Daily Herald staff finalists in Chicago Headline Club competition
The Daily Herald staff and 11 individual reporters and photographers have been named finalists by the Chicago Headline Club in its Peter Lisagor Award competition.
The Daily Herald staff is a finalist in the deadline reporting category for coverage of the Feb. 1, 2011, record-breaking blizzard. Working under challenging conditions and from many locations across the suburbs, reporters and photographers produced hundreds of stories and photos showing the drama that unfolded as more than 20 inches of snow enveloped the area, trapping some people in cars for more than half a day, triggering snowmobile rescue brigades along suburban roads and fostering many acts of heroism and ingenuity.
Other finalists are Madhu Krishnamurthy and Eric Peterson in the feature writing category for “I cannot forget — A Schaumburg man’s long road to recovery.” The story tells about a Schaumburg man who lost his eye, suffered a shattered jaw and head injuries, and was hospitalized for months after being attacked by a teenage girl with a hammer.
Among Daily Herald photographers, Rick West is a finalist in feature photography for his photo, “Renewal of love,” and Mark Welsh is a finalist in news photography for his photo, “Remembering her fallen husband.”
Politics and Projects Writer Kerry Lester is a finalist for education reporting for a series of stories on what led Angel Facio, now in prison, to stab his Elgin High School teacher. The stories uncovered problems across the suburbs with how schools and police communicate about troubled teens and inspired a bill that is making its way through the state legislature.
Sports Writer Bruce Miles is a finalist in the sports writing category for a Cubs spring training story on “nonroster invitees” — players who “come to spring training on a minor league contract with no guarantees, only hope.”
Sports Columnist Barry Rozner is a finalist in the sports commentary category for a selection of submitted columns.
Photographer John Starks is a finalist in sports photography for “Reflective wrestling.”
Staff Writer Matt Arado is a finalist in the arts reporting and criticism category for “Lollapalooza,” a preview of the 2011 concert in Chicago and the bands performing there.
Film Critic Dann Gire is a finalist in the arts reporting and criticism category for a collection of columns, and Suburban Tax Watchdog columnist Jake Griffin is a finalist in the political and government reporting category for a series of his weekly columns.
Winners will be announced May 4.