Colorado Community Media received 47 excellence in journalism awards, including 26 first-place honors and the Editorial Sweepstakes prize for the second year in a row for the Littleton Independent, one of the 18 newspapers the company publishes in the Denver metro area.

The awards were presented April 14 during the Colorado Press Association's annual convention, held this year in Colorado Springs.

CCM's newspapers competed in the press association's Colorado Better Newspaper Contest across various circulation categories for work published between Nov. 1, 2016, and Oct. 31, 2017.

"The awards are a confirmation of the quality work performed by our team of journalists, artists and advertising staff every week to help our communities stay connected," publisher Jerry Healey said.

The Independent won the sweepstakes award for its strong showing in Class 3, which encompasses mid-size weekly newspapers. The paper took home 13 awards, with six first-place finishes.

CCM garnered awards in each weekly division, ranging from the smallest circulation category of Class 1 to the largest, Class 5.

The following is a list of CCM's winning entries:

Douglas County News-Press, Class 1

Jessica Gibbs, first place: Best environmental story — “Water pipeline shrouded in secrecy”

Tom Skelley, first place: Best health enterprise/health feature story — “In health, and in sickness”

Tom Skelley, first place: Best photo essay — “Boots and bulls”

Tina Meltzer, first place: Best small space ad — “Aqua Spas"

Jessica Gibbs, second place: Best feature story — “Donahue gets back to business”

Englewood Herald, Class 1

Ellis Arnold, first place: Best feature story — “Food pantry serves changing need”

Ellis Arnold, first place: Best business news/feature story — “Chasing the culinary dream”

Ellis Arnold, first place: Best deadline news reporting — “City stops opening of arcade business”

David Gilbert, second place: Best news story — “Gun store burglaries”

Golden Transcript, Class 2

Christy Steadman, Shanna Fortier, Clarke Reader, Glenn Wallace, first place: Best series — “Homelessness in Jeffco”

Christy Steadman, first place: Best environmental story — “Air quality improving, but still not ideal”

Shanna Fortier, Christy Steadman, first place: Best sustained coverage — “Saying goodbye to Pleasant View Elementary”

Shanna Fortier, first place: Best photo slideshow or gallery — “Jeffco marching bands take the field”

Glenn Wallace, Ann Healey, Chris Rotar, first place: Best editorial writing — “Not so transparent at Jefferson County school board”

Tina Meltzer, first place: Best small space ad — “Spano's”

Shanna Fortier, second place: Best health enterprise/health feature story — “Even brain tumor could not stop mother's dedication to nourish baby”

Christy Steadman, second place: Best news story — “Perlmutter's decision not taken lightly”

Christy Steadman, second place: Best series —“Saying goodbye to Pleasant View Elementary”

Michael Alcorn, second place: Best humorous column writing

Ben Wiebesiek, second place: Best news page design — "Page 1, Oct. 12”

Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel, Class 2

Scott Taylor, first place: Best news story — “Hundreds join search for missing girl, then grieve her death”

Scott Taylor, first place: Best agriculture story — “Adams County ripe for growing communities, food and opportunity”

Littleton Independent, Class 3

Editorial Sweepstakes award

David Gilbert, first place: Best business news/feature story — “Sky-high rents”

David Gilbert, first place: Best education story — “New graduation requirements”

Jim Benton, first place: Best sports column writing — “Overtime”

Kyle Harding, first place: Best environmental story — “Geese in the parks”

Ben Wiebesiek, first place: Best feature page design — "Outdoor concerts"

Thelma Grimes, Ben Wiebesiek, Erin Franks, first place: Best advertising special section — “Senior Solutions”

Jim Benton, second place: Best sports story — “A real pain”

Tom Skelley, second place: Best health enterprise/health feature story — “Float tanks”

Tom Skelley, second place: Best story/picture combination — “Braille Challenge”

David Gilbert, second place: Best photo essay — “Day on the South Platte”

Chris Rotar, second place: Best headline writing — “Hip to be square dancing”

Erin Franks, Lisa Allison, second place: Best advertising special section — “Pedal”

Lone Tree Voice, Class 4

Alex DeWind, first place: Best health enterprise/health feature story — “Anxious times”

Alex DeWind, first place: Best news story — “Search for understanding”

Alex DeWind, first place: Best feature story — "I lost all of them"

Mike DiFerdinando, first place: Best education story — “Charter schools: A matter of course”

Jessica Gibbs, second place: Best deadline news reporting — “State trooper killed”

Craig Marshall Smith, second place: Best humorous column writing — “Quiet Desperation”

Jim Benton, second place: Best sports event story — “Valor to play familiar foe”

Scott Gilbert, second place: Best headline writing — “Filling lucky”

Jessica Gibbs, second place: Best photo essay — “Steer drive”

Ben Wiebesiek, second place: Best informational graphic — “Tale of the tape”

Arvada Press, Class 5

Shanna Fortier, second place: Best sustained coverage —"Covering hunger and homelessness in Arvada”

Parker Chronicle, Class 5

Tom Skelley, first place: Best Health Enterprise/Health Feature Story — “Doulas”