Based on 2006 work
Winners were honored at the 27th Annual Awards Banquet
at the Indianapolis Marriott North Hotel on April 27, 2007
Ryan Lenz
"Soldiers in Iraq Investigated"
The Associated Press
The Ernie Pyle Society Judges said: "The two-page nomination letter for this year's Indiana Journalism Courage Award reads like a recap of the last year or two of the war in Iraq: Battles in the Triangle of Death south of Baghdad. Tales of U.S. soldiers who carry out daily, routine tasks but in a split second must shift into high-gear defense mode. Stories of inhumane and possibly illegal treatment of prisoners, civilians, other soldiers. Associated Press reporter Ryan Lenz didn't just report what was in front of his eyes during his two assignments imbedded in Iraq the last two years. Like any intrepid reporter, whether in Iraq or Dubuque, he dug for his stories. Using military sources he'd cultivated, he broke the story of the rape and slaying of an Iraqi girl and slaying of her family, an act for which four U.S. soldiers are charged."
"This report generated an investigation that Lenz continued to cover even after he returned stateside. He found that one of the four charged with the acts had homicidal ideationsā for which the soldier had sought help, yet still was on patrol at the time of the attack and killings."
"His reporting generated a call from Iraq's prime minister for an investigation, a bolstering of allegations of other misconduct, resentment among Iraqis of the American military, investigations by the U.S. military itself and a shift in the public attitude about the war. Now, Lenz is returning for his third assignment, reporting from Baghdad, one of the most dangerous areas of Iraq. If this tour is like his last, we'll likely be handing him another plaque this time next year."
First Place: Star Staff
The Indianapolis Star
"7 Slain in Indy Home"
Judges said: "Well packaged and well written. Good use of art and info boxes."
Second Place: Staff
The Post-Tribune
"Flooding Fury in Lake County"
Third Place: Jon Seidel
The Post-Tribune
"Sheriff's Police Find Pit Bull Fighting Site"
B. Daily newspaper circulation less than 40,000
First Place: Staff
The Herald-Times
"Plane Crash Kills Five"
Second Place: Jeff Wiehe
The News-Sentinel
"Blasts Jolt Site of Blaze"
Third Place: Matt Getts
The News-Sun
"I Had to Catch the Baby"
C. Non-daily newspaper
First Place: Linda Lipp
Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly
"Hydrogen Plant Delayed"
Second Place: Linda Lipp
Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly
"Waterfield Price: $450 Million-Plus"
First Place: Anthony Schoettle
Indianapolis Business Journal
"Brand Balances Big Bucks and Books"
Judges said: "Well-written. A solidly researched look into academics and sports and how well Myles Brand handles that mix."
Second Place: Michael Osipoff
The Post-Tribune
"Fowl Ball"
Third Place: Christine Cox
South Bend Tribune
"Moving Memorials"
B. Daily newspaper circulation less than 40,000
First Place: Sue Loughlin
The Tribune-Star
"For the Love of Their Family"
Judges said: "A well-written feature with keen attention to detail that truly brings readers into the life of the family and the challenges they've triumphantly overcome."
Second Place: Jeff Wiehe
The News-Sentinel
"An Empty Space in ĪBusco"
Third Place: Anne Kibbler
The Herald-Times
"Typical Tuesday"
C. Non-daily newspaper
First Place: Ericka Thompson
The Indianapolis Recorder
"Ransom Place Series"
Judges said: "Solid reporting with lots of legwork. Number of sources enabled Thompson to tell stories within her story."
Second Place: Donald Ward
RoundAbout Madison
"Honoring a Film Legend"
Third Place: Doug Le Duc
Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly
"Cell Phone Silence is Golden"
D. Magazines, special-interest publications and periodicals
First Place: Tony Rehagen
Indianapolis Monthly Magazine
"Revenge of the Nerds"
Judges said: "An entertaining and honest account of an outsider's voyage into the land of gamers. This article is notable for its humor, heart and ability to help readers relate to a truly fascinating sub-culture."
