inewsource was honored with 22 awards Tuesday night from the San Diego Press Club, including a Best of Show award.

Reporter Roxana Popescu, who has worked with inewsource since 2010, took home the Best of Show in the Online and Daily Newspapers category for her story, “Pandemic takes a toll on San Diego County refugees sheltering in place with abusive partners.” 

The judges called it a “sensitive and important story” that shed light on the struggles of women and children amid the pandemic. Popescu’s story was chosen from all the first place entries in that category, with the story also winning first place for feature stories on serious subjects.

inewsource reporters also swept the category for investigative reporting, taking first, second and third place honors.

The annual competition, which yielded about 1,000 entries, was judged by the New Orleans Press Club chapter and covered from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first year the competition’s yearly gala has been hosted online.

Click here to see a full list of the winners announced Tuesday. Here are the awards inewsource received:

First Place

Roxana Popescu, Pandemic takes a toll on San Diego County refugees sheltering in place with abusive partners.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Feature – Serious Subject

Shyla Nott,REWIRED – a two part series.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Feature Layout Design

Shyla Nott,REWIRED – a two part series.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Front Page Design

Brad Racino, Mapping populations at highest risk of COVID-19 complications in San Diego County.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Health and Medicine

Cody Dulaney and Jill Castellano, San Diego County knew about gaps in mental health care at a COVID-19 motel. Now someone is dead.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Investigative Reporting

Brad Racino and Jill Castellano,Risky Research.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Series – Serious Subject

Brad Racino and Jill Castellano,REWIRED.” Radio/Podcast: Enterprise/Investigative Reporting

Mary Plummer,Fire risks tied to homelessness in San Diego’s Canyons.” Radio/Podcast: General News Story

Second Place

Mary Plummer,San Diego Convention Center expansion measure leaves many details unknown.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Election Coverage

Brad Racino,Ketamine: San Diego VA moves suicidal veterans off life-saving treatment, against doctors pleas.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Health and Medicine

Cody Dulaney,San Diego police issue twice as many illegal lodging tickets to homeless during pandemic.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Criminal Justice

Brad Racino and Jill Castellano, REWIRED.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Investigative Reporting

Zoë Meyers,Scene of County Administration Building during George Floyd
protest.
” Photography, Still: Breaking News

Mary Plummer,Military Wife’s Coronavirus Tale.” Radio/Podcast: Feature

Third Place

Jennifer Bowman,Cory Briggs’ track record overshadows his San Diego city attorney bid.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Election Coverage

Mary Plummer,Fire risks to homelessness in San Diego’s canyons leaves residents on edge.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Environment

Jill Castellano,Anatomy of an outbreak: How COVID-19 struck dozens of San Diego VA social workers.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Investigative Reporting

Cody Dulaney,San Diego could put homeless in motels with history of bedbug, mold complaints.” Online and Daily Newspapers: Poilitcal/Government

Zoë Meyers,Photos from San Diego hospitals amid COVID-19 pandemic.” Photography, Still: Photo Essay

Honorable Mention

Zoë Meyers,Healthcare worker in the midst of a pandemic.” Photography, Still: Serious Subject

Zoë Meyers,Scene from San Diego protest over police violence,” Photography, still: News

Type of Content

Behind The Story: Clarifies for the public how a story was reported.

Bella Ross was a web producer and social media specialist for inewsource, where she ran the website, social media accounts and produces newsletters. She is also a former inewsource intern. Ross holds two degrees from San Diego State University in journalism and political science, and has interned and...