HO_062019

10 | June 20, 2019 | the homer horizon NEWS
homerhorizon.com
The Homer Horizon earns two first-place finishes to lead 22CM’s 16 national awards
Publication to be
honored at Oct. 5
event in Milwaukee
Staff Report
A feature piece on a
weeping icon many consider
a miracle and an
investigative story from
The Homer Horizon have
both been awarded first
place to lead 22nd Century
Media publications
in earning a company-record
16 awards for journalistic
excellence from
the National Newspaper
Association.
It is the seventh year of
national competition for
22nd Century Media, parent
company of The Horizon,
and the 16 awards
top the company’s previous
high of 14 (2015).
The Horizon has won
five national editorial
awards in its history, including
these two most
recent ones.
The National Newspaper
Association boasts
more than 2,000 members,
and this year, its
annual Better Newspaper
Contest welcomed more
than 1,300 entries from
36 states. Winners in
the competition, judged
by esteemed journalists
from across the country,
will be honored at an Oct.
5 banquet in Milwaukee.
“I am blown away,”
said Joe Coughlin, the
company’s publisher.
“Our editorial team
works tirelessly to produce
quality community
journalism that informs
and equips our readers.
And the winners are ...
List and details of the 16 national awards for 22nd Century Media
The work is for the community,
but accolades of
this magnitude help validate
those efforts.”
Of the 16 awards won
by 22nd Century Media,
two were first place,
and seven were secondplace
honors. 22CM also
earned three third-place
nods, and four were honorable
mention.
The Horizon, the first
newspaper launched by
22nd Century Media,
earned both first-place
awards — one for a feature
written by Editor
Thomas Czaja, and the
other for an investigative
piece produced by a team
of reporters.
“A really nice balance
of objectivity, explaining
what this unusual phenomenon
means to both
the faithful and to those
disinclined to explain
it religiously,” a judge
wrote of the feature,
which provided an update
to the ongoing happening
of the weeping icon
of St. John the Baptist at
Assumption Greek Orthodox
Church in Homer
Glen.
For the investigative
piece, which focused on
a Homer Glen native and
former Lockport Township
High School student
who said she was sexually
abused by a teacher,
a judge wrote of its lasting
effect.
“Out of all the entries
in this category, this story
haunted me for days,”
the judge wrote. “It was
well-written, well-reported
and impactful. The research
through interviews
and records was exceptional.
It is definitely relevant
in today’s climate
and shows the impact that
newspapers across the
country can have.”
Four of the honors
went to The Orland Park
Prairie, which was recognized
for two editorials
by Managing Editor Bill
Jones, a sports column by
Jeff Vorva and an obituary
tribute by reporter
Meredith Dobes.
Three each went to
The Northbrook Tower
and the Malibu Surfside
News, 22CM’s only California
newspaper.
The Tower’s editor,
Martin Carlino, authored
two award-winning articles:
a sports feature and
an education story. Sports
Editor Michal Dwojak
earned recognition for a
sports news story.
visit us online at www.HomerHorizon.com
Malibu Surfside News
was honored for its collective
work covering
the devastating Woolsey
Fire, a feature by Editor
Lauren Coughlin and a
sports story by reporter
Chris Megginson.
Other awards were won
by: The Tinley Junction
(a review and a sports
feature each by Sports
Editor Jeff Vorva), The
Lockport Legend (sports
story by Editor Max Lapthorne),
The Frankfort
Station (sports photo by
Julie McMann).
“The variety of work
that was recognized is
particularly impressive
to me,” Coughlin said.
“These are the best reporters
in Chicago’s suburbs,
and they keep proving
it.”
Paper Category Author(s) Description of work
The Homer Horizon Investigative Story Max Lapthorne, • Report from a four-month investigation on a former Lockport Township
Thomas Czaja,
High School student who said she was sexually abused by her teacher
Joe Coughlin
The Homer Horizon Feature Story Thomas Czaja • Exploratory profile of a religious icon that appears as if it is crying
Malibu Surfside News Breaking News Lauren Coughlin, • In-depth coverage of a disastrous and deadly wildfire
Joe Coughlin, Bill Jones,
Barbara Burke
Malibu Surfside News Sports Story Chris Megginson • Recap of Olympic bobsledder Lauren Gibbs’ silver-medal performance at
the 2018 Winter Olympics
Malibu Surfside News Feature Story Lauren Coughlin • In-depth look at the disappearance and search for Elaine Park,
one year after she went missing
The Orland Park Prairie Sports Column Jeff Vorva • Local angle on a historic high school football win by Brother Rice
The Orland Park Prairie Editorial Bill Jones • 1. A rallying cry to push voters to the polls, and 2. How some missed
the point of a student walkout
The Orland Park Prairie Obituary Tribute Meredith Dobes • Honoring the life of a local Congressional Medal of Honor recipient
The Tinley Junction Review Jeff Vorva • Recap of a head-banging show by Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson
The Tinley Junction Sports Feature Jeff Vorva • Story of a senior resident running a race just months after a heart attack
The Northbrook Tower Education/Literacy Story Martin Carlino • The stories of a high school’s walkout and a district’s handling of the walkouts
The Northbrook Tower Sports Feature Martin Carlino • Profile of pitcher Michael Oh, who after two surgeries was back on the mound
The Northbrook Tower Sports Story Michal Dwojak • Looking at the career, influence of Hall-of-Fame basketball coach David Weber
The Lockport Legend Sports Story Max Lapthorne • Report on a youth baseball team’s blow-torch- and triple-play-aided victory
The Frankfort Station Sports Photo Julie McMann • Cover photo of leaping, horizontal touchdown catch by football star AJ Henning