2012 : Here are the winners for the Illinois Associated Press Editor’s Association’s contest. The awards were presented at the annual dinner and awards banquet on June 14 in Springfield during the Illinois Press Association convention.

FIRST PLACE

NEWS INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Adam Nekola

“Election Central”

Judges Said: What newspapers do (longer stories, more information, in-depth analysis) does not translate to radio or television. But it translates perfectly to the Internet. The Northwest Herald fully exploited that synergy and then some with its "Election Central" online presentation.

EC was a voter’s "one stop" site. It contained all the information-- in the candidates' own words -- needed to make an informed voting decision. To further play to the newspaper's strength, add the NH's coverage and analysis from the print edition.

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Div. C

THIRD PLACE

BREAKING NEWS

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Caitlin Mullen, Bill Braksick

“Exhumation will give Ridulph case new look”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

BREAKING NEWS

Staff

“Can you dig it?”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

BREAKING NEWS

Staff

“The bus stops here - Obama visits Galesburg”

Judges Said: This is fantastic -- just how breaking news of this type should be covered. I love the pictures, that you talked to students and people around town and didn't just focus on the visit -- but more on the citizens felt. Fantastic!

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

BREAKING NEWS

Southern Illinoisan, Carbondale

Codell Rodriguez, Brent Stewart

“Du Quoin firefighter dies battling Pinckneyville blaze”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

BREAKING NEWS

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Staff

“Blown Away: Massive A.M. Storm Leaves 852K In Dark”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

BREAKING NEWS

Daily-Journal, Kankakee

Staff

“Emington murders”

Judges Said: This is a good example of a newspaper staying after an "unexpected news event" and continuing to report on it days after the fact as new information becomes available, while also looking for ways to try to explain the inexplicable to its readers, as impossible as that task may have been. Unlike much of the coverage from the other entries in this category, this newspaper's coverage was not official-driven -- many of the others often relied primarily on government officials to dictate where their stories went -- but instead the reporters here talked to neighbors, members of the community, to try to get a sense of what this tragedy meant to the people who live there. Finding a witness who saw the mother shoot her infant was particularly important for the coverage, as troubling as it was. The column by the photographer added another helpful component, providing a perspective that many readers most likely would never have considered had they not read it.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

BREAKING NEWS

Daily Herald, Arlington Heights

Staff

“Walloped - The Blizzard of 2011”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

BREAKING NEWS

Journal Star, Peoria

John Sharp, Staff

“Enough already”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

BREAKING NEWS

Chicago Sun-Times,

Natasha Korecki, Abdon M. Pallasch, Lauren FitzPatrick

“14 years: Ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich is sentenced”

Judges Said: This one wins by giving readers basics and all the peripherals in a clearly presented manner.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

Nick Adams

“Drive-by shooting”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Rob Winner

“Genoa Fire”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Rob Winner

“Firefighter on the scene”

Judges Said: Rob Winner captures perfectly the feeling of loss and helplessness at a horrific accident scene. The severity of the wreck is stunning and the Sycamore firefighter’s whole demeanor reflects the terrible tragedy he has come upon, including the death of an intern at his fire department that he probably knew. Very powerful.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

Daily-Journal, Kankakee

Mike Voss

“Criminal cornered in cornfield”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

Journal Gazette, Mattoon

Kevin Kilhoffer

“Broken water main”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

Journal Gazette, Mattoon

Herb Meeker

“Fire consumes car abandoned north of Mattoon”

Judges Said: This is a clean image of an average car fire. The complete caption info pushed the photo to the top.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

SouthtownStar, Tinley Park

Matt Marton

“Blizzard”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

The News-Gazette, Champaign

Robin Scholz, Robin Scholz

“Accident Search”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

SPOT NEWS PHOTO

SouthtownStar, Tinely Park

Joseph P. Meier

“Drowning”

Judges Said: Raw emotion carried this photo to first place.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

ENTERPRISE SERIES

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Staff

“Broken Benefits: DeKalb County and Illinois' Public Pension Crisis”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

ENTERPRISE SERIES

Staff

“Tracking Poverty”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

ENTERPRISE SERIES

Staff

“Maytag employees in transition”

Judges Said: The stories used the Maytag employees to tell a larger story of how our economy is changing. Excellent work.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

ENTERPRISE SERIES

The Dispatch, Moline

Roger Ruthhart, Kermit Stevenson

“The Spirits Among Us: Mammouth hunting nomads first to arrive here”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

ENTERPRISE SERIES

Daily-Journal, Kankakee

Staff

“Rural Life”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

ENTERPRISE SERIES

News-Tribune, La Salle

Staff

“Unemployment: Safety net or vicious circle?”

