The Chicago Headline Club congratulates all the winners of the 49th annual Peter Lisagor Awards for exemplary journalism.
The awards were handed out May 8, 2026 at a gathering of more than 200 members of the local media community. The entries were judged by an impartial Society of Professional Journalists chapter outside Illinois.
Winners: If you weren’t able to attend the event to pick up your award please email the Headline Club at peterlisagorawards@gmail.com. If you would like to order additional award plaques, please fill out this form and send payment by Friday, May 22. Late orders will not be accommodated.
Anne Keegan Award
Andrew Carter, The Chicago Tribune
Best Design & Visuals
Best News Photo:
“Reverend Black in Broadview”; Ashlee Rezin; Chicago Public Media
Best Feature Photo:
“Congerville farmer Henry Brockman”; Pat Nabong; Chicago Public Media, Chicago Sun-Times
Best Sports Photo:
“Head Over Heels”; Armando L. Sanchez; Chicago Tribune
Best Illustration or graphic:
“WTTW News Explains”; Justin Younger, Natalie Younger, Greg Bodfish, Alex Blanchette; WTTW
Best design in a print publication:
“Our American Pope”; Elio Leturia, Elena Cronick, Steve Krason; Extension Magazine
Best digital design:
“Jason McGregor digital designs”; Jason McGregor; Crain’s Chicago Business
Best use of feature video:
“Touring Chicago’s Lakefront with Geoffrey Baer”; Geoffrey Baer, Michael West, Brendan Brown, Joe Winston, Brendan Walsh, Shelley Spencer; WTTW
Best Use of News Video:
“Large Warehouse Fire”; Diane Pathieu, Tyra Whitney, Tracy Butler, Terrell Brown, Val Warner, Colin Evans, Tanja Babich, Christian Piekos; WLS-TV ABC CHANNEL 7
Best use of data visualization:
“Crain’s Forum Data Visualizations”; Jason McGregor, Judith Crown, Steve Hendershot, Cassandra West; Crain’s Chicago Business
Best multimedia feature presentation:
“Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City”; Block Club Staff; Block Club Chicago
Best social or short form video:
“Chicago Stories | Architecture Gems: The Marshall Field and Company Building”; Sean Keenehan, Wayne Kumingo, Tim Boyd, Maureen Waller, Anne Gleason, Anna Gardner, Meredith Francis, Heidi Zersen; WTTW
Best headline from a print/online publication:
“Ragweed vs. Goldenrod: One of Them Makes You Sneeze, the Other is the Bee’s Knees”; Patty Wetli; WTTW
Commentary + Presentation
Best Column or Editorial From a Small Print/Online Publication:
“Crain’s Editorials”; Ann Dwyer; Crain’s Chicago Business
Best Column or Editorial From a Large Print/Online Publication:
“Neil Steinberg”; Neil Steinberg; Chicago Public Media, Chicago Sun-Times
Best Sports Commentary:
“Column: White Sox embracing their newest superfan, Pope Leo XIV — while trolling the Cubs”; Paul Sullivan; Chicago Tribune
Best Featured Reporter or Host:
“Kane Farabaugh Reports — A Presidential Farewell”; Kane Farabaugh; VOA
Best Email Newsletter:
“Injustice Watch weekly newsletter”; Maggie Sivit; Injustice Watch
Best Podcast:
“Heat List”; James Edwards, Matt Stroud, Erisa Apantaku, Philippa Geering, Krish Dineshkumar, Alex Portfelix, Rachel Byrne, N’Jeri Eaton; Wondery, Vespucci
Best Food or Restaurant Coverage:
“A tale of two wormwoods”; Micco Caporale, Taryn McFadden; Chicago Reader
Best Music Coverage:
“Selena Fragassi”; Selena Fragassi; Chicago Public Media, Chicago Sun-Times
Best Theater or Literary Coverage:
“Anne Spiselman Theater Criticism”; Anne Spiselman; Hyde Park Herald
Best Coverage by Subject
Best Health Reporting Single Story/Episode
Small Print/Online: “Policing the Vulnerable”; Josh McGhee, Kari Lydersen, Dana Brozost-Kelleher, Isabelle Senechal, Rachel Heimann Mercader, Claire Murphy, Maggie Dougherty, Skye Garcia; South Side Weekly, MindSite News, Medill Investigative-Lab Chicago, Invisible Institute
