Illinois APME announces winners in 2021 newspaper contest

CHICAGO (AP) – Winners have been announced in the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors 2021 newspaper contest. The contest features news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns and photos from 2021. DIVISION I AWARD WINNERS: GENERAL EXCELLENCE: First place, The Southern Illinoisan; second place, Herald & Review; third place, Effingham Daily News. BEST DIGITAL STORYTELLING: First place, Herald & Review, 25th anniversary of Decatur tornadoes, staff; second place, Herald & Review, Golden Knights, Clay Jackson; third place, Herald & Review, Bird Boxes, Clay Jackson. PUBLIC SERVICE: First place, Effingham Daily News, COVID and Our Community, staff; Dixon Telegraph, DCFS probed home five times before 7-year-old’s death, Kathleen Schultz; third place, The Quincy Herald-Whig, Pike County tax issues, Drew Zimmerman. ENTERPRISE COVERAGE: First place, Northwest Herald, Flooding on the Fox, Sam Lounsberry, Cassie Buchman and Emily Coleman (this story also was selected the Division I Sweepstakes winner); second place, DeKalb Daily Chronicle, Landlord transfer looms as City of DeKalb targets Hunter Properties buildings, Katie Finlon and Kelsey Rettke; third place, The Southern Illinoisan, High school earmarks nearly $900K of COVID-19 relief grant on football field, Kallie Cox. GENERAL NEWS: First place, Northwest Herald, Man convicted in 1997 murder of Elgin toddler calls death an accident, Katie Smith; second place, Dixon Telegraph, A Slap In The Face, Rachel Rodgers and Kathleen Schultz; third place, DeKalb Daily Chronicle, Clerk drama returns with newly elected official, Katie Finlon and Kelsey Rettke. FEATURE: First place, La Salle NewsTribune, Fiesta!, Tom Collins; second place, The Southern Illinoisan, SIU aviation student remembered after tragic motorcycle crash, Makayla Holder; third place, The Southern Illinoisan, Why did you get the COVID-19 vaccine?, Marilyn Halstead. SPORTS STORY: First place, Herald & Review, Butterflies, prayers & Ashtyn, James Boyd; second place, Quincy Herald-Whig, The Life of Riley, Matt Schuckman; third place, Herald & Review, I’m so blessed: Players, coaches, friends honor LSA’s Tom Saunches, Matthew Flaten. BUSINESS REPORTING: First place, Northwest Herald, Domino’s Pizza in Cary allegedly pressured staff to work after COVID-19 exposure, documents show, Kelli Duncan; second place, DeKalb Daily Chronicle, Amazon paid $6.3M for nearly 59 acres of land in DeKalb, Katie Finlon and Kelsey Rettke; third place, Dixon Telegraph, Where are all the workers?, staff. NEWS PHOTO: First place, The Alton Telegraph, Amazon victims remembered, John Badman; second place, The Alton Telegraph, McDonald’s Destroyed, John Badman; third place, The Alton Telegraph, Top off rescue, John Badman. FEATURE PHOTO: First place, The Alton Telegraph, Exhausting work, John Badman (this photo also was selected the Sweepstakes winner); second place, The Southern Illinoisan, Winter walk, Byron Hetzler; third place, The Alton Telegraph, Memorial parade, John Badman. PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY: First place, The Dixon Telegraph, Water Legend, Alex T. Paschal; second place, the DeKalb Daily Chronicle, Honoring veterans, Mark Busch; third place, Northwest Herald, Love birds, Matthew Apgar. SPORTS PHOTO: First place, The Southern Illinoisan, Highs and lows, Byron Hetzler; second place DeKalb Daily Chronicle, Sportsmanship at its best, Mark Busch; third place, Dixon Telegraph, Moon Shot, Alex T. Paschal. DIVISION II AWARD WINNERS: GENERAL EXCELLENCE: First place, Chicago Sun-Times, staff; second place, The Daily Herald, Staff; third place, The Pantagraph, staff.