The Indianapolis Recorder won four awards at the Indiana Society of Professional Journalists banquet last week.
Reporters from our newsroom won the following:
Second Place – Best Coverage of Social Justice Issues, “Herman Whitfield III”
By: STAFF
- Mourners remember Herman Whitfield III at vigil, continue calls for new crisis response team
- Family and friends celebrate what would have been Herman Whitfield III’s 40th birthday
- IMPD must release complete body cam footage for Herman Whitfield III by Jan. 3
- Family and friends celebrate what would have been Herman Whitfield III’s 40th birthday
- ‘It takes a lot of energy and will’: Parents of Herman Whitfield III open up about son’s in-custody death
- Herman Whitfield III’s death ruled a homicide
- Police release body cam footage of Herman Whitfield III’s in-custody death
Whitfield III died in police custody April 25, 2022 after five IMPD officers and a trainee were called to the family’s home for an apparent mental health crisis. Whitfield died in police custody after being tazed, handcuffed and held in the prone position for more than five minutes.
Second Place – Best Investigative Reporting, “Conditions at northeast side apartment complex create health hazards, but residents struggle for relief”
By: Jayden Kennett
The health department has 350 cases on file for Village at the Mills Crossing on the east side dating back to 2018, along with hundreds more before then for mold, pests, appliances that don’t work and other complaints and violations. The Recorder obtained cases from the health department through a public records request.
Third Place – Best Business or Consumer Affairs Reporting, “Black owned botanical shop sharing green to the community”
By: Chloe McGowan
Beaty is the owner and founder of The Botanical Bar, a Black- and woman-owned plant store in Indianapolis near the Bottleworks District. After operating as a pop-up shop for two years, Beaty said her brick-and-mortar store, which opened at 1103 N. College Ave. back in June, has blossomed into something beautiful for not only herself but the community.
Third Place – Best Environmental Reporting, “Coal ash landfill in Michigan City”
By: Jayden Kennett
- Local organizations join lawsuit against EPA for failing to regulate some coal ash landfills
- Environmental organizations warn 2M tons of coal ash could spill into Lake Michigan and nearby creek
The Michigan City Power Generating Station stores coal ash in ponds and uses it as fill. Coal ash, which produces the majority of industrial waste in the U.S., is the material left after burning coal that contains carcinogenic chemicals such as mercury, lithium and arsenic, according to Indra Frank, director of Environmental Health and Water Policy at the Hoosier Environmental Council.
