The Neighborhood Journal received the award for Best Website Saturday night at the New Mexico Press Association Champions of the People banquet in Santa Fe.
As a digital-only publication, the website that launched this year was competing in the Dailies Class I division, placing it in direct competition with the biggest newspapers in the state.
The award took many by surprise, including presenter and NMPA Board First Vice President Nick Seibel. “What is this? I want to know what that is,” he said as the award was presented to Editor Tracy Goldizen. He was encouraged to visit the site from Neighborhood Journal staff and responded, “I guess I’ll have to.”
“I love the feel of this site. I found it easy to read and had interesting content, community focused,” were judges’ comments highlighted at the ceremony. The Wyoming Press Association served as judges for the 2021-22 contest.
“It was so amazing to have our work at the Neighborhood Journal recognized tonight. I’m so proud of the team,” Goldizen said on Facebook after the ceremony.
The Neighborhood Journal launched in the spring of 2022 with the aim of helping Albuquerque residents feel more connected to their community. It takes a different and hyper-local approach to news with its writers each focusing on certain areas of the city rather than a specific topic. There are currently reporters in the northwest and northeast sections of Albuquerque with plans to expand to the other quadrants and communities in the metro area as resources become available.
If you have a news tip for the Neighborhood Journal, you can submit it via the attached for or by contacting reporters Scott Albright and Rene Thompson in Northeast Albuquerque or Kevin Hendricks in Northwest Albuquerque.