The Chicago Headline Club, the largest chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, presented the winners of its 2018 Lisagor Awards at its annual banquet tonight before nearly 250 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 veteran Chicago journalists Sheila Solomon and Nancy Stone.
A true pioneer in her field, Solomon has made it her mission to help advance the careers of journalists of color and bring more diversity to the journalism industry at large. As a senior consultant to the Democracy Fund, a position she has held since September 2016, she has examined Chicago’s journalism ecosystem in an effort to foster a more collaborative and sustainable media environment. Solomon has had a lengthy career as a reporter and editor for a variety of news outlets. From 2009 to 2012, she was cross media editor at the Chicago Tribune, serving as liaison among the properties in the Chicago Tribune Media Group. She previously spent seven years as the Tribune’s senior editor for recruitment, overseeing the newsroom’s internship and training programs and serving as a resource and liaison for the newsroom and Chicago Tribune Media Group partners.
For Stone, a picture is worth 1,000 words and the images from this photojournalist have delighted and inspired thousands of people. She began her journalism career in 1978 as a photographer at the Santa Fe Reporter in New Mexico. in 1990, after stints at the Barrington Press, the Daily Herald and the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Stone arrived at the Chicago Tribune. For the next 28 years, she roamed the city and the world for the Tribune. Some of the overseas locations she worked in were Iran and Africa and a couple of her notable achievements were photographing former President Barack Obama shortly after taking office and also chronicling the career of Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan. Equally important, Stone has worked in every neighborhood of Chicago, capturing the city in all its moods, from the morning light on the lakefront to the faces of mourners at crime scenes.
The Anne Keegan Award goes to Chicago Tribune columnist Heidi Stevens, who is known for her heartwarming stories chronicling life – both its ups and downs. One of her particularly moving columns was on her personal connections knowing deceased Chicago Police Commander Joe Bauer and his family. Commander Bauer was killed in the line duty while jumping in to chase a suspect at the state of Illinois Center. One of judges said about Heidi’s work, “Each one of Heidi’s stories blossomed before my eyes. They moved from being beautifully written small stories about common folk that ended up being large stories about the human condition filled with the kind of sorrow and hope that can’t help but move the reader.”
The 2018 Watchdog Award for Excellence in Public Interest Reporting was awarded to the staff of the Chicago Tribune for its “Betrayed” investigative series, which found that the Chicago Public Schools had failed to protect students from sexual abuse and assault. Judges praised the “detective” work by Tribune journalists to piece together information about sexual violence against students in Chicago schools from a multitude of sources that led to reforms.
“[Betrayed] reveals systematic failures, holds the powerful accountable and defends the city’s most vulnerable residents, its children,” one judge said.
Chicago Tonight correspondent Brandis Friedman served as master of ceremonies at the dinner.
The winners in more than 100 categories, including newspapers, magazines, television, radio and digital media, were:
Best All Media
Staff, Chicago Tribune, Best Deadline Reporting
Melissa Sanchez, Elliott Ramos, ProPublica Illinois, WBEZ, Best Investigative Reporting
Jodi S. Cohen, Logan Jaffe, ProPublica Illinois, Best Feature Story,
WBEZ Staff, Chicago Tribune Staff, WBEZ Chicago Public Media, Chicago Tribune, Best Feature Series
Martha Irvine, The Associated Press, Best Short Film Documentary
John R. Boehm, Stephen J. Serio, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best Photography
WBEZ, Chicago Tribune, Best Multimedia Collaboration
Scott Stantis, Chicago Tribune, Best Editorial Cartoon
Jason McGregor, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best Graphics
