Source New Mexico won eight awards Saturday night at the annual Society for Professional Journalists’ regional Top of the Rockies competition. The contest, open to journalists in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, had 2,100 entries — the largest field ever, according to organizers — from 100 news media outlets and 25 freelancers.
Source NM’s awards included four first-place awards for staff reporter Patrick Lohmann.
Lohmann’s story in collaboration with the Texas Tribune investigating the rise in migrant deaths in the New Mexico desert in the aftermath of Texas’ border crackdown won first place for investigative reporting in the medium newsroom division.
“Thoroughly reported and moving piece on migrant deaths,” the judges wrote. “Excellent storytelling from several perspectives combined with use of data and multimedia graphics made for a solid report.”
Lohmann’s story on the confusion within New Mexico’s new militarized border zone received first place for long-form feature writing.
“A complicated story told clearly, with no wasted words or digressions,” the judges wrote.
Lohmann’s feature story on how firefighters saved Fort Stanton also won first place for long-form agriculture/environment reporting.
“Excellent reporting,” the judges said. “A wonderful use of descriptive imagery, historical analysis and insightful testimony and expertise to uplift the arduous work of firefighters.”
Lohmann also won first place for short-form feature writing for his story on Albuquerque’s annual “point-in-time” count for assessing the city’s unhoused population.
“A powerful and immersive report that captures both the human reality of homelessness and the broader political challenges shaping it,” the judges wrote. “Balanced, timely and deeply relevant.”
Source reporter Danielle Prokop also received third place in the science/technology news category for her story on milk testing for bird flu, and in the feature photography category for her photographs of Indigenous Peoples Day. Source senior reporter Joshua Bowling received third place for his reporting on GOP gubernatorial candidate Duke Rodriguez’s residency issues.
