Front Porch has received the top General Excellence Award among the state’s monthly newspapers for 2025 in the Colorado Press Association’s annual Better News Contest and won a total of 31 awards in the competition.

The newspaper, serving northeast Denver and northwest Aurora neighborhoods, also won two best-in-category awards for excellence in editorial content and advertising design from CPA, a statewide trade organization, plus 28 individual honors for reporting, photography, page design, website, newsletter, and more.

CPA presented its awards Aug. 29 at the conclusion of its annual convention in Northglenn. Owner/publisher/design-photo editor Christie Gosch and editor Linda Kotsaftis accepted the awards on behalf of Front Porch. A total of 131 CPA member newspapers, magazines, and digital news outlets were eligible to enter the contest.

Here are the winning Front Porch entries in the contest, plus links to the work.

Best Crime and Public Safety Reporting

• First place: Linda Kotsaftis, “It’s a Culture Shift”: A Program Focused on Dignity in the Denver County Jail”

Best Education Story

• Second place: Linda Kotsaftis, “A Denver School Celebrates its Namesake on William ‘Bill’ Roberts Day”
• Third place: Sarah Fuhrey Huber and Linda Kotsaftis, “Denver Schools Step Up to Fill Food Gaps for Families” with “Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Need”

Best Business News/Feature Story

• Second place: Linda Kotsaftis, “How Tariffs Impact Local Businesses, Owners, and Customers”
• Third place: Linda Kotsaftis, “Two Decades Later, The Shops at Northfield Evolves with the Community”

Best Agriculture Story

• Second place: Mary Jo Brooks, “Denver Food-Growing Non-Profits Hit Hard by Federal Funding Cuts”
• Third place: Sarah Fuhrey Huber, “A City Program for Kids Who Love the Country”

Best Feature Story

• Second place: Linda Kotsaftis, “An Artist’s Journey from Switzerland to Central Park”
• Third place: Linda Kotsaftis, “A Death Café Serves Up Conversation and a Safe Space”

Best Serious Column Writing

• First place: Christina Foust, Green Simple Living

Best Arts & Entertainment Column Writing

• First place: Vincent Piturro, The Indie Prof

Best Social Justice or Equity Reporting

• Second place: Mary Jo Brooks, “Living Land Project in City Park to Honor Denver’s Indigenous Heritage”

Best Health Enterprise / Health Feature Story

• Second place: Sarah Fuhrey Huber, “Measles Plus Funding Cuts Spike Concerns for Local Doctors”

Best Sports or Sports Event Story

• Second place: Sarah Fuhrey Huber, “Denver Middle Schooler Is a ‘Powerhouse in the Pool’”

Best News Story

• Third place: Mary Jo Brooks, “Improving Safety at One of Park Hill’s Most Dangerous Intersections”

Best Politics Reporting

• Third place: Mary Jo Brooks, “School Board Candidates Make Pitch to Voters at NE Denver Forum”

Best Environmental Story

• Third place: Linda Kotsaftis, “Changes Made After a ‘Famous’ Bald Eagle Dies in Denver”

Best Junior Journalist Story

• Third place: Margaret Freeman, “Denver Food-Growing Non-Profits Hit Hard by Federal Funding Cuts”

Best Informational Graphic:

• First place: Christie Gosch, “Experience the Wonder of Colorado State Parks”

Best News Photograph

• Christie Gosch, “Denver Public Schools Tests K-9 Pilot Program” (lead photo)

Best Photography Portfolio

• Third Place: Christie Gosch

Best Sports Photograph:

• Second place: Christie Gosch, “Denver Middle Schooler Is a ‘Powerhouse in the Pool’” (lead photo)

Best Website:

• Second place: Linda Kotsaftis and Christie Gosch,  frontporchne.com

Best Newsletter:

• Second place: Linda Kotsaftis (sign up for the newsletter here)

Best Headline Writing

• Second place: Staff

Best Page Design:

• Third place: Christie Gosch, October 2025 front page

Best Print Ad:

• First place: Christie Gosch, School Choice Guide
• Second place: Christie Gosch, Fall/Winter Break Camp Options

In April, Front Porch won five awards for journalism excellence in the Society of Professional Journalists’ four-state Top of the Rockies competition, including prizes for business enterprise reporting, multimedia story, columns, news photography, and front page design.

Correction: This story was updated to include an additional award that was left out of an earlier version, and the total number of awards was revised upward accordingly.