FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Dawn Reiss 312-590-1921 or Brian Pitts 847-727-6660
April 9, 2009
Chicago Headline Club Announces Finalists for Peter Lisagor Awards
The Chicago Headline Club, the largest Society of Professional Journalists chapter in the country, is pleased to announce the finalists for its 32nd annual Peter Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Journalism. Winners will be announced and awarded at the Lisagor Awards banquet Friday, April 24, at the Union League Club of Chicago, 65 W. Jackson. Cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m. and the dinner reception starts at 7 p.m.
In addition to the Lisagor Awards, the Chicago Headline Club will present ABC7’s Andy Shaw and Chicago Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman with Lifetime Achievement Awards and a
Watchdog Award, funded by a Richard Driehaus Foundation grant, for investigative reporting.
This blockbuster event includes keynote speakers Don Hayner, editor in chief of the Chicago Sun-Times and Jane Hirt, managing editor of the Chicago Tribune. While Phil Ponce, host of WTTW11’s Chicago Tonight and WBBM Newsradio 780 anchor Felicia Middlebrooks are the masters of ceremonies, more than 200 journalists and editors from every major Chicago media outlet are expected to attend this event.
“This is about recognizing the best in the business and honoring truly superior contributions to journalism,” said Dawn Reiss, president of the Chicago Headline Club. “The Chicago Headline Club’s motto is protecting the public’s right to know. Journalists play an important role in society in making sure the public is well informed and that governmental officials are accountable for their actions.”
This event is open to the public. To purchase tickets and for more information, please visit www.headlineclub.org.
The Lisagor Awards finalists are:
GENERAL INTEREST DAILY NEWSPAPER, NEWS SERVICE or BUREAU
D1. Best Deadline Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Staff, The Associated Press, “Illinois Governor Arrest”
Staff, Chicago Sun-Times, “Corruption Crime Spree: the Arrest of Gov. Rod Blagojevich”
Staff, Chicago Sun-Times, “Guilty: the Tony Rezko Verdict”
D2. Best Deadline Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
Staff, Kane County Beacon News, “Fallen Angels”
Ginny Lee and Staff, Daily Herald, “Horror Hits Home”
Weekend Staff, Daily Herald, “Tragedy and Loss”
D3. Best Investigative Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Ben Lando, United Press International, “Shell-Iraq gas company is a monopoly, secret agreement shows”
Dan Mihalopoulos, Robert Becker, Darnell Little, Todd Lighty, Laurie Cohen, Chicago Tribune, “Neighborhoods for Sale”
D4. Best Investigative Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
Lori Caldwell and Jon Seidel, Post-Tribune, “The Killing Streets”
Joseph Ryan, Daily Herald, “House Advantage”
Diane Dungey, Jake Griffin, Jameel Naqvi, Jamie Sotonoff, Barry Rozner, Kimberly Pohl, Vincent Pierri, Mike Spellman, Ted Cox, Burt Constable, Daily Herald, “Return to NIU: Return, Remember, Recover”
D5. Best Political and Government Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Mark J. Konkol, Annie Sweeney, Maudlyne Ihejirika and Frank Main,
Chicago Sun-Times, “59 Hours”
Staff, Chicago Tribune, “Governor Under Fire”
Tim Novak, Chicago Sun-Times, “Daley 3.0: The Next Generation of Chicago’s First Family”
D6. Best Political and Government Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
Phil Kadner, SouthtownStar, “State Fails Vets’ Needs”