Judges Said: This is an engaging series that puts faces with the numbers. I particularly liked the perspectives from those who haven't let the life changes get them down.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

ENTERPRISE SERIES

Daily Herald, Arlington Heights

Jamie Sotonoff

“Heroin's Heartache”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

ENTERPRISE SERIES

Chicago Sun-Times,

Mary Mitchell

“The New Chatham”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

ENTERPRISE SERIES

Chicago Tribune,

Gary Marx, David Jackson

“Fugitives from Justice”

Judges Said: This giant effort addresses common worries citizens have when it comes to solving crime. Sadly the answers are scary. This work was well-researched and took an untold amount of time and effort -- for good reason.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

Nick Adams

“Black Fried Out”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

Nick Adams

“Classmate remembered”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

The Times, Ottawa

Doug Larson

“A Pox on Chickenpox”

Judges Said: Nice moment in what could have been a boring assignment. The photographer got very intimate with the subject and was able to capture everything going on. It made the judges cringe and feel for the child.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

The Dispatch, Moline

Todd Mizener

“Clearly I have failed”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

Beacon-News, Aurora

Brian Powers

“Civil union”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

The Dispatch, Moline

Todd Mizener

“Bird's Eye View”

Judges Said: I like the detail of the constructions worker's tongue and the people on the ground with their umbrellas.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

Journal Star, Peoria

Ron Johnson

“Grief of a Father”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

Chicago Sun-Times,

Jean Lachat

“Goodbye, Maggie Daley”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

Journal Star, Peoria

Adam Gerik

“Leap of Love”

Judges Said: This photo was the clear winner. Fantastic moment, great composition... everything works.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

FEATURE

Tom Loewy

“The visible man”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

FEATURE

The Times, Ottawa

Dan Churney

“Coming alive at life's end: Terminally ill woman takes in big breaths”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

FEATURE

Tom Loewy

“A life born of poor decisions, low expectations ...”

Judges Said: This is an excellent article on a tough subject to discuss. Covers a lot of material in a well organized fashion. Well written.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

FEATURE

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Maureen Lynch

“A coach's final lessons”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

FEATURE

Sauk Valley Newspapers, Sterling

Jenny Young

“The Boo Brothers: Man amazed by deaf-blind brother”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

FEATURE

Herald & Review, Decatur

Allison Petty

“Dearly beloved: Cheryl Bryson, a woman with Down syndrome”

Judges Said: This is the type of story that too many writers would dismiss as not special enough for a long feature, but this writer really captures what is special about the relationship between these two women. Excellent writing, as well. Good job.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

FEATURE

SouthtownStar, Tinley Park

Lauren FitzPatrick

“Our sole purpose is to seek justice for our son”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

FEATURE

The Pantagraph, Bloomington

Paul Swiech

“A not so normal life”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

FEATURE

Chicago Sun-Times,

Mark Konkol

“Standing Tall in Little Village”

Judges Said: A memorable story about a brave young couple who decide to make a difference in a tough neighborhood. Especially gripping at the beginning, with some nice details.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

FEATURE PHOTO

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Rob Winner

“Cooling Off”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

FEATURE PHOTO

The Journal-Standard, Freeport

Joe Tamborello

“Stretching before the show”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

FEATURE PHOTO

The Times, Ottawa

Doug Larson

“Water Fight”

Judges Said: Great expressions on all of your subjects in the photo. The judges really liked the interaction between the adult and the two children -- plus, the tongue on the little girl is great. The photographer wasn't afraid to get his camera a little wet by getting close to the action.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

FEATURE PHOTO

Beacon-News, Aurora

Brian Powers

“Police Academy”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

FEATURE PHOTO

The Dispatch, Moline

Paul Colletti

“Big snow, big chill”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

FEATURE PHOTO

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Lance Booth

“Strawberry field”

Judges Said: This image has a wonderful mode that made it stand out among all the entries.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

FEATURE PHOTO

The Pantagraph, Bloomington

Steve Smedley

“Posing as the Pope”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

FEATURE PHOTO

SouthtownStar, Tinley Park

Brett Roseman

“Every Day Is Grandparents' Day”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

FEATURE PHOTO

SouthtownStar, Tinely Park

Brett Roseman

“Skate Back To The '50s”

Judges Said: Great moment, funny and full of life.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

BUSINESS

The Times, Ottawa

Julie Stroebel

“La Salle County will see nurse shortage...Area students ride wave of cresting career”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

BUSINESS

John Pulliam

“John Pulliam - 3 stories”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

BUSINESS

The Journal-Standard, Freeport

Dave Manley

“The professional of pretend”

