for coverage of Vermont’s motel housing program. Judges found their March 2024 story about evictions from the program “clear, crisp and compelling.” Berlin also won first place in the “Excellence in Newsroom Collaboration and Partnerships” category for her housing coverage for VTDigger and Vermont Public. Berlin is a Report for America reporter shared by the two news outlets and reports on housing issues.Erin Pentenko, VTDigger’s data and Washington County reporter, was a first place winner in the “Best Infographic on Website” for her work charting historic rainfall in Vermont.Former political reporter Sarah Mearhoff secured a first place finish in the “Local Personality Profile” category for her “Mojo the dog” story. The story, which profiled a K9 with the Vermont Attorney General’s Office that sniffed out evidence of child sex abuse, was “well-written and informative,” according to a judge. “The story not only tells the reader about the importance of Mojo’s job, but also lets the reader into his world,” the judge wrote.VTDigger CEO Sky Barsch noted that the VTDigger team received more awards in the 2024 contest than any previous year. She said the awards demonstrate the newsroom’s commitment to high-quality journalism.“These awards are a reflection of the hard work and heart our newsroom puts into every story,” Barsch said. “We’re proud to be recognized among such talented peers across New England. Our commitment to serving Vermonters with in-depth, independent journalism remains as strong as ever — and it’s an honor to see that work celebrated.”Other VTDigger coverage to receive awards at the March 29 ceremony included:Spot News Story (second place) — Emma Cotton for her story about a woman who survived being swept away by floodwaters.  Racial, Ethnic or Gender Issue Coverage (second place) — Auditi Guha for her story about an immigrant restaurant owner shut out of recovery money following floods.  Outstanding Newsletter (second place) — Sarah Mearhoff and Shaun Robinson for the Final Reading Vermont Statehouse newsletter. Spot News Photo (third place) — Glenn Russell for his shot of the aftermath of a January storm. Contemporary Issues Photo (third place) — Glenn Russell for his shot of an apartment building partially swept away by flooding.  Best Overall Website (third place) — Taylor Haynes for her work building and maintaining VTDigger.org. General Excellence (third place) — The staff of VTDigger for its collective journalistic work. NENPA represents more than 450 news organizations throughout New England. The 2024 awards competition included work published from August 2023 through July 2024. VTDigger generally competed in a division that includes news services and other online news sites but also won several awards in a combined class that included all entrants. “Earning 13 awards is no small feat, and it’s emblematic of the VTDigger newsroom’s commitment to excellence. It’s an honor to work alongside such a talented and dedicated team who continue to deliver incredible journalism day in and day out,” said Neal Goswami, VTDigger’s managing editor. Read the story on VTDigger here: VTDigger nets 13 awards at the New England Newspaper & Press Association’s annual conference. ...read more read less