The Richmond Free Press has added to its long tradition of excellence, with multiple staff members recognized in the 2024 Virginia Press Association News & Advertising Contest. 

The awards spanned writing, photography and advertising categories in the Non-Daily Group 4 division. 

April Coleman led the winners with three awards, including top honors in Entertainment coverage and Small Space Ads. Photographers Brian Palmer and Sandra Sellars each received two awards, with Palmer recognized for his portrait and sports photography and Sellars for her striking pictorial work.

Managing Editor Craig Belcher, awarded for Editorial Writing, credited the newsroom’s dedication. “These honors reflect our team’s commitment to serving Richmond with quality journalism,” he said. “We’re proud to continue this tradition.”

Additional winners included Julianne Tripp Hillian for Feature Photography, James Haskins for Sports News Photography and Regina H. Boone for Pictorial Photography. Founded in 1992, the Free Press has now earned more than 300 awards for journalism and advertising excellence.