The Chicago Headline Club, the largest Society of Professional Journalists chapter in the country, presented the winners of its 2017 Lisagor Awards at its annual awards dinner May 11 before nearly 300 people at the Union League Club of Chicago. The awards recognize the best of Chicago journalism and are named for Peter Lisagor, the Chicago Daily News’ Washington bureau chief from 1959 to 1976.
The Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to three legendary Chicago reporters for their undercover work to break the famous Mirage Tavern investigative series in 1978. Pam Zekman and Zay Smith, who were reporters for the Sun-Times, and Bill Recktenwald, who was chief investigator for the Better Government Association, worked together in this 25-part series where the Sun-Times bought a dive bar at 731 N. Wells St. in order to expose the misconduct of city inspectors on the take.
The Anne Keegan Award goes this year to WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos for three feature stories he wrote last year for the Chicago Sun-Times. The Keegan award is presented each year to a journalist who tells stories of ordinary people in extraordinarily well-reported and well-written prose, giving voice to the voiceless. The multifaceted Mihalopoulos, an investigative reporter and political columnist for the Sun-Times, was chosen by the Keegan committee primarily for his story about an undocumented Mexican woman who’d lived most of her life in the Chicago area and whose children were all American citizens, but who’d been denied the transplant that might save her life because she lacked a valid Social Security number.
The 2017 Watchdog Award for Excellence in Public Interest Reporting went to Jason Grotto, Sandhya Kambhampati and Ray Long for “The Tax Divide,” a series launched in the Chicago Tribune and continued in partnership with ProPublica Illinois. This detailed, data-driven investigative project provided a detailed and comprehensive investigation into how the flawed property tax system in Cook County benefits the powerful and rich while taking advantage of the poor. Continued coverage and exposure eventually led to the ouster of the Cook County assessor on election primary day in March 2018.
One judge remarked: “The sophistication of the work was beyond impressive. The findings really speak to the Watchdog Award’s purpose of highlighting disparities in public services. And the project is a strong testament to the power of partnerships, from the multiple media organizations that had a hand to the work with experts who helped validate the reporting. This project is a clinic in how to tackle stories about complex systems.”
Teri Arvesu, vice president of news and content at Univision Chicago Local Media, served as master of ceremonies at the dinner.
The winners in 115 categories, including newspapers, magazines, television, radio and digital media, were:
General Interest Daily Newspaper, News Service or Bureau
Best Deadline Reporting, circulation more than 100,000
Karen Ann Cullotta, Chicago Tribune
Best Deadline Reporting, circulation less than 100,000
Staff, Daily Herald
Best Investigative Reporting, circulation more than 100,000
Jason Grotto, Sandhya Kambhampati, Ray Long, Chicago Tribune and Propublica Illinois
Best Investigative Reporting, circulation less than 100,000
Corina Curry, Rockford Register Star
Best Political and Government Reporting, circulation more than 100,000
Patricia Callahan, Chicago Tribune
Best Political and Government Reporting, circulation less than 100,000
Giles Bruce, The Times of Northwest Indiana
Best Education Reporting, circulation more than 100,000
Juan Perez Jr., Diane Rado, Jennifer Smith Richards, John Keilman, Chicago Tribune
Best Education Reporting, circulation less than 100,000
Corina Curry, Rockford Register Star
Best Science, Health or Environment Reporting, circulation more than 100,000
Patricia Callahan, Chicago Tribune
Best Science, Health or Environment Reporting, circulation less than 100,000
Giles Bruce, The Times of Northwest Indiana
Best News Column or Commentary, circulation more than 100,000
Mark Brown, Chicago Sun-Times
Best News Column or Commentary, circulation less than 100,000
Jerry Davich, The Post-Tribune
Best Editorial Writing, circulation more than 100,000
Marie Dillon, Chicago Tribune
