ChicoSol wins ‘Community Focus’ award First-place award from CNPA recognizes coverage of gender-identity lawsuit

photo by Leslie Layton
A mom at a 2023 meeting of CUSD’s Board of Education.

posted July 15

ChicoSol has been awarded a first place in the prestigious Community Focus category in the statewide newspaper contest run by California News Publishers Association (CNPA).

The award, announced July 14, recognizes the stories last year by Natalie Hanson and Leslie Layton on the gender identity lawsuit that was filed against Chico Unified School District by a local mom.

ChicoSol competed for the first place with the Bay Area Reporter, the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Santa Barbara Independent and the San Francisco Chronicle, all of whom were named as finalists in May. A judge wrote that our coverage of the lawsuit produced a “strong series that shows how a community paper can be fair – and still expose bigotry and transphobia and offer the true facts.” read more

ChicoSol a finalist in five award categories Announcement reflects recognition for community focus and investigative reporting

photo by Leslie Layton
Several rows in the Marigold Elementary gym were occupied by protesting parents during a school board discussion on gender identity.

by staff
posted May 29

ChicoSol has been named a finalist in five categories in the prestigious annual journalism competition run by the California News Publishers Association (CNPA) for its 2023 coverage.

CNPA announced today that ChicoSol’s Natalie Hanson and Leslie Layton are finalists in the special Community Focus category across all divisions, placing this publication in competition with the San Francisco Chronicle, Bay Area Reporter, Santa Barbara Independent, and the San Diego Union-Tribune. read more