Judges Said: Interesting look at one of those off-the-beaten-path subjects that are often overlooked. Writer did an excellent job of setting the scene with the introduction and then followed that up with nice placements of quotes.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

BUSINESS

Herald & Review, Decatur

Chris Lusvardi

“On-the-job training: First year for McGorray's Golf & Grille has been a learning experience”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

BUSINESS

Herald & Review, Decatur

Nicole Harbour

“Getting carded: Debit or credit, businesses agree they're more popular than cash, checks”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

BUSINESS

Sauk Valley Newspapers, Sterling

Staff

“Still hurting: 10th anniversary of Northwestern Steel and Wire shutdown”

Judges Said: Exhaustive coverage of an economic disaster that could have derailed the community. From the engaging lede on the first story to the final paragraph in the series, the staff performed a yeoman's effort to tell the entire story - and also peek into the future - of the mill closing. Great work.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

BUSINESS

The Pantagraph, Bloomington

Karen Hansen

“Landmark pizza restaurant”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

BUSINESS

The News-Democrat, Bellville

Mike Fitzgerald

“MidAmerica stories”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

BUSINESS

Chicago Sun-Times,

Art Golab, Kim Janssen

“Powerless”

Judges Said: Several of the entries exhibited strong writing, reporting or investigative skills, but “Powerless,” by Golab and Janssen, hit all those targets with an impressive probe into where and how Consolidated Edison was falling short in serving its customers. The topic was well-chosen and timely, given the company-- poor customer satisfaction ranking, and the reporters deftly used obscure data to show that the problems were far from random. Moreover, they packaged it well with an inviting lead-in, clever writing, and detailed listings of how neighborhoods fared.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Rob Winner

“A Kids' Game”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

Nick Adams

“Cash Crop”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

Nick Adams

“App addict”

Judges Said: Love it. Very simple, clean and easy to figure out. Sometimes simple is better and this is a perfect example of that. Nice work!

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

The Dispatch, Moline

Kermit Stevenson, Paul Colletti, Stephanie Makosky Veto

“Best of the Big 6”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

Sauk Valley Newspapers, Sterling

Alex T. Paschal

“Inside the Mind”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

The Dispatch, Moline

Todd Mizener

“Top Scorer”

Judges Said: Nice concept.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

State Journal-Register, Springfield

Ted Schurter

“Economizing Dinners”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

The Pantagraph, Bloomington

David Proeber

“Beware bare feet”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

State Journal-Register, Springfield

Ted Schurter

“Mindful Eating”

Judges Said: Simple and thoughtful.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

ENTERTAINMENT

The Journal-Standard, Freeport

Jane Lethlean

“Hard-Knock Life”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

ENTERTAINMENT

The Journal-Standard, Freeport

Jane Lethlean

“In the Spirit of Peace”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

ENTERTAINMENT

Lisa Coon

“No lotta shakin' going on”

Judges Said: Well written treatment of subject. Could have been a cliche, but instead was emotional, interesting and left the reader with an impression of the performer.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

ENTERTAINMENT

The Herald-Whig, Quincy

Jessica M. Martin-Cate

“Residents honor veterans through music, comedy show”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

ENTERTAINMENT

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Jeffrey Westhoff

Scream" probably sharpest in franchise”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

ENTERTAINMENT

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Jami Kunzer

“Local high school musicals help teens direct their own lives”

Judges Said: Nice behind-the-scenes look at a school activity that often is pushed in the background behind football, basketball, etc. Feels like I got to know these students and their reasons for becoming involved in acting.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

ENTERTAINMENT

Chicago Sun-Times,

Miriam DiNunzio

“Alpert thrives”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

ENTERTAINMENT

The Pantagraph, Bloomington

Dan Craft

“Still standing”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

ENTERTAINMENT

Journal Star, Peoria

Gary Panetta

“No Empty Words”

Judges Said: Gary Panetta's David Foster Wallace package is highly authoritative and well informed. He takes a complex subject and deconstructs it in a way that is both intellectually challenging and accessible.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

COLUMN OR BLOG

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Jason Schaumburg

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

COLUMN OR BLOG

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Lauren Stott

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

COLUMN OR BLOG

Tom Loewy

Judges Said: Just fantastic. The best that I read by far.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

COLUMN OR BLOG

The Telegraph, Alton

Pete Hayes

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

COLUMN OR BLOG

Beacon-News, Aurora

Denise Crosby

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

COLUMN OR BLOG

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Kevin Craver

Judges Said: This series is good example of giving readers content they will not find elsewhere. written from compelling and informative point.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

COLUMN OR BLOG

Journal Star, Peoria

Pam Adams

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

COLUMN OR BLOG

Chicago Sun-Times,

Mark Brown

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

COLUMN OR BLOG

Chicago Sun-Times,

John W. Fountain

Judges Said: These columns are like conversations with an old friend -- funny and serious, happy and sad, chatty and deep. They're important without being self-important.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS BREAKING NEWS