Nigel Buchanan, Thomas J. Linden, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best Illustration
Melissa Sanchez, Elliott Ramos, David Eads, Sandhya Kambhampati, ProPublica Illinois, WBEZ, Best Data Journalism
General Interest Daily Newspaper, News Service or Bureau
Staff, Chicago Tribune, Best Deadline Reporting
Joseph S. Pete, The Times Media Co., Best Deadline Reporting
David Jackson, Jennifer Smith Richards, Gary Marx, Juan Perez, Chicago Tribune, Best Investigative Reporting
Marni Pyke, The Daily Herald, Best Investigative Reporting
Jeremy Gorner, Annie Sweeney, Will Lee, Madeline Buckley, Rosemary Sobol, Armando Sanchez; Chicago Tribune, Best Political and Government Reporting
Isaac Guerrero, Rockford Register Star, Best Political and Government Reporting
Lauren FitzPatrick, Chicago Sun-Times, Best Education Reporting
Zak Koeske, Daily Southtown, Best Education Reporting
Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, Best Science, Health or Environment Reporting
Giles Bruce, The Times Media Co., Best Science, Health or Environment Reporting
Dahleen Glanton, Chicago Tribune, Best News Column or Commentary
Donna Vickroy, Daily Southtown, Best News Column or Commentary
Editorial Board, Chicago Sun-Times, Best Editorial Writing,
Editorial Board, The Daily Herald, Best Editorial Writing
Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Danny Ecker, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Mary Schmich, Chicago Tribune, Best Feature Story or Series
John Lampinen, The Daily Herald, Best Feature Story or Series
Steven Johnson, Chicago Tribune, Best Arts Reporting and Criticism
Dann Gire, The Daily Herald, Best Arts Reporting and Criticism
Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, Best Sports Story
Matt Trowbridge, Rockford Register Star, Best Sports Story
Rick Telander, Chicago Sun-Times, Best Sports Commentary
Mike Hutton, Post-Tribune, Best Sports Commentary
Ashlee Rezin, Chicago Sun-Times, Best News Photo
Arturo Fernandez, Rockford Register Star, Best News Photo
Erin Hooley, Chicago Tribune, Best Feature Photo
Rick West, The Daily Herald, Best Feature Photo
Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune, Best Sports Photo
Patrick Kunzer, The Daily Herald, Best Sports Photo
Bryan Barker, Chicago Sun-Times, Best Design
Neil Holdway, The Daily Herald, Best Design
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz, Chicago Tribune, Best Technology Reporting
Staff, Chicago Tribune, General Excellence in Print Journalism
Non-Daily Newspaper, Magazine, or Newspaper Magazine Section
Karen Cullotta, Stacey Wescott, Raquel Zaldivar, Chicago Tribune, Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune’s webpages, Best In-Depth Reporting in a General-Interest Publication – Magazine or Magazine Section
Alexandra Kukulka, Glenview Announcements, Best in-Depth Reporting in A Community Newspaper
Kristen Schorsch, Manuel Martinez, Jason Mcgregor, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best in-Depth Reporting in A Business Magazine or Newspaper
Greg Hinz, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best News Column or Commentary
Ann Dwyer, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best Editorial Writing
Matt Robinson, Bryan Gruley, Bloomberg Businessweek, Best Business Reporting
Monte Reel, Bloomberg Businessweek, Best Feature Story
Staff, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best Feature Series
Kristen Schorsch, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best Non-Deadline Reporting in Newspaper or Magazine
Nacha Cattan, Monte Reel, Bloomberg Businessweek, Best Political Reporting in Newspaper or Magazine
Lynne Marek, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best Education Reporting in Newspaper or Magazine
Jeff Huebner, Chicago Reader, Best Arts Reporting and Criticism
Sal Barry, The Hockey News, Best Sports Story, Pat Nabong, City Bureau/Chicago Reader, Best Photography
Karen Freese, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best Design
Sara Wadford, Aba Journal, Best Illustration
Staff, Crain’s Chicago Business, General Excellence in Print Journalism
Broadcast: Radio
Staff, WBBM Newsradio 780 and 105.9 FM, Best Breaking News Story
WBEZ Education and Digital Staff, WBEZ, Best In-Depth News Story or Series
Michael Puente, WBEZ, Best Reporter
