CLASS 01 - GENERAL EXCELLENCE produced editorial; strong sports page on Division D funny: “The writer makes concise points April 19, but July 7 edition was all AP; little and is able to keep the reader’s attention Division A editorial color; strong front page on 7/7 1st Place: The Southern Illinoisan, Carbon- throughout.” edition; Losing Illinois coverage impres- dale, Molly Parker. Public housing issues in 2nd Place: Village Free Press, Oak Park, 1st Place: Village Free Press, Oak Park. “A s i v e .” Southern Illinois and beyond: “Good focus Michael Romain. Maywood Needs To tremendous example of community based Honorable Mention: The Commer- of topic as it relates to public awareness of Ditch Stipends And Get A Clue About journalism. The enterprise reporting keeps cial-News, Danville. “Like treatment of your public housing situation.” Development: “Writer makes good, well the focus on the residents, while placing obits; wish there was local presence on 2nd Place: Breeze-Courier, Taylorville, informed points in a very easy-to-read some issues in a larger context. The Fred editorial page; clever monster ad; color Staff. Unity in the rebuilding effort: “This manner. Brevity should be considered, Hampton piece was excellent.” sports photos excellent; good clean design was a nice collection of stories that drew however.” 2nd Place: The Woodstock Independent. and use of color in ads; need more local the reader in.” 3rd Place: The Woodstock Independent, “Great headlines and nice, clean layout. coverage; good community page.” 3rd Place: Journal-Courier, Jacksonville, Larry Lough. Thanks for the rebate, but ...: Great news writing.” Staff. Bright Christmas series: “A very well “The writer makes some very good points 3rd Place: The Sidell Reporter. “Overall Division E meaning effort to help those in need in the in a clear and concise way.” very strong.” community.” Honorable Mention: The Woodstock Honorable Mention: Peoria County 1st Place: Quincy Herald-Whig. “Solid Honorable Mention: The Telegraph, Alton, Independent, Larry Lough. Senseless trag- Chronicle. “The January 23, 2019, issue is newspaper representing its community on Staff. Truly Local: “A great variety of local edy requires response; Best interest of the especially strong.” many fronts. Easy read throughout. Great stories that highlight community spirit.” child: “This editorial has a lot of potential to see local content throughout!” but the closing is pretty anti-climactic. Division B 2nd Place: Herald & Review, Decatur. Division E It just stands there and doesn’t call the “House demolition in-depth story was reader to take a strong stand.” 1st Place: The Galena Gazette. “Excellent comprehensive. Strong front page draws in 1st Place: The News-Gazette, Champaign, packaging. Tell me more about Galena, readers. Solid design throughout publi- Staff. Homelessness in Champaign-Urba- Division B otherwise this paper could be from any- cation. Comprehensive sports coverage. na: “News-Gazette made the homeless- where. Show us the uniqueness of Galena.” Really enjoyed the Thumbs Up, Thumbs ness problem real by digging deep into the 1st Place: The Galena Gazette, Hillary 2nd Place: The Journal-News, Hillsboro. “A Down editorial format.” problem and telling the story from the per- Dickerson and Carter Newton. It’s time to classic, with thorough and comprehensive 3rd Place: Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake. spective of the victims of homelessness.” talk about conflicts of interest:“Proof that a coverage. The tradition of this paper shines “Clean, consistent presentation. Good 2nd Place: Northwest Herald, Crystal good editorial needn’t be wordy. From the through.” local content and good sports offerings.” Lake, Staff. Fralick investigation: “When heading to the lede graph to the closing, 3rd Place: The Enterprise, Plainfield. “Ex- 4th Place: The Pantagraph, Bloomington. the school wasn’t forthcoming about facts it had the needed transition and impact. cellent news coverage and packaging.” “State Farm coverage comprehensive. Sol- involving a former high school football Bam!” Honorable Mention: Republic-Times, id presentation overall. Good mix of local, coach accused of grooming a teen girl for 2nd Place: The Hinsdalean, Pamela Waterloo. “You got a lot of the ‘community’ regional and national content. I applaud sexual abuse, the Northwest Herald filed Lannom. Time to stop dreaming of parking into your paper and a lot of the community Bill Flick column - straightforward look a series of FOIA requests. The resulting solution: “Good editorial with salient members. Looks like you have a strong at the community. Strong sports commit- stories prompted the Illinois Legislature points about cost increases and delays in a community connection. Let more of the ment.” to consider a proposal that would force project that voters thought would happen personality and uniqueness of your com- schools to identify staffers accused of but hasn’t. It’s often up to the newspaper munity be shown.” Division F being