Cardinal Points Receives State Awards

The independent weekly also received first place for best news story, written by Editor-in-Chief Matt Rosenberg. The article, titled “Campus mourns death of international student,” outlined the tragic story of a SUNY Plattsburgh international student who was struck by a tractor-trailer while riding his bike at the intersection of Route 3 and the Exit 37 ramp off I-87 in Plattsburgh.

“From the first sentence to the last, this is a sad but incredibly well-told tale,” the judge wrote. “It hits all angles, from the gone-too-soon student’s personality to the impact on his roommates and school.”

Staff photographer Jeff Carpenter received a third-place award for his photo of the Cardinals softball team celebrating a win. The judge commended the photographer’s ability to capture good expressions and a clean background.

Staff writer Kris Fiore was awarded third place for column writing, specifically for the articles “Boycott SA election to protest wasting money” and “3 simple words men avoid telling other men.”

“(He) boldly examines topics others might avoid,” the judge wrote. “(He’s) not afraid to have an opinion and rock the boat.”

For Rosenberg, these awards are a pat on the back for the hard work the staff puts in each week.

“I think it’s just further justification for the fact that I think we have the right formula here for what we do,” he said, adding that no other group can offer such in-depth coverage of the campus.

While he said the staff doesn’t need awards to know they’re good, those honors are an added bonus. They allow them to boast that their sports coverage is the best in New York and that they have a hard-hitting columnist and a top-notch photographer.

“Those are impressive things to hold onto and part of what makes us who we are,” he said.