We are behind by a month in announcing the winners of the 2019 SPJ Keystone Chapter’s Excellence in Journalism contest but it has finally been completed. The winners’ list is numerically set up 001 to 028 and the judges said there was some really good work going on in our region and it was a pleasure to see it and read such solid journalism.
As president of the chapter and coordinator of the contest, I apologize to all entrants who have been anxiously awaiting these results. Situations occur where not all judges are available during the time frame set up for judging completion and this was one of those times.
I want to congratulate all the winners in this year’s contest. It was another year of challenges for journalists and 2020 started off with a bang making our profession even more difficult. Now more than ever, we are essential to the future of getting through the pandemic and what is to follow.
Good health and safety to all of you and here is to another year of strong, ethical and fearless journalism.
| Division | Competition | First Place | Second Place | Third Place |
| Spotlight Award | 001 Spotlight Award (a,b) | Entry 01 — How New Jersey judges minimized sexual assault | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN01 — Fired, then rehired // Could this state commission // Inside the once-secret misconduct // Search The Inquirer’s database // Police arbitration payouts | Scranton Times — Entry 30802 — Culture of corruption |
| Layout | 002a News Page Design (a) | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN01 — The Philadelphia Inquirer Front Page News Design | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media02 — Melanie Wass pages | Scranton Times — Entry 30801 — Courtright charged, July 2; Deadliest roads, June 9; United in wonder, July 20; “He always wanted to do what was right,” 6/14; Paying It Forward, 6/8’ ; Merry Christmas, Dec. 25; |
| Writing | 003a Business and Labor Reporting – Daily and non-daily (a) | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN04 — OSHA calls this Montgomeryville factory a ‘severe violator’ | — Entry 01 — “White Out: Why New Jersey Dairy Farms are Drying Up” | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media08 — 40 years ago: Three Mile Island accident rattled America’s confidence in nuclear energy |
| Writing | 004a Blog – Daily or Non-Daily (a) | — Entry 01 — Jeff Deminski – portfolio | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media01 — Seth Rorabaugh blog | Scranton Times — Entry 30801 — Christopher J. Kelly |
| Writing | 005a Editorial Writing – Daily and non-daily (a) | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media01 — Lori Falce editorials | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media03 — Lori Falce editorial | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media02 — Lori Falce editorials |
| Writing | 005a Editorial Writing – Daily and non-daily (b) | No Winner | No Winner | No Winner |
| Writing | 006a Enterprise Reporting – Daily (a) | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN02 — Trash, crash, get a pass | — Entry 01 — Unclaimed | Scranton Times — Entry 30802 — Deadliest Roads |
| Writing | 006b Enterprise Reporting – Non-Daily (b) | — Entry 01 — Katie Wept/New twists/Between the lines | — Entry 01 — Low-Wage Living | — Entry 01 — Hacked in minutes |
| Writing | 007a Environmental Reporting – Daily or Non-Daily (a) | — Entry 01 — Good River: Stories of the Ohio | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN01 — N.J. blueberry farms house workers in storage sheds, pollute groundwater | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN02 — Philadelphia’s Wissahickon is slammed with millions of visitors, increasing trash, noise, risks |
| Writing | 007a Environmental Reporting – Daily or Non-Daily (b) | Jewish Exponent — Entry JE01 — Shore Homeowners Contend With Rising Seas | None selected | None selected |
| Photo | 008a Feature Photography – Daily (a) | Press Enterprise — Entry PE01 — Bloomsburg Fair | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media06 — Bishop Zubik washes inmates’ feet at Holy Thursday Mass | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media10 — Moon over Pittsburgh |
| Photo | 008b Feature Photography – Non-Daily (b) | — Entry 02 — Snow Day | — Entry 01 — Graduation family | None selected |
| Writing | 009a Feature Story – Daily (a) | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN04 — A summer rafting trip nearly killed me. What those 20 minutes took — and what they taught me. | — Entry 01 — Unclaimed, but not Unloved | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN06 — Bathrooms at ‘Hamilton’: Can 200 women make it through 16 stalls in a 20-minute intermission? |
| Writing | 009b Feature Story – Non-Daily (b) | — Entry 01 — Burgers, Breads and Spreads | Sherri Kimmel — Entry BUC01 — Pedagogy Behind Bars | — Entry 01 — Jill P. Capuzzo |
| Layout | 010a Headline – Daily or non-daily (a,b) | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media04 — So long, sweethearts, MISS U | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN01 — GETTING THEIR CLOCKS CLEANED | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media02 — The young and the antiqueless |
| Writing | 011a Health and Medical Reporting – Daily and non-daily (a,b) | — Entry 01 — PFAS chemical contamination investigation | — Entry 02 — First Person: Pittsburghers share perspectives on mental health and care | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN04 — One in 7 Latina girls in Philadelphia has attempted suicide, yet their struggles often remain invisible |
| Online | 012a Web Use – Daily (a) | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media02 — Tribune-Review | — Entry 01 — Opioids and Addiction – A New Jersey 101.5 Town Hall | None selected |