John Patterson and Joseph Ryan, Daily Herald, “Governor’s Arrest”
Marni Pyke and Eric Peterson, Daily Herald, “The CN Merger”
D7. Best Education Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Stephanie Banchero and Patricia Callahan, Chicago Tribune, “The $20,000 Question”
Maudlyne Ihejirika and Annie Sweeney, Chicago Sun-Times, “Four Minutes of Violence at Crane High School”
Rosalind Rossi, Chicago Sun-Times, “Clout Kids”
D8. Best Education Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
Angela Caputo, SouthtownStar, “Pay and Perks”
Bob Susnjara, Daily Herald, “School District Honored by a Company It Hired”
Catherine Ann Velasco, The Herald News, “Half of Grade Fails”
D9. Best Science, Health, Technology or Environment Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Martha Irvine and Lindsey Tanner, The Associated Press, “Staying Young”
Carla K. Johnson, The Associated Press, “Risky Autism Study”
Sam Roe and Ted Gregory, Chicago Tribune, “Allergy Threat”
D10. Best Science, Health, Technology or Environmental Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
Marni Pyke, Daily Herald, “A Wing and A Prayer/Rescued and Released”
D11. Best News Column or Commentary, circulation more than 300,000
Mark Brown, Chicago Sun-Times
John Kass, Chicago Tribune
Carol Marin, Chicago Sun-Times
D12. Best News Column or Commentary, circulation less than 300,000
Denise Crosby, The Beacon News
Kristen McQueary, SouthtownStar
Catherine Ann Velasco, The Herald News
D13. Best Editorial Writing, circulation more than 300,000
Marie Dillon, Chicago Tribune
Editorial Board, Chicago Sun-Times
John P. McCormick, Chicago Tribune
D14. Best Editorial Writing, circulation less than 300,000
John Lampinen, Daily Herald
Karen Sorensen, SouthtownStar
D15. Best Business or Consumer Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Don Babwin, The Associated Press, “Scrambling for Food/Meltdown Child Care”
Patricia Callahan, Sam Roe and Michael Oneal, Chicago Tribune, “Child Hazards”
Susan Chandler, Chicago Tribune, “This House was a Steal”
D16. Best Business or Consumer Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
Staff, Southtown Star, coverage of the fate of St. Francis Hospital
Lisa Miner and Staff, Daily Herald, “Our Uncertain Times”
D17. Best Feature Story, circulation more than 300,000
Melissa Isaacson, Chicago Tribune, “Fade to Black – Something’s Not Right with Mom”
Barbara Mahany, Chicago Tribune, “Lucy’s Mom was There”
Stephanie Zimmermann, Chicago Sun-Times, “Saving Troy”
D18. Best Feature Story, circulation less than 300,000
Kerry Lester, Daily Herald, “50 Years Later: Our Lady of the Angels”
Donna Vickroy, SouthtownStar, “Settimio’s Diary”
Barbara Vitello, Daily Herald, “Unfit or Unjust?”
D19. Best Arts Reporting and Criticism, circulation more than 300,000
Blair Kamin, Chicago Tribune, “A gallery of rogues”
D20. Best Arts Reporting and Criticism, circulation less than 300,000
Ted Cox, Daily Herald, “Edgy Stuff: George Carlin Remembered”
Dann Gire, Daily Herald, “A Reluctant Icon: Paul Newman”
D21. Best Sports Story, circulation more than 300,000
Brian Hamilton, Chicago Tribune, “Luke Harangody is not the best player in college basketball”
David Haugh, Chicago Tribune, “2 Bad Centuries in a Row?”
Jim O’Donnell, Chicago Sun-Times, “1 in an Arlington Million”
D22. Best Sports Story, circulation less than 300,000
Bruce Miles, Daily Herald, “Quite a Hit”
Jim Owczarski, Aurora Beacon News, “Fighting The Good Fight”
Tim Sassone, Daily Herald, “Right Where They Belong”
D23. Best Sports Commentary, circulation more than 300,000
Greg Couch, Chicago Sun-Times