Second Place: Daniel Comiskey
Indianapolis Monthly Magazine
"Male Order"
Third Place: Evan West
Indianapolis Monthly Magazine
"My So-Called Private Life"
First Place: Star Staff
The Indianapolis Star
"Mistaken Identity"
Judges said: "The reporters meticulously documented the mistakes that led to this incredible, horrifying mix-up. Their efforts revealed flaws in the system and pointed toward much-needed improvements. An exceptional piece of journalism."
Second Place: Robert King
The Indianapolis Star
"Sainthood"
Third Place: Staff
The Times of Northwest Indiana
"Heroin"
B. Daily newspaper circulation less than 40,000
First Place: Laura Lane and James Boyd
The Herald-Times
"Secrecy of Myers Trial of Concern"
Judges said: "Solid reporting that came from dogged persistence and exhaustive public record searches and interviews. Reporters became clear experts on a story that captivated the country."
Second Place: Stephanie Salter
The Tribune-Star
"Breaking the Silence"
Third Place: Anne Kibbler, Andy Graham and Steve Hinnefeld
The Herald-Times
"Tough Love or Too Tough?"
C. Non-daily newspaper
First Place: Konnie McCollum
RoundAbout Madison
"Playing Economic Hardball"
Judges said: "Nice recognition of a trend and thoroughness in pulling together the elements to make an interesting enterprise story."
Second Place: Konnie McCollum
RoundAbout Madison
"Beyond the Blaze"
Third Place: Rebecca Berfanger
Indiana Lawyer
"Lawyers Help Other Lawyers"
First Place: Kevin Corcoran
The Indianapolis Star
"A $153M Mess"
Judges said: "Well documented and researched. Graphics add to a story that would upset any taxpayer. Simply a great job."
Second Place: Matthew Kish
The Indianapolis Business Journal
"The Ties That Blind"
B. Daily newspaper circulation less than 40,000
First Place: Amy Oberlin
The Herald-Republican
"Don Clark"
Judges said: "Solid reporting results in a judicial error being rectified. Public service journalism doesn't get much better."
Second Place: Cindy Bevington
The News-Sun
"Audit of FSSA Exposes Massive Mismanagement"
Third Place: Laura Lane
The Herald-Times
"A Powerful Danger"
C. Non-daily newspaper
First Place: Shannon Williams, Brandon Perry, Ericka Thompson and Jessica Williams-Gibson
The Indianapolis Recorder
"Race Relations Series"
Second Place: Linda Lipp
Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly
"Batter Up"
Third Place: Laura McPhee
NUVO Newsweekly
"Pollution, Politics, and Profits"
First Place: Joe Lee
The Herald-Times
(No Name)
Judges said: "This was laugh out-loud funny. Whether you agree with the message or not, any day you can get flying elephants into the paper, you can get people to look. Then you can get people talking and thinking."
Second Place: Gary Varvel
The Indianapolis Star
"2006 Halloween Contest," "Election Results," "Final Approach"
Third Place: Wayne Bertsch
NUVO Newsweekly
"Gadfly"
Second Place: Leo Morris
The News-Sentinel
"A Fatal Mistake"
Third Place:Max Jones
The Tribune-Star
"Sorting Through the Mess at EMA"
First Place: Renee Petrina
The Indianapolis Star
"Security Check," "One Old, Two New, All Blue," "Mr. President, Put Up That Wall"
Judges said: "This sample of headlines all put a nice twist on subjects that could have been given a dry treatment. Well done."
Second Place: Patrick Maman
The Post-Tribune
"Daniels Facing House Arrest If Democrats Gain Control," "Serial Killer All Lined Up but Prosecutor Can't Sink Putt," "Dems Knockout Punch Makes Visclosky a True Heavyweight"
Third Place: Staff
South Bend Tribune
"Striking a Sour Note," "A Maize-ing Disgrace," "Even Elvis Must Leave Building"
B. Daily newspaper circulation less than 40,000
First Place: Caleb Cook
The News-Sentinel
"Stuff Love," "Intrastate Heavyweights," and "The Shaggy Man Stands in IU's Way"
Judges said: "This was a strong sample of hammerhead headline writing that distilled each story into a catch phrase of double meanings."
