The Mid Hudson Times has earned national recognition for its editorial writing, winning first place for Best Editorial in the 2026 Better Newspaper Editorial Contest conducted by the National Newspaper Association Foundation.

The winning editorial, “When Children Kill Children: A Community’s Reckoning,” was written by Editor Carl Aiello and published Oct. 16, 2025, in the wake of the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old Newburgh student by a 13-year-old.

The award is particularly meaningful because the editorial addressed a tragedy in the newspaper’s own community and challenged local residents to confront difficult questions about gun safety, youth violence and the responsibilities of adults.

“Matthew deserved better. The 13-year-old facing murder charges deserved better. Every child in Newburgh deserves better,” Aiello wrote in the editorial. “The question is: Are we finally ready to give it to them?”

The National Newspaper Association Foundation judge praised the editorial for addressing the tragedy directly while remaining focused and concise.

“Outstanding editorial in the wake of a student shooting and killing another student in an act of revenge,” the judge wrote. “Well written, not overly long, but says what it needs to say. Well done!”

The Mid Hudson Times was one of 93 newspapers from 32 states participating in this year’s Better Newspaper contests. Newspapers submitted 1,798 entries — 1,552 in the editorial contest and 246 in the advertising contest.

In the winning editorial, Aiello argued that the community’s response to the shooting needed to extend beyond the criminal justice system.

“How did a 13-year-old obtain a firearm? Where were the adults? What failures in our homes, our community, and our systems allowed children to settle disputes with bullets instead of words?” he wrote.

The editorial called on gun owners to secure firearms, urged greater intervention and mentoring for young people, and stressed the importance of parents and other adults being actively involved in children’s lives.

It also cautioned against placing the responsibility for preventing youth violence solely on schools.

“Schools cannot be expected to fix what begins in homes and communities,” Aiello wrote.

The editorial concluded with a challenge to the community: “Only we can prevent the next tragedy. Only we can decide that enough is enough.”

The national award was presented during the National Newspaper Association Foundation’s 140th Annual Convention & Trade Show in Detroit. Winners were recognized at an awards ceremony Sept. 18.

For the Mid Hudson Times, the award represents recognition not only of the editorial itself but of the newspaper’s longstanding commitment to covering and commenting on the issues affecting the Newburgh community.

The Mid Hudson Times has been covering Newburgh and the surrounding area since 1989 and is part of the Hudson Valley Times Media Group, a locally owned group of five weekly newspapers serving the Hudson and Wallkill valleys.