David Haugh, Chicago Tribune
Rick Morrissey, Chicago Tribune
D24. Best Sports Commentary, circulation less than 300,000
Tony Baranek, Southtown Star
Mark Lazerus, Post-Tribune
Jim Owczarski, Aurora Beacon News
D25. Best News Photo, circulation more than 300,000
Charles Rex Arbogast and M. Spencer Green, The Associated Press, “The Obama Campaign: In Pursuit of the Presidency”
M. Spencer Green, The Associated Press, “Nervous Governor”
John H. White, Chicago Sun-Times, “Blagojevich and the Rat”
D26. Best News Photo, circulation less than 300,000
Mark Welsh, Daily Herald, “Mother’s Day Tears”
Matthew Grotto, SouthtownStar, “Memorial”
Joseph P. Meier, SouthtownStar, “Soldier Funeral”
D27. Best Feature Photo, circulation more than 300,000
Charles Rex Arbogast, The Associated Press, “Faces in the Crowd – The Obama Campaign”
D28. Best Feature Photo, circulation less than 300,000
Matt Marton, SouthtownStar, “Hope Gifts”
Joseph P. Meier, SouthtownStar, “A Close Cut”
Brett Roseman, SouthtownStar, “Reflections of Service”
D29. Best Sports Photo, circulation more than 300,000
Charles Rex Arbogast, The Associated Press, “Must – Wait Until Next Year”
Tom Cruze, Chicago Sun-Times, “One Day with the Cubs and Sox”
D30. Best Sports Photo, circulation less than 300,000
Joseph Meier, SouthtownStar, “Cutting the Nets”
Brett Roseman, SouthtownStar, “Home Plate Obstruction”
Rick West, Daily Herald, “We Believe”
D31. Best Design, circulation more than 300,000
James Smith, Chicago Sun-Times
Eric White, Chicago Sun-Times
D32. Best Design, circulation less than 300,000
Chad Merda, SouthtownStar
Sandy Sempowicz, SouthtownStar
Scott Helmchen, Northwest Herald
D34. Best Graphics, circulation less than 300,000
Tim Broderick, Daily Herald
NON-DAILY NEWSPAPER, MAGAZINE or NEWSPAPER MAGAZINE SECTION
N1. Best In-depth Reporting in a General-Interest Publication
Kathy Chaney, Chicago Defender, “Gang Wars Make South Side city’s deadliest”
Ben Joravsky, Chicago Reader, “Apparently Money Does Grow on Trees”
Jessica Pupovac, In These Times, “Silenced in the Barracks”
N2. Best In-depth Reporting in a Community Newspaper
Ben Myers, Chicago Journal-Skyline, “Hospital Closing Shuns Mothers”
Pauline Dubkin Yearwood, Chicago Jewish News, “Obama and the Jews”
N3. Best In-depth Reporting in a Business Magazine or Newspaper
Andrea Hanis, Crystal Yednak and staff, Crain’s Chicago Business, “Residential Real Estate: The Emotion Factor”
Greg Hinz, Crain’s Chicago Business, “Olympic Lure in Harbor Deal”
Staff, Crain’s Chicago Business, “Markets in Crisis”
N4. Best In-depth Reporting in a Magazine or Magazine Section
Anne Kavanagh, Chicago magazine, “Trauma Queen”
Jeff Kelly Lowenstein, Kelly Virella, Kari Lydersen, The Chicago Reporter, “Chicago Matters: Growing Forward”
Jessica Reaves, Chicago Tribune Magazine, “Inheritance of Loss”
N5. Best News Column or Commentary
Bonnie McGrath, Chicago Journal, “South Loop Citizens Mean Business”
Michael Miner, Chicago Reader, “The Greater of Two Evils”
N6. Best Editorial Writing
Barry B. Burr, Pensions & Investments, “A Needless Risk”
Ben Myers, Chicago Journal-Skyline, Series on Lincoln Park Hospital Closing
Stephanie Stapleton, American Medical News, “Vigilance Key to Fighting Foodborne Illness,” “The Case for Persistence” and “A Green Approach to Public Health”
N7. Best Business Reporting
Lynda Edwards, ABA Journal, “The Curious Case of Alex Latifi”
Michael Lenehan, Chicago magazine, “Hello, Beautiful”
Kelly Virella, The Chicago Reporter, “A Renter’s Nightmare”
N8. Best Feature Story
Lynda Edwards, ABA Journal, “The Forgotten”