Second Place: Rich Gotshall
The Daily Journal
"Sunsets on Pluto as Planet," "Crash Course," "Police: Photo Model Overexposed"
Third Place: Amy Oberlin
The Herald-Republican
"28 Bottles of Beer Nail Teen to Wall"
C. Non-daily newspaper or magazine
First Place: Edward Feigenbaum
Indiana Legislative Insight
INGroup
"Dramatic Comity," "The Road to Permission," and "Who Will Follow the Leader?"
Judges said: "Great use of wordplay to put an interesting twist on stories that needed engaging headlines for attention."
Second Place: Edward Feigenbaum
Indiana Legislative Insight
INGroup
"Demos to Fire Blanks at Lugar," "Have You No Sense of Decency?"
and "Bayh Climbs Money Hill(ary)"
First Place: Kevin Lane
The Indianapolis Star
"Stuck in Traffic," "Making Kids Swiches Come True,"
"Time Has Come to Cut and Run"
Judges said: "Each of these headlines uses humor and language to put a nice spin on feature stories and add greatly to presentation."
Second Place: Copy Desk Staff
The South Bend Tribune
"Using Your Melon," "Real to Reel," "Reproduced"
Third Place: Dwight Adams
The Indianapolis Star
"Spy Case to Feature Cloak and Swagger," "Flogger Candidate May Feel Like Whipping Boy," and "For Teen Nudists, Bad Behavior Is In the Eye of the Beholder"
B. Daily newspaper circulation less than 40,000
First Place: Chad Steenerson
The Tribune-Star
"Americans Belief in Hell Already in Hand Basket," "Shop Owner Must Sell 700 Pairs of Shoes: Needs More Square Feet," "Maize Mazes Amaze"
Judges said: "Nice job using wordplay and language to bring ideas out in an interesting and engaging way!"
C. Non-daily newspaper or magazine
First Place: Staff
Indianapolis Woman Magazine
"Destiny Comes Knoxing," "Manning the Trenches," "Pioneering Spirit"
Judges said: "Profile stories need interesting headlines and presentations. These heads pull that off nicely with the use of language."
Second Place: Indianapolis Monthly Staff
Indianapolis Monthly Magazine
"Male Order," "Travels with Charci" and "When We Build It, Will They Come?"
Second Place: Kathleen Whitman Plucker
The Herald-Times
"For Her Grandmother, a Wish of Technicolor Dreams," "Victims of Sexual Harassment Live with Consequences," "Let's Become Better Educated About Breast Cancer"
Third Place: Matthew Tully
The Indianapolis Star
"Who's Backing Bar? A Lot of Power Players," "Immigration Debate Calls to Prudence, Not Passion," I (heart) Julia, Too, But This Should be It."
First Place: Graphics Department
The Indianapolis Star
"0.0635 Seconds," "Swamped," "Teen Describes a Night of Fury"
Judges said: "Great displays that are well balanced and really grab your attention. Effective spacing and typography, with great photos of triumph (Joakim Noah, Sam Hornish, Jr.), and a very strong informational graphic carrying the front of a shooting. Terrific job."
Second Place: Jeffrey Coffey
The Post-Tribune
"Page Ones: Feb. 5, Aug. 23, Aug. 27, 2006"
Third Place: Ben Cunningham, Matt Erickson, Ryan Marx and Bill Thornbro
The Times of Northwest Indiana
"Sniper, Mill Blast, Chem Leak"
B. Daily newspaper circulation less than 40,000
First Place: Brad Saleik and Ryan Mallory
The News-Sentinel
Saleik: "Heroes in Our Midst"
Mallory: "Is Ballpark a Boon? and "More Domestic Abusers Go High Tech"
Judges said: "Very attractive pages that show a lot of planning and careful considerations. Good centerpieces with strong art elements, particularly Heroes in Our Midst. Terrific job."
Second Place: Alicia Morgan
The Tribune-Star
"March 5, 2006; October 8, 2006; and November 12, 2006"
Third Place: Zach Taylor
The Tribune-Star
"December 31, 2006; August 13, 2006; and January 17, 2006"
C. Non-daily newspaper
First Place: Ben King and Barry Rochford
Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly
"June 12-18. 2006/ Nov. 6-12, 2006/ Dec. 8-14, 2006"
Judges said: "These pages manage a lot of information clearly and are easy for readers to navigate. Strong dominant art."