The Journal-Standard, Freeport

Adam Kradle

“Indians prove to be Super”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS BREAKING NEWS

Courier-News, Elgin

Erik Jacobsen

“Sabres capture first regional title”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS BREAKING NEWS

Aaron Frey

“Obama makes Silver Streaks practice one to remember”

Judges Said: A unique story that clearly stood out from the rest.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS BREAKING NEWS

Daily-Journal, Kankakee

Steve Soucie

“Local teams struggle to put ball in basket”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS BREAKING NEWS

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Staff

“NFC Championship: Packers 21, Bears 14”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS BREAKING NEWS

The Dispatch, Moline

Marc Nesseler, sports ed. and staff

“Rocks win state 3A title”

Judges Said: Great overall coverage of a state championship from all angles, with photos, reaction that captured the emotion.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS BREAKING NEWS

State Journal-Register, Springfield

Todd Engle

“Wild Wes shootout”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS BREAKING NEWS

The News-Gazette, Champaign

Bob Asmussen

“Now what?”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS BREAKING NEWS

The News-Democrat, Belleville

David Wilhelm, Joe Ostermeier

“Hometown hero keeps cards alive”

Judges Said: It's rare a game is the topic of converation for days to come -- this one was and this work captured that quickly and well.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Kyle Bursaw

“Stretch for Catch”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Rob Winner

“That's a Throw-In”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

The Times, Ottawa

Tom Sistak

“Out Of The Saddle”

Judges Said: Tom Sistak captures the perfect moment between falling off the horse and waiting for the pain of hitting the ground. The expression on the cowboy’s face is great and that may be a slight smirk from the steer!

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

Lake County News-Sun, Waukegan

Rob Dicker

“I Got It”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

Sauk Valley Newspapers, Sterling

Philip Marruffo

“Scramble”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

The Herald-Whig, Quincy

Phil Carlson

“Off the Fingertips”

Judges Said: Peak action nicely cropped and composed.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

State Journal-Register, Springfield

David Spencer

“Dirt Track Danger”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

Journal Star, Peoria

Fred Zwicky

“Dangerous Bike”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS ACTION PHOTO

The News-Gazette, Champaign

Rick Danzl

“Helmet Twist”

Judges Said: Ouch! This photo made us cringe. Nice moment.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS COLUMN OR BLOG

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Ryan Wood

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS COLUMN OR BLOG

The Times, Ottawa

J.T. Pedelty

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS COLUMN OR BLOG

Aaron Frey

Judges Said: Good reporting, as in this case, makes good columns.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS COLUMN OR BLOG

The Dispatch, Moline

Marc Nesseler

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS COLUMN OR BLOG

Sauk Valley Newspapers, Sterling

Will Larkin

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS COLUMN OR BLOG

Herald & Review, Decatur

Mark Tupper

Judges Said: Strong stance and good job of making your case in a column that flows well.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS COLUMN OR BLOG

Rockford Register Star,

Emily Tropp

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS COLUMN OR BLOG

The Pantagraph, Bloomington

Randy Kindred

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS COLUMN OR BLOG

Chicago Sun-Times,

Rick Telander

Judges Said: Much of the battle with column writing is taking a small slice of an event that happened and everyone remembers and explaining it with a twist, whether it's the next day or in the future. This column is an original idea and revisits it in a different and entertaining way.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

John Sahly

“Attitude wins out”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE

Courier-News, Elgin

Erik Jacobsen

“Westminster Christian's other ace”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE

Courier-News, Elgin

Erik Jacobsen

“Going from High School to the pros”

Judges Said: Good reporting, good imagery, good flow. A story that could have gone on longer because it remained interesting throughout.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE

The Herald-Whig, Quincy

Matt Schuckman

“Making It All Add Up”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE

The Telegraph, Alton

Pete Hayes

“Brewers' Hairston Jr. grows up, but remains pain to La Russa”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Maureen Lynch

“A coach's final lessons”

Judges Said: Poignant story, very well told with a lot of detail and emotion.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE

Daily Herald, Arlington Heights

Scot Gregor

“Adam Dunn gets a standing ovation, for a single”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE

Chicago Sun-Times,

Sean Jensen

“Derrick Rose: A Love Worn on His Sleeve”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE

Chicago Sun-Times,

Mark Konkol

“Worst.Season.Ever.”

Judges Said: EXCELLENT account of an ugly situation, including a strong detailing of the players involved.

The front page teaser is OUTSTANDING. Headline, subhead and lead aren't far behind are excellent at grabbing a reader's attention.

