Syracuse Press Club announces 2021-2022 Professional Recognition Awards finalists

The Syracuse Press Club congratulates the finalists for the 44th annual Professional Recognition Awards.

The finalists for each category below are listed alphabetically by the first author’s last name. We will reveal which entries placed first, second, or received an honorable mention during our awards banquet on May 7, 2022. For more information and to reserve your seat or table, click here.

Why do some categories have more finalists?

To make our contest more equitable across categories and to maintain its competitiveness, we introduced a new rule this year that limits the number of awards in each category based on the number of entries. For example, if a category only has three submissions, only the top-ranked entry will receive a prize. If a category has 15 or more entries, first place, second place, and up to three honorable mentions could be awarded. You can review the complete scale on the contest’s rules and eligibility page.

We do give the judges discretion. If the judges determine some entries in a category fail to meet the threshold of award quality, they may choose to select as few award recipients as they deem appropriate.

A competitive year

This year marks one of our most competitive contests in recent memory. We received more than 400 entries across 57 categories. Our judges from partner press clubs in California, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin had the daunting task of reviewing and ranking the top entries for each category. On average, only one-third of the entries submitted in each category earned a spot on the finalists’ list.

On behalf of the Syracuse Press Club, congratulations to our finalists and thanks to all of this year’s entrants for providing central and northern New York with essential journalism.

Finalists

Magazine

Best Overall

• New York Horse, Janis Barth
• Family Times, Courtney Kless
• Advance Media New York, Central New York Magazine (January/February), Mary Jo Kravec, Amy Bleier Long, Sue Santola
• Local News, Inc., Oswego County Business Magazine, Staff

Best Newsletter or Trade Publication

• Jewish Federation Of Central New York Newsletter, Barbara Davis
• Data Key Communications, Northeast Dairy Magazine, Caroline Reff

Online Journalism

Multimedia Story

• WSTM/WTVH, The Map: Segregated Syracuse, Matt Mulcahy
• FingerLakes1.com, Investigation reveals arrests never happened, raising questions about Cayuga Nation police, court system, Gabriel Pietrorazio
• The Citizen, A Christmas Miracle, Kevin Rivoli, Robert Harding
• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, Syracuse painter ditched alcohol for art, finishes 3-story mural on Northside, Katrina Tulloch

Breaking News

• WSTM/WTVH, Governor Cuomo Resigns, Jana Barnello, Megan Coleman, Conor Wight
• urbancny.com, Teen Deaths Stuns Community: Mayor Walsh and City Leaders Respond to Tragic Deaths, Kenneth Jackson
• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, Central NY mom passes out driving on busy road. What her son did next saved the day, Catie O’Toole
• Spectrum News 1, Cuomo Attorney Offers Apology To State Tropper, Spectrum News 1 Digital Staff

News Website

• The Citizen, auburnpub.com, Robert Harding, The Citizen staff
• Spectrum News 1, spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny, Spectrum News 1 Digital Staff
• Advance Media New York, syracuse.com, Syracuse.com Staff
• WWNY-TV, wwnytv.com, Diane Rutherford, Ron Robertson, Ashley Seybolt

Best Use of Social Media

• WSTM/WTVH, The Fallout: The Governor is Out, Jana Barnello
• WUTR/WFXV-TV, @DavidZEdelstein, David Zachary Edelstein
• @SyracuseHistory, David Haas

Blog

• The Citizen, Eye on NY, Robert Harding
• WSTM/WTVH, Matt’s Memo, Matt Mulcahy

Photos & Graphics

• Spectrum News 1, Comparing Number of COVID-19 Deaths By County, Luke Parsnow

Video Journalism

• WSTM/WTVH, Boeheim Ball 2021, Jana Barnello, Westbrook Shortell
• Syracuse.com, Wrongful conviction – Adventures in Upstate NY, Katrina Tulloch

