TribLive collects 42 awards for excellence in journalism

TribLive garnered 42 awards for journalistic excellence Thursday in the Keystone Media Awards and Keystone Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists annual contests.

The awards are presented annually to news organizations in Pennsylvania for print, online and broadcast journalism.

TribLive’s awards included first-place honors in the categories of headline writing, business and labor reporting, column writing, health and medical reporting, education reporting, news photography, photo stories and sports photography.

In addition, TribLive reporter Megan Swift was honored with the Lenfest Institute Emerging Journalist Award, given by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association for excellence in craft for reporters with less than two years of professional experience.

The award winners are:

Keystone Media Awards:

• Ongoing news coverage: Second place, staff, “Investigators examine preparation, response at Trump rally shooting”

• News feature story: Second place, Justin Vellucci, “ ‘This is what money smells like,’ $2.2 million fine is latest entry in Clairton’s air pollution history”

• Sports/outdoors column: Second place, Tim Benz, “Pittsburgh sports perspectives”

• Sports/outdoors column: Honorable mention, Mark Madden, “What’s right and wrong with Pittsburgh sports”

• Sports breaking news/event coverage: Second place, Kevin Gorman, Justin Guerriero & Tim Benz, “Pirates battle elements, bullpen meltdown to outlast Cubs in Paul Skenes’ MLB debut”

• Sports feature photo: Second place, Chaz Palla, “Penguins honor Malkin”

• Photo story/essay: Second place, Shane Dunlap, “Bishop Zubik visits jail inmates for Holy Thursday Mass”

• News page design: Honorable mention, David Penn, “Not so great debate, Biden out, Fogel speaks”

• Sports page design: Second place, Jeff Vella, “Mad Money, LA Story, Always a Penguin”

• Sports page design: Honorable mention, Jeff Vella, “Party Time, Power move, Safe landing”

• Headline writing: First place, John Lehner, “Black & Cold,” “IUP lettuce,” “Mills Mall”

• Headline writing: Honorable mention, David Penn, “Feeling the squeeze, Not so great debate, Positive buzz”

• Podcast: Second place, Tim Benz, “Breakfast with Benz”

Society of Professional Journalists, Keystone chapter awards:

• Spotlight award: Third place, Justin Vellucci, “Hiding behind the badge: Police often shield officers’ names, details in fatal encounters”

• Business and labor reporting: First place, Jack Troy and Patrick Varine, “It seems everything is more expensive than 5 years ago. Here’s why.”

• Editorial writing: Second place, Lori Falce, Series of editorials on law and government

• Column writing: First place, Lori Falce, “The impact of violence”

• Enterprise reporting: Third place, Justin Vellucci, “Coal, once king in Pennsylvania, leaves behind abandoned mines that pose concerns”

• Enterprise reporting, non-daily: Second place, Paula Reed Ward, “YMCA executive director seeks a pardon in 1994 drug conviction”

• Enterprise reporting, non-daily: Third place, Patrick Varine, “Handling mental illness is complicated at all levels of criminal justice system”

• Health and medical reporting: First place, Shaylah Brown, “Chemical hair straighteners and the impact on Black women’s health”

• Health and medical reporting: Second place, Joanne Klimovich Harrop, “Sensory accessibility: Theaters create a welcoming space for guests”

• Health and medical reporting: Third place, Megan Swift, “ ‘I want to live’: Long covid patients battle debilitating symptoms in Western Pa.”

• Spot news: Third place, Paula Reed Ward and Julia Burdelski, “ ‘Cascade of failures’: NTSB blames Fern Hollow Bridge collapse on city, state, feds”

• Education reporting: First place, Megan Swift, “Despite rising salaries, there’s a shortage of qualified superintendents. Politicized school boards and covid fallout have contributed”

• Education reporting: Third place, Kellen Stepler, “Schools battle national shortages, pay disparity to keep nurses on the job”

• Sports feature: Third place, Jerry DePaola, “Looking back at another 7-0 Pitt team and how its star-crossed season ended on a cold, rainy day in Texas”

• Sports/outdoors column: Third place, Tim Benz, collection of columns

• Headline writing: First place, David Penn, collection of headlines

• Headline writing: Second place, John Lehner, collection of headlines

• Headline writing: Third place, John Lehner, collection of headlines

• News photography: First place, Sean Stipp, “A Turning Point”

• News photography: Second place, Shane Dunlap, “A Lot For Our Small Town”

• News photography: Third place, Shane Dunlap, “Donald Trump survives shooting”

• Photo story daily: First place, Kristina Serafini, “Norwin girls relish special moments”

• Photo story, daily: Second place, Shane Dunlap, “An Inspiration To Me”

• Feature photography, daily: Second place, Kristina Serafini, “Ready to cool off”

• Feature photography, daily: Third place, Shane Dunlap, “Looking up”

• Sports photography: First place, Chaz Palla, “Puck slips past Jarry”

• Sports photography: Second place, Chris Horner, “Derek Selby loses his helmet”

• Sports photography: Third place, Chris Horner, “Snow globe opener”