sexual predators.” to call local government on the carpet, and 3rd Place: Herald & Review, Decatur, Staff. this is a good example of how to do it.” Division C 1st Place: Chicago Sun-Times. “Great con- Together Decatur: “The Herald & Review 3rd Place: The Journal-News, Hillsboro, tent and good-looking paper. The stories swam against the tide of negativity on so- Journal-News Editorial Board. Focus On 1st Place: Austin Weekly News, Chicago. were well-written, and I kept flipping from cial media and produced a series of stories What Brings Us Together: “Two well writ- “The Caroline Olsen photo on the front is page to page with each story and impres- highlighting the good that people do.” ten editorials on consolidation, but liked pure magic. THAT is a top photo, pure and sive layout.” Honorable Mention: The News-Gazette, this one better. Good approach: ‘Focus on simple. Overall clean look, well organized, 2nd Place: Daily Herald Group, Arlington Champaign, Debra Pressey and Tracy what brings us together’ rather than simply good use of graphics on front. Great use Heights. Crane. For your health: “The News-Gazette preaching about need for consolidation.” of blocking in photos and stories, easy to brought readers weekly articles about Honorable Mention: The Hinsdalean, Pa- navigate. Good use of lines to break up CLASS 02 - COMMUNITY SERVICE health care topics, often about new and mela Lannom. Larger Central pool might stories. Nice use of shade boxes instead of unusual angles because the reporting was sink relationships: “Having a voice on lines to draw attention to sidebars. Break- Division A in response to readers’ suggestions.” issues like this matters, and you did a good out quotes easy to read, enhance story. job explaining it and stating your point. Caroline Olsen did not have a bad photo 1st Place: The Marion Republican, Division F When some say newspapers don’t matter, in the entire issue, absolutely a storyteller Marion, Holly Kee. Heaven’s Kitchen this is proof they do.” of a photographer. Max Herman’s photos Marion:“Great articles and an on-going 1st Place: Chicago Sun-Times, Frank also enhance stories and are powerful. Use community service. Nice to see the collab- Main, Colin McNulty, WBEZ Chicago. Mo- Division D of graphics is visually wonderful in stories oration between two communities and the tive, Frank Main, Colin McNulty: “Wow. used in, nice job on layout squad. Cons: Be involvement of a state senator.” There’s nothing else to say. This series tells 1st Place: The Beacon-News, Aurora, consistent on borders on photos. Front- 2nd Place: Cass County Star-Gazette, the story so thoroughly and from so many Anne Halston. Editorials following Aurora page banners should be across entire Beardstown, Janet Martin. Cass County angles that I feel like I know these people warehouse shooting. bottom or centered; too many full-page Food Pantry: “Great short-term project, now. I marvel at the effort and time that 2nd Place: The Commercial-News, Dan- ads running congruently.” with much success.” went into this production.” ville, Larry Smith. Local Editorial. 2nd Place: The MidWeek, DeKalb. “Pros: 3rd Place: Oakland Independent, Janice 2nd Place: Belleville News-Democrat, 3rd Place: Daily Chronicle, DeKalb, Eric Nice magazine, open style presentation; Hunt. Sending out an SOS: “Lots of excel- Beth Hundsdorfer, Gary Dotson, George Olson. TIF money put to good use. no wasted space, every inch of the issues lent information, photos and call to action. Pawlaczyk. Murders in East St. Louis: “This Honorable Mention: Effingham Daily are utilized to max effectiveness; well orga- Would love to hear how successful this is a GREAT, important story, and it pains News, Jeff Long. Effingham Daily News nized, easy to navigate. effort was.” me to put it 2nd. I was drawn in immedi- editorial. Cons: Headers on the side a nice idea, but Honorable Mention: Oakland Indepen- ately and literally read all of it non-stop like do not reproduce in action; need borders dent, Janice Hunt. Something to Smile it was a best-selling novel. It gets silver only Division E on each photo; keep ‘briefs’ in one area About: “Always great to see positive news because the Thaddeus Jimenez story is so instead of spread out through issue.” and a shout out to those who do great vast. If I could give 2 firsts, I would.” 1st Place: Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake, things in a community.” 3rd Place: Chicago Sun-Times, Stephanie Eric Olson. Crystal Lake boy’s death could Division D Zimmermann. GI Bill failures, broken have been prevented: “The details about Division B promises, Stephanie Zimmermann, Chi- the boy’s circumstances easily sold the call 1st Place: The Southern Illinoisan. “Strong cago Sun-Times: “I won’t get political in a to action.” editorial page, headlines excellent; anni- 1st Place: The Hinsdalean, Pamela Lan- contest judging platform, and will simply 2nd Place: The State Journal-Register, versary article on derecho was very good; nom, Ken Knutson & Jim Slonoff.