Staff, Chicago Public Square , Best Newscast
Richard Steele, Bill Healy, Sofi Lalonde, Cate Cahan, WBEZ, Best Feature Reporting
WBEZ Chicago Public Media, Chicago Tribune, Best Public Affairs Programming
David Schaper, National Public Radio (NPR), Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Lakeidra Chavis, Rob Wildeboer, WBEZ, Best Health or Science Reporting
Ryan Burrow, WGN Radio, Best Sports Story
Broadcast: Television
Natalie Bomke, D Gresham, Mike Wojcik, WFLD-TV Fox 32, Best Health or Science Reporting
Jeremy Ross, Don Stanke, WBBM-TV2, Best Sports Story/Single News Story or Feature
Nicole Cardos, WTTW, Best News Specialty/Arts/Culture/Entertainment News – Feature or Series
Kane Farabaugh, Voice of America TV, Best News Specialty/Business/Consumer News – Feature or Series
Brandis Friedman, WTTW, Best News Specialty/Education/Schools News
Doug Wolfe, Andy Barker, WAND TV, Best News Specialty/Environment News
Jeremy Ross, WBBM-TV2, Best News Specialty/Weather News
Tonya Francisco, Brad Piper, WGN-TV, Best News Specialty/Health/Science News
Jesse Kirsch, Jennifer Hoppenstedt, ABC 7 Chicago, Best News Specialty/Human Interest
Kane Farabaugh, Roger Amm, Jon Kassell, Randy Gaulke, David Mumper, Christopher Mcdonald, WTVP-TV, Best In-Depth News Story or Series
Phil Rogers, Casey Toner, Katy Smyser, NBC5 Chicago/Better Government Association, Best News Specialty/Crime News
Nick Blumberg, Paris Schutz, Amanda Vinicky, WTTW, Best News Specialty/Politics/Government News
Kane Farabaugh, Voice of America TV, Best News Specialty/Religious
Kane Farabaugh, Voice of America TV, Best Video Journalist
Roz Varon, WLS-TV, Best On-Camera Talent
Martha Irvine, The Associated Press, Best Feature News Report
Roz Varon, Paul Laschinski, James Mcintyre, Paul Martinez, WLS-TV, Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Specialty/Trade
Diana Novak Jones, Law360, Best Deadline Report
Kari Lydersen, Energy News Network, Best in-Depth Report or Series
Timothy P. O’Neill, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Best Commentary
Mario Parker, Shruti Singh, Isis Almeida, Bloomberg News, Best Business or Consumer Reporting
David Thomas, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Best Feature Story or Series
Rebecca Lomax, American Libraries, Best Design
Online
Chicagotribune.com, Best Online Multimedia Feature Presentation
Chicagobusiness.com, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best Online News Web Site
MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, Best Individual Blog Post – Independent
Mick Dumke, PoliticIL Insider, Propublica.org/Illinois, Best Individual Blog Post – Affiliated
Michael Gebert, Chicago Food Stories, Fooditor.com, Best Continuing Blog – Independent
Mick Dumke, Politicil Insider, Propublica.org/Illinois, Best Continuing Blog – Affiliated
Staff, Chicagotribune.com, Best Online Breaking News Story,
Steven Dahlman, Loopnorth.com, Loop North News, Best Online Neighborhood/Community News
La Risa Lynch, Chicagoreporter.com, Best Online Business or Consumer Reporting
Nissa Rhee, Chicago magazine, Best Online Feature Story or Series
David Jackson, Jennifer Smith Richards, Gary Marx, Juan Perez, Jonathon Berlin, Brian Cassella, Chicagotribune.com, Best Online Investigative/Public Service Reporting
E. Jason Wambsgans, Chicagotribune.com, Best Online Use of News Video
Chris Walker, Chicagotribune.com, Best Online Use of Features Video
Madison Hopkins, Patrick Judge, Bettergovernment.org, Better Government Association, Best Online Use of Digital Technology, Cassie Walker Burke, Adeshina Emmanuel, Yana Kunichoff, Sharon Noguchi, Chalkbeat.org, Chalkbeat Chicago, Best Online Start-Up
Sebastian Hidalgo, Bettergovernment.org, WBEZ.org, Best Online Photo
Staff, 16 Shots, WBEZ.org, Chicagotribune.com, Best New Podcast
Jesse Betend, Rivet, Stitcher.com, Best Podcast
Kalyn Belsha, Bill Healy, Chicagoreporter.com, Best Podcast Single Episode
Staff, Chicagotribune.com, Best Online Deadline Reporting
Kristen Schorsch, Manuel Martinez, Jason McGregor, Chicagobusiness.com, Crain’s Chicago Business, Best Online Non-Deadline Reporting
Annie Sweeney, Jeremy Gorner, Madeline Buckley, William Lee, Chicagotribune.com, Best Series – Non-Deadline Online Reporting
Staff, Chicagoreporter.com, General Excellence in Online Journalism