Hillel Levin, Playboy, “The Strange Redemption of James Keene”
Don Terry, Chicago Tribune Magazine, “Six Blocks of Separation
N9. Best Arts Reporting and Criticism
Brent DiCrescenzo, Areif Sless-Kitain and John Dugan, Time Out, Lollapalooza package
Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune magazine, “Comeback Kid”
Josh Schollmeyer, Chicago magazine, “Bagging the Media Queen”
N10. Best Sports Story
Jeff Ruby, Chicago magazine, “Playing the Fields”
Bryan Smith, Chicago magazine, “The Breakaway”
Rick Telander, Men’s Journal, “Brotherhood of the Offensive Line”
N11. Best Photography
Stephen J. Serio, Crain’s Chicago Business, “40 under 40”
Golda Shira, Chicago Jewish News, “Eyewitness to History”
Erik Unger, Crain’s Chicago Business, “Journey to Java”
N12. Best Design
Stephanie Gladney, Time Out Chicago
Jason McGregor, Crain’s Chicago Business
Melissa Phee, Crain’s Chicago Business
N13. Best Graphics
Eric Semelroth, Modern Healthcare
BROADCAST:RADIO
R1. Best Breaking News Story
Steve Grzanick, Bob Roberts, Mary Frances Bragiel and Staff, WBBM Newsradio 780, “NIU Shootings”
Nancy Harty, Steve Miller and Staff, WBBM Newsradio 780, “Lane Bryant Shooting”
Staff, WGN-AM, “Terror on Campus”
R2. Best In-Depth News Story or Series
Steve Bertrand, WGN-AM, “Changing the Odds”
Steve Grzanich, WBBM Newsradio 780, “Chicago 1968 – The Whole World Was Watching”
David Schaper, National Public Radio, “Gov. Blagojevich Arrested”
R3. Best Investigative Reporting
Linda Paul and Cate Cahan, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “Addolfo’s Story”
R4. Best Newscast
Steve Grzanich, Keith Johnson, Leon Coluin and Staff, WBBM Newsradio 780, The 4 p.m. Newscast (May 21; Nov. 4; Dec. 9, 2008)
R5. Best Feature Reporting
Ben Calhoun and Cate Cahan, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “Hugs”
Lynette Kalsnes and Cate Cahan, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio. “Unusual Camp Brings Comfort and Fun to Grieving Children”
Reed Pence and Sean Waldron, Radio Health Journal, “Radio Health Journal: Perinatal Hospice”
R6. Best Public Affairs Reporting
John Conroy, Ben Calhoun and Cate Cahan, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “Alton Logan”
Staff, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, 2008 General Election Coverage
Staff, WFMT, “Studs Terkel: Montage of a Life”
R7. Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Cheryl Corley, National Public Radio, “Credit Crunch Hits Student Loan Industry”
Ashley Gross and Adriene Hill, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “Bankrupt Builder”
R8. Best Health or Science Reporting
Steve Miller, WBBM Newsradio 780, “Bypass”
David Schaper, National Public Radio, “Recycling Energy”
Gabriel Spitzer and Cate Cahan, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “Parkinson’s Patients Cut a Rug”
R9. Best Sports Story
Jeff Joniak, WBBM Newsradio 780, “Joniak’s Journal/Anthony Adams”
Lynette Kalsnes, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “Roller Skating”
TELEVISION
T1. Best Breaking News Story
Isis Chaverri, Maria de Lourdes Garcia and Aleksander Banks, Univision Chicago WGBO, Flood coverage
T2. Best In-depth News Story or Series
Jackie Bange, Nelson Howard and Rick Strasser, WGN-TV, “Looking for Justice”
Mark Saxenmeyer, David Tresnowski and Timothy P. Smith, WFLD Fox Chicago, “Pet Rescue Inc.”
Paula Gomez, Isis Chaverri and Jessica Fernandez, Univision Chicago WGBO, “Quest of a Family Seeking Justice”
T3. Best Investigative Reporting
Mark Saxenmeyer, Dartise Johnson and Lou Hinkhouse, WFLD Fox Chicago, “Where Did All the CHA Residents Go?”
