{"id":8657,"date":"2026-06-28T12:27:36","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T12:27:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/princetonillinois.com\/?p=8657"},"modified":"2026-06-28T12:27:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T12:27:36","slug":"shaw-local-journalists-take-home-45-illinois-press-association-awards-for-2025-coverage-shaw-local","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/princetonillinois.com\/?p=8657","title":{"rendered":"Shaw Local journalists take home 45 Illinois Press Association awards for 2025 coverage – Shaw Local"},"content":{"rendered":"


An American flag blows in the wind during a total lunar eclipse on Friday, March 14, 2025 at City Hall Park in Princeton. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth\u2019s shadow. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called \u201cBlood Moons\u201d because of this phenomenon. The next visible one in Illinois will not occur until June 26, 2029. <\/span>(Scott Anderson)
Shaw Local journalists throughout northern Illinois were honored Thursday at the Illinois Press Association Convention and awards ceremony at Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino in East Peoria.
Shaw Local newspapers received a combined 45 awards in contest categories that included general excellence, photography, news writing, opinion writing and design.
\u201cWe are so proud of our staff and honored by these awards,\u201d Executive Editor M. Eileen Brown said. \u201cThey reflect the hard work, talent, dedication, and integrity of our journalists, as well as our commitment to delivering meaningful journalism for the communities we serve.
\u201cI couldn\u2019t be more proud of what this team has accomplished,\u201d Brown said.
Almost 80 daily and nondaily newspapers competed in 39 editorial categories. The Hoosier State Press Association judged the almost 1,600 editorial entries for work done in 2025.
Among Shaw Local\u2019s newspapers, the Kendall County<\/a> Record in Yorkville<\/a> led the way with three first-place awards. Next up was the Daily Chronicle in DeKalb<\/a> and the Bureau County<\/a> Republican in Princeton<\/a> which each received two first-place awards.
The Daily Chronicle also finished second for general excellence, and the Bureau<\/a> County Republican finished in fourth place for the Harold and Eva White Memorial Trophy. That trophy is one of six Sweepstakes Trophies awarded to newspapers earning the most contest points in their circulation division.
In advertising, The Ottawa<\/a> Times won best niche publication, and The Kane County<\/a> Chronicle won best community focus special section.
Here\u2019s a closer look at awards presented to Shaw Local newsrooms and their journalists at the IPA\u2019s annual convention.
Daily Chronicle, DeKalb, Freedom of Information, Payton Felix
Daily Chronicle, DeKalb, Sports Section, Eddie Carifio
Kendall County Record, Yorkville, News Reporting Series, Joey Weslo
The Herald-News, Joliet<\/a>, News Reporting Series, Denise Unland
Kendall County Record, Yorkville, Spot News Photo, Mark Busch
The Times, Ottawa, Spot News Photo, Scott Anderson
Bureau County Republican, Princeton, Obituary Tribute, Kevin Hieronymus
Suburban Life, Downers Grove<\/a>, Sports News, Russ Hodges
Kendall County Record, Yorkville, Sports News, Josh Welge
Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake<\/a>, General News Photo, Greg Shaver
Suburban Life, La Grange, Sports Feature, Russ Hodges
Bureau County Republican, Princeton, Sports Feature, Kevin Hieronymus
Sauk Valley Media<\/b>
Local editorial, third place, John Sahly – A brittle spirit weakens the community: Fritts should re-up with the Chamber
Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake<\/b>
Local Editorial, fourth place, John Sahly – This is why we can\u2019t have nice things
Government Beat Reporting, third place, Claire O\u2019Brien – McHenry County<\/a> floats tax increase
Sports Feature, third place, Russ Hodges – After suffering from myocarditis, Liam Lodding\u2019s golf passion still beats strong
Feature Writing, fourth place, Amanda Marrazzo – Man searching for his birth family found 8 siblings – who embraced him as their own
Sports Feature, fourth place, Joe Aguilar – Cancer survivor Brock Iverson of Cary<\/a>-Grove enjoying baseball, life
Kendall County Record, Yorkville<\/b>
News Reporting Series, second place, Eric Schelkopf – Toddler dead in Portillo\u2019s crash in Oswego<\/a>
Localized National Story, second place, Eric Schelkopf – Food pantries expect increase in demand when SNAP cuts take effect
Sports News, third place, Josh Welge – Oswego softball wins state
Daily Chronicle, DeKalb<\/b>
Localized National Story, third place, Megann Horstead, Camden Lazenby – Inside DeKalb mom\u2019s fight to keep Medicaid for her baby
General excellence, second place
Investigative Reporting, fourth place, Payton Felix
Portrait, second place, Mark Busch – Turning 100
Portrait, third place, Mark Busch – Zipliner
Photo Series, fourth place, Mark Busch – Shabbona<\/a> fire
Sports News, third place, Eddie Carifio – Longtime Sycamore<\/a> coach Joe Ryan set to retire after season
Feature Writing, third place, Camden Lazenby – The Civil War captain who became a Sandwich<\/a> pioneer
The Herald-News, Joliet<\/b>
Freedom of Information, third place, Felix Sarver – Illinois AG: Will County Sheriff<\/a>\u2019s Office wrong in denying request for records in nonprofit theft
Business\/Economic Reporting, third place, Denise Unland – Immigration crackdown fears affecting Illinois restaurant industry
Investigative Reporting, third place, Felix Sarver – City of Joliet billed $157,280 to fight federal conspiracy lawsuit from defeated mayor
Kane County Chronicle, <\/b>Geneva<\/b><\/a>
Government Beat Reporting, third place, Brenda Schory – Campton Hills<\/a> coverage
Sports News, second place, Joel Boenitz – St. Charles<\/a> East wrestler wins state title
Sports Feature, third place, Joel Boenitz – Kaneland grad winning LA marathon
Suburban Life, Lombard<\/b>
Sports News, second place, Josh Welge – Montini football player Izzy Abrams
Suburban Life, Wheaton<\/b>
Sports News, third place, Josh Welge – Benet boys basketball wins state
Suburban Life, Downers Grove<\/b>
Sports News, fourth place, Russ Hodges
Bureau County Republican, Princeton<\/b>
Sports News, second place, Kevin Hieronymus – Cancer awareness night
Sports Column, second place, Kevin Hieronymus – Hieronymus\u2019 Hypothesis
Sports News, fourth place, Kevin Hieronymus – Remembering Todd
Sports Feature, second place, Kevin Hieronymus – Jordan Reinhardt and the Easter Sunday Miracle
Sports Section, third place, Kevin Hieronymus, Brandon Beckwith – Bureau County Republican sports
The Times, Ottawa<\/b>
Feature Photo, second place, Scott Anderson – Flag moon eclipse
The Daily Journal, <\/b>Kankakee<\/b><\/a>
Portrait, second place, Tiffany Blanchette – Farmer Glenn\u2019s pumpkin portrait
The IPA convention draws hundreds of newspaper professionals from across the state for networking, professional development, and the opportunity to learn about useful products, materials, and information from exhibitors.
Editorial and advertising departments are represented, with publishers, editors, reporters, advertising directors, sales representatives, photographers and designers in attendance.
Payton Felix reports on local news in the Sauk Valley for the Shaw Local News Network. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago in May of 2023.<\/p>\n

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An American flag blows in the wind during a total lunar eclipse on Friday, March 14, 2025 at City Hall Park in Princeton. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth\u2019s shadow. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called \u201cBlood Moons\u201d because<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t