'Wide-ranging, comprehensive and hard-hitting.' ABJ wins 25 All Ohio awards
The Akron Beacon Journal won 25 statewide journalism awards Friday, including best daily newspaper in Ohio and 11 other first-place awards.
Reporter Doug Livingston won the prestigious best staff writer in Ohio award with colleague Amanda Garrett winning third place. Both earned additional first-place honors in other categories.
"In a highly competitive field of staff reporters, Doug Livingston’s ability to explain complex matters in anunderstandable and exciting way gives him the edge," judges said.
The All Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards sponsored by the Cleveland Press Club were presented at the House of Blues in Cleveland.
"The Akron Beacon Journal offered the most wide-ranging, comprehensive and hard-hitting local news coverage," judges said of the category for newspapers with under 75,000 circulation.
BeaconJournal.com also won third place for best website in Ohio.
Best of Ohio
The Best of Ohio winners included Editor Michael Shearer, who earned a first place for editorial writing for a collection of editorials on the police shooting of Jayland Walker.
Photographer Jeff Lange won second place for Best in Ohio while also earning two first-place awards for best general news and best sports photo and third place for best photo journalism.
Reporter Betty Lin-Fisher finished third in Best of Ohio for column writing, with judges saying she "writes passionately about common and unusual events in ordinary people’s lives that illuminate how they cope with the stresses of modern living."
Retired sports columnist/reporter Marla Ridenour earned a first-place award in sports column for her courageous work on "Browns' Deshaun Watson trade triggers past for sexual assault victims. I am one of them."
"A powerful, well written column," judges said.
Other awards
Staff for breaking news series, "Police videos show shooting of Jayland Walker," first place.
Staff for breaking news single story, "Police videos of Jayland Walker shooting sparks outrage," second place.
Garrett, general news, multiple stories, "Miranda Webb: Trauma, Anarchy and perilous life on the run," first place.
Livingston and Seyma Bayram, public service, "How Catholic Democrats in Akron helped write the conservative playbook to overturn Roe," first place.
Nate Ulrich, features personality profile, "How Nick Chubb remaining 'one of the guys' at high school has him ready for Browns season," first place.
Jennifer Pignolet, education writing (pre-K-12), "'Neighborhood glue': Kenmore fears more blight as historic high school closes with no plan," first place; and education writing (pre-K-12), "Six years into College and Career Academies, what's changed inside Akron schools?" second place.
Lange, general news photo for daily newspaper, "Jayland Walker Protest," first place; sports photo for daily newspaper, "Out at Second," first place; photo journalism for daily newspaper, "Jayland Walker protests, third place.
Phil Masturzo, illustration single image, "Margaritas," first place; and sports photo for daily newspaper, "Lost Helmet," second place.
Livingston, public service, "Evictions near record high in Akron. Can anything avert this crisis?" second place.
Ridenour, features personality profile, "'Troopering it out': Bridgestone winner Jerry Kelly by wife's side during cancer treatment," second place.
Mike Cardew, general feature photo for daily newspaper, "Bobbing for Apples," second place; and general feature photo for daily newspaper, "Akron Marathon," third place.
Craig Webb, humor writing, "Woof! Lunch with the 'kids' at Doodle Drive-in is exhausting and yummy," third place.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Beacon Journal wins All Ohio best newspaper award, 25 total honors
