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Sun-Times News Group Newspapers To Receive More Than 100 Illinois Press Association Awards

Chicago Sun-Times Reporters Separately Receive Prestigious National Awards

CHICAGO, August 27, 2009 - The Sun-Times News Group was notified that several of its suburban newspaper titles will receive multiple journalism awards from the Illinois Press Association in its 2009 Excellence in News contest. Separately, the Chicago Sun-Times recently received top honors in a national reporting contest for coverage that raised questions about the appointment of Roland Burris to the U.S. Senate.

The Sun-Times News Group will receive a combined 104 awards by the Illinois Press Association across multiple categories, including photography, page design, projects and investigative stories, as well as coverage of business, sports, government, crime and lifestyles. The awards are detailed below. The Illinois Press Association will announce the awards and placements (first, second, third, honorable mention) at an October 9th luncheon.

Capitolbeat, an organization representing statehouse journalists across the country, on Saturday, August 22, 2009, awarded Chicago Sun-Times reporters Natasha Korecki and Dave McKinney first place for their Feb. 15, 2009, report revealing that the brother of impeached ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich had solicited Burris for campaign cash prior to the governor appointing Burris to the coveted post. Burris had failed to disclose that in testimony to an Illinois House impeachment panel. The discrepancy triggered a state perjury investigation and a U.S. Senate ethics probe. The perjury investigation ended without charges. The Senate inquiry remains active. Capitolbeat also gave honorable mention to Korecki, McKinney and reporters Chris Fusco, Tim Novak and Jordan Wilson for beat reporting for chronicling Blagojevich's fall from power. McKinney also took third place for column writing for a January analysis of the state's political culture that was published by Illinois Issues magazine.

"These are exceptional honors for our newspapers, and we are delighted that our reporters, photographers and editors are getting the recognition they deserve," said Rick Surkamer, President and Chief Operating Officer of Sun-Times Media Group. "This is a demonstration of the high regard in which Sun-Times News Group publications are held in the journalism community, and testimony to the editorial excellence and strength of our newspaper brands." The IPA awards are as follows:

The Beacon-News, Aurora

• Community service, "Facing the Crisis," Staff
  
• Community service, "A Flight to Remember," Andre Salles, Heather Eidson and staff
  
• Editorial page, Mike Cetera
  
• Business/economic reporting, "Facing the crisis," Rowena Vergara, Steve Lord, Erika Wurst, Christine Moyer
  
• Sports news, "Dark day for Driscoll," Jim Owczarski
  
• Sports feature, "The Hero's Journey," Paul LaTour
  
• Sports feature, "Fighting the good fight," Jim Owczarski
  
• Enterprise/feature writing, "A New Alliance," Heather Gillers
  
• Enterprise/feature writing, "Honor Flight," Andre Salles
  
• Feature writing, "Fire if ready," Matt Hanley
  
• Feature writing, "A new life," Christine Moyer
  
• Original column, Denise Crosby
  
• Sports column, Bill Kindt
  
• Photo series, "A flight to remember," Heather Eidson
  
• Personality photo, "A flight to remember," Heather Eidson
  
• Personality photo, "Fox Valley flood," Heather Eidson
  
• Sports photo, "Power fights five," Heather Eidson
  
• Illustration, "Game of the week," Michael Lush
  
• Illustration "Bleeping potty mouths," Brian Morgan
  
• Informational graphic, "Year of the quarterback," Michael Lush
  
• Informational graphic, "Girls track 2008 state preview," Michael Lush
  
• Single page design, "Hesed house," Jeff Frosch
  
• Single page design, "Aurora's luminaries," Mike Bjorklund
  
• Headline writing, Jennifer Mesenbrink
  
• Sports section, Chris Sosa
  
• Lifestyle section, "Storyteller," Christine Moyer
  
• Best Web project, "A Flight to Remember," Dave Parro, Andre Salles, Heather Eidson and staff
  
• Most innovative project, "A Flight to Remember," Andre Salles, Heather Eidson and staff
  
• Best promotion of public's right to know, "EJ&E: Four times the freight," Dan Campana, Andre Salles
  
• Best coverage of taxation, "Taxing times," Steve Lord, Andres Salles, Dan Campana, Rowena Vergara
  
