Daily Herald wins top honors, 16 first-place awards

The Daily Herald has won 16 first-place awards, including for General Excellence, 10 second-place awards and 11 third-place awards in the Northern Illinois News Association's annual journalism contest.

"Journalists are not self-congratulatory by nature, so it's nice when contest judges speak for them," Executive Editor Jim Baumann said. "I'm so proud of the work this staff has produced over the course of the year."

Here is a look at the winners and categories:

First place

• The copy desk for best design

• Kevin Schmit for personality profile for his story about Steve Young, who has attended every Antioch High School varsity football game since 1946

• Alicia Fabbre and Katlyn Smith for business/financial/consumer story for their piece on the reckoning faced by many suburban malls and plans to reinvent them

• Jenny Whidden for technology/medical story for her piece on how to reduce your exposure to "forever" chemicals

• John Dietz for sports column. "I thought John's columns offered unique perspectives on players," a judge said. "His stories gave a platform to himself and his subjects to say their piece on whatever topic the article touched on."

• John Dietz for sports story for his piece on Glen Ellyn native Eric Stout getting called up from the minors to play for the Cubs

• Lisa Miner for editorial writing

• John Starks for spot news photo of protesters outside a glass-walled school board meeting room

• John Starks for feature photo for his direct overhead drone shot of sand volleyball players that let the shadows portray the action

• Staff for news series for its ongoing coverage of the Highland Park mass shooting. "A full, rounded look into all aspects of a community's tragedy," a judge said

• Alice Fabbre for education reporting for her piece on the teacher shortage in the suburbs

• Jake Griffin for watchdog reporting

• Marni Pyke for localized news story on the overturning of Roe v. Wade. She wrote a news feature on Chicago and suburban women who formed a network prior to the adoption of Roe v. Wade in the 1970s to help women secure safe abortions

• Christopher Placek for public affairs reporting for his ongoing coverage of Arlington Park and the Chicago Bears

• Barbara Vitello for historical feature for her piece on 30 years after the Brown's Chicken massacre.

Second place

• Orrin Schwarz for personality profile

• Eric Peterson for business/financial/consumer story

• Scot Gregor for sports story

• Mike McGraw for sports column

• Jim Slusher and Robert Sanchez (tied) for editorial writing

• John Starks for spot news photo

• John Starks for sports photo

• Eric Peterson, Barbara Vitello and Steve Zalusky for spot news story

• Jim Fuller for public affairs reporting

Third place

• Barbara Vitello for feature story

• Marni Pyke for columnist

• Jim Baumann for editorial writing

• Brian Hill for spot news photo

• Rick West for feature photo

• John Starks for sports photo

• Jeff Knox for online photo gallery

• Alice Fabbre, Marni Pyke and Doug T. Graham for localized news story

• Jim Baumann for use of humor for "Grammar Moses"

• Kevin Schmit for public affairs reporting

• Barbara Vitello for historical feature.