Large Print/Online: “Hospitals and guardianship”; Emily Hoerner, Christy Gutowski, Lisa Schencker; Chicago Tribune
Audio: “Kristen Schorsch”; Kristen Schorsch; Chicago Public Media
Video: “Northwestern University Lab Helps Shape the Future of Medical Monitoring”; Paul Caine; WTTW
Best Deadline Reporting
Small Print/Online: “Lake County immigration enforcement”; Steve Sadin; Lake County News-Sun
Large Print/Online: “Chicago’s Robert Prevost becomes Pope Leo XIV”; Staff of the Chicago Tribune; Chicago Tribune
Audio: “Longtime Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin won’t seek reelection”; Dave McKinney; Chicago Public Media, WBEZ Chicago
Best Community Reporting
Small Print/Online: “Jobs. Block Clubs. Investment: How Chicagoans are Interrupting Violence at its Roots”; Jim Daley; Illinois Answers Project & South Side Weekly
Large Print/Online: “Chicago Death Gap”; Kristen Schorsch; Chicago Public Media
Audio: “The Rink”; Somer Van Benton; Chicago Public Media, WBEZ Chicago
Video: “The State of Our City: A WTTW News Town Hall”; Brandis Friedman, Shelby Hawkins, Crystin Immel, Jay Smith; WTTW
Student: “DePaul students attend mass at ICE facility to stand with immigrants”; Isabella Siemaszko, Sofia Joseph; La DePaulia and The DePaulia
Best Reporting on Environment/Climate Change
Small Print/Online: “Chicago winters reset the thermostat on what is normal”; Steve Hendershot, Cassandra West; Crain’s Chicago Business
Large Print/Online: “Cash crops, hidden costs”; Karina Atkins; Chicago Tribune
Audio: “The bird flu epidemic is taking the lives of a majestic Northern Indiana bird”; Michael Puente; WBEZ
Best Reporting on Political and Government Reporting
Small Print/Online: “Policing the Vulnerable”; Josh McGhee, Kari Lydersen, Dana Brozost-Kelleher, Isabelle Senechal, Rachel Heimann Mercader, Claire Murphy, Maggie Dougherty, Skye Garcia; South Side Weekly, MindSite News, Medill Investigative-Lab Chicago, Invisible Institute
Large Print/Online: “Chicago property tax series”; A.D. Quig, Alex Nitkin; Chicago Tribune, Illinois Answers Project
Audio: “Behind the scenes at Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s congressional grilling”; Mariah Woelfel; Chicago Public Media, WBEZ Chicago
Video: “A Presidential Farewell — 39: The Life and Legacy of Jimmy Carter”; Kane Farabaugh; VOA
Student: “Illinois quietly increases cost of online betting, and Chicago may be next”; Peter Jurich, Anna Barth, Jeremy Battle, Laine Wyatt, Riley Sommers; NBC 5 Chicago News
Best Arts and Entertainment Reporting
Small Print/Online: “Theater features”; Mary Wisniewski; Newcity
Large Print/Online: “Route 66”; Jonathan Bullington, E. Jason Wambsgans; Chicago Tribune
Audio: “Did the ‘We See You, White American Theater’ movement spark change in Chicago?”; Mike Davis; Chicago Public Media, WBEZ Chicago
Video: “Chicago Stories: Iconic Foods”; Daniel Andries, Monica Eng, Bianca Lozano, Brian Clark, Tim Boyd, Anthony Fleming III, Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer; WTTW
Student: “Aguijón Theater: Thirty-five years stinging Chicago’s conscience”; Sofía Oyarzún; Univision
Best Sports Reporting
Small Print/Online: “Young cowboy mounts comeback at Broken Arrow rodeo”; Marc Monaghan; Hyde Park Herald
Large Print/Online: “NIL at U. of I.”; Stacy St. Clair, Jodi S. Cohen; Chicago Tribune, ProPublica
Audio: “Pacers fans in Bulls country gear up for the NBA Finals — ‘They better win!’”; Michael Puente; WBEZ
Video: “Ethan’s Home Team”; Deron Molen, Erika Ahola, Jake Bedell; WAND News
Student: “Illinois quietly increases cost of online betting, and Chicago may be next”; Peter Jurich, Anna Barth, Jeremy Battle, Laine Wyatt, Riley Sommers; NBC 5 Chicago News
Best Reporting on Race and Diversity
Small Print/Online: “Illinois is the last state to unlawfully strip wealth from homeowners caught in tax foreclosure”; Emeline Posner, Carlos Ballesteros, Maia McDonald, Tatiana Walk-Morris, Kristen Axtman; Investigative Project on Race and Equity and Injustice Watch
