2015 Excellence In Journalism Awardees

• Professional Winners

• Collegiate Winners

Professional Winners

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Writing

Best Critical Review      

GOLD
Michael Muckian           
The Wisconsin Gazette
Critical reviews by Michael Muckian

SILVER
Tom Bamberger
UrbanMilwaukee.com
In Public

BRONZE
Matt Mueller
OnMilwaukee
One night with Paris: Inside Hilton’s not so hot Summerfest DJ set

Best Coverage of a Single News Topic or Event Including Breaking News             

GOLD
Eric Lindquist
Dan Holtz
Andrew Dowd
Christena T. O’Brien
Chris Vetter
Joe Knight
Leader-Telegram
Ultimate Betrayal

SILVER
Judith Davidoff
Allison Geyer
Joe Tarr
Isthmus Publishing
The death of Tony Robinson

BRONZE
Bill Lueders
Dee J. Hall
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Peeking behind the bars: Solitary confinement in Wisconsin

Best Multi-Story Coverage of a Single Feature Topic or Event    

GOLD
Noah Phillips
Allison Geyer
Joe Tarr
David Michael Miller
Michael Popke
Max Miller
Isthmus Publishing
The Garbage Issue

SILVER
Neil Heinen
Maggie Ginsberg
Brennan Nardi
Pat Dillon
The Poet Fabu
Robert L. Kehoe III
Madison Magazine
The Days After

BRONZE
Donna Frake
LakeCountryNow.com, Journal Community Publishing Group & Journal Media Group
Fighting the Fade

Best Long Feature Story               

GOLD
Barbara J. Miner
Milwaukee Magazine
A Dream Deferred

SILVER
Howie Magner
Milwaukee Magazine
Profiles in Courage

BRONZE
Howie Magner
Milwaukee Magazine
The Long Walk Home

Best Short Feature Story             

GOLD
George Hesselberg
Wisconsin State Journal
Computerless Man Charged by Online Site

SILVER
Bill Lueders
Isthmus Publishing
Snapshot: For the love of a pen

BRONZE
Matt Hrodey
Milwaukee Magazine
Dark Side

Best Sports Story            

GOLD
Gary D’Amato
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Quiet Legend: John Castellani

SILVER
Rich Rovito
Milwaukee Magazine
The Demise of Bowling

BRONZE
Michael Cohen
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A day on the bubble with Packers’ Alonzo Harris

Best Single Editorial, Statement of Editorial Position or Opinion             

GOLD
Daniel Shafer
Milwaukee Magazine
The Bucks Arena and the Big Question

SILVER
John Nichols
Dave Zweifel
Lynn Danielson
Judie Kleinmaier
Cap Times
Scott Walker’s new scheme for corrupting Wisconsin

BRONZE

Bruce Murphy
Isthmus Publishing
Our votes just don’t matter

Best Business Story or Series    

GOLD
Madeleine Behr
Dee J. Hall
Tara Golshan
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Wisconsin Economic Development Corp: What went wrong?

SILVER
Tom Held
Milwaukee Business Journal
Taste great, less filling

BRONZE
Jeff Engel
Xconomy
Epic Systems & The Rise of Madison’s Healthtech Cluster

Best Investigative Story or Series            

GOLD
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism Staff
UW-Madison 475 students
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Failure at the Faucet: Wisconsin’s drinking water in peril

SILVER
Ty Schmidt
Michael Meidenbauer
Germatown-Menomonee Falls Nows (Northwest Now), Journal Community Publishing Group & Journal Media Group
Shaky Past: Menomonee Falls building collapses and the investigation into the landlord’s past

BRONZE
Eric Lindquist
Leader-Telegram
In God’s name

Best Public Service Story or Series

GOLD
Precious Lives Team
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, with WUWM, WNOV and 371 Productions
Precious Lives: Kids, guns and how we can stop the violence

SILVER
Doug Erickson
Wisconsin State Journal
When cyclists die

BRONZE
Dee J. Hall
Tara Golshan
Abigail Becker
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Gov. Walker’s stealth government