Photography

Carl Single Award for Spot News Photography

• The Stand Newspaper, March for Justice for I-81, Mike Greenlar
• Cortland Standard, Fire Strikes in Cortland, Todd R. McAdam

Feature Photo

• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Fighting Food Insecurity, Zachary J. Krahmer
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Rip the Runway, Max Mimaroglu

Photo Essay

• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Welcome to the Spot, Gavin Liddell
• Syracuse.com, More than a game, Dennis Nett
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, For the Win, TJ Shaw

Portrait

• The Stand Newspaper, Photo Walk, Lisa Salisbury Hackley
• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, Nowhere to go, Dennis Nett
• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, Unreliable, Scott Schild

Sports Photo

• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, Eyes on the prize, Dennis Nett
• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, Over the top, Dennis Nett
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Flying High, Isaiah Vazquez
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Reflecting on a Win, Isaiah Vazquez

Print

Front Page Design

• Jewish Federation Of Central New York, Barbara Davis, Kim Miers
• The Stand Newspaper, Ashley Kang, Kevin Camelo Bonilla

Editorial

• The Reporter, We lost a year, Rabbi Rachel Esserman
• The Palladium-Times, The kids are definitely not all right, Nicole Hube
• Cortland Standard, The Kindness that Kills, Todd R. McAdam
• The Palladium-Times, The promise of living, Seth Wallace

Spot News

• The Stand Newspaper, First Pop-Up COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Held in the South Side, Violet Lazarus

Column

• The Reporter, Being a chaplain, not a theologian, Rabbi Rachel Esserman
• The Stand Newspaper, Opinion: Gerrypandering, Jeff Kramer
• The Stand Newspaper, Homegrown Opera, Reggie Seigler

Critique

• The Reporter, Black and a slave, white and a Jew, Rabbi Rachel Esserman
• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, AJR delivers effervescent ‘Bang!’ of a show, draws third biggest crowd in NYS Fair history, Katrina Tulloch

Headline Writing

• Central New York Magazine, Mind your bin-ness; Forkin’ the road; It’s a crou, crou summer, MJ Kravec

Print Daily

Human Interest Feature or Series

• Advance Media New York, Jenn Sherman: Why Peloton’s first instructor is such a huge Syracuse fan, Charlie Miller
• The Palladium-Times, Celebrating the power of forgiveness, Eddie Velazquez

Investigative Story or Series

• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, Police lies, a botched investigation and a homicide confession: ‘I’m going to jail for something I didn’t do’, Douglass Dowty

Sports Story

• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, Some Syracuse middle school rookies take a chance on baseball and learn something more, Christopher Carlson
• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, When Liverpool’s quarterback broke his ankle, his father had 1 thought: ‘I’m never going to coach him again’, Christopher Carlson
• The Citizen, Silver season: Auburn football coach Moskov looks back on career ahead of Year 25, Justin Ritzel

News Feature or Series

• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, First Look, Charlie Miller
• Cortland Standard, A Dream for Dwyer, Valerie Puma
• Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, How nurses, troops and public workers made NY State Fair one of America’s busiest vaccine sites, Teri Weaver, N. Scott Trimble

Print Non-Daily

Sports Story

• New York Horse, Everyone Should Have a Chance, Janis Barth
• The Stand Newspaper, The Darkness Before Light, Kambui Bomani

News Feature or Series

• The Stand Newspaper, One in 10 Syracuse Children Have Elevated Blood Lead Levels, Sydney Gold
• Oswego County Business Magazine, Is New York’s Soaring Craft Beverage Industry Due for a Slowdown?, Kenneth Sturtz

Human Interest Feature or Series

• New York Horse, Mustang Strong, Renee Gadoua
• The Stand Newspaper, Speaking Their Love Language, Marnie Muñoz

Print Special Interest

News Feature or Series

• The Catholic Sun, Brady Market, Tom Maguire
• In Good Health, How a Young Buffalo Woman Learned to Embrace Hearing Loss, Kenneth Sturtz

