Evanston RoundTable writers, designers and photographer  received 17 awards in the “non-daily” newspaper category at the annual Northern Illinois Newspaper Association awards banquet dinner on Oct. 24.

First place awards went to Kathy Ade and Mary Helt Gavin for Best Infographic (the 2018 Year-End Countdown); Charles Wilkinson for Religion/Owen Phelps Award (for his column, “A Perspective”); and Larry Gavin for Best Spot News Story (article “Ald. Rainey Casts Vote in Her Own Ethics Case”).

In addition, writers and staff won 14 second- or  third-place awards. Lynn Trautmann won an award for her sports photography (gymnast somersaulting over the balance beam); Heidi Randhava won an award for Best Localized News Story (“Evanstonians Protest Threat to Mueller Investigation”); Shawn Jones won awards for Best Use of Humor (the April Fool’s Series, including, “City Will Move Mansion to the Library Parking Lot Site”) and Best Coverage of Social Issues; Les Jacobson won an award for Best Columnist (for three columns, including “Device Advice”); Victoria Scott also won an award for Best Historical Feature (“Our Shape-Shifting Lakefront”); Best Coverage of Social Issues (“An Upholstery Class Connects with Connections For the Homeless”); and Best Religion/Owen Phelps Award (“Treasured Organ to Ring Out at Lenten Concerts”); Ms. Gavin received two awards for Best Editorials (“The Proposed 2019 City Budget Is Unacceptable;” and “The City’s Conflict of Interest Fiasco”) and an award for  Best Headline Writing (including, “City Council Slouches Toward a Balanced Budget”); Ms. Gavin and Ms. Ade also received an award for Best Special Section (2018 Year-End Countdown); Mr. Gavin won two awards for Best In-Depth News Story Series (“City’s James Park Contamination Litigation” and “MAP Normative Data Show Significantly Higher Achievement Levels for CPS Students than NAEP or PARCC”), and for Best Government/Public Affairs Reporting (articles about alleged ethics violations).

RoundTable staff, including Ms. Ade, Ms. Gavin, Ellen Galland, Mary Mumbrue, Ms. Scott, Anne Bodine, Mr. Gavin, Ned Schaub and Matt Simonette, won an award for Best Niche Publication (the 2018 Evanston RoundTable Magazine, “Becoming Evanston”).

More than 400 articles were nominated for awards by more than 20 newspapers in this year’s contest.