Belleville News-Democrat wins 22 statewide awards including General Excellence
The Belleville News-Democrat was recognized by the Illinois Press Association with 22 awards for its journalism in 2024, including six first-place finishes and the top prize for other large daily newspapers in its class.
The awards were presented at the association's annual convention in East Peoria Thursday. The BND staff won first place in the General Excellence category for Division E, which includes large daily newspapers outside of Chicago.
Awards for individual stories, photos and projects were divided into daily and weekly newspaper classes, which, in several of the award categories, pitted the work of BND journalists against their peers at larger publications in Chicago, including the Tribune and Sun-Times.
Investigative reporter Lexi Cortes earned three first-place awards including Distinguished Coverage of Diversity for her ongoing coverage of the failing sewers and resulting health crisis in the former Centreville section of Cahokia Heights. Judges recognized Cortes' past work in their comments.
'Another fine series from Lexi Cortes,' a judge wrote. 'Great work doggedly documenting the problem over its long duration, the health impacts, the bureaucratic delays, and, ultimately, the failure to date to help this community with a horrible problem.'
Cortes also won a first-place award for Business/Economic Reporting for her investigation of several metro-east mobile home parks that are owned by an out-of-town investment firm that has not adequately maintained its properties, leaving low-income renters to live with dangerous and often unhealthy conditions.
'This is the entry that stuck with me the most,' one judge said.
Cortes earned a third first-place award for Community Service for tracking meeting attendance of members of the St. Clair County Board. Judges lauded Cortes for 'the ability to ask the tough questions.'
Other first place awards were won by BND visual journalist Joshua Carter, who won first place in the General News Photo category for his photograph of Jason Euge the day after his father, Robert Euge, died when railroad caboose in which he lived caught fire. The accompanying article earned second place in the Obituary Tribute category.
'A very nice moment captured in a difficult situation. I love the wider view. It shows important details and context,' a judge wrote.
Carter also won first place in the Photo Series category for his 'originality and technical skill' in documenting the final Tour de Belleville event.
Executive Editor Todd Eschman, a former sportswriter and BND sports editor, won first place in the Sports Feature for his historical retrospective on the life and career of 'Bullet' Bob Turley, a Cy Young winning pitcher and successful businessman from the metro-east, whose likeness is depicted in a mural on a downtown Troy building.
Other awards won by the BND are listed below. The works are linked where possible:
Best website Division E: Staff
Best Investigative/Enterprise Reporting: Lexi Cortes and Teri Maddox
General News Photo: Joshua Carter
Obituary Tribute: Joshua Carter, Todd Eschman, Carolyn P. Smith
News Reporting/Single Story: Lexi Cortes
Freedom of Information Award: Lexi Cortes
Community Service: Teri Maddox
Best Coverage of Taxation: Lexi Cortes, Mike Koziatek and Kelly Smits.
Best Investigative/Enterprise Reporting: Lexi Cortes
Single Page Design: Staff
Spot News Photo: Joshua Carter
Government Beat Reporting: Kelly Smits
Freedom of Information Award: Carolyn P. Smith
Localized National Story: Todd Eschman
Mable Shaw Sweepstakes Award: Staff
Agricultural Story: Joshua Carter
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