Local journalists win national, statewide honors

Our local journalists do the work of reporting, investigating and documenting because they want their communities to thrive. They don’t do it for accolades, but when those come, we’re thrilled to know their work has been recognized.

This week, our journalists in Stockton, California, earned a prestigious national nod, and our newsrooms in the Chicago area won some statewide honors.

Stocktonia government accountability reporter Aaron Leathley and assistant editor Cassie Dickman were named as finalists for the Poynter Prizes’ Cronkite School First Amendment Prize, which recognizes journalists nationwide for protecting freedom of information and for “overcoming significant resistance” to the principles of the First Amendment. The distinction acknowledges their combined coverage — including an investigation of a school district corruption case, the revelation of a secret city manager contract and an investigation of city construction contracting that ballooned by nearly $20 million without public oversight.

Each Stocktonia finalist report involved obtaining or interpreting government documents rarely seen by the public. The first examined a search warrant affidavit that public officials had sought to keep out of the public eye; the others uncovered spending of tax dollars that happened without transparency, including revealing how city construction contracts get progressively less public scrutiny as their cost overruns increase.

The honor puts Stocktonia — a startup nonprofit with just six full-time staffers — in the same league as major metro and national newsrooms.

Reporters from the Wall Street Journal won the category for coverage of the Epstein files. Judges named three finalists: The Washington Post, for coverage of the federal government; the Chicago Tribune, for coverage of the Chicago immigration enforcement blitz; and Stocktonia.

“I’m proud to see our team honored this way,” said Scott Linesburgh, Stocktonia’s executive editor, after he announced the win to the staff Monday morning. The finalist honor “represents the way our newsroom pursues the truth,” he said. “That’s what Stocktonia was created for, and it’s what we’re all here to do every day.”

In other exciting news, the news and design staff of Wednesday Journal, Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review and Riverside-Brookfield Landmark won 43 awards in the 2025 Illinois Press Association editorial contest.

The wins crossed categories of hard news reporting, features, special projects, photography, page design and websites.

The Review topped the list of winners with 14 awards, nine of those for Jessica Mordacq, a staff reporter for both the Review and the Austin Weekly News. In addition to recognition for news, government beat and business reporting, Mordacq was honored for her obituary on Dorothy Gillian, a long-active Forest Parker who died in 2025, and won the agriculture reporting award.

Austin Weekly was recognized for its investigative work on the local hospital, as well as for notable features and obituaries. The twice-annual West Side Magazine was honored among special sections.

The Riverside-Brookfield Landmark earned 11 wins, five of them for the work of Stella Brown, staff reporter. In addition to news, government, business and features, the Landmark was honored for its annual Answer Book special, for overall page design and for best website.

Wednesday Journal won 13 awards for a range of news and features. Among those recognized were Gregg Voss, Jessica Mackinnon and Bill Dwyer. Ken Trainor won for his original columns, and the Viewpoints section he edits was honored as one of the top editorial page sections. The Journal also was recognized for photography, page design and its website. The paper’s annual Answer Book, the 2025 Election Guide, and the Juneteenth section were also recognized.

Our local journalists are at the heart of what we do, and we’re so proud of the amazing work they’re doing for their communities. Congratulations to all the honorees!