Newsday awarded top New York State Associated Press Association prizes

Newsday's series documenting evidence suggesting racial discrimination in the Long Island housing market took four first-prize honors in the New York State Associated Press Association awards contest.
"Long Island Divided," a three-year investigation by a team of reporters, editors and undercover volunteers posing as prospective homebuyers, won first place in the public service, enterprise reporting and digital storytelling categories, and the top prize in the social media category.
The series used hidden cameras to document evidence suggesting real estate agents steering white and minority homebuyers to different neighborhoods, based on their race or ethnicity. The series led to investigations by the state attorney general's office and the State Legislature.
Newsday photographers took three first prizes, and the newspaper won for feature story and for "Island Ice," its hockey podcast.

Alejandra Villa Loarca's "Unstoppable" took first place in the photo story or online gallery category. Villa Loarca's photo essay is composed of multiple still photos of Amaya Williams, a double-amputee who plays high school basketball in Copiague. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
The newspaper also took second-place honors in the investigative and watchdog reporting, business writing, digital storytelling, spot news photo, feature photo, sports photo and photo story or online gallery categories. Newsday competed in Division IV, which includes the state's largest papers.

J. Conrad Williams' "Head Over Heels" won first place in the sports photo category. Credit: J. Conrad Williams Jr.
“We’re proud to see work of so many of our talented colleagues recognized by the New York State Associated Press Association. It is work that reveals their dedication to strong local journalism here on Long Island,” said Deborah Henley, editor of Newsday.
Here is a complete list of Newsday's awards:
- Public Service: First, “Long Island Divided”
- Enterprise Reporting: First, “Long Island Divided”
- Investigative and Watchdog Reporting: Second, Thomas Maier, “An Innocent Man?”
- Digital Storytelling: First, “Long Island Divided”; second, Rachel Weiss, Shelby Knowles and Anahita Pardiwalla, "It’s Going to be OK: Life After Losing a Parent”
- Social Media Effort: First, Elaine Piniat and Anahita Pardiwalla, “Long Island Divided;”

Thomas A. Ferrara's "Deep Freeze" won first place in the feature photo category. This photo shows Kianné Muschett of North Babylon undergoing whole body cryotherapy on July 10, 2019. Credit: Thomas A. Ferrara/Thomas A. Ferrara
- Feature Story: First, Rachel Weiss, “She Sent 23andMe Her DNA. They Told Her She’s Intersex”
- Business Writing: Second, Victor Ocasio, “Jobs After Jail”
- Spot News Photo: Second, Alejandra Villa Loarca, “Remembering Khaseen”
- Feature Photo: First, Thomas A. Ferrara, “Deep Freeze”; second, Alejandra Villa Loarca, “Like Father, Like Son”
- Sports Photo: First, J. Conrad Williams, “Head Over Heels”; second, Thomas A. Ferrara, “Say it Ain’t ’Stro!”
- Photo Story or Online Gallery: First, Alejandra Villa Loarca, “Unstoppable”; second, J. Conrad Williams, “Commencement Day”
- Podcast: First, Andrew Gross, Jim Baumbach and Mark LaMonica, “Island Ice"
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