Obviously, there are too many questions to have had all the answers about this situation.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Kyle Bursaw

“Cheer Leading”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Rob Winner

“Winning at the Line”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

The Journal-Standard, Freeport

Joe Tamborello

“Flex for the fans”

Judges Said: The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat may be a sports cliche, but it sure fits this image. Joe Tamborello captured the essence of victory in sports competition as one athlete exults with his defeated adversary in the background. The facial expressions couldn’t be more insightful into what just happened.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Lance Booth

“demo derby”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

The Dispatch, Moline

Paul Colletti

“Welcome home”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

Beacon-News, Aurora

Brian Powers

“Watermelon break”

Judges Said: Clean images that gets right to the point. Great choice of position and exposure. Good job.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

Chicago Sun-Times,

Tom Cruze

“Harness Racing”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

The News-Gazette, Champaign

John Dixon

“Lightning cancels scrimmage”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

SPORTS FEATURE PHOTO

State Journal-Register, Springfield

Justin L. Fowler

“Me and My Shadow”

Judges Said: Nice complex photo. I liked it more and more the longer I looked at it.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

HEADLINES

Rob Buck

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

HEADLINES

Jay Redfern

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

HEADLINES

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Jason Yates

Judges Said: I especially liked "Going down the grain" and the "ABC/AC" one. Humorous, sharp and to the point.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

HEADLINES

Herald & Review, Decatur

Jane Ruppert

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

HEADLINES

The Herald-Whig, Quincy

Julie Marra

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

HEADLINES

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

R. Scott Helmchen

Judges Said: Headlines are well written. They manage to be very clever and yet enhance the stories, rather than detract from them. They fit their subjects well and that they are also entertaining is a bonus. Excellent!

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

HEADLINES

Chicago Tribune,

Andrew Countryman

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

HEADLINES

The Pantagraph, Bloomington

Mark Lewis

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

HEADLINES

State Journal-Register, Springfield

Katie Davis

Judges Said: These clever headlines also displayed a focus on clarity. The photos, labels and secondary headlines complement each other, but the headlines still worked if not all the elements were there.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC

Christina Landon

“Timeline of a murder spree”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC

The Times, Ottawa

Emily Steele

“Holiday Travels”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC

The Times, Ottawa

Julie Stroebel

“Cleaning the Board”

Judges Said: Love the Monopoly idea and its relationship to property and housing.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Dave Lemery

“The War in Iraq”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC

Herald & Review, Decatur

Jean Zerfowski

“Titanic - By the numbers”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC

Daily-Journal, Kankakee

Terry Yohnka, Evan Hill

“2 tales of corruption”

Judges Said: Excellent, eye catching and informative graphic! Well laid out, comparison makes sense, well balanced, and well executed. Great job!

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC

Chicago Sun-Times,

Greg Good

“Behind Closed Doors at the Field Museum”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC

Chicago Tribune,

Alex Bordens

“Pedestrians at risk citywide”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC

Chicago Tribune,

Alex Bordens, Jonathon Berlin, Adam Zoll

“The mayor's reign”

Judges Said: An amazing compendium of highlights and lowlights from Richard Daley's years in office. Readers could -- and I'm sure did -- spend a lot of time on this page. A fascinating look back at a political icon. Great job.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

PRINT NEWSPAPER PAGE DESIGN

Jay Redfern

“9/11 The Day America Changed”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

PRINT NEWSPAPER PAGE DESIGN

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Kurt Cunningham

“Snow Daze”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

PRINT NEWSPAPER PAGE DESIGN

Jay Redfern

“Tracking Poverty”

Judges Said: Clean, good-looking, pleasing details. The railroad track does a good job of drawing attention into the photo and the entire section

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

PRINT NEWSPAPER PAGE DESIGN

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

R. Scott Helmchen

“Hero worship”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

PRINT NEWSPAPER PAGE DESIGN

The Herald-Whig, Quincy

Staff

“Snow-verwhelmed”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

PRINT NEWSPAPER PAGE DESIGN

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

R. Scott Helmchen

“Pests de resistance”

Judges Said: Excellent presentation, visually appealing, clever headline, and use of graphics. Excellent!

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

PRINT NEWSPAPER PAGE DESIGN

Chicago Sun-Times,

James Smith

“The Takeover”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

PRINT NEWSPAPER PAGE DESIGN

Rockford Register Star,

Adam McHugh

“Reflections”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

PRINT NEWSPAPER PAGE DESIGN

State Journal-Register, Springfield

Mike Turley

“Deep Freeze”

Judges Said: Designer did a fine job incorporating a strong visual into the main package. I generally dislike placing text on top of photos, but when it works -- as it does here -- it works very well.