Investigative Story or Series

• Oswego County Business Magazine, The Digital Divide, Kenneth Sturtz

Human Interest Feature or Series

• Central New York Magazine, CNY Scout – Fashion Statement, Amy Bleier Long
• Oswego County Business Magazine, Alfred Jacques: The Stick Maker, Kenneth Sturtz
• Oswego County Business Magazine, NYS Fair Director Says Attention to Detail Key to Success as Fair Returns, Kenneth Sturtz

Radio/Podcasts

Human Interest Feature or Series

• WRVO, Local group provides beds to children in need, Jessica Cain
• WAER 88.3FM, Syracuse Neighborhood Food Pantry Needs More Space, Katie Zilcosky

Spot News

• WAER 88.3FM, Swift Reactions to Jan 6th insurrection at US Capitol from local representatives, law experts, Chris Bolt
• WRVO, CNY schools face critical bus driver shortage, Jessica Cain
• WRVO, Amid controversy over Syracuse statue, hundreds honor Columbus and Indigenous People’s Days, Madison Ruffo

Investigative Story or Series

• WAER 88.3FM, Why are COVID Vaccinations Lagging in Certain Communities?, Chris Bolt
• WRVO, Already low prison vaccinations plateau through the summer, Madison Ruffo

News Feature or Series

• WRVO, Ithaca researchers dig into history of Underground Railroad, Ellen Abbott
• WAER 88.3FM, Syracuse School Resource Officers; Necessary?, Katie Zilcosky

Sports Show

• WAER 88.3FM, SportsNight Basketball Preview, Matt Bonaparte, Ben Shulman
• Syracuse.com, Shout!, Matt Parrino, Ryan Talbot

Sports Story

• WAER 88.3FM, The Portal, Calvin Christoforo

Special Program

• FingerLakes1.com, Remembering a Massacre: A Roundtable on Wounded Knee, Gabriel Pietrorazio
• WRVO, Writer Dave Zirin on the Campbell Conversations, Grant Reeher

Student

Radio/Podcast News Story

• WICB, India’s COVID Crisis from Those Experiencing It, Vedant Akhauri and Himadri Seth
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Our Poisoned Kids, Sydney Gold

Radio/Podcast Feature Story

• NCC News, A team effort to help the homeless in New York City, Nicole Aponte
• WICB, A Beach, A Fox and Their Observers, Jessica Dresch
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Personal Taste, Abby Fritz

Radio/Podcast Sports Story

• WICB, Ithaca v. RPI Football Broadcast Open, Matthew Sosler

Best Use of Multimedia

• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Deconstructing the Divide, Deconstructing the Divide Staff
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Upstate Unearthed, Upstate Unearthed Staff

Print/Digital News Story

• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Social Media Support, Nhari Djan
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Syracuse grapples with COVID one year later, The NewsHouse Staff
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Visualizing 81, Amanda Paule

Print/Digital Feature Story

• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Underrepresented on the Road, Nhari Djan
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Honey the neighbors are bullying us on Facebook again, Eleanor Quarles
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Welcome to the COVID Rush of Seeds, Weeds & Foraged Leaves, Vivian Whitney

Print/Digital Sports Story

• Utica University Tangerine, Lack of diversity in Division III coaching: An examination race and inequity in UC athletic leadership, Matthew Breault
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Why Doesn’t SU pay Otto the Oranges, Christopher Cicchiello
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Don’t Use the F-word When You Talk Disc Golf, Dominick Pfisterer
• The Daily Orange, The rise and fall of Syracuse’s northeast recruiting base, Connor Smith
• The NewsHouse, Syracuse’s defense is forcing turnovers and flipping momentum, Dean Zulkofske