Best Column

GOLD
John Nichols
Cap Times

SILVER
Peter Jackel
The Journal Times

BRONZE
Tom Saler
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Historical Perspectives

Best Explanatory Story or Series              

GOLD
Corrinne Hess
Milwaukee Magazine
A City’s Tragedy

SILVER
Pat Schneider
Cap Times
Focus on fetal tissue

BRONZE
Brendan O’Brien
Sharon McGowan
Sue Vliet
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Special Report: Milwaukee Municipal Court

Best Personal Profile

GOLD
Gary D’Amato
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Once a troubled teen, McHenry now leads neighborhood center

SILVER
Andrea Behling
Madison Magazine
Breaking All the Rules

BRONZE
Eric Lindquist
Leader-Telegram
Lasting scars

Visual-journalism (any medium)

Best Illustration or Cartoon

GOLD
Brandon Raygo
Cap Times
Growing Pains

SILVER
Brandon Raygo
Cap Times
Fare Fight

BRONZE
James Heimer
Carolyn Fath
Isthmus Publishing
Campus carry

Best Photo Essay or Series          

GOLD
Sara Stathas
Milwaukee Magazine
Into the Woods

SILVER
Amy Siewert
Jen Hunholz
Doug Edmunds
Gail Betla
M: Milwaukee’s Lifestyle Magazine
A Storybook Ending

BRONZE
Amy Siewert
Jen Hunholz
Doug Edmunds
Rick Romano
Gail Betla
M: Milwaukee’s Lifestyle Magazine
Room with a View

Best News Photograph

GOLD
Michelle Stocker
Cap Times
Tony Robinson Mourners

SILVER
Peter Zuzga
Franklin-Greendale-Hales Corners-Oak Creek Now, Journal Community Publishing Group, Journal Media Group
March on Greendale

BRONZE
Michelle Stocker
Cap Times
Brandi Grayson in Tony Robinson procession

Best Feature Photograph

GOLD
Matt Haas
Jen Hunholz
Gail Betla
M: Milwaukee’s Lifestyle Magazine
The Seasoned Actor

SILVER
Kevin Harnack
The Daily Reporter, Milwaukee
You Conduit

BRONZE
Michelle Stocker
Cap Times
Peace Mural

Best Sports Photograph               

GOLD
Peter Zuzga
Greenfield-West Allis Now (Midwest Now), Journal Community Publishing Group, Journal Media Group
Little brother spends day as bat boy

SILVER
Scott Ash
Lake Country Reporter, Journal Community Publishing Group & Journal Media Group
Battle for possession

Newspaper-design

Best Overall Design       

GOLD
Eric Semelroth
Mark Kass
Todd Bragstad
Joan Bahr
Milwaukee Business Journal

SILVER
Wisconsin Gazette Staff
Louis Weisberg
Wisconsin Gazette

Best Special Section Design       

GOLD
Carolyn Fath
Tommy Washbush
Isthmus Publishing
SummerTimes Music Preview

SILVER
Carolyn Fath
Joe Rocco
Isthmus Publishing
Isthmus Drinks

Best Single Page Design              

GOLD
Eric Semelroth
Milwaukee Business Journal
Can the streetcar help downtown Milwaukee

SILVER
Eric Semelroth
Milwaukee Business Journal
The priorities for downtown Milwaukee

Magazine-design

Best Overall Design       

GOLD
Kathryn Lavey
Adam Ryan Morris
Krista Schmidt
Rachel Stinebring
Milwaukee Magazine

SILVER
Amy Nixon
Matt Colby
Emily Sydor
30West, Journal Community Publishing Group & Journal Media Group

BRONZE
Shelly Tabor
Alex Schneider
BizTimes Milwaukee      

Best Single Cover Design            

GOLD
Gail Betla
Chris Westin
Matt Haas
Jen Hunholz
Amy Siewert
M: Milwaukee’s Lifestyle Magazine
Foodie Finds

