Daily Herald wins 11 Associated Press awards
The Daily Herald won 11 awards in the Illinois Associated Press Editors Association Excellence contest, including three first-place honors.
John Starks took first place in sports feature photography for his photo on the Chicago Cubs titled "End of the Dream." His photo "So Happy Together" won third place in the same category, and another of his photos, titled "Keep Your Eye on the Ball," finished third in the sports action category.
First place also went to sports writer Mike McGraw for his story "Sad Day for Bulls" on the deaths of Johnny "Red" Kerr and Norm Van Lier.
The Daily Herald also received first-place honors for multimedia for "Last Letters Home," a series by Staff Writer Eric Peterson and Photographer Mark Welsh on four families who lost loved ones in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The online presentation was designed by Mark Stallings.
Second place in the multimedia category also went to the Daily Herald for "NIU's Struggles and Triumphs." The series, with online design by Stallings and led by Assistant Managing Editor Diane Dungey, Senior Director of Photography Jeff Knox and Senior Staff Photographer Brian Hill, chronicled the lives of people connected to the deadly campus shootings in 2008.
Among other winners, photographer Steve Lundy took second place for his photo "Rainbow."
Barry Rozner won second place for sports column writing.
Staff Writer Matt Arado won third place in entertainment news for his feature story "Still Rocking: Record Stores Haven't Disappeared."
Time out! Editor Lisa Miner and a team of reporters won third place in the business category for a series titled "Our Uncertain Times," which focused on the recession's impact on suburban residents and businesses.
"Tragedy and Loss," the stories of several simultaneous tragedies that occurred Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008, won third place in the deadline news category for Ginny Lee, assistant managing editor for Sundays and planning, and several staff members.
The awards will be presented at the association's annual meeting Oct. 8 in Peoria.