Erie Times-News staff earn statewide, national journalism awards
Erie Times-News staff won awards recently in various statewide and national journalism contests.
Ed Palattella earned an annual Best of Gannett award for investigative, individual achiever, for his article Acts of aggression: Why pattern of discipline issues didn't keep Erie High shooting suspect out of school.
"Our staff of journalists work hard every day to provide local news, sports and entertainment worthy of our readers' time and investment,” said Tony Battaglia, local editor of the Times-News. “These awards recognize some of their excellent work and commitment to communities in the Erie area.”
"I am thrilled to see the hard work of our staff recognized and celebrated," Times-News local editor Melissa Lee said. "This recognition is well-deserved, and I'm so very proud of my colleagues."
The Times-News received two Division II first-place awards in the annual Professional Keystone Media contest, which is managed by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation.
Lisa Thompson Sayers earned first place for her editorials, which included Campaigns take anti-democratic turn; East Side Renaissance, the 'wholesome, serious transformation' Erie needs; Our view: Defeating Erie's gun violence starts with love.
Thompson Sayers also earned first place for her editorials in 2022.
Tom Reisenweber earned first place for sports videos for his entry Madison Yanc reaches 1,000 career points. He also received honorable mentions for sports beat reporting (high school football) and sports feature (No stopping his ambition).
Kevin Flowers, Jim Martin, David Bruce, Matthew Rink and Valerie Myers earned second place for excellence in reporting on diversity, equity and inclusion for their stories: The Laurel, Miss.-to-Erie pipeline of the Great Migration links to communities even now; 460 Afghan refugees resettle in Erie seeking safety, new life; Helping Erie's homeless will take multilayered plans as unsheltered population spikes; 'Our plans didn't go past Friday night': How an Erie man has lived with HIV for 32 years; Proactive inclusion: Erie's Hispanic/Latino community 'making our presence known.
It's the third straight year the Times-News has finished first or second in the state in diversity, equity and inclusion reporting.
Bruce also earned honorable mention in news beat reporting for his coverage of health and medicine.
Baylee DeMuth earned honorable mention for news feature article for Is a 14-hour trip necessary? Erie Afghan refugees could face long trek for asylum interviews.
Three Times-News reporters were Division II finalists for the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania's Golden Quill Awards.
Dana Massing was a finalist for Excellence in Written Journalism, News Feature for her article On D-Day anniversary, fewer World War II veterans remain alive in Erie to tell their stories.
She also was a finalist for Excellence in Written Journalism, Profile for Fairview's Walker Scobell talks about 'Percy Jackson' on Disney+, his career, family at home.
Bruce was a finalist for Excellence in Written Journalism, Columns/Blogs for his Here to Help consumer columns.
He also was a finalist for Excellence in Written Journalism, Medical/Health for his feature "Our plans didn't go past Friday night": How an Erie man has lived with HIV for 32 years.
Thompson Sayers was a finalist for Excellence in Written Journalism, Editorial for Campaigns take anti-democratic turn; East Side Renaissance, the "wholesome, serious transformation" Erie needs; Our view: Defeating Erie's gun violence starts with love.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie Times-News staff earn Keystone, Gannett, Golden Quill awards