SILVER
Shelly Tabor
Alex Schneider
BizTimes Milwaukee
Workforce Developers

BRONZE
Tim Burton
Beth Skogen
Madison Magazine
May 2015

Best Single Story or Feature Design       

GOLD
Kathryn Lavey
Milwaukee Magazine
In a Flash

SILVER
Rachel Stinebring
Milwaukee Magazine
Bread Winners

Audio (any medium)

Best Coverage of a Single or Ongoing Breaking News Story

GOLD
Dylan Brogan
Molly Stentz
WORT 89.9 FM
Death of Unarmed Teen Sparks Community Outcry

SILVER
LaToya Dennis
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio
Dontre Hamilton

BRONZE
Chuck Quirmbach
Patty Murray
Shawn Johnson
Wisconsin Public Radio
Menominee Tribal Members March to Madison

Best Series Reporting   

GOLD
Emily Forman
Brad Lichtenstein
Eric Von
Ashley Luthern
Mitch Teich
Dee Hall
371 Productions, WUWM, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel & Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Precious Lives

SILVER
Shawn Johnson
Wisconsin Public Radio
Walker Runs for President

BRONZE
Ann-Elise Henzl
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio
Status of Voter ID Remains Uncertain

Best Investigative Report(s)

GOLD
Bridgit Bowden
Wisconsin Public Radio & Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Nitrates Polluting 1 In 5 Private Wells In Wisconsin

SILVER
Maureen McCollum
Wisconsin Public Radio
Tomah VA Scandal Prompts Wider Look at Retaliation in the Veterans Health Administration

BRONZE
Shawn Johnson
Wisconsin Public Radio
Walker Backtracks on Right to Work

Best Long Form Feature Story   

GOLD
Helena White
Dylan Brogan
WORT 89.9 FM
Limburger’s Last Stand

SILVER
Susan Bence
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio
Milwaukee’s First Bioblitz

BRONZE
Kristian Knutsen
Dylan Brogan
WORT 89.9 FM
UW Board of Regents Seeks To Trademark “Wisconsin Idea”

Best Short Form Feature Story  

GOLD
LaToya Dennis
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio
Black Love Matters

SILVER
Rich Kremer
Wisconsin Public Radio
Frac Sand Mining Leads to a Tangle of Annexations

BRONZE
Marti Mikkelson
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio
Cell on Wheels

Best Use of Audio Within a Report

GOLD
Glen Moberg
Wisconsin Public Radio
For UWSP Grape Growers, It’s Spelled P-H-A-R-M

SILVER
Ann-Elise Henzl
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio
GOP Debate Protest

BRONZE
Erin Toner
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio
Alternative Treatments for Vets

Best Writing in an Audio Story

GOLD
Ann-Elise Henzl
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio
A-EH compilation: Kid Gardeners, GOP Debate Protest, Hospital Pianist

SILVER
Marge Pitrof
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio
Safe Surrender

Video (any medium)

Best Coverage of a Breaking News Story              

GOLD
TODAY’S TMJ4 Staff
WTMJ TV
Wauwatosa Officer Shot

SILVER
WISN Staff
WISN-TV
Detective Shot

BRONZE
TODAY’S TMJ4 Staff
WTMJ TV
Fugitive Chase & Capture

Best Multi-Day Coverage of an Ongoing Story

GOLD
Brad Hicks
Kale Zimny
Aaron Frye
Craig Sween
WITI – Fox 6 – Milwaukee
ALS Commitment 2015

SILVER
Ted Perry
WITI Photo Staff
WITI – Fox 6 – Milwaukee
Untold Stories: Saluting Our Vietnam Vets

BRONZE
A.J. Bayatpour
WITI Photo Staff
WITI – Fox 6 – Milwaukee
Building the Bucks an Arena

Best Individual Reporting of News or Sports

GOLD
Colleen Henry
WISN-TV

SILVER
Brad Hicks
WITI – Fox 6 – Milwaukee

BRONZE
Nick Bohr
WISN-TV

Best Investigative Report or Series

GOLD
Meghan Dwyer
Dave Michdua
WITI Photo Staff
WITI – Fox 6 – Milwaukee
Speaking Up for Special Needs

