Gazette reporters earn four Apex Awards for excellence

By William S. Bike 

Four Gazette reporters recently were honored in four different categories in the Apex 20th Annual Awards for Publication Excellence competition sponsored by Communications Concepts, a journalism and communications think tank based in Springfield, VA.

            "Apex Awards are based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content, and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence," said John De Lellis, one of the Apex judges. "With close to 4,500 entries, competition was exceptionally intense.”

            Miriam Cintron won in the News Writing category for covering the possible return of a controversial statue that depicts a battle between American Indians and Caucasian settlers to the Near South area; Cintron’s coverage began in the May 4, 2007 Gazette.

            "I think the issue raised by the Black Patridge statue, namely the representation of Native Americans and how it is perceived by people of various backgrounds, is an important one to draw attention to," Cintron said. "It is the kind of issue Native Americans face on a regular basis. I am very grateful to the Gazette for allowing me to follow the story as it unfolds and for giving me the opportunity to see it through to the end."

"Miriam did a great job in presenting the controversy—did this 19th century statue pander to the stereotypes of the day, or is it historic?" noted Mark J. Valentino, editor and publisher of the Gazette.

            Winning in the Interviews and Personal Profiles category was Michael Comstock, for his Nov. 2 article "Bridgeport's 'Undercover Angel' tells her story." The article profiled Lisa Lockwood, a former Bridgeport resident and beauty contest participant who became a SWAT team police officer.

"It means a lot to me for my work to be recognized," Comstock said. "The Lisa Lockwood story is one that I had been particularly proud of. It has been a great honor to work for the Gazette for the past three years and it's an honor to have won the Apex Award."

            "Michael's work really made the reader feel that they knew Lisa, which is the essence of a great profile piece," Valentino said.

            April Galarza won in the Science and Environment Writing category for her article about global warming that appeared Sept. 7.

            "April brought a great local perspective to an international subject, connecting the fight against global warming to initiatives by the City government, the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, the Chicago Transit Authority, and other local entities," Valentino said.

            "When I found out how much the Midwest is contributing to global warming, I was astonished and I thought other Midwesterners would want to know," Galarza said. "Our region's efforts to create an environmentally sustainable society will have a global impact."

            Winning in the Regular Departments and Columns category was Anne Nordhaus-Bike for her Living in Harmony astrology column, "Chicago's Mayor Richard M. Daley epitomizes Taurus Energy," which appeared in the May 4, 2007 Gazette.

            "Mayor Daley has been analyzed by political commentators and politicians great deal, but I doubt that anyone ever analyzed him astrologically before, so Anne's column provided a unique perspective of his career in politics," Valentino said.

            Nordhaus-Bike spoke for all four reporters when she said, "We're honored to have our work recognized with Apexes. Gazette writers work hard, and we're happy that Editor Mark Valentino and the community recognize that, but it's wonderful to receive international recognition as well."

The Gazette has won at least one Apex Award every year since 1996. The four awards from 2008 bring the total Apexes won by the Gazette to 37. Overall, the Gazette has won 59 awards since 1993. Cintron and Nordhaus-Bike previously have won other Apex Awards for the Gazette.

            Apex is an international competition, and this year other winners have come from Canada, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Portugal, Singapore, and Thailand as well as the United States. Other 2008 Apex winners represent organizations as diverse as the National Football League, KETC-TV Channel 9 in St. Louis, Lockheed Martin, and Axelrod Communications.