Journal & Courier's Ron Wilkins wins state award for investigative reporting
LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- An investigation spanning more than a year earned Journal & Courier reporter Ron Wilkins recognition in a "Best in Indiana Journalism" contest.
The Indiana Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists announced the best of nearly 1,000 entries in the annual contest Friday night in Carmel, Ind. Those saluted represented journalists working in newspapers, magazines, non-fiction books, TV, radio and student news organizations.
Wilkins earned a third-place award in investigative reporting for his coverage of a former township trustee who was found to not be living exclusively in her district.
On Dec. 22, 2020, the Journal & Courier published Wilkins' initial investigation that indicated former trustee Jennifer Teising sold her house in June 2020, and moved outside of Wabash Township. Residing in the township is required by law.
More: Wabash Township received 20 requests for assistance in 2021. One household got help.
More: Ex-trustee Teising allowed to remain free while her case is appealed
Among the locations outside of the township, Teising lived out of her travel trailer parked at various times in Anderson, Panama City Beach, Florida, where the J&C assigned a USA Today visual journalist to photograph Teising outside the travel trailer in Panama City.
A grand jury indicted Teising on 21 counts of theft for receiving her paycheck while outside of the township.
Teising opted for a bench trial in December before Tippecanoe Superior 5 Judge Kristen McVey, who published Teising's convictions on Jan. 5. McVey sentenced Teising on March 7 to 124 days in jail, 124 days under community corrections' supervision, followed by 847 days of unsupervised probation.
Teising was also ordered to pay $27,897.72 in restitution to Wabash Township and $185 in court costs.
Also during Wilkins' reporting, Indiana state Sens. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, and Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, introduced the bill that creates a path to remove rogue township trustees. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the law, which takes effect July 1, that requires a township board to adopt a resolution for the removal of the trustee.
The process continues when the county commissioners and county council each adopt resolutions to remove the trustee. If the three governing bodies adopt the resolutions to remove a trustee, the issue is then filed in the county's circuit court, where the judge decides if the trustee's removal is merited.
Deanna Watson is the executive editor at the Journal & Courier. Contact her at dwatson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @deannawatson66.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: J&C's Wilkins wins state award for investigative reporting
