Macomb Daily staffers win SPJ award recognition
Five Macomb Daily staffers recently received honors from the Society of Professional Journalists in their annual competition.
All were awarded in the Print Class B division for mid-sized daily newspapers. The Macomb Daily winners included:
• Mulitmedia journalist Gina Joseph was awarded first place in the Community/Local News Reporting category for her story titled, ‘Buy Nothing groups give all year long.’ She also received a first place in the Consumer Watchdog Reporting category for her story, ‘Friends rally to help family fighting for survival’ dealing with how the lack of insurance can affect families. Judges said, “Any reader can sympathize with Steve and his family in this story. Joseph uses every opportunity to give readers details that highlight the tragedy of the situation in a sensitive and mindful way. By using one family, Joseph shows us the devastating impact that insurance — or lack of — can have on consumers.”
She also netted a second place in the feature reporting category for story titled, ‘Student discovers historic treasure at estate sale’ and a third place nod in the general news category for her story on some of the coverage of support after the Oxford High School shooting titled ‘Recovery a long and winding road for Oxford and region.’
• Multimedia journalist Jamie Cook received first place in the general news category for his coverage of the criminal case against former Macomb County prosecutor Eric
Smith.
• Multimedia journalist Susan Smiley was awarded a third place honor in the Environment
Reporting with her story titled ‘Women foster butterfiies’ on Warren residents efforts to help butterflies be better pollinators in the area and a second place in the general news category for her story on the proposal for a library in southeast Warren.
• Sports editor George Pohly won a first place award for a duo of his sports reporting efforts on an Anchor Bay swimmer who was able to get back to swimming after an accident that occurred while she was at a flight lesson and his story on the death of Romeo High School hockey coach Keith Knight from complications of COVID-19.
• Managing editor Jeff Payne received first place in the General Column Writing category for a trio of columns covering Macomb County Probate Judge Kathryn George and State Rep. Steve Marino suggesting they need to step down from their positions, Rep. Lisa McClain’s objection to legally certified votes cast by Americans and a look at how Americans came together and apart again following the historic attack on 9/11.
• Page production was recognized too with staffer Emily Ridener for her page one layout titled ‘Enough is Enough.’ Judges said, Well organized spread with multi-entry points for the reader. Good presentation of the research that make the page reader friendly.”
The awards were presented by the SPJ at a banquet held at the San Marino Club in Troy, the first time the annual gathering has been held since 2019.