THIRD PLACE

NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Staff

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

Staff

Judges Said: A high volume of timely local news postings highlights this site. Navigation works well, and search option is prominent. Good examples of interactivity, including a call for photo submissions. The site's smaller news briefs made me know instantly that the staff cares about what makes the community tick.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

Sauk Valley Newspapers, Sterling

Angel Sierra

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

Journal Gazette, Mattoon

JG-TC Staff

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Adam Nekola, Staff

Judges Said: This newspaper's entire online operation simply rises to the top. Everything about it works. Very powerful special projects such as the blizzard and football projects are unique, yet consistently presented. The blogging system and approach was very inviting, as was the sports section. This has all been accomplished with a site that is crisp and clean, and not loaded with distractions.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

State Journal-Register, Springfield

Staff

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

The News-Democrat, Bellville

Carla Anderson, Joe Ostermeier and staff

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

Daily Herald, Arlington Heights

Staff

Judges Said: I found this site very inviting. Notable elements included an effective top story rotator, attractive labeling of premium stories, extremely extensive community links, and a user-friendly services and info section. The Top 50 articles link also grabbed my attention. The homepage was packed with local news with frequent updates. Well-crafted all around.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

ENTERPRISE STORY

Jennifer Wheeler

“911 facing funding shortfall”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

ENTERPRISE STORY

The Journal-Standard, Freeport

Travis Morse

“Out and Proud in Freeport”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

ENTERPRISE STORY

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Staff

“Testing the process of public access in DeKalb County”

Judges Said: Good team enterprise by a newspaper that is taking seriously its role as an open government watchdog.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

ENTERPRISE STORY

Sauk Valley Newspapers, Sterling

Tara Becker, David Giuliani

“Teachers texting students: Crossing the line”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

ENTERPRISE STORY

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Kevin P. Craver

“Writing the rules and cashing In”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

ENTERPRISE STORY

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Chelsea McDougall

“Could Japan-like disaster happen here?”

Judges Said: Outstanding job of taking a major international story and giving it a local flair. Nicely reported and written. In a very competitive category, this entry stood out.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

ENTERPRISE STORY

Chicago Sun-Times,

Rosalind Rossi, Art Golab

“Chicago area's top schools”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

ENTERPRISE STORY

The News-Gazette, Champaign

Patrick Wade

“Worried about the water”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

ENTERPRISE STORY

Chicago Tribune,

Gary Marx, David Jackson

“Yasmin's Diary”

Judges Said: Incredible reporting outmatched the police force and provided hope for the family to learn the fate of a young girl.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

PICTORIAL PHOTO

The Times, Ottawa

Doug Larson

“Buddy Holly”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

PICTORIAL PHOTO

Nick Adams

“Backwards bowl”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

PICTORIAL PHOTO

Nick Adams

“Smoke Runner”

Judges Said: Very cool shot. The use of light is great and makes for a very graphic photo.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

PICTORIAL PHOTO

Sauk Valley Newspapers, Sterling

Alex T. Paschal

“Harvesting”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

PICTORIAL PHOTO

Sauk Valley Newspapers, Sterling

Philip Marruffo

“Racing the Sun”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

PICTORIAL PHOTO

The Telegraph, Alton

John Badman

“Fishing In a Frame”

Judges Said: Nice composition and color.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

PICTORIAL PHOTO

SouthtownStar, Tinley Park

Joseph P. Meier

“Rain Drops”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

PICTORIAL PHOTO

Daily Herald, Arlington Heights

Steve Lundy

“motocross”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

PICTORIAL PHOTO

SouthtownStar, Tinely Park

Joseph P. Meier

“Storm Clouds”

Judges Said: Unbelievable clouds ... looks like a VanGough painting.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

News-Tribune, LaSalle

Matthew Baker, Tom Collins

“Furry Babies: Fuzzy origins”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

The Dispatch, Moline

Stephen Elliott, Dawn Nueses

“A system overwhelmed”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Staff

“Housing Road Map: A Survival Guide”

Judges Said: Bravo! This project went far beyond the basic numbers to explain to readers exactly what happened in the housing crisis. This project had far more depth and content that you might expect from a paper this size. Really outstanding work.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

The News-Democrat, Belleville

George Pawlaczyk, Beth Hundsdorfer

“Money talks, defendants walk”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

Chicago Tribune,

Jason Grotto, Ray Long

“Pension Games”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

The News-Democrat, Belleville

George Pawlaczyk, Beth Hundsdorfer

“Workers' Compensation Investigation”

Judges Said: This is a news organization doing what it should do: Educating the public on matters officials want to keep hidden.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY

Nick Adams

“D-Day Vet”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY

The Times, Ottawa

Tom Sistak

“40 Days of Prayer”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Kyle Bursaw

“Missing Brother”

Judges Said: The image screams something is missing and, of course, what's missing is Finn Davis's twin brother Evan who was being treated for a rare heart condition in the hospital. Just a heart-wrenching portrait that tells so much of the story in a single image.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Lance Booth

“braincancer”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY

Lake County News-Sun, Waukegan

Thomas Delany Jr.