• Best investigative-enterprise reporting, "Money & the Mayor," Dan Campana
  
• Best legal media coverage, Matt Hanley

Bolingbrook Sun

• Community service "An election with a twist," Katie Foutz
  
• Community service "Out in the cold," Dan Cassidy
  
• News reporting-series, "Weathering the economic storm," Dan Cassidy and staff
  
• Sports news, "Our champions," Jason Ivanitz
  
• Original column, Debbie Lively
  
• Sports column, Jason Ivanitz
  
• Sports column, Sean Fuchs
  
• Photo series, "Wish list," Danielle Gardner
  
• Spot news photo, "Plane Crash," Jonathan Miano
  
• Feature photo, "Miss Illinois," Danielle Gardner
  
• Feature photo, "B-Ball Stars," Mike Schmidt
  
• Sports photo, "Mine," Jonathan Miano
  
• Illustration, "No holiday from crime," Mike Bjorklund
  
• Illustration, "A fresh start," Mike Bjorklund
  
• Illustration, "Boys tennis," Mike Bjorklund
  
• Informational graphic, "Neighbors," Katie Foutz, Dan Cassidy
  
• Newspaper design, Mike Bjorklund
  
• Headline writing, Mike Bjorklund
  
• Sports section, Jason Engel
  
• Best Web site, Dave Parro and staff
  
• Best Web project, "Homecoming special: full throttle," Dan Cassidy and staff
  
• Most innovative project, "Neighborhood project," Dan Cassidy and staff
  
• Best promotion of public's right to know "An election with a twist," Katie Foutz

The Courier-News, Elgin

• News reporting-single story, "3 teens drown," Emily McFarlan

Lake County News-Sun

• Business and economic reporting: "Hometown stroll" series, staff
  
• Most innovative project: "Where's Charlie?" Charlie Adelman
  
• General news photo: "First look" Thomas Delany Jr.

The Herald-News, Joliet

• Original column, "Lessons from a gang-banger & more," Catherine Ann Valasco

Naperville Sun

• Local editorial, "Principal must go," Ted Slowik
  
• Sports photo, "Mud celebration," Jonathan Miano
  
• Sports photo "Victory," Jonathan Miano
  
• Headline writing, Nick Reiher

Pioneer Press

• General excellence, Elmhurst Doings
  
• General excellence, Glenview Announcements
  
• News-reporting, series, "House of Blame," Skokie Review: Nick Katz, Mike Isaacs, Kathy Routliffe, Andrew Schneider
  
• News-reporting, single story, "Drug use on the rise in Oak Park," Oak Leaves: John Huston
  
• Government beat reporting, property tax protest, Arlington Heights Post: Kimberly Fornek
  
• Sports section, Lake Forester: Kevin Reiterman
  
• Local editorial, editorials about Lyons Township GOP, Doings: Brett Johnson
  
• General news photo, "Under fire," Gurnee Review: Rob Dicker
  
• Personality photo, "Enquiring mind needs drying," Arlington Heights Post: Ruthie Hauge
  
• Photo series, "Minka's education and farewell," Doings: Steve Johnston
  
• Photo series, "Day in the Life of Arlington Heights," Arlington Heights Post
  
• Sports photo: "50 free" Steve Johnston
  
• General news photo, "Queen," Doings: Steve Johnston
  
• Community Service, Child Safety Seat Day, Glenview Announcements
  
• Business and economic reporting, "Ailing economy," Glenview Announcements staff
  
• Business and economic reporting, "ComEd reliability" Glenview Announcements: Lynne Stiefel, Ruth Solomon, Todd Shields
  
• Original column, Glenview Announcements: Lynne Stiefel
  
• Spot news photo, "Truck accident squeeze," Glenview Announcements: Rob Dicker
  
• Personality photo, "Wide eyed and bushy tailed," Glenview Announcements: Dan Luedert
  
• Personality photo, "What a deal," Glenview Announcements: Ruthie Hauge
  
• Lifestyle section, North Suburban Focus/Diversions, Glenview Announcements: Jenny Thomas
  
• Best Web site, Glenview Announcements/Glenview-Announcements.com
  
• Best Web project, "Electing," Glenview Announcements
  
• Most innovative project, Staff-shot video, Glenview Announcements
  
• Best promotion of public's right to know, "LaGrange may have violated Open Meetings Act," Doings: Brett Johnson and Jane Michaels

SouthtownStar

• General excellence, staff
  
• Sports, Lifestyles and overall design, staff
  
• Sports feature, "from McAuley to Motherhood," Tony Baranek -- finalist in the sports feature category for his story
  
• Investigative/enterprise reporting, "School perks," Angela Caputo
  
• Sports columnist, Pat Disabato
  
• School board coverage, "Sittin' tight in Lockport 205," Duaa Eldeib
  
• Spot news photo, "Ventilating the roof," Joe Meier
  
• Single-page design, "World of color," Chad Merda
  
• Business and economic reporting, stories on foreclosure crisis, Mike Nolan and Guy Tridgell
  
• Local editorial, editorials about the Howe Developmental Center, Karen Sorensen
  
• Enterprise/feature writing, stories on CN/EJ&E merger, Guy Tridgell
  
• Feature writing, "Settimio's Diary," Donna Vickroy

About Sun-Times Media Group
Sun-Times Media Group, Inc. is dedicated to being the premier source of local news and information for the greater Chicago area. Its media properties include the Chicago Sun-Times and Suntimes.com as well as newspapers and Web sites serving more than 200 communities across Chicago. Further information can be found at www.thesuntimesgroup.com.

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