Shaw Media wins dozens of awards from Illinois Press Association; read and see the winning entries

Shaw Media reporters and photojournalists received dozens of honors at the Illinois Press Association “Best of the Press” awards ceremony recently held in Bloomington, where work published or posted in 2023 was recognized. Here’s all the winners from Shaw Media publications across northern Illinois.

[ See Shaw Media's winning photographs ]

• General Excellence, First Place, Division D: NewsTribune, La Salle. “By far the most visually appealing in both news and advertising. Solid amount and mix of local news and sports coverage,” according to the Best of the Press.
• Patrick Coburn Award of Excellence, Second Place: Daily Chronicle, DeKalb.
• Community Service, First Place, Division D: Camden Lazenby, Daily Chronicle, DeKalb. “Sycamore overtaxed residents nearly $120K without City Council approval, records show.”
• Community Service, Third Place, Division D: Tom Collins, NewsTribune. “A DUI costs how much?”
• News Reporting Single Story, First Place, Division D: Megann Horstead, Camden Lazenby, Kelsey Rettke, Daily Chronicle. “Remembering a tragedy: NIU, DeKalb marks 15 years since 2008 mass shooting.”
• News Reporting, Series, Third Place, Division D: Felix Sarver, Jessie Molloy, The Herald-News. “Stabbing death of Plainfield Township boy draws national attention, called hate crime.”
• Localized National Story, Second Place, Division D: Megann Horstead, Camden Lazenby, Daily Chronicle. “Survivors, witnesses of 2008 NIU mass shooting react to Illinois gun ban.”
• Localized National Story, Third Place, Division D: Kelsey Rettke, Daily Chronicle. “‘Be the One’ to help combat veteran suicide in DeKalb County.”
• Freedom of Information Award, First Place, Division D: Megann Horstead, Daily Chronicle. “Inside secret contracts used to entice Facebook, Amazon and other mega business to DeKalb”
• Government Beat Reporting, Second Place, Division D: Camden Lazenby, Daily Chronicle. “Sycamore overtaxed residents nearly $120K without City Council approval, records show.”
• Sports News, First Place, Nondaily Division: Kevin Hieronymus, Bureau County Republican. “Rich Krier.”
• Sports News, Third Place, Nondaily Division: Kevin Hieronymus, Bureau County Republican. “Lady Bruins win state softball championship.”
• Sports Feature, Second Place, Nondaily Division: Kevin Hieronymus, Bureau County Republican. “Volley for a cure is personal.”
• Feature Writing, Fourth Place, Division DL Kelsey Rettke, Daily Chronicle. “‘Be the One’ to help combat veteran suicide in DeKalb County.”
• Feature Writing, Personality Profile, Second Place, Division C: David Petesch, Kane County Chronicle. “Cattle Catcher.”
• Sports Column, Second Place, Nondaily Division: Kevin Hieronymus, Bureau County Republican. “Hieronymus’ Hypothesis.”
• General News Photo, Second Place, Division D: Mark Busch, Daily Chronicle. “Gazing goat.”
• Feature Photo, First Place, Division B: Sandy Bressner, LaGrange Suburban Life. “Beaming.”
• Feature Photo, Second Place, Division B: Sandy Bressner, Downers Grove Suburban Life. “Wheels up.”
• Feature Photo, First Place, Division D: Scott Anderson, The Times. “STEM family night.”
• Feature Photo, Second Place, Division D: Mark Busch, Daily Chronicle. “Sack race.”
• Feature Photo, Third Place, Division D: Scott Anderson, NewsTribune. “Surviving the drought.”
• Feature Photo, First Place, Division E: Greg Shaver, Northwest Herald. “Sunflower kiss.”
• Portrait/Personality, First Place, Division D: Mark Busch, Daily Chronicle. “Bubble birthday,”
• Sports Photo, First Place, Division B: Gary E. Duncan Sr., Kendall County Record. “Hats off.”
• Sports Photo, Fourth Place, Division B: Scott Anderson, Kendall County Record. “Winners.”
• Sports Photo, First Place, Division D: Mark Busch, Daily Chronicle. “Football hurdle.”
• Sports Photo, Second Place, Division D: Mark Busch, Daily Chronicle. “Storm dayz.”
• Sports Photo, First Place, Division E: Greg Shaver, Northwest Herald. “Snow soccer.”
• Sports Photo, Portrait/Personality, First Place, Division B: Sandy Bressner, Kendall County Record. “Linemen.”
• Online Photo Series/Gallery, Third Place, Nondaily Division: Sandy Bressner, Kane County Chronicle. “Class of 2023.″
• Online Photo Series/Gallery, Third Place, Daily Division: Gary Middendorf, The Herald-News. “Lockport Canal Days.”
• Online Photo Series/Gallery, Fourth Place, Daily Division: Gary Middendorf, The Herald-News. “Plainfield Vigil for Wadea Al-Fayoume.”
• Knight Chair Award for Best Investigative/Enterprise Reporting, Second Place, Division B: Megann Horstead, Daily Chronicle. “Inside secret contracts used to entice Facebook, Amazon and other mega business to DeKalb.”
• Patrick Coburn Award of Excellence, Second Place: Daily Chronicle.