Large Print/Online: “Racial profiling during Operation Midway Blitz”; Laura Rodríguez Presa, Gregory Royal Pratt, Andrew Carter, Caroline Kubzansky; Chicago Tribune
Audio: “‘Friendship set to music’: Curious City goes square dancing on the South Side”; Erin Allen, Justin Bull; Chicago Public Media, WBEZ Chicago
Video: “Chicago Tonight: SNAP Benefit Cuts”; Brandis Friedman, Nick Blumberg, Bridgette Adu-Wadier, Shelby Hawkins, Crystin Immel; WTTW
Student: “At Illinois public universities, campus cops pull over Black drivers at higher rates”; Maia McDonald, Nicole Jeanine Johnson, Khadija Ahmed, Isabelle Senechal, Amilia Estrada; Investigative Project on Race and Equity, Chicago Public Media, WBEZ, Chicago Sun-Times, CU-CitizenAccess, Saluki Local Reporting Lab and The Daily Egyptian
Best Science and Technology Reporting
Small Print/Online: “Patty Wetli on Science and Nature”; Patty Wetli; WTTW
Large Print/Online: “The raw milk trend”; Angie Leventis Lourgos; Chicago Tribune
Audio: “Heat List”; James Edwards, Matt Stroud, Erisa Apantaku, Philippa Geering, Krish Dineshkumar, Alex Portfelix, Rachel Byrne, N’Jeri Eaton; Wondery, Vespucci
Video: “Northwestern University Lab Helps Shape the Future of Medical Monitoring”; Paul Caine; WTTW
Best Investigative Reporting
Small Print/Online: “Chicago Under Siege: Block Club’s Midway Blitz Coverage”; Block Club Staff; Block Club Chicago
Large Print/Online: “Hospitals and guardianship”; Emily Hoerner, Christy Gutowski, Lisa Schencker; Chicago Tribune
Audio: “CPS Staffer suspended after party shooting”; Sylvia Snowden; WGN Radio
Video: “Women – The Forgotten Veterans”; Doug Wolfe, Andy Barker, Erika Ahola; WAND TV
Student: “‘Heartbreaking’: Rideshare drivers say they were suddenly deactivated, left jobless”; LiLi Jarvenpa, Nupur Bosmiya, Kiersten Riedford, Rose O’Keeffe, Alana Eve Schacher, Matthew Warakomski; NBC 5 Chicago News
Best Reporting on Crime and Justice
Small Print/Online: “Reporting on Cook County juvenile detention center”; Kelly Garcia; Injustice Watch
Large Print/Online: “Rioters? Agitators? Immigration agents’ claims against US citizens mostly fall apart in court.”; Madeline Buckley, Christy Gutowski, Joe Mahr; Chicago Tribune
Audio: “Heat List”; James Edwards, Matt Stroud, Erisa Apantaku, Philippa Geering, Krish Dineshkumar, Alex Portfelix, Rachel Byrne, N’Jeri Eaton; Wondery, Vespucci
Video: “Chicago Stories: Inside the Tylenol Murders”; Peter Marks, Ian Bertorelli, Bill Ward, Tim Boyd, Brendan Walsh, Anthony Fleming III, Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer; WTTW
Student: “At Illinois public universities, campus cops pull over Black drivers at higher rates”; Maia McDonald, Nicole Jeanine Johnson, Khadija Ahmed, Isabelle Senechal, Amilia Estrada; Investigative Project on Race and Equity, Chicago Public Media, WBEZ, Chicago Sun-Times, CU-CitizenAccess, Saluki Local Reporting Lab and The Daily Egyptian
Best Education Reporting
Small Print/Online: “The overlooked crisis facing refugee and immigrant mothers in U.S. higher education”; Tasmiha Khan; Prism Reports
Large Print/Online: “Why Chicago high schoolers are missing so much school”; Mila Koumpilova, Sarah Karp, Kae Petrin; Chalkbeat, WBEZ, Chicago Sun-Times
Audio: “Illinois professors faced threats after landing on Charlie Kirk group watch list”; Mawa Iqbal; Chicago Public Media, WBEZ Chicago
Video: “‘A Tsunami Coming From Washington’: Chicago, Illinois Leaders Respond to Education Department Layoffs”; Matt Masterson, Brandis Friedman, Bridgette Adu-Wadier, Crystin Immel; WTTW
Student: “Parents, lawmakers battle over Illinois Homeschool Act. What to know”; Sabrina Castle, Bing Wang, Francesca Corona, Sofia Joseph, Laura Vázquez David, Jake Cox; NBC 5 Chicago News
