KUER is pleased to share that its newsroom received 10 awards from The Society of Professional Journalists’ 2026 Top of the Rockies Awards for excellence in journalism competition, including three first place, two second place and five third place wins. The newsroom was recognized for reporting on St. George dino diggers racing to save fossils from development; vote by mail changes; county-by-county water goals; and the perils of the Russian olive on the Escalante River.
Check out the list of awards:
Science and Technology FeatureFirst Place
“These St. George dino diggers are in a race to save fossils from development”
David Condos
Podcast
First Place
State Street: “Mr. Postman, are there vote by mail changes for me?”
Caroline Ballard, Sean Higgins, Hugo Rikard-Bell, David Childs, Jim Hill
Religion Feature
First Place
“A psychedelic sacrament. A Provo police raid. What counts as a religion?”
Ciara Hulet
Social Justice Photography/Videography
Second Place
“Families say painful goodbyes to SLC's Fleet Block murals of people killed by police”
Martha Harris
Obit Writing
Third Place
“Mia Love, a former Utah congresswoman of many firsts, dies at 49”
Sean Higgins
Ag and Environment Feature
Third Place
“Saving Utah prairie dogs from the Black Death with peanut butter and flea meds”
David Condos
Multimedia Story
Third Place
“Utah has county-by-county water goals. Is your county hitting them?”
David Condos
Illustration
Third Place
“Utah @ Work”
Rakel Davis, Jim Hill
Feature Photography/Videography
Third Place
“Saving Utah prairie dogs from the Black Death with peanut butter and flea meds”
David Condos
Climate Photography/Videography
Third Place
“Utah beat back the Russian olive on the Escalante River. That progress is in peril”
David Condos