SILVER
Brad Hicks
Kale Zimny
Craig Sween
Jeff Frings
WITI – Fox 6 – Milwaukee
Risk on the Rails: Bridge on the Brink

BRONZE
Colleen Henry
Pat Doland
John Eddy
Rita Aleman
WISN-TV
Sex Offender Shuffle

Best Long Form Feature Story

GOLD
Tiff Pua
Sandy Maxx
Michael Garvin
Chris Michalski
Darin Malkowski
Milwaukee Public Television (WMVS/WMVT-TV)
Delavan Walldogs – The Arts Page

SILVER
Joel Waldinger
Ryan Ward
Christine Sloan-Miller
Wisconsin Public Television
Darth Chief

BRONZE
Brad Hicks
Kale Zimny
Jerry Imig
WITI – Fox 6 – Milwaukee
Diamond in the Rough

Best Short Form Feature Story  

GOLD
Brandon Cruz
Michael Leach
WITI – Fox 6 – Milwaukee
Lean On Me

SILVER
Stephen Watson
WISN-TV
LeBron Fan

BRONZE
Courtny Gerrish
Paul Marble
WTMJ TV
Baby Vivian

Best News or Sports Program    

GOLD
Rita Aleman
John Eddy
WISN-TV
On Assignment

SILVER
TODAY’S TMJ4 Staff
WTMJ TV
Lambeau Legend

BRONZE
Stephanie Miller
Dan Needles
Stephanie Sutton
Stephen Watson
Craig McKee
WISN-TV
Road To Arizona

Best Newscast 

GOLD
WISN Staff
WISN-TV
Winter Storm Wallop

SILVER
WITI Staff
WITI – Fox 6 – Milwaukee
Fox 6 News at 9:00 – November 10, 2015

BRONZE
TODAY’S TMJ4 Staff
WTMJ TV
Illinois Tornado

Best Writing in a Video Story    

GOLD
Ted Perry
WITI – Fox 6 – Milwaukee
Her Dying Wish

SILVER
Joyce Garbaciak
Hank Strunk
John Eddy
Rita Aleman
Dewayne Walls
WISN-TV
Romanian Adoption

BRONZE
Jonah Kaplan
WTMJ TV
Propane Tank Explosion

Best Documentary

GOLD
Maryann Lazarski
Jeff Janca
Darin Malkowski
Gail Grzybowski
Raul Galvan
Justin Migliano
WMVS-TV, Milwaukee Public Television
Behind the Pearl Earrings/The Story of Dickey Chapelle

SILVER
John Gurda
Claudia Looze
John Schroeder
Anthony Wood
WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network
Milwaukee: A City Built on Water

BRONZE
TODAY’S TMJ4 Staff
WTMJ TV
Making the Milwaukee

Online (any medium)

Best Live Online Coverage of News, Sports or Lifestyle Event

GOLD
David Hyland
Erik Lorenzsonn
John K. Wilson
Shawn Johnson
Bill Martens
Wisconsin Public Radio
Walker Announces Presidential Bid

SILVER
TODAY’S TMJ4 Staff
Julia Fello
Veronica Macias
WTMJ TV
Andrew Obregon Manhunt

BRONZE
Jay Sorgi
James Kust
Amy Burke
Marcus Riley
WTMJ TV
Packers vs. Lions

Best Use of Multimedia              

GOLD
Taylor Chase
Jacob Berchem
Kate Golden
Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Sand tells the story of the frac sand rush

SILVER
Volume One Staff
Volume One
Music Capital of the North

BRONZE
Rick Benedict
Joe Yovino
The Daily Reporter, Milwaukee
Construction labor shortage

Best Website Design    

GOLD
Don Ross
Volume One staff
Volume One
VolumeOne.org

SILVER
David Hyland
Laura Zimmermann
David Dickinson
Erika Kachama-Nkoy
Erika Janik
Christine Sloan-Miller
Allen Rieland
Wisconsin Public Radio/Wisconsin Public Television
Wisconsin Life

