September 16, 2024
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NewsTribune nets first place IPA award for ‘General Excellence’

Scott Anderson, Kevin Hieronymus also receive first-place awards

By Shaw Local News Network
Declan Hawkins and Mrs. Nicole Heaver STEM teacher explores the Central Z-Space Lab during STEM Family Night on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at Central and Shepherd School in Ottawa.

Shawl Local photo editor Scott Anderson netted first place for this feature photo on Declan Hawkins and Mrs. Nicole Heaver during STEM Family Night on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at Central and Shepherd School in Ottawa. (Scott Anderson)

The La Salle NewsTribune received a first-place award in Division D for “General Excellence” in the Illinois Press Association Awards Contest for 2023, it was announced June 6 in Bloomington.

Judges said the NewsTribune was “by far the most visually appealing in both news and advertising [with a] solid amount and mix of local news and sports coverage.”

Longtime BCR sports editor Kevin Hieronymus and Shaw Local Illinois Valley photo editor Scott Anderson were recognized with first-place awards as well as other awards, while Tom Collins of the NewsTribune received a third-place award for a community service story.

Anderson claimed two awards for feature photos, including first place for his photo on STEM family night. Judges said, “Among several entries in which compelling facial expressions make for an outstanding photo, this one edges to the top because of how the photographer embraced challenging lighting to accent those faces.”

Anderson also received third place for his feature photo “Surviving the drought” in Division D in the NewsTribune, and a fourth-place sports photo in Division B for the Kendall County Record.

Gino Valle waters the 18th hole at Seneca's Deer Park Golf Course as a bird flies through the stream on Friday, June 23, 2023. Irrigating a golf course during a drought takes a lot of water to maintain the greens. As of Thursday, the U.S. Drought monitor listed the southern half of Bureau and La Salle Counties under a severe drought. All of Putnam County is in a severe drought. During this stage, agriculture is hurting with row crop and vegetable conditions are poor. Water levels in ponds, wells, rivers, lakes, ponds remain at low levels along with below average streamflow. Outdoor burn bands are also implemented.

Scott Anderson netted a third-place award for this feature photo on Gino Valle watering the 18th hole at Seneca's Deer Park Golf Course as a bird flies through the stream June 23, 2023, during a drought. (Scott Anderson)

Hieronymus received four awards overall, having two of the top three sports stories in the nondaily division, including a first-place award for his story on the tragic death of boat racer Rich Krier.

His story on “Lady Bruins win state softball championship” received third place, with the judges noting, “Nice lede.”

Hieronymus received two second-place awards, including for his sports column, “Hieronymus’ Hypothesis.” Columns submitted were on “Wedekind gives it the old college try,” longtime baseball coach John Cruz hangs them up and Princeton basketball star Rick Allen.

Judges said they were “three really strong columns about folks with interesting sports stories – both past and present.”

His sports feature on “Volley for a cure is personal,” sharing the story on Princeton volleyball players Kelsea Klingenberg and Bella Clevinger, who are childhood cancer survivors, received a second-place award for sports features.

Judges said: “There’s a fine line writing about an illness such as cancer. And when two members of the same team have battled the dreaded disease, it takes a deft touch to present the story.”

Collins netted his third-place award for his community service story in Division D for the NewsTribune, “A DUI costs how much? Judges said, “Exceptional breadth of sources examining the accuracy of a government statistic and about the evolution of DWI prosecution.”

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