Television/Video News Story

• Oswego Now/SUNY Oswego, Rochester nurse: Pandemic reshaped healthcare, Melanie Higgins
• Ithaca College Television (ICTV), Excavation Uncovers More About Ithaca’s Underground Railroad History, Emily Hung
• CitrusTV, Syracuse Students Perform Impromptu Rooftop Concert, Ricky Sayer
• NCC News, Restaurant Workers Left Off Vaccine Eligibility List, Ricky Sayer

Television/Video Feature Story

• NCC News, Where do Syracuse’s COVID-19 tests go?, Moriah Humiston
• Ithaca College Television (ICTV), L.L. Bean’s Bootmobile Comes to Ithaca, Grant Johnson
• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Holiday, Gloria Lepko, Bethanie Ryan
• NCC News, At 87, a Retired Syracuse University Professor Still Works to Leave a Lasting Legacy, Ricky Sayer

Television/Video Sports Story

• Newhouse School at Syracuse University, The Comeback Year, Annie Boos

Television

Investigative Story or Series

• WSYR-TV, Teen Crime, Christie Casciano, Ben Augustine
• WWNY-TV, Peyton Morse Investigation, Jeff Cole
• WSTM/WTVH, The Map: Segregated Syracuse, Matt Mulcahy, Andy Wolf
• WSYR-TV, Behind the Wall of Van Duyn, Madison Moore, Ben Augustine, Cody Wolf, Shawn Wayson

Special Program

• WSYR-TV, Veterans Voices 11/11/21, Christina Galvin, Dan Cummings, Andrew Donovan, Jack Estabrook, Caitlin Douglass
• WCNY, SPD: Reckoning and Reform, Doug Moreau, Chad Patterson, Jim Olech
• WSTM/WTVH, School Suffering: The COVID Crisis in Children, Cathleen O’Hare, Megan Coleman, Michael Benny

Sports Show

• WUTR/WFXV-TV, Utica Comets Faceoff, David Zachary Edelstein
• Spectrum News 1, SU Football Preview Special, Spectrum News 1 Staff

Sports Story

• WWNY-TV, Done Deal: A Landmark NCAA decision, John Pirsos
• WSYR-TV, The Remarkable Story of Caleb Okechukwu, Alex Sims
• WSTM/WTVH, Life in the Fast Lane, Tommy Sladek

Spot News

• WWNY-TV, Deadly downtown shooting, 7 News Staff
• WSYR-TV, NewsChannel 9 at 5:00 April 28, 2021: Watertown Active Shooter, WSYR Staff
• WSYR-TV, NewsChannel 9 at 5:00 August 19, 2021: CNY Flooding, WSYR Staff

Photo Essay

• WWNY-TV, Christian Dunckel, Garrett Domblewski, Craig Thornton
• Spectrum News 1, Brewseum, Andrew Hill

News Feature or Series

• WWNY-TV, A liar, a thief, an addict, Emily Griffin
• WSTM/WTVH, Nursing Home Fines, Mary Kielar
• WSYR-TV, A Dream Come True: Member of Exonerated Five earns Degree,
  Iris St. Meran, Jack Estabrook
• WSTM/WTVH, Kasen Comes Home, Conor Wight

Best Weathercast

• WSYR-TV, Severe Weather October 16, 2021, Lindsay Raychel
• WSYR-TV, Forecast First November 26, 2021, Kate Thornton

Human Interest Feature or Series

• WSTM/WTVH, Crossing Guard Dances into Retirement, Tony Black
• WSYR-TV, Officer and Lady Shopping Pals, Christie Casciano, Jack Estabrook
• WSYR-TV, Moonshiners Master Distiller, Lindsay Raychel, Jack Estabrook
• WSYR-TV, Hamilton Desks, Nicole Sommavilla, Mike Westmiller
• Spectrum News 1, 8-year-old Piano Prodigy, Brad Vivacqua

Regularly Scheduled Local Newscast

• WWNY-TV, 7 News This Evening with Jeff Cole, Jeff Cole and 7 News Staff
• WSYR-TV, NewsChannel 9 at 6:00, 11/2/21, WSYR Staff