Best Editorial Writing, circulation less than 100,000
Editorial Board, Daily Herald
Best Business or Consumer Reporting, circulation more than 100,000
Tim Novak, Chicago Sun-Times
Best Business or Consumer Reporting, circulation less than 100,000
Chris Placek, Tim Broderick, Lauren Rohr, Joe Lewnard, Marco Ortiz, Anna Marie Kukec, Daily Herald
Best Feature Story or Series, circulation more than 100,000
Sharon Cohen, Adam Geller, Mike Householder, The Associated Press
Best Feature Story or Series, circulation less than 100,000
Burt Constable, Daily Herald
Best Arts Reporting and Criticism, circulation more than 100,000
Stefano Esposito, Chicago Sun-Times
Best Arts Reporting and Criticism, circulation less than 100,000
Joseph S. Pete, The Times of Northwest Indiana
Best Sports Story, circulation more than 100,000
Teddy Greenstein, Chicago Tribune
Best Sports Story, circulation less than 100,000
Paul Oren, The Times of Northwest Indiana
Best Sports Commentary, circulation more than 100,000
Rick Telander, Chicago Sun-Times
Best Sports Commentary, circulation less than 100,000
Mike Hutton, The Post-Tribune
Best News Photo, circulation more than 100,000
Staff, Chicago Tribune
Best News Photo, circulation less than 100,000
John Starks, Daily Herald
Best Feature Photo, circulation more than 100,000
Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago Tribune
Best Feature Photo, circulation less than 100,000
Kale Wilk, The Times of Northwest Indiana
Best Sports Photo, circulation more than 100,000
Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune
Best Sports Photo, circulation less than 100,000
John Starks, Daily Herald
Best Design, circulation more than 100,000
Eric White, Chicago Sun-Times
Best Design, circulation less than 100,000
Neil Holdway, Daily Herald
Best Technology reporting, circulation more than 100,000
Becky Yerak, Chicago Tribune
General Excellence in Print Journalism
Staff, Chicago Tribune
Non-Daily Newspaper, Magazine, or Newspaper Magazine Section
Best In-depth Reporting in a General-Interest Publication, Magazine or Magazine Section
Rebecca Burns, Robin Amer, Sarah Blustain, Chicago Reader in partnership with The Investigative Fund
Best In-depth Reporting in a Community Newspaper
Karen Ann Cullotta, Pioneer Press
Best In-depth Reporting in a Business Magazine or Newspaper
David Kidwell, Better Government Association/Crain’s Chicago Business
Best News Column or Commentary
Andy Shaw, Better Government Association
Best Editorial Writing
Douglas Wertheimer, Chicago Jewish Star
Best Business Reporting
Monte Reel, Kae Inoue, John Lippert, Jie Ma, Ania Nussbaum, Bloomberg
Best Feature Story
Maya Dukmasova, Chicago Reader
Best Non-deadline Reporting in Newspaper or Magazine
Monte Reel, Bloomberg
Best Political Reporting in Newspaper or Magazine
Monte Reel, Bloomberg
Best Education Reporting in Newspaper or Magazine
Yana Kunichoff and City Bureau, Chicago Reader
Best Arts Reporting and Criticism
J.R. Jones, Chicago Reader
Best Sports Story
David Himmel, Chicagoly
Best Photography
Alyssa Schukar, Chicago Reader
Best Design
Jason McGregor, Crain’s Chicago Business
Best Illustration
Brenan Sharp, ABA Journal
General Excellence in Print Journalism
Joe Coughlin, Vasilis Papadrosos, Chicagoly
Broadcast: Television
Best Spot News Story
NBC 5 Morning Team, NBC 5 Chicago WMAQ-TV
Best In-depth News Story or Series
Martha Irvine, The Associated Press
Best Investigative Report
Staff, NBC 5 Chicago WMAQ-TV
Best On Camera Talent
Jeremy Ross, CBS 2 Chicago WBBM-TV
Best Newscast
NBC5 10 p.m. News Team, NBC 5 Chicago WMAQ-TV
Best Feature News Report
Roz Varon, Richard Hillengas, Joseph Imbragno, James Mastri, Mariko Charvat, Irit Nayden,
ABC7 Chicago WLS-TV
Best Public Affairs Programming
Staff, The Medill Justice Project
Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Lisa Parker, Robin Green, Kelly Norris, Ron Zachara,
NBC 5 Chicago WMAQ-TV
Best Health or Science Reporting
Doug Wolfe, Morgan Schaab, Andy Barker, WAND-TV
Best News Specialty/Arts/Culture/Entertainment News – Feature or Series
Daniel Andries, Liz Reeves, Tom Orland, Kaitlynn Scannell, Dan Soles, WTTW
Best News Specialty/Business/Consumer News – Feature or Series
Doug Wolfe, Andy Barker, WAND-TV
Best News Specialty/Crime News
Marion Brooks, Rich Moy, Julie Martinez, Matt Love, NBC 5 Chicago – WMAQ-TV