BRONZE
Dan Meyer
Jon Anne Willow
Andrew Weiland
Molly Dill
Kristan Hahn
Max McCoy
BizTimes Media
BizTimes.com

Best Local News or Feature Website     

GOLD
The Staff of Milwaukee Magazine
Milwaukee Magazine
milwaukeemag.com

SILVER
Volume One Staff
Volume One
VolumeOne.org

BRONZE
Erika Janik
Christine Sloan-Miller
David Hyland
WPT & WPR Staff
Wisconsin Public Television
WisconsinLife.org

Best Blog

GOLD
Jeremy Nelson
WISN.com
Jeremy Nelson – Weather Blog

SILVER
J.R. Radcliffe
LakeCountryNow.com, Journal Community Publishing Group & Journal Media Group
Preps Alcove

BRONZE
Katie Vaughn
Madison Magazine
Artscape

Best Use of Multi-Platform Reporting  

GOLD
Brad Hicks
WITI Digital News Staff
WITI – Fox 6 – Milwaukee

SILVER
Kristian Knutsen
Scott Gordon
Karen Faster
Frederica Freyberg
Parth Shah
Chuck Quirmbach
WisContext, Wisconsin Public Television & Wisconsin Public Radio
El Niño in Wisconsin

BRONZE
TODAY’S TMJ4 Staff
WTMJ TV
TMJ4.COM

Best Writing for Online Platform            

GOLD
WUWM Radio Staff
Michelle Maternowski
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio
WUWM.COM

SILVER
TODAY’S TMJ4 Staff
WTMJ TV
TMJ4.COM

Collegiate Winners

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Writing

Best News Story Single or Ongoing

GOLD
Ellie Malone
Amber Bak
Amanda Melkonian
Shannon Kirsch
Media Milwaukee
Unregulated Risk?

SILVER
Andrew Hahn
Dana Kampa
The Daily Cardinal
Madison police officer shoots black teenager following altercation Friday

BRONZE
Michael Atteberry
Geoff Marshall
Media Milwaukee
Campus grapples with unprecedented budget cuts

Best Long Feature Story               

GOLD
Devin Lowe
Curb Magazine, UW-Madison
Displaced, Dispossessed but Determined

SILVER
Abbey Schneider
Curb Magazine, UW-Madison
As Good as Gold

BRONZE
Jonathan Powell
Media Milwaukee
The Ageless Man

Best Short Feature Story             

GOLD
Nhung Nguyen
Mount Mary University / reMark December 2015
What’s So Hot About Sriracha?

SILVER
Kathleen Baert
Marquette Tribune
Fr. Schlegel provides life, spiritual advice to students

BRONZE
Julia Gilban-Cohen
The Daily Cardinal
Cold presents challenges for city homelessness

Best Sports Story            

GOLD
Jack Goods
Marquette Tribune
Technically Sound: Men’s soccer trailblazers for college technology

SILVER
Nick Brazzoni
Curb Magazine, UW-Madison
Two Towns, One Team

BRONZE
Jonah Beleckis
The Daily Cardinal
From a star in red to the Red Stars

Best Critical Review      

GOLD
Natalie Guyette
Mount Mary University / Arches Fall 2015
Eating Dangerously

SILVER
Brittany Seemuth
Mount Mary University / reMark December 2015
Eat to Savor

Best Editorial or Commentary   

GOLD
Marquette Tribune Editorial Staff
Marquette Tribune
Bublr Bikes and Marquette must consider practicality in next steps

SILVER
Cullen Voss
The Daily Cardinal
Not my Wisconsin Idea, governor

BRONZE
Marquette Tribune Editorial Board
Marquette Tribune
Tobacco-free policy lacks regard for Marquette’s majority population

Visual-journalism (any medium)

Best Still Photograph/Photos    

GOLD
Zach Mathe
Media Milwaukee
Protest

SILVER
Matthew Serafin
Marquette Tribune
Wilson’s shot

BRONZE
Benjamin Erickson
Marquette Tribune
MU stands with Mizzou

Audio (any medium)

