Rhode Island
Boston Globe Rhode Island wins 43 R.I. Press Association editorial awards – The Boston Globe
PROVIDENCE — The Boston Globe Rhode Island team won 43 awards — including 18 first place finishes for Distinguished Journalist, News/Editorial Columnist, investigative reporting, spot news, community journalism, neighborhood coverage, government reporting, and in other categories — in the 2025 Rhode Island Press Association contest honoring work published in 2024.
Alexa Gagosz, Amanda Milkovits, Carlos Muñoz, Christopher Gavin, Dan McGowan, Ed Fitzpatrick, Omar Mohammed, and Steph Machado each received multiple honors at the awards ceremony, which was held at the Quonset “O” Club in North Kingstown, R.I., on May 9. Globe correspondents Alexa Coultoff, Bob Abelman, and Kevin McNamara also won awards for work published in Globe Rhode Island, as did Globe photographers Erin Clark, Lane Turner, and David L. Ryan.
Milkovits, who won first place for investigative reporting, was also honored for first place in general excellence as Distinguished Journalist.
“She has a gift for getting vulnerable people to open up to her and trust her with their stories, and she seeks justice for those unable to fight for themselves,” her entry read. “Her in-depth reporting, tireless questioning, and endless curiosity has had an undeniable impact in the Ocean State, leading to changes in procedures, accountability practices, and policies at the state and local levels.”
Gagosz garnered top honors for her coverage of housing and homelessness in Rhode Island, winning first place in the Single Topic Series category for the fourth year in a row. The Globe Rhode Island team took second place in this same category for their comprehensive coverage of the Washington Bridge closure.
Here are the stories and topics that were singled out for awards:
Distinguished Journalist
First place: Amanda Milkovits, The Boston Globe
News/Editorial Columnist
First Place: Dan McGowan, The Boston Globe
Best Digital Presentation
First place: “Millions of dollars, two investigations, and one lawsuit later: It’s been one year since the Washington Bridge shut down” by Alexa Gagosz and Steph Machado
Best website
Second place: Boston Globe Rhode Island
Feature Photo
Second place: “Their baby was born premature with complex medical needs. The hospital and his deaf parents adapted to help him survive.” by Erin Clark
News Story (Short)
First Place: “The Fed just cut rates. Here is what it means for Rhode Island.” by Omar Mohammed
Third Place: “Karaoke singers belted out three songs at a Providence restaurant in May. Now, the eatery is facing a lawsuit.” by Christopher Gavin
Spot News Story
First Place: “A 10,000-year-old great white shark tooth just washed up on a R.I. beach — again” by Christopher Gavin
Second Place: “The girl wasn’t the intended target. But she became a shooting victim before her 8th birthday.” by Amanda Milkovits and Steph Machado
Investigative or Analytical News Story
First Place: “A man was charged with killing a girl decades after she went missing. The case fell apart, and the accusation cost him everything.” by Amanda Milkovits
Second Place: “Institutionalized in R.I.: A thousand nights stuck in a system that fails kids” by Steph Machado (this investigative report, a broadcast version of which appeared on an episode of WSBE-TV’s “Rhode Island PBS Weekly,” was also nominated for a regional Emmy award).
Community Journalism
First Place: “Brown University transfers 255 acres in Bristol, R.I., to the Pokanoket Indian tribe: ‘We are the original stewards’” by Edward Fitzpatrick
Neighborhood Coverage
First Place: Three stories about Woonsocket, R.I., by Alexa Coultoff. Stories highlighted for this award included:
Government Reporting
First Place: “R.I.’s housing department faces internal struggles, scrutiny over contracts, incomplete projects” by Alexa Gagosz
Third Place: “Cranston, R.I., mayor’s ties to solar developer’s lawyer spill over into election” by Amanda Milkovits
Education Story
Second Place: “‘I became Natalie again.’ At age 90, she’s getting her college degree.” by Dan McGowan
Third Place: “How Career and Tech Education is changing the school landscape in R.I.” by Steph Machado
Religion or Spirituality Story
Third Place: “Finding his faith community: Mayor of Providence Brett Smiley converts to Judaism” by Steph Machado
Reporting on the Environment
Second Place: “‘Ghost gear’ haunts R.I. waters, harming marine life and the environment” by Carlos R. Muñoz
Science or Health Care Story
First Place: “As the private-equity-firm owners look to sell, the future of two safety-net hospitals in R.I. is at stake” by Alexa Gagosz
Third place: “‘She would’ve been alive’: Opening of safe injection site in R.I. is personal for councilwoman who once opposed it” by Steph Machado
Business Story
First Place: “A wealthy developer in Providence has a one-of-a-kind tax deal meant for affordable housing” by Steph Machado