| Photo | 013a News Photography – Daily (a) | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN01 — Neighbors Enraged | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media04 — Police present flag to family | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media03 — Officer Calvin Hall funeral |
| Photo | 013b News Photography – Non-Daily (b) | — Entry 01 — Graduation Day | — Entry 02 — MLK vigil | None selected |
| Online | 014a Online Breaking News – Daily (a) | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media01 — Rosfeld acquittal leaves a relieved wife in tears and a mother indignant | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN01 — Philadelphia Police face off against an armed assailant barricaded in a North Philadelphia home | None selected |
| Photo | 015a Photo Story – Daily (a) | Press Enterprise — Entry PE01 — A perfect Ten | Scranton Times — Entry 30801 — Behind the Bell | Press Enterprise — Entry PE02 — High adventure found at Mount Washington |
| Photo | 015b Photo Story – Non-Daily (b) | — Entry 01 — Linked By Letters | None selected | None selected |
| Photo | 016a Sports Photography – Daily or non-daily (a,b) | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media04 — Cervelli celebrates at the plate | Press Enterprise — Entry PE01 — It’s Giddyup at go at the Benton Rodeo | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media02 — Garrett rips off Rudolph’s helmet |
| Writing | 017a Sports News / event coverage (a) | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN01 — The Phillies sign Bryce Harper | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media01 — Pirates fire Hurdle | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media02 — NCAA wrestling tournament coverage |
| Writing | 018a Spot News Story – Daily (a) | Scranton Times — Entry 30801 — Courtright charged | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN01 — Explosions rip through South Philadelphia refinery, triggering major fire and injuring 5 | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media03 — Michael Rosfeld trial |
| Overall | 019a Best Overall Newspaper – Daily (a) | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media01 — Tribune-Review | Scranton Times — Entry 30801 — The Times-Tribune | None selected |
| Overall | 019b Best Overall Newspaper – Non-Daily (b) | Philadelphia Gay News — Entry PGN01 — Philadelphia Gay News | None selected | None selected |
| Writing | 020a Lifestyle/Entertainment – DAILY or Non-Daily (a) | — Entry 02 — Performing Arts: “Balancing act: a young Hannah Arendt in new play at Luna Stage”; “Shifting Perspectives: ‘Considering Matthew Shepard’ musically examines hate”; “’Runaways’ builds empathy: Vanguard theater company sleeps out” | — Entry 01 — Religion: “Honey saves the world: apples and honey are a Jewish tradition, and beekeeping is part of ‘Tikkun Olam’ “; “Facing the darkness: clergy discuss Good Friday”; “Eid al-Fitr brings Muslims together: celebrating the end of the fast” | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media02 — Paul Guggenheimer stories |
| Writing | 020a Lifestyle/Entertainment – DAILY or Non-Daily (b) | Philadelphia Gay News — Entry PGN01 — Philadelphia Gay News’ local LGBTQ coverage | None selected | None selected |
| Writing | 021a Sports Features (Daily and non-daily) (a) | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN01 — Star in the shadows | Scranton Times — Entry 30801 — Railriders 30 moments | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media05 — Comeback kid: MP’s Giallonardo inspires with return to baseball |
| Layout | 022a Feature Page Design (a) | Scranton Times — Entry 30801 — The Times-Tribune | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media02 — Melanie Wass pages | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media01 — Melanie Wass pages |
| Layout | 023a Sports page design (a) | Scranton Times — Entry 30801 — All-Region football doubletruck, Dec. 14; Year in Review, Dec. 31; Super Bowl preview, Feb. 3; Baseball Hall of Fame announcement, Jan. 23; Jay Bell to manage RailRiders, Jan. 25; NLDS Game 5, Oct. 10 | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media01 — Jeff Vella pages | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media02 — Tribune-Review sports design |
| Layout | 024a Graphic/Photo Illustration daily or non-daily (a) | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media01 — Tribune-Review staff design | None selected | None selected |
| Writing | 025a Sports/Outdoor Column – daily or non-daily (a) | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN01 — Lincoln University’s Cole Klubek // Roy Halladay’s death // Dana Barros | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN02 — The Eagles’ Jason Peters // Matt Klentak and Gabe Kapler // Kawhi Leonard vs. Joel Embiid | Scranton Times — Entry 30801 — Feb. 24: PIAA needs to study where competitive gap truly lies May 26: Head coaches sacrifice to make things better Nov. 21: Proposal ignores impact on towns |
| Writing | 026a Column Writing – daily or non-daily (a) | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media01 — Lori Falce columns | Scranton Times — Entry 30802 — Higher Power, 2/24; ‘For Bond, ‘we’ is really ‘he,’ 100%, 7/17; An empty place at holiday table, 12/25 | Philadelphia Inquirer — Entry PMN03 — on’t call Pa.’s new female // These alleged abuser priests // Women for Trump |
| Overall | 027a Podcasts (a) | — Entry 01 — Visiting Chernobyl | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media01 — Tim Benz podcast | Scranton Times — Entry 30803 — Historically Hip |
| Writing | 028a Education writing – daily or non-daily (a) | Scranton Times — Entry 30801 — Scranton School District Recovery Plan | — Entry 01 — No free lunch: Schools grapple with outstanding student meal tabs | Trib Total Media — Entry Trib Total Media01 — More than a game: Coaches stress benefits of football as player participation dwindles |