Best News Specialty/Education/Schools News
Tasha Ransom, Larry Yellen, D. Gresham, FOX 32
Best News Specialty/Environment News
Doug Wolfe, Andy Barker, WAND-TV
Best News Specialty/Health/Science News
Roz Varon, Joseph Imbrogno, Irit Nayden, ABC7 Chicago WLS-TV
Best News Specialty/Human interest
Staff, NBC 5 Chicago WMAQ-TV
Best News Specialty/Politics/Government News
Doug Wolfe, Andy Barker, WAND-TV
Best News Specialty/Religious
Leah Hope, Jim Mastri, ABC7 Chicago WLS-TV
Best Video Journalist
Martha Irvine, The Associated Press
Broadcast: Radio
Best In-depth News Story or Series
Sarah Karp, Kate Grossman, WBEZ
Best Investigative Reporting
Tony Arnold, Dave Mckinney, Alex Keefe, Michael Lansu, Andrew Gill, Paula Friedrich, WBEZ
Best Reporter
Miles Bryan, WBEZ
Best Feature Reporting
Linda Paul, Richard Cahan, Ken Davis, WBEZ
Best Public Affairs Programming
Linda Paul, Richard Cahan, Ken Davis, WBEZ
Best Health or Science Reporting
Shannon Heffernan, Cate Cahan,WBEZ
Best Sports Story
Susie An, Kate Grossman, WBEZ
Specialty/Trade
Best Deadline Report
Julie Johnsson, Mary Schlangenstein, Benjamin D. Katz, Bloomberg
Best In-depth Report or Series
Mario Parker, Jennifer Dlouhy, Zachary Mider, Ari Natter, Miles Weiss, Bloomberg
Best Commentary
Merrill Goozner, Modern Healthcare
Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Megan Durisin, Shruti Singh, Bloomberg
Best Feature Story or Series
Kevin Davis, ABA Journal
Best Design
Jennifer Jenkins, Chicago Lawyer
Online
Best Multimedia Feature Presentation
Jodi Cohen, Jennifer Smith Richards, David Eads, Lucas Waldron, propublica.org, chicagotribune.com
Best News Website
Staff, chicagotribune.com
Best Individual Blog Post, independent
Evan F. Moore, chicagoist.com
Best Individual Blog Post, affiliated
Armando L. Sanchez, chicagotribune.com
Best Continuing Blog, independent
Bob Chiarito, Connor Carynski, thechicagoambassador.com
Best Continuing Blog, affiliated
Armando L. Sanchez, chicagotribune.com
Best Deadline Reporting
Elvia Malagon, Jeremy Gorner, Megan Crepeau, chicagotribune.com
Best Non-deadline Reporting
Sharon Cohen, Adam Geller, Mike Householder, ap.org
Best Series, Non-deadline Reporting
Rick Telander, chicago.suntimes.com
Best Breaking News Story
Elyssa Cherney, Jeremy Gorner, Rosemary Sobol, chicagotribune,com
Best Neighborhood/Community News Website
Steven Dahlman, loopnorth.com
Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Melissa Sanchez, Matt Kiefer, chicagoreporter.com
Best Feature Story or Series
Mari Cohen, injusticewatch.org
Best Investigative/Public Service Reporting
Laird Townsend, Brant Houston, Pam Dempsey, Johnathan Hettinger And Staff, Midwest Center For Investigative Reporting, investigatemidwest.org
Best Use of News Video
Erin Hooley, chicagotribune.com
Best Use of Features Video
Dan Protess, WTTW
Best Use of Digital Technology
Jason McGregor, Crain’s Chicago Business
Best Start-Up
Nissa Rhee, Alex Hernandez, Sarah Conway, Daniel Rowell, 90days90voices.com
General Excellence in Online Journalism
Staff, chicagotribune.com
Best Photo
Brian O’mahoney, chicagotribune.com
Best New Podcast
Jesse Betend, RIVET
Best Podcast
The Mincing Rascals
John Williams, Steve Bertrand, Kirsten Mcqueary, Scott Stantis, Eric Zorn, Elif Geris
Best Podcast Single Episode
Jesse Betend, RIVET
Best All Media
Best Deadline Reporting
Heather Schroering, Peter Nickeas, Jeremy Gorner, Gregory Pratt, Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas, Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune
Best Investigative Reporting
Patricia Callahan, Chicago Tribune
Best Feature Story
Peter Nickeas, E. Jason Wambsgans, Mary Schmich, Chicago Tribune
Best Feature Series
Claire Galofaro, Martha Irvine, David Goldman, Angeliki Kastanis,
The Associated Press
Best Short Film Documentary
Staff, The Medill Justice Project
Best Photography
Sebastian Hidalgo, City Bureau
Best Multimedia Collaboration
Jodi Cohen, Jennifer Smith Richards, David Eads, Propublica Illinois and Chicago Tribune
Best Editorial Cartoon
Scott Stantis, Chicago Tribune
Best Graphics
Jason Mcgregor, Dennis Rodkin, Danielle Braff, Crain’s Chicago Business
Best Illustration
Staff, Better Government Association
Best Data Journalism
Ted Gregory, Cecilia Reyes, Patrick M. O’connell, Angela Caputo, Chicago Tribune