Third Place: “What happens to Rhode Island’s economy if Hasbro moves to Boston?” by Alexa Gagosz
Personality Photo or Portrait
Third place: “‘This could be any of us’: A former journalist ended up homeless. Then, his story inspired a Narragansett family to help.” by Lane Turner
Profile or Personality Story
Second place: “‘This could be any of us’: A former journalist ended up homeless. Then, his story inspired a Narragansett family to help.” by Edward Fitzpatrick
History Journalism
First Place: “What happened to Providence’s Snowtown?” by Carlos R. Muñoz
Third Place: “New mural in Providence honors lost Chinatown and historic drag queen” by Alexa Gagosz
News/Features Columnist
Third Place: Bob Abelman, Globe Rhode Island theater columnist
Feature Story (Short)
Second Place: “These are the unwritten rules of Rhode Island” by Dan McGowan
Feature Story (In-Depth)
First Place: “Teens incarcerated in R.I. write obituaries for the forgotten: ‘No one should be just a number’” by Amanda Milkovits
Second Place: “‘The news says inflation is going down, but nobody sees it’: Long lines for food reveal a desperate need in R.I.” by Edward Fitzpatrick
Arts or Entertainment Story
Third Place: “10 of the year’s most memorable moments in R.I. theater” by Bob Abelman
Best Email Newsletter
Third Place: “The Rhode Island Food Club” by Alexa Gagosz
Food and Dining story
Third Place: “A centuries-old method for tastier fish is catching on in Providence” by Alexa Gagosz
Photo Series or Picture Story
First place: “For teens living with chronic illness, a prom night to remember” by Erin Clark
Sports Story
First Place: “‘A point of pride’: Rhode Island FC barrels its way to the USL title game” by Omar Mohammed
Third Place: “Providence College faces URI on Saturday. It’s more than just a basketball game.” by Kevin McNamara
Sports Feature Story
First Place: “He’s served 14 years in America’s most thankless job: Little League baseball president” by Dan McGowan
Tourism Story
First Place: “A trip to Newport, R.I., inspired by HBO’s ‘The Gilded Age’” by Christopher Gavin
Third Place: “Restaurant Guide: Where to eat in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Providence, R.I.” by the Boston Globe Rhode Island staff
Weather or Climate Photo:
Second Place: “R.I. town offering buyouts to homeowners in some flood-prone neigborhoods” by David L. Ryan
Single-Topic Series
First Place: Housing and Homelessness in Rhode Island, by Alexa Gagosz.
For the second time in as many years, Gagosz’s dedication to holding government officials accountable led to the resignation of the state’s Housing Secretary, and once again she dug in her heels to cover every aspect of the aftermath, from the dysfunction within the state’s housing department to the resignation of the housing secretary’s deputy to the appointment of yet another new Housing Secretary. Stories highlighted in this award included:
Second Place: Coverage of the Washington Bridge, by the Globe Rhode Island staff.
The Washington Bridge plays a critical role in Rhode Island, carrying Interstate 195 into the area and connecting the cities of Providence and East Providence. Approximately 96,000 cars cross it each day. When it abruptly closed after a “catastrophic failure” in late December 2023, the entire Globe Rhode Island team sprang into action. In 2024, we kept our spotlight focused on the closure of the bridge and the aftermath, covering every angle, from money spent to lawsuits filed to people and businesses directly affected. Stories highlighted in this award included:
More award-winning stories
Lylah Alphonse can be reached at lylah.alphonse@globe.com. Follow her @WriteEditRepeat.
Vigil in Lippitt Park for victims of mass shooting at Brown University
See the Dec. 14, 2025 vigil in Lippitt Park following the mass shooting at Brown University.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, along with Providence Mayor Brett Smiley and others, announced Dec. 14 that they were releasing the person of interest originally detained for the mass shooting at Brown University.
Neronha said that tips “led to us detaining a person of interest,” but that the evidence “now points in a different direction.”
“We have a murderer out there, frankly,” Neronha said.
As attorney general, Neronha and his office will play a large role in the investigation over the shooting. Here’s what to know about the top legal official in Rhode Island.
Who is Peter Neronha?
Neronha is Rhode Island’s 74th attorney general. He was sworn in on Nov. 6, 2018.
As attorney general, Neronha leads an office that “prosecutes criminal cases; represents state agencies, departments and commissions in litigation; initiates legal action when necessary to protect the interests of Rhode Islanders; and oversees the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation,” according to his office.
Previously, Neronha was the United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island from 2009 to 2017. He was appointed by former President Barack Obama.
