Two BirminghamWatch writers brought home a total of seven honors at the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) Communications Contest, which took place during the organization’s national convention at Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, Maryland.

Olivia McMurrey’s award haul

Olivia McMurrey, now a staff member at public‑radio station WBHM, captured three awards for work she produced while at BirminghamWatch. She placed third in the Specialty Articles, Social Issues category for her piece “Reimagined Park to Open Nature to All on Birmingham’s East Side.” McMurrey also earned an honorable mention for two BirminghamWatch stories: one in the Continuing Coverage category for her reporting on Central Alabama Water’s Lake Purdy Dam, and another in the Arts and Entertainment category for “Federal Arts Funding Cuts Hamper Birmingham‑Area Events, Programs.”

In addition to her print accolades, McMurrey was recognized for three radio reports she produced for WBHM, receiving one second‑place and two third‑place awards for coverage of inmate issues, working conditions, and the effects of artificial intelligence. Her final award was for a collaborative story with Inside Climate News reporter Lee Hedgepeth on heat conditions in football stadiums.

Solomon Crenshaw Jr.’s sports recognition

BirminghamWatch contributor Solomon Crenshaw Jr. was honored for a feature he wrote for The Birmingham Times. Crenshaw placed third in the Specialty Articles, Sports category for his story “‘It’s All Love’: Meet the Birmingham High School teammates turned Magic City Classic rivals.”

The awards underscore the quality of reporting coming out of BirminghamWatch and its role in elevating local voices on issues ranging from community parks and arts funding to sports rivalries and public‑service journalism.

Original reporting: BirminghamWatch — read the source article.