The Press Club of Long Island (PCLI) honored Schneps Media’s Long Island publications with a total of 17 journalism awards for Dan’s Papers, Long Island Press (LIP), and affiliate Nassau County publications at the Inn at Fox Hollow in Woodbury on June 4. Four of those awards in the clutch were bestowed upon Fire Island News (FIN) and Great South Bay News (GSBN) for their journalism work in 2025, both in the travel and theater writing categories.
Cindi Sansone-Braff won first-place honors for her coverage of Trip to the Bountiful, which performed at St. Joseph University’s Clare Rose Playhouse in the February 2025 edition of GSBN.
“Compelling, explanatory, and historically inclusive commentary. Outstanding critical essay and theater criticism,” wrote the judges in their decision.
FIN columnist Brett Brubaker took home the second-place award in the theater arts category for his coverage of Panzi! Queen of the Pines, a collaborative project between CM Performing Arts Center in Oakdale and the Rainbow Connection, with the Arts Project of Cherry Grove.
“Well-written and interesting critique within the context of a larger issue,” the judges noted.
In the travel categories, student journalist Maryam Babar earned a second-place certificate for her informative piece, “Park Regs: Four Curious Rules When You Visit Fire Island National Seashore,” published in FIN last August. GSBN contributor Julie Goldsmith earned third place for “The Empire Pass: Your Ticket to Seasonal and Lifetime Exploration of New York State Parks.”
On the state level, FIN also won a Best Magazine Cover award from the New York Press Association (NYPA) in April, with graphic designer Leah Mitch, contributing artist Diane Keil, and company founder Victoria Schneps sharing the third-place nod.
“The artwork on this cover was the best of the artwork of all the covers that were submitted,” wrote the NYPA category judge. “It has a nice feeling to it.”
As a footnote, Dan’s NYC, a publication for which Shoshanna McCollum serves as managing editor during the winter months, also won its first three awards since its launch at the end of 2024.
Marc Horowitz won first place at PCLI and third place at NYPA in the Travel category for his feature article, “Five Overlooked Places to Explore on Long Island.” An NYPA judge wrote: ““I have never been to Long Island,” a judge wrote. “This piece made me want to visit and explore all of the places listed. It also gave me great inspiration for our own magazine here in Michigan.”
Claude Solnik, an occasional contributor to FIN & GSBN won third place with NYPA in the Business and Financial News category for his Dan’s NYC: “The Waldorf Astoria New York: NYC’s Biggest Comeback Story.”
“This well-crafted piece is rich with detail,” NYPA judges said. “The deep history is woven in nicely to the relevant story told for today’s audience.”
These awards were brought home after fierce competition against some of the finest newspapers across New York state and the Long Island region. Congratulations to all!
This article is based on original reporting by Timothy Bolger for Long Island Press and the team at Dan’s Papers.