He began his career in public service as a Rhode Island Special Assistant Attorney General in 1996. He was later appointed Assisted Attorney General, and then joined United States Attorney’s Office as an Assistant United States Attorney in 2002.
Neronha is a fourth generation native of Jamestown, Rhode Island. He has undergraduate and law degrees from Boston College.
Neronha’s relationship to Trump
During President Donald Trump’s second term, Neronha has sued the president and his administration over 40 times.
Some of the lawsuits that he has co-led include ones over withheld education funds and the dismantling of federal agencies like Health and Human Services and those that support public libraries and museums.
Neronha often criticizes the president in his lawsuits. In a press release announcing a lawsuit filed against the Trump administration Nov. 25 for reducing grant funds for projects that could help people experiencing homelessness, Neronha said that the administration continues to “punch down” on vulnerable Americans.
“The President and his Administration don’t care about making life easier or better for Americans; they only care about political capitulation, consolidating power, and further enriching the wealthy,” he said.
In a press conference earlier this year, Neronha said that he sues the Trump administration when the president has broken the law, when Americans have been harmed and when they have the legal standing to bring an action against the administration.
While it’s unclear if Trump has ever commented on Neronha specifically, he has often attacked judges who have tried to block his policies.
The Rhode Island Blood Center is asking for donations after the fatal shooting at Brown University on Saturday.
Several donor centers have extended hours available as they respond to the emergency.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
Anyone interested can sign up for an appointment on the organization’s website.
PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island Blood Center’s blood supply was low before Saturday’s mass shooting at Brown University, and it is immediately stepping up blood drives to meet the need, an official said Sunday.
“We were definitely dealing with some issues with inventory going into the incident,” Executive Director of Blood Operations Nicole Pineault said.
The supply was especially low for Type 0 positive and negative, which are often needed for mass casualty incidents, she said. Type 0 negative is considered the “universal” red blood donor, because it can be safely given to patients of any blood type.
Pineault attributed the low supply to weather, illness, and the lingering effects of the pandemic. With more people working from home, blood drives at office buildings are smaller, and young people — including college students — are not donating blood at the same rate as they did in the past, she said.
“There are a lot challenges,” she said.
But people can help by donating blood this week, Pineault said, suggesting they go to ribc.org or contact the Rhode Island Blood Center at (401) 453-8383 or (800) 283-8385.
The donor room at 405 Promenade St. in Providence is open seven days a week, Pineault said. Blood drives were already scheduled for this week at South Street Landing in Providence and at Brown Physicians, and the blood center is looking to add more blood drives in the Providence area this week, she said.
“It breaks my heart,” Pineault said of the shooting. “It’s a terrible tragedy. We run blood dives regularly on the Brown campus. Our heart goes out to all of the victims and the staff. We want to work with them to get the victims what they need.”
She said she cannot recall a similar mass shooting in Rhode Island.
“In moments of tragedy, it’s a reminder to the community how important the blood supply really is,” Pineault said. “It’s an easy way to give back, to help your neighbors, and be ready in unfortunate situations like this.”
The Rhode Island Blood Center has donor centers in Providence, Warwick, Middletown, Narragansett, and Woonsocket, and it has mobile blood drives, she noted.
On Sunday, the center’s website said “Donors urgently needed. Hours extended at some donor centers, 12/14.”
Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.
If Anthony Richardson Can’t Beat Out 44-Year-Old Philip Rivers, That’s A Big Problem
Miami Dolphins just did something in Pittsburgh snow that could end their years-long cold game nightmare
Through pain, acid victim still smiling as she recovers in Augusta
National Menorah Lighting in DC dedicated to Bondi Beach victims
Frigid Monday in NE Ohio gives way to warmup, rain later this week
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Video: Rob Reiner and His Wife Are Found Dead in Their Los Angeles Home
Biden officials go silent when asked about Afghan refugee program after guardsmen shooting
South Korea indicts ex-leader Yoon over power plot provoking North
BBC Verify: Videos show impact of mass drone attacks launched by Ukraine and Russia
Bill and Hillary Clinton’s Stance on Epstein Testimony Nov. 3
-
Alaska1 week agoHowling Mat-Su winds leave thousands without power
-
Texas1 week agoTexas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
-
Washington6 days agoLIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
-
Iowa1 week agoMatt Campbell reportedly bringing longtime Iowa State staffer to Penn State as 1st hire
-
Iowa2 days agoHow much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals
-
Miami, FL1 week agoUrban Meyer, Brady Quinn get in heated exchange during Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami CFP discussion
-
Cleveland, OH1 week agoMan shot, killed at downtown Cleveland nightclub: EMS
-
World1 week ago
Chiefs’ offensive line woes deepen as Wanya Morris exits with knee injury against Texans
