Daily Herald, Paddock Publications pick up AP awards
The Daily Herald received awards for breaking news coverage, editorial writing and photography Thursday at the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors awards banquet.
First place in the breaking news category was awarded for the Daily Herald's coverage of the beating of a young man that was shared on Facebook Live.
Lead writers Elena Ferrarin and Marie Wilson were recognized for their work on the story, which told of a young man from Crystal Lake who was brought to Chicago and tortured for hours in an apartment. Twenty-eight minutes of the attack was shared live on Facebook.
"I'm so proud of the work that Elena Ferrarin, Marie Wilson and our entire staff do to try to provide the area with the best local news coverage possible. We care about the community and it's nice to see the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors judges recognize that," Daily Herald Editor John Lampinen said.
Lampinen accepted the awards at the annual Illinois Associated Press Media Editors awards banquet Thursday night at the Marriott Bloomington-Normal Hotel and Conference Center in downstate Normal.
The Daily Herald also took third place in editorial writing for commentary on efforts in Des Plaines Elementary District 62 to shield from public view sexual harassment complaints against Superintendent Floyd Williams Jr. The series of stories and editorials resulted in legislation seeking disclosure of sexual harassment complaints in separation agreements.
Deputy Director of Visual Journalism Paul Valade received a third-place award for his photo of a stilt walker taking a break before the Elgin Fourth of July parade.
The Daily Herald's parent company, Paddock Publications, also operates a group of newspapers in Southern Illinois.
The Du Quoin Call, Marion Republican and the Harrisburg Register/Eldorado Journal won five AP awards - all first and second place - in sports, news, feature writing, column writing and photography.
The work of several Daily Herald staff members also earned accolades from the Chicago Headline Club during the 41st annual Peter Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Journalism last month.
The paper received seven Lisagor awards recognizing a broad array of writing, design and photography published in 2017.