THE INDEPENDENT NEWS
RICHMOND — The Virginia Press Association today recognized The Independent News with six awards for reporting, photography and column writing from this past year, the Virginia Beach community newspaper’s last.
VPA announced the awards this evening at the Omni Richmond Hotel during its annual conference and banquet. The Independent News, based in southern Virginia Beach, operated for nearly a decade before printing its final edition in December.
The association recognized the newspaper for its photography and commentary, feature and news writing. The Independent News, an associate VPA member, was in the specialty publication division.
“It’s bittersweet this is the last time our work will be recognized,” John-Henry Doucette, the newspaper’s former editor and publisher, said in a statement. “We’re grateful we had the chance to provide a decade of local journalism for Virginia Beach.”
Contributors honored were columnist Dr. Karen Beardslee Kwasny, writer Jim Roberts, photographer Bill Tiernan and Doucette.
“Congratulations to Karen, Jim and Bill for their achievements,” Doucette said. “Our city deserves to be covered by journalists who know the place and its people.”
Kwasny, a former Virginia Beach planning commissioner, earned a third-place award for commentary writing for a package that included columns about the comprehensive plan update and an effort to help a family of ducks cross a busy intersection.
Roberts and Doucette were recognized with a third-place award for a story and photo feature about Q-Master Billiards in Kempsville. The pool hall is regarded as the largest in the U.S.
Tiernan earned a second-place award for a photo essay on this past year’s Beach Ride, which supports the Virginia Beach Police Mounted Patrol and brings riders from near and far to Sandbridge.
Doucette earned a first-place award for a news writing portfolio that included stories about an unusually large field in the 2024 mayoral race and Dominion Energy’s acquisition of the Avangrid offshore wind project.
Doucette also received a second-place general news photo award for coverage of the Veterans Day Parade at the Oceanfront and a third-place award for continuing news coverage of local voting system changes.
The Independent News was published from rural Virginia Beach by Pungo Publishing Co., LLC, which maintains its online archive.
© 2025 Pungo Publishing Co., LLC
