Newsday journalists capture more Silurian awards
Carlos Lopez and Lourde Banegas mourn by the coffin of their son, Michael Lopez Banegas, during his funeral at St. Anne Roman Catholic Church in Brentwood on April, 20, 2017. Michael was one of the four young men whose battered bodies were found in a wooded area of a park in Central Islip. Credit: Alejandra Villa
Newsday staffers received an additional raft of awards in the Society of the Silurians’ Excellence in Journalism contest, the Manhattan-based organization’s annual tribute to the best reporting and photography.
Reporter Matt Clark’s series, “Separate and Unequal,” on how Nassau County’s tax assessment system hurts racial minorities and the poor, which the Silurians announced on Friday had won a Medallion — the top prize in the investigative reporting category — also claimed the Reporting on Minority Issues category.
And Jim Baumbach, who the organization said Friday had won a Citation for work on declining participation in junior varsity football on Long Island, also captured a Merit Certificate in Sports Reporting and Commentary for stories on concussions among high school football players.
Reporter Emily Dooley won a Merit Certificate in Environmental Reporting for stories on allegations that Grumman Aerospace had polluted Long Island waters with radioactive materials.
Photographer J. Conrad Williams secured a Medallion in Feature Photography for “Fighting Parkinson’s.” Alejandra Villa received a Medallion in Breaking News Photography for “Mourning the Victims of MS-13.”
Thomas Ferrara won a Medallion in Sports Photography for his “Altuve the MVP” photograph.
Newsday staff also won a Merit Certificate in Best Multi-Media Reporting and Presentation for “A Day in the Life of Long Island.”
The Silurians previously announced that reporters Thomas Maier and Ann Choi won Merit Certificates in Reporting on Minority Issues for a series on racial disparities in Long Island’s criminal justice system.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep.16: From Island to island, how football helped overcome tragedy Newsday's Gregg Sarra talks to Carey football player James McGrath about how he has persevered after losing his parents at a young age, and to the Lahainaluna (Hawaii) High School football coach about how his team persevered after the Maui wildfires of 2023, plus a behind-the-scenes look at the All-Long Island teams photo shoot.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep.16: From Island to island, how football helped overcome tragedy Newsday's Gregg Sarra talks to Carey football player James McGrath about how he has persevered after losing his parents at a young age, and to the Lahainaluna (Hawaii) High School football coach about how his team persevered after the Maui wildfires of 2023, plus a behind-the-scenes look at the All-Long Island teams photo shoot.
