Dear reader,
For the second time this year, syracuse.com | The Post-Standard reporter Marnie Eisenstadt took home a “Journalist of the Year” award at a recent ceremony, this time a statewide recognition from the Journalists Association of New York. Earlier this year, she was named “Journalist of the Year” by the Syracuse Press Club.
Senior Director of Content John Lammers nominated Marnie for the statewide award based on her body of work from last year, highlighting her reporting on the deaths of three children at the hands of their parents.
“Marnie told the kids’ heartbreaking stories and uncovered the institutional failures that put the children at risk. Neffy Harris, a 6-year-old who loved Elmo, was killed by her mother, who beat her to death with a belt. County child protective workers had several chances to save Neffy, Marnie revealed, but they inexplicably kept returning her to the mother, a mentally ill drug addict.
Ashton DeGonzaque, an 11-year-old Spiderman fan, died from an accidental drug overdose while living with his father. The juvenile system ignored many red flags to put a child under the care of a man incapable of even caring for himself, Marnie’s investigation found.
Rykelan Brown, a 4-year-old who loved Paw Patrol and his stuffed dinosaur, died from injuries suffered in a fall down the stairs. His father said it was an accident, but Marnie revealed he had a history of violence toward children. After Marnie’s story showing where social services dropped the ball here, too, police arrested the father and he has pleaded guilty,” John wrote.
Those are just a few examples of the quality reporting Marnie produced last year. “All year, she developed important enterprise on crime and safety,” John said and added, “Her skill at capturing characters is unmatched.”
The team here also won several other awards in the Journalists Association contest, 13 first place and 14 second place awards listed below:
First place awards:
Social Media Overall Presence: “Syracuse.com social media,” Syracuse.com staff, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Business Reporting: “America’s oldest nuclear plants are in Upstate NY. We have some big decisions to make,” Tim Knauss, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Enterprise Reporting: “Children failed by the system,” Marnie Eisenstadt, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Feature Photo: “Emotional farewell,” Scott Schild, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Feature Story: “A Syracuse startup high school basketball team tries to keep it together,” Chris Carlson, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Full Page Design - Feature or Sports: “Empire cover design,” Advance Local art directors, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Headline Writing: “His pickup was meowing. Two hours and eight mechanics later,” Don Cazentre, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Photo Story or Online Gallery: “A startup Syracuse high school basketball team tries to keep it together,” Dennis Nett, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Sports Column: “Chris Carlson’s takes,” Chris Carlson, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Sports Photo: “Resilience,” N. Scott Trimble, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Spot News Coverage: “A devastating tornado,” Glenn Coin, James McClendon, N. Scott Trimble, Elizabeth Doran, Teri Weaver, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Spot News Photo: “Fallen deputy,” Dennis Nett, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Video: “Trouble on Syracuse Rescue Mission’s doorstep reaches breaking point,” N. Scott Trimble, Marnie Eisenstadt, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Second place awards:
Interview Podcast: “Rick Pitino on Jim Boeheim: ‘I always see Jim in a different light’ (Inside Syracuse Basketball),” Mike Waters, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Arts/Entertainment Reporting: “How a rock singer risked death and became immortal,” Geoff Herbert, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Business Reporting: “The true cost of Micron’s epic subsidy revealed,” Glenn Coin, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Digital Storytelling: “The Essential Guide to Syracuse’s I-81 Project,” Michelle Breidenbach, N. Scott Trimble, Michael Dupras, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Feature Photo: “Syracuse stares at the sun,” Katrina Tulloch, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Feature Story: “A child’s death and a mystery: How did Mehlaya get the fentanyl?,” Rylee Kirk, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Investigative & Watchdog Reporting: “They came to America to make a living. They died on a bus that was outside the law,” Michelle Breidenbach, Rylee Kirk, Jesus Feliciano-Bautista, Fernando Alba, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Photo Story or Online Gallery: “Pride of Syracuse,” Dennis Nett, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Public Service: “A secret plot to betray a neighborhood,” Michelle Breidenbach, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Sports Column: “Brent Axe on sports,” Brent Axe, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Sports Photo: “Hold that pose,” Scott Schild, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Spot News Photo: “Home explosion destroys everything but a family,” Charlie Miller, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard
Video: “A child’s death and a mystery: How did Mehlaya get the fentanyl?,” Katrina Tulloch, Rylee Kirk, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard