Awards

From the Southern Environmental Law Center:

2001 – 1st place, Phillip D. Reed Memorial Award for Outstanding Writing on the Southern Environment, for a series of stories that examined the pros and cons of turning a swampy, wooded valley in southeast Virginia into a 12.2-billion-gallon reservoir.

From the Virginia Press Association:

2000 – 1st place, News Writing Portfolio, for a collection of 10 stories that included investigative journalism, news features, profiles and breaking news stories. 2000 was the second year VPA offered this award and the second year Mr. Di Vincenzo won it.

2000 – 2nd place, In-depth/Investigative Reporting, for “Haven or Hell,” an investigative profile of a slumlord in Newport News and an exposé of the housing he offers.

1999 – 1st place, News Writing Portfolio, for a collection of 10 stories that included investigative journalism, news features, profiles and breaking news stories.

1997 – 3rd place, Series of News Stories, for a series about gangs in Newport News, Va. The police department didn’t acknowledge the city had gangs until after the series was published.

1995 – 2nd place, Combination Picture and Story, for a feature story about a principal credited with turning a dangerous, failing middle school into one of the best schools in the city.

1992 – 1st place, Spot News Writing, for a breaking news story about a passenger train that derailed in Newport News.

1992 – 2nd place, Series of News Stories, for stories about the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, a state agency that made decisions that harmed the fisheries of Chesapeake Bay. The series prompted the agency to reverse many of its decisions.

Note: Mr. Di Vincenzo competed for Virginia Press Association awards against reporters from The Washington Post, The Washington Times, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot and The Roanoke Times.