Best Business Reporting
Small Print/Online: “The Aux grand opening celebrates the power of social connection”; Heidi Randhava; Evanston RoundTable
Large Print/Online: “Gig workers and street vendors and day laborers hit by feds in Chicago immigration crackdown”; Talia Soglin; Chicago Tribune
Audio: “Forty Acres Fresh Market’s owner says ‘I’ve never met a cheerful, happy grocer’”; Esther Yoon-Ji Kang; Chicago Public Media, WBEZ Chicago
Video: “Chicago Stories: Marshall Field’s”; Heidi Zersen, Marcy Marzuki, David Fortney, Brendan Walsh, Anthony Fleming III, Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer; WTTW
Best Feature Reporting Single Story/Episode
Small Print/Online: “Take Note! Chicago Stationery Shops Enjoying Revived Interest in Analog Communication, Fueled by Social Media and Celebrities”; Patty Wetli, Nicole Cardos; WTTW
Large Print/Online: “Chicago doesn’t remember one of its worst disasters”; Christopher Borrelli; Chicago Tribune
Audio: “How tattoo removal could give some incarcerated Illinoisans a blank slate”; Lauren Frost; Chicago Public Media, WBEZ Chicago
Video: “Touring Chicago’s Lakefront with Geoffrey Baer”; Geoffrey Baer, Michael West, Brendan Brown, Joe Winston, Brendan Walsh, Shelley Spencer; WTTW
Student: “‘Heartbreaking’: Rideshare drivers say they were suddenly deactivated, left jobless”; LiLi Jarvenpa, Nupur Bosmiya, Kiersten Riedford, Rose O’Keeffe, Alana Eve Schacher, Matthew Warakomski; NBC 5 Chicago News
Best Feature Reporting Series
Small Print/Online: “Healing Illinois 2025 Native American Advocacy”; Bridgette Fox, Jerry Nowicki; Capitol News Illinois
Large Print/Online: “Diversity in Chicago Arts”; Erica Thompson, Mike Davis; Chicago Public Media
Audio: “Division Street Revisited”; Mary Schmich, Melissa Harris, Bill Healy, Cate Cahan, Mark Jacob, Libby Lussenhop, Chijioke Williams, Chris Walz; Mary & Melissa Productions, podcast distributed by PRX
Video: “WTTW News Explains”; Jay Smith, Abena Bediako, Patty Wetli, Justin Younger, Natalie Younger, Greg Bodfish, Alex Blanchette; WTTW News
Best All Media
Best Feature or Human Interest Single Story:
“Chicago Stories: Legendary Blizzards”; Eddie Griffin, Alex Dawson, Lauren R. Drell, Michael Buhrow, Eric Seals, Anthony Fleming III, Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer; WTTW
Best Feature or Human Interest Series:
“Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City”; Block Club Staff; Block Club Chicago
Best Multimedia Collaboration:
“Chicago property tax series”; A.D. Quig, Alex Nitkin; Chicago Tribune, Illinois Answers Project
Best Data Journalism:
“Who Owns Chicago?”; Amy Qin, Esther Yoon-Ji Kang, Andjela Padejski; Chicago Public Media, WBEZ Chicago
Best Public Service:
“Operation Midway Blitz”; Staff of the Chicago Tribune; Chicago Tribune
Best Campus Coverage by Student Journalists:
Good Day DePaul – Full Episode – November 12, 2025, Good Day DePaul, Francesca Corona, Marie Kane, Riley Moulton, Josh Patt, Laine Wyatt, Bing Wang, Alexander Eberhage, Sarah McFeely
Best Community Engagement:
“What to know about immigration operations and National Guard deployments to Chicago”; Araceli Gómez-Aldana; Chicago Public Media
Best Health Reporting:
“Kristen Schorsch”; Kristen Schorsch; Chicago Public Media
Best Investigative Reporting:
“Accusation Dismissed: Chicago’s Failure to Investigate and Discipline Police for Sexual Misconduct”; María Inés Zamudio, Dana Brozost-Kelleher, Isabelle Senechal, Maheen Khan, Andrew Fan; Invisible Institute & ProPublica
If you weren’t able to attend the event to pick up your award please email the Headline Club at peterlisagorawards@gmail.com. If you would like to order additional award plaques, please fill out this form and send payment by Friday, May 22. Late orders will not be accommodated.