Latest news with #VanessaSwales
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
Journal Sentinel's coverage of prisons, assisted living wins Wisconsin investigative reporting award
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel took top honors at the inaugural Wisconsin A-Mark Prize for Investigative Journalism, securing both first and second place for its impactful reporting. The awards were announced April 25 by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. First place went to a reporting team of Journal Sentinel reporters Vanessa Swales, Drake Bentley, Laura Schulte, Ashley Luthern and Appleton Post-Crescent reporter Kelli Arseneau. The team was honored for its efforts covering Wisconsin's prison crisis, shedding light on inhumane conditions within the state's correctional facilities through a combination of investigative reporting and day-to-day coverage. The team closely followed the lockdowns at the state's prisons, documenting the impact on people who lacked access to fresh air, visitors, or educational programming for months on end. Swales and Bentley also investigated a series of troubling deaths and suicides at Waupun Correctional Institution. Later, several leaders and workers at the prison were charged in connection to some of those deaths. Judges praised the reporting team for shedding light on a situation "that has been begging for clear-sighted attention for decades." "The public generally doesn't want to hear about – or care much about – the lives of the incarcerated but this series brought inhumane conditions into daylight where they couldn't be ignored,' the judges wrote. 'The quality of journalism and quality of presentation in this series were of the highest quality." Journal Sentinel reporter Cleo Krejci earned second place for "The Gray Zone," an in-depth look into the challenges faced by residents and staff within Wisconsin's assisted living facilities. Judges called the series "compelling" and "powerful." They also commended Krejci's first-person story describing her own experiences working as a direct caregiver. "At the Journal Sentinel, we work every day to make a difference in our community," said Executive Editor Greg Borowski. "Often that difference comes through deep, complicated, sustained reporting on key issues. This award recognizes that powerful work and is a reflection of our commitment to investigative journalism." The A-Mark Prizes are awarded by press clubs in numerous states to recognize excellence in investigative reporting. In Wisconsin, the competition was judged by a panel of retired journalists and representatives from the University of Wisconsin School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Journalists Bill Schanen IV and Kristyn Halbig-Ziehm of The Ozaukee Press took third place for their entry "Microchip Plant." This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Coverage of Wisconsin prisons, assisted living wins state investigative reporting award
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Want to be a lifeguard? Another Milwaukee County Parks free training session begins next week
Milwaukee County Park's second free lifeguard training session begins next week. There's been an ongoing lifeguard shortage, which was greatly exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, the county has not been able to open all of its summer swimming facilities since 2019, a Milwaukee County Parks official told the Journal Sentinel last May. However, there was an uptick last year. In May, the Journal Sentinel reported county lifeguard staff increased to 136, up 36% from 2023. Want to get involved this summer? Here's what to know about lifeguard training in Milwaukee County: The first session was earlier this month. According to the department's website, there will be three free training sessions through April. Recruits must pass the mandatory exam at the end of their designated session in order to move on to an emergency medical responder course. Sessions for the emergency medical responder course will be available beginning in early June. Here is the training schedule: Session 2 Location: Pulaski Pool, 2701 S. 16th St. Date: Feb. 4 to Feb. 20 on Tuesday and Thursday Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Exam Date: Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7 a.m. Session 3 Location: Noyes Pool, 8235 W. Good Hope Road Date: Feb. 25 to March 13 on Tuesday and Thursday Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Exam Date: Saturday, March 15 at 7 a.m. Session 4 Location: Pulaski Pool, 2701 S. 16th St. Date: March 31 to April 18 on Monday and Wednesday Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Exam Date: Saturday, April 19 at 7 a.m. You can sign up for lifeguard training here. Yes. To qualify for training, you must be at least 15 years old and must be 16 years old by your hire date, according to the Milwaukee County Parks website. Aside from the age requirement, those interested in being lifeguards must be able to swim 100 meters in one minute 45 seconds or less and be 'in good physical condition,' according to the department's website. Lifeguards in Milwaukee County get paid $17.13 an hour, according to the Milwaukee County Parks website. You can find more information on becoming a lifeguard on the Milwaukee County Parks website here. Claire Reid and Vanessa Swales contributed to this report. More: Milwaukee County Parks is offering free lifeguard training This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about becoming a lifeguard in Milwaukee County in 2025