“Houseless”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY

The Dispatch, Moline

Todd Mizener

“Grieving father”

Judges Said: The sadness in the eyes of this father pulled at the viewer’s heart.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY

Journal Star, Peoria

Fred Zwicky

“Father lost when young, still an influence on her life”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY

SouthtownStar, Tinley Park

Matt Marton

“Farmer”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY

The News-Gazette, Champaign

Robert K. O'Daniell

“Ebertfest”

Judges Said: funny!

THIRD PLACE

PUBLIC SERVICE

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

PUBLIC SERVICE

Jay Redfern, Staff

“The Register-Mail is lead "cheerleader" for Reader's Digest contest”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

PUBLIC SERVICE

Daily Chronicle, De Kalb

Caitlin Mullen, Jeff Englehardt

“CommunityWorks series”

Judges Said: This entry took what could have been treated as a mundane topic and brought it alive to show residents how their community works.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

PUBLIC SERVICE

Herald & Review, Decatur

Theresa Churchill

“Overlooked victims”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

PUBLIC SERVICE

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Kevin Craver

“Coincidence or Cluster: McCullom Lake Brain Cancer cases”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

PUBLIC SERVICE

Journal Gazette, Mattoon

Staff

“Work Wanted”

Judges Said: Well-reported and well-written series that not only explained a community problem well, but gave readers the help they needed to help themselves. Nicely done. I wish my newspaper had thought of this project.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

PUBLIC SERVICE

Daily Herald, Arlington Heights

Marni Pyke, Lenore Adkins, Editorial Board

“Fatal Distraction - Series of stories and Editorials on Distracted Driving”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

PUBLIC SERVICE

SouthtownStar, Tinley Park

Susan DeMar Lafferty

“Thieves see lots of loot at Metra train stations”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

PUBLIC SERVICE

The News-Democrat, Belleville

Kevin Bersett, Zia Nizami, Jacqueline Lee

“Overdose deaths on the rise”

Judges Said: An excellent example of a news organization telling the community a story about itself that many would like to keep hidden.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

PICTURE STORY

Nick Adams

“Cornerstone”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

PICTURE STORY

Nick Adams

“Alzheimer's - no black and white malady”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

PICTURE STORY

Nick Adams

“Poverty level”

Judges Said: Very nice work. The judges were glad to see the photographer capture all moments in this woman's life -- including her daily struggles -- but also some more happy times with her child.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

PICTURE STORY

Daily-Journal, Kankakee

Nicholas Holstein

“Hours mount for CPA”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

PICTURE STORY

Sauk Valley Newspapers, Sterling

Alex T. Paschal

“Dirty Pictures”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

PICTURE STORY

Daily-Journal, Kankakee

Nicholas Holstein

“Fatherhood comes 1st”

Judges Said: The images are straightforward but still tell the story well.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

PICTURE STORY

Journal Star, Peoria

Fred Zwicky

“Megan's Battle to Heal”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

PICTURE STORY

Journal Star, Peoria

Fred Zwicky

“Monkey House”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

PICTURE STORY

State Journal-Register, Springfield

David Spencer

“Living History”

Judges Said: Far and away the best story. This gave a real sense of place and told a story.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING

Nick Adams

“Free Dental Clinic”

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING

Nick Adams

“Alzheimer's - no black and white malady”

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING

Nick Adams

“The Visible Man - Harold Palash”

Judges Said: Nice report on the life of a blind gentleman that combined both still photography and videography. A great example of the power of video vs. a text-only story.

Div. B

THIRD PLACE

MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING

The Herald-Whig, Quincy

Staff

“Quincy School Board Controversy”

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Adam Nekola, Jenny Kane, Staff

“Housing Road Map: A Survival Guide”

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Lance Booth, Adam Nekola

“Beyond the Game”

Judges Said: Simply outstanding. The precision, detail, depth, quality and storytelling were perfect. The staff clearly set a high bar for the project, and the work clearly sets a new standard for what newspapers are capable of.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING

Daily Herald, Arlington Heights

Daily Herald Photo Staff

“9/11 remembered after 10 years”

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING

State Journal-Register, Springfield

Ted Schurter, Molly Beck

“Ossie Langfelder's incredible journey”

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING

State Journal-Register, Springfield

Chris Young

“From Springfield, with love: A day for WWII veterans”

Judges Said: An excellent production that kept my attention from start to finish. The commitment to make the trip gave the newspaper a unique perspective that did an excellent job of recording the veterans' emotions. Excellent flow and production values! Clearly the most powerful entry.

