The N.C. Press Association presented Carolina Public Press with 16 journalism awards Thursday night at the association’s annual awards ceremony held in Raleigh.
Carolina Public Press, a wholly independent nonprofit investigative and in-depth news organization founded in 2011, won first place in general excellence among online publications.
Lead Investigative Reporter Kate Martin was also honored with a special award, the Media and the Law Awards of Excellence, for her reporting on the issues surrounding the removal of children from their families in Cherokee County.
“These awards honor some of the best investigative, in-depth and public service reporting from Carolina Public Press through the beginning of the year,” said founder and Executive Director Angie Newsome. “We’re grateful for the stellar work our journalists do every day, which has gone on to earn recognition from our peers. We hope that CPP’s audience, members and supporters feel pride in the high-quality journalism they help us produce. Our nonprofit newsroom absolutely can’t do this work without them.”
Carolina Public Press was also honored with second place for general excellence among all newspaper websites. It also won first place in photography, interactive graphics and general news reporting.
Additional awards were presented in the following categories:
| 1st Place | Mark Darrough | A day in the life of a NC commercial fisherman | Photo Essay |
| 1st Place | Anna Dean | Raising Jails interactive graphics | Illustration/ Photo Illustration/ Print or Interactive Graphics |
| 1st Place | Jordan Wilkie, Laura Lee |
Andrew Brown Jr. shooting | General News Reporting |
| 2nd Place | Mark Darrough | Tornado damage | Photography |
| 2nd Place | Mark Darrough | Tornado photo gallery | Photo Essay |
| 2nd Place | Staff | WEEKEND newsletters | Email Newsletter |
| 2nd Place | Kate Martin | Cherokee County child removal settlements | City, County Government Reporting |
| 2nd Place | Jodi Helmer | Oyster trail designed to protect threatened industry | Business Writing |
| 2nd Place | Staff | CPP appearance and design | Appearance and Design |
| 3rd Place | Staff | CPP use of photos | Use of Photographs |
| 3rd Place | Mariano Santillan | Finding Nurses illustration | Illustration/ Photo Illustration/ Print or Interactive Graphics |
| 3rd Place | Jordan Wilkie | Prisons and COVID | General News Reporting |
| 3rd Place | Jodi Helmer | Black farmers | Business Writing |