05-05-2025
Capital B Gary Wins Six Indiana Journalism Awards
Capital B Gary took home six awards at this year's Indiana Society of Professional Journalists competition, including three first-place honors for its political and feature reporting during its first full year of operation.
The newsroom's government and politics reporter, Calvin Davis, won first place in two categories: coverage of government or politics, and election and campaign reporting. Judges recognized Davis' 'impressive entry' for his wide-ranging political coverage, including stories about how some Indiana counties are unable to elect judges, the potential impact of the governor's race on Gary's budget, and the city's redevelopment partnership with Notre Dame. Davis' submissions also included original data visualizations designed to make complex issues more accessible to readers.
His award-winning election coverage included reporting on how Gary women viewed Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, a story exploring low voter turnout, and a visual breakdown of how each Lake County city and town voted in the presidential election. A judge praised the package for its 'great coverage of candidates, data, trends and ideas,' and called the piece on potential budget cuts 'really interesting in how it would hurt the city.'
The newsroom's health and environment reporter, Jenae Barnes, received first place in feature writing for her story Planting Hope: Gary's Urban Gardens Foster Community and Healing, which explored how residents are transforming neglected green spaces into urban farms that promote food security, Black self-reliance and a deeper connection to nature. One judge called it a 'beautifully written feature' that 'blends humanity and history beautifully.'
Barnes also earned second place in the race and diversity issues category for her story The USDA Is Finally Paying Back Black Farmers. Some Say It's Not Enough, which probed the federal government's plan to compensate Black farmers who faced decades of discrimination and why some say the response falls short.
Business and economic development reporter Rayonna Burton-Jernigan, was awarded second place in feature writing for Shoe Repairman in Gary Restores Community, One Sole at a Time, which profiled a longtime shoemaker whose craft endures despite the challenges of working in a fading mall.
Capital B Gary also won second place for best newsletter in the state. Our weekly newsletter gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the newsroom's reporting process, operations, and how staff members engage with residents across the city.
The Indiana SPJ awards ceremony was held May 2, honoring the state's best journalism across print, digital, and broadcast outlets.
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