FreshWater Cleveland is proud to be recognized by the Press Club of Cleveland in its 2025 All-Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards, which celebrate the best reporting across the state with an Ohio connection.

Three of FreshWater’s writers will be honored this year: managing editor Karin Connelly Rice, community relations manager and writer Rebecca Cahill, and contributing editor Grant Segall.

Each of their award-winning stories embodies FreshWater’s mission to highlight the good in Cleveland, covering local food, outdoor recreation, social impact, and community resilience.

Rice will be recognized in the neighborhood/community news category for her feature story, “From dinner table to community lifeline: The Steak Club Foundation’s mission to end food insecurity,” which explores how a casual dinner and networking group evolved into a nonprofit tackling hunger and community needs in Northeast Ohio.

Cahill will receive recognition in the food/restaurant categorySegall will be honored in the race and diversity category for “Bridging the nature gap: Empowering urban youth with outdoor experiences,” a feature on local organizations working to connect minority youth to the outdoors.

Cahill will receive recognition in the food/restaurant category for “Smoking hot: Proof Barbecue’s resilient journey to Ohio City,” which follows how one restaurant’s dream endured the pandemic and found new life in a new neighborhood.

“I'm thrilled to see our team's work celebrated once again by the Press Club,” says Rice. “This recognition is a real testament to our wonderful writers—they connect, they listen, and they tell stories that matter to Cleveland.”

Winners will learn their final placements in their respective categories during the awards ceremony on Friday, June 6, at the House of Blues.