Audio: Best News Story Single or Ongoing
GOLD
Jaimie Anderson
Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
UW-Milwaukee Students Rally for Higher Minimum Wage

SILVER
Ean Holtz
Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Immigration Battle is Focus of Protest at Milwaukee’s GOP Debate

BRONZE
Cody Krupp
WRST-FM
Administration vs. Association

Audio: Best Feature Story           

GOLD
Mariah Tralongo
WRST-FM
The Secret Life of a 9-1-1 Dispatcher

SILVER
Jakayla Phillips
Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
After Her Father’s Murder, a Little Girl Grows Up

BRONZE
Mariah Tralongo
WRST-FM
The Blacksmith

Audio: Best Sports Story              

GOLD
Derrick Mason
Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Green, Cream and Blue Signal New Image for Bucks

SILVER
Greg Peterson
WRST-FM
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Interview

Video (any medium)

Video: Best News Story Single or Ongoing          

GOLD
Kat Qi
Dan Peters
UWM PantherVision
Paris Vigil

SILVER
Sarah Thomas
Dan Peters
Kat Qi
Briana Mercado
UWM PantherVision
Republicans in Milwaukee

BRONZE
Michelle Aguilar
Kerry Justitch
The Badger Report/UW Madison
Paperless Receipts

Video: Best Feature Story           

GOLD
Elise Romas
Jenny Reschke
UW Madison/The Badger Report
Madtown Hopper

SILVER
Jared Harrington
UWM PantherVision
Drunk Simulator

BRONZE
Elise Romas
UW Madison
Brains and Brawn

Video: Best Sports Story              

GOLD
Helen Koth
Brett Kihlmire
UWM PantherVision
Survivor Sam

SILVER
Michael Beiermeister
Marquette University Television
Marotta Making His Own Way At Marquette

BRONZE
Eise Romas
Kerry Justitch
UW Madison/The Badger Report
From Slovakia to the UW

Video: Best Newscast   

GOLD
News Staff
UWM PantherVision
UWM PantherVision 11-16-15

BRONZE
Hannah Kirby
Halle Gordon
Erin Neuhengen
Marquette University Television
Around Milwaukee 12/02/2015

Video: Best Program, Documentary or Special  

GOLD
Peter Basch
Michael Cianciolo
Brian Georgeson
Staff
Diederich College of Communication
Doomsday Warrior: The Story of George Andrie

SILVER
Erik Sateran
UW Madison/The Badger Report
Ferguson to Madison

BRONZE
Michael Beiermeister
Michael Cianciolo
Michael Gilbert
Nick Wight
SPORTS.edu
Kicks Episode 3: On the Bubble

Online (any medium)

Online: Best Use of Multi-Media            

GOLD
Becca Radix
Nick Brazzoni
Irene Burski
Curb Magazine, UW-Madison
Storm’s-a-Brewin’

SILVER
Andrew Hahn
Kyla Kaplan
Tierney King
Noah Brown
Nora Gehin
Intermediate Reporting Class
UW Madison
Shattering Secrets

BRONZE
Emily Chapman
Brenda Reasby
Sereta Bruchette
Mount Mary University / Archesnews.com
Secrets: The Connections that Draw Us Together or Break Us Apart

Online: Best Website Design    

GOLD
Claire Raddatz
Annaleigh Wetzel
Silke Schmidt
Sean Barron
Bryan Kristensen
Curb Magazine, UW-Madison
Curb Online

SILVER
Andrew Dawson
Marquette Wire
Marquettewire.org

BRONZE
The Daily Cardinal Staff
The Daily Cardinal
dailycardinal.com

Online: Best Local News or Feature Website     

GOLD
Andrew Hahn
Kyla Kaplan
Tierney King
Noah Brown
Nora Gehin
Intermediate Reporting Class
UW Madison
Shattering Secrets

SILVER
Media Milwaukee Staff
Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

BRONZE
Arches Staff
Mount Mary University / Archesnews.com
Archesnews.com