Second Place: Amy Kim
NUVO Newsweekly
"Hoop Dreams"
Third Place: John Hurst
The Indianapolis Recorder
"Recorder"
D. Magazines, special-interest publications and periodicals
First Place: Michael McCormick, Art Director
John Bragg, Photographer
Indianapolis Monthly Magazine
"May, 2006 Cover"
Judges said: "This is everything a cover should be; beautiful, informative, arresting. The photography is flawless and well styled, and the cover lines are well placed and designed."
Second Place: Beth Heironimus and Caroline Markley
Fort Wayne Magazine
"February, 2006; July, 2006; and September, 2006"
Third Place: Dan Kraner
Indianapolis Woman Magazine
"Taking Life Full Speed Ahead," "Meet Mrs. Manning,"
"Look Who's Coming with Dinner"
First Place: Graphics Department
The Indianapolis Star
"Indy 500," "500 Preview Pole Day" and" Indy Race Day Preview"
Judges said: "Colorful, dominating, poster-like fronts on one of the country's great sporting events, the Indianapolis 500. Terrific presentations fueled by terrific photography. Nice job."
Second Place: Jeffrey Coffey
The Post-Tribune
"April 28, May 5, May 7, 2006 Covers"
Third Place: Design Staff
The South Bend Tribune
"Weekend/Game Day/Families"
B. Daily newspaper circulation less than 40,000
First Place: Zach Taylor
The Tribune-Star
"Perspectives December 10, 2006; November 19, 2006; September 17, 2006"
Judges said: "Excellent designs that would stop you in your tracks if you were thumbing through a Sunday newspaper. Very imaginative and well planned out. Turns a normal stale section of the newspaper into a real eye opener. Great job."
Second Place: Sara Clifford
The Times-Mail
"Lifestyle Sections 2006"
Third Place: Drew Walker
The News-Sentinel
"Ticket! Roberta Flack"
C. Non-daily newspaper
First Place: John Hurst
The Indianapolis Recorder
"St. Rita"
Judges said: "This page has a vintage feel that complements the subject matter, with great use of photography and memorabilia."
Second Place: Amy Kim
NUVO Newsweekly
"Oscarlicious!"
Third Place: Amy Kim
NUVO Newsweekly
"Savion Glover on Tap"
D. Magazines, special-interest publications and periodicals
First Place: Michael McCormick
Indianapolis Monthly Magazine
"Kidding Around!"
Judges said: "Gorgeous fun, well organized, great photography. Packages an immense amount of information gracefully in a way that's reader-friendly and flat-out fun."
Second Place: Dan Kraner
Indianapolis Woman Magazine
"Manning the Trenches"
Third Place: Michelle Thompson
Indianapolis Woman Magazine
"Navigating America's Great Loop"
First Place: Graphics Department
The Indianapolis Star
"Failure under Pressure," "New Stadium"
"Fundamental Elements of the 500 Mile Race"
Judges said: "Outstanding detail and clarity of information. Superb execution makes this entry the clear-cut winner by a long shot."
Second Place: Bill Thornbro
The Times of Northwest Indiana
"Heroin"
Third Place: John Stump, Margaret Fosmoe and Jim Rider
The South Bend Tribune
"Knute Rockne's South Bend"
B. Daily newspaper circulation less than 40,000
First Place: Brad Saleik and Steven Linsenmayer
The News-Sentinel
"Burma Facts and Figures"
Judges said: "Wealth of information on Burma effectively packaged and presented. Graphic alone gives the reader a brief history lesson on the country. Great job."
C. Non-daily newspaper
No awards
D. Magazines, Special Interest Publications and Periodicals
First Place: Bonnie Blackburn and Samuel Minick
Fort Wayne Magazine
"Future Fort?"
Judges said: "Effective graphic for cover, with plenty of messages for the reader to piece together. Well-done."
No Awards
B. Non-Fiction
First Place: Patricia Hagen
"A Mini Splendored Thing"
Judges said: "A fun look at the history, founders and people who run the Mini-Marathon. Full of great stories. Made me want to come to Indiana to take in the event."
Second Place: David Weaver, Randal Beam, Bonnie Brownlee, Paul Voakes and G. Cleveland Wilhoit
IU School of Journalism
"The American Journalist in the 21st Century"