GREENFIELD — The Daily Reporter won 22 awards — including six first-place trophies — in the 2020-21 Hoosier State Press Association Better Newspaper Contest.
Reporters Mitchell Kirk and Jessica Karins received top honors in the deadline news category for their reporting on Elanco’s decision in December 2020 to leave Greenfield. Their package of stories, published Dec. 5, highlighted the surprised community reaction to the company’s decision to build a new headquarters complex in Indianapolis and its coming impact on the community.
Kristy Deer won a first-place award for community service for her ongoing coverage of irregularities in the town government in New Palestine, including stories about a feud between the clerk-treasurer and the town council that led to the clerk’s resignation; and related stories about an investigation of the late town manager’s financial dealings.
Other first-place awards went to photographer Tom Russo, for a photo essay on the community’s annual flag-disposal ceremony; free-lance videographer Garrett Leonard, for a video on the Wall That Heals, a traveling exhibit of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; the newspaper’s design team, for best newspaper design; and the special publications staff for a section on bullying that included information on resources and support for families.
The total also included nine second-place awards and seven third-place awards. The second-place awards included recognition of the Daily Reporter’s continuing coverage of the pandemic; best sports section; and community service for a series of stories about the 50th anniversary of Vietnam veterans’ deaths in combat.
The Hoosier State Press Association advocates for newspapers and community journalism and offers counsel to newsrooms throughout the state. Sixty-one newspapers participated in this year’s contest in four divisions.
