This photo, taken by Jason P. Smith of members of the Weld County Youth Conservation Corps/AmeriCorps Program (many of whom were previously in trouble with the law) working to plant concrete stepping stones that were created by local Girl Scouts outside the Glenn A. Jones M.D. Memorial Library in Johnstown, won 2nd place in the Best Feature Photo category this past weekend at the Colorado Press Association convention and awards. "We knew this was a powerful image that would elicit strong response," Editor Matt Lubich said. "The judges apparently agreed."

Garnering nearly two-dozen awards in reporting, photography, advertising and newspaper design, The Johnstown Breeze was named the General Excellence winner for 2005 in its circulation class by The Colorado Press Association. The awards were announced last weekend in Denver at the annual CPA convention.

As General Excellence winner, the paper is recognized as the best small weekly newspaper in the state. The Breeze competed in Class 1 for weekly newspapers under 1,750 circulation. There are more than 50 newspapers in that class from across Colorado.

This is the second time the paper has taken the top honor, having also been named the General Excellence winner in 2002.

This year, the newspaper was also recognized as the 2005 Editorial Sweepstakes winner in its class for reporting and photography.

The Breeze swept the Feature Story category: grabbing first place for Jason P. Smith's profile of Milliken 'Zoot Suit' aficionado, 84-year-old Edward Hernandez (CLICK HERE) second for Martin B. Hamilton's Roosevelt High School graduation story about Mike Reilly, and how he grew up helping care for his disabled mother (CLICK HERE); and a third place for Matt Lubich for his profile of Milliken mother-of-10, Maria Lovato, last year on her 80th birthday (CLICK HERE).

Hamilton also won second place in the Agricultural Story category, for his piece "Native Son," (CLICK HERE) on the death of Johnstown farmer and rancher Calvin Schwalm.

Staff also received awards in the categories of sports story, sports column writing, business story, and headline writing.

Tammy Gesick of the newspaper took first place in the Feature Page Design category, and production staff shared a second place honor for News Page Design. Gesick also took first and third place in the Circulation Promotion category, as well as winning awards in the areas of Black and White Ad, Automotive Ad, Real Estate Ad, Ad Campaign, and Newspaper Promotion.

This was the last year The Johnstown Breeze competed in Class 1. Circulation figures have risen enough that the paper is now in Class 2, where next year it will be one of the few independently-owned newspapers competing against larger metro, mostly corporately-owned, publications.

"We would really like to thank our readers and our advertisers for their continued support of this unique community resource," said Publisher Lesli Bangert.

First Place
Feature Page Design Tammy Gesick
Circulation Promotion Tammy Gesick
Feature Story Jason P. Smith

Second Place
News Page Design Staff, The Johnstown Breeze
Newspaper Promotion Staff, The Johnstown Breeze
Feature Story Martin B. Hamilton
Business Story Martin B. Hamilton
Agriculture Story Martin B. Hamilton

Sports Column Writing Martin B. Hamilton
Informational Graphic Martin B. Hamilton
Real Estate Ad Tammy Gesick
Ad Campaign Tammy Gesick
Feature Photo Jason P. Smith

Third Place
Headline Writing Staff, The Johnstown Breeze
Feature Story Matt Lubich
Sports Story Martin B. Hamilton
Black & White Ad Tammy Gesick
Automotive Ad Tammy Gesick
Ad Campaign Tammy Gesick
Newspaper Promotion Tammy Gesick
Circulation Promotion Tammy Gesick