Div. C

THIRD PLACE

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Daily Chronicle,

Staff

Div. C

SECOND PLACE

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Staff

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

The Times, Ottawa

Staff

Judges Said: Very oriented to local interests. I was impressed by the percentage of stories that were local; even feature stories about cheese and trees were told from a local person's point of view. A police blotter, which I know takes work, and a Q&A (15 Minutes of Fame) that was actually fun to read, were among the elements that kept my interest. The writers on the Opinion pages had unique voices. The story abut the crashed plane was riveting and sad. Well told. Storm stories centered on local people Best storm coverage among the papers, and the other papers did well. Lots of excellent writing. Story planning and placement were top notch. The paper could use a more reader-friendly design. Captions were overly thick and headlines too small for the depth of the packages they carried. Inside pages looked better than the front pages. But the photos and rails on the section fronts made up for a lot of that. A special, interesting design, and a chance for even more local content. I bet people there love seeing themselves in the local paper's masthead.

Div B

THIRD PLACE

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

The Herald-Whig, Quincy

Div. B

SECOND PLACE

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

The Telegraph, Alton

Staff

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Herald & Review, Decatur

Staff

Judges Said: Reader-friendly packaging and use of elements were complemented by well-written articles and attractive art. Local content is appealing and the 9/11 anniversary package was particularly well done and localized. Good utilization of white space in design work.

Div. A

THIRD PLACE

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Daily Herald, Arlington Heights

Staff

Div. A

SECOND PLACE

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Chicago Sun-Times,

Staff

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Chicago Tribune,

Staff

Judges Said: The breadth of the content was astounding. Well-written, usable articles on everything from the correct way to test your water for lead, to architecture to a school board scandal to the creation of new types of apples. And almost all of them accompanied by telling visuals. The consumer watchdog reports especially stood out. As did the coverage of the coming blizzard. Some particular delights were the John Kass column about oft-stolen items that included a recipe for filet mignon sauce, the Black History Month military timeline graphic and the story about sleeping in libraries. Best of all was the sports section. Highest compliments to all who work on it. So many neat elements. So much fun to read and look at. But that just touches on the enormous amount of excellent copy. The layout was also first-rate, continually varying graphics and photos, and using boxes -- either alone on a page or inserted into stories. The snowfall graphic was so simple while being creative, informative and easy to follow. Which kind of sums up this impressive paper: creative, informative and easy to follow. First-rate all around.

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

EDITORIAL SWEEPSTAKES

Staff

“Maytag employees in transition”

Judges Said: The Daily Chronicle recognized that a plant closing isn't just about unemployment numbers; it's about people, their hopes and dreams and putting their lives back together. The newspaper pulled no punches in assessing the impact of the closing, but went the extra step in moving the story forward when it looked at how workers were rebuilding their lives. Well done.

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

EDITORIAL SWEEPSTAKES

Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake

Maureen Lynch

“A coach's final lessons”

Judges Said: Touching, emotional story beautifully captured by the writer. In a category of great stories, this was clearly the best. Well done!

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

EDITORIAL SWEEPSTAKES

The News-Democrat, Belleville

George Pawlaczyk, Beth Hundsdorfer

“Workers' Compensation Investigation”

Judges Said: This comprehensive work hits readers in two sensitive areas: work and taxes. Determination is evident here, and that's what stands out. Nothing came easily in this effort, and the results were rewarding.

Div. C

FIRST PLACE

PHOTO SWEEPSTAKES

The Journal-Standard, Freeport

Joe Tamborello

“Flex for the fans”

Judges Said: Of all the entries, this was the best example of visual storytelling. There's simply no guessing about the story this photo has to tell. The expression and body language say it all -- instantly. There's more, though. The expression and body language of the wrestler in the background add another layer of information and complexity, creating a visual hierarchy. This picture grabs your attention, then holds it. Great moment. Great composition. Great photo!

Div. B

FIRST PLACE

PHOTO SWEEPSTAKES

The Dispatch, Moline

Todd Mizener

“Grieving father”

Judges Said: The reader can feel the sadness in this father's face. Selected focus and the shallow depth of field really move the reader to the eyes.

Div. A

FIRST PLACE

PHOTO SWEEPSTAKES

Journal Star, Peoria

Adam Gerik

“Leap of Love”

Judges Said: This photo tells the complete story and captures the perfect moment. Very well done.