Paula Gomez, Sonia Garcia and Erika Maldonado, Univision Chicago WGBO, “Dr. Scam”
T5. Best Feature Reporting
Steve Sanders, Pam Grimes and Mike D’Angelo, WGN-TV, “Prodigy”
Mark Saxenmeyer, Kevin Tomich and Juan Ramirez, WFLD Fox Chicago, “Through the Lens of Loss”
Kim Vartis, NBC 5, “The New Reality”
T6. Best Public Affairs Programming
Daniel Andries and Alexandra Silets, WTTW11, “Out and Proud in Chicago”
Mark Saxenmeyer, Lou Hinkhouse and Dartise Johnson, WFLD Fox Chicago, “Policing the Reserves”
T7. Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Pam Grimes, Sean Maroney and Manny Medina, “Buy an Interview,” WGN-TV
Mark Saxenmeyer, Rod Stanbeck and Dartise Johnson, WFLD Fox Chicago,
“Stolen Houses”
T8. Best Health or Science Reporting
Julianne Hill, Sharon Barrett and Carmen Jones, CNBC, “American Greed – Diluted Trust”
Nesita Kwan and Robert Ray, NBC 5, “Gut Check”
Kevin Roy and Stephen J. Lewis, WLS-TV/ABC7, “Surviving Suicide”
T9. Best Sports Story
Pam Grimes and Mike D’Angelo, WGN-TV, “Little Sluggers”
Daryl Hawks, NBC 5, “A Fan’s Dream”
T10. Best Videographer
Mark Carlson, The Associated Press, “8 Days of Ike”
Patrick Keating, WLS-TV/ABC7, “Bench, Break, Buzz!”
ALL MEDIA
AM2. Editorial cartoon
Marty Bach, Chicago Tribune
Roger L. Schillerstrom, Crain’s Chicago Business
Marc Stopeck, Wednesday Journal
SPECIALTY/TRADE
S2. Best In-depth Report or Series
Sarah Karp and John Myers, Catalyst Chicago, “Class of 2011”
John Myers and Sarah Karp, Catalyst Chicago, “Weighing the Options”
Christine Stebbins, Reuters, “Grain users demand actions on CBOT prices”
S3. Best Commentary
John Wasik, Bloomberg News, “No, Virginia”
S4. Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Ben Klayman, Reuters, “Sports attendance up, hot dog spending down”
Christine Stebbins, Reuters, “CBOT grain trade swept by winds of change”
Jeff Wilson, Shruti Singh, Brian Louis and Mario Parker, Bloomberg News, “Crop Crash”
S5. Best Feature Story
Terry Carter, ABA Journal, “The G-Man”
Victoria Stagg Elliott, American Medical News, “Rebuilding Body & Spirit”
John Lippert, Bloomberg News, “Penny Pritzker Shows Why She Got Buffett to Aid Obama”
ONLINE
X1. Best Interactive Project
Stephen Rynkiewicz and Darnell Little, chicagotribune.com, “Chicago Homes Heat Maps”
Brian Hill and Staff, dailyherald.com, “Return, Remember, Recover”
Matt Carmichael, Michelle L. Evans, Jeff Hartvigsen, chicagobusiness.com, “Market Facts”
X2. Best News Web Site
Kirsten Miller, Online Staff and Newsroom Staff, suntimes.com
Staff, chicagotribune.com
Staff, NWHerald.com
X3. Best Online Commentary
Roger Ebert, suntimes.com, “Roger Ebert’s Journal”
Dawn Turner Trice, chicagotribune.com, “Exploring Race”
Staff, chicagopublicradio.org, 2008 political convention coverage
X4. Best Neighborhood/Community News
Theresa Carter, thelocaltourist.com
Staff, chitowndailynews.org
X5. Best Feature Story
Bob Cook, nbcsports.com, “Goats, Curses and 100 Years of Cubs Angst”
Danielle Guerra, NWHerald.com, “Jeff’s Last Delivery”
Rex Huppke and staff, chicagotribune.com, “Our Lady of the Angels: The Fire that Changed Everything”
X6. Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Steve Daniels and David Sterrett, chicagobusiness.com, “Deloitte Partner Accused of Insider Trading” and “Buffett a Client of Accused Deloitte Partner”
Alby Gallun and Thomas A. Corfman, ChicagoRealEstateDaily.com, “Trump Sues Lenders for More Time to Pay Off on Tower”
Stephanie Zimmermann, suntimes.com, “The Fixer”
X7. Best Original Political Reporting
Steven Gray, time.com, Campaign 2008
Natasha Korecki, suntimes.com, “Eye on Rezko” blog
Staff, chicagotribune.com, “Clout Street”
X8. Best Investigative/Public Service Reporting
Erica Christoffer and Becky Schlikerman, ChicagoTalks.org and The Beachwood Reporter, “Out of Order” and “Off the Record”
Greg Scott, Aurora Aguilar and Joe DeCeault, chicagopublicradio.org, “The Brickyard”