Capital B Gary earned three honors at this year’s statewide journalism awards, including a first-place finish for its breaking news coverage of a tornado that tore through the city.
The awards were announced April 17 at the annual banquet of the Indiana Society of Professional Journalists, which recognizes top work across print, digital, radio and television from across the state.
Capital B Gary competed in the state’s largest category for news organizations with a circulation above 10,000, alongside major outlets such as the Indianapolis Star.
The newsroom’s first-place award recognized its coverage of a tornado that ripped through Gary, with reporting from the ground that captured the scope of the damage and the human toll in the storm’s aftermath. Stories documented widespread destruction, detailed the city’s emergency response, and centered the experiences of residents navigating loss and recovery. Follow-up reporting examined conditions inside city shelters and the longer-term impact on neighborhoods.
For the second consecutive year, Capital B Gary’s newsletter was named second best in the state.
The weekly newsletter rotates authors across the newsroom, including reporters, the community engagement editor and the editor, offering a mix of reporting insights, behind-the-scenes context and reflections tied to major stories. The award-winning entries included newsletters focused on an arsenic-contaminated well, government corruption, the legacy of basketball coach John Boyd, Gary’s Black rodeo and state redistricting efforts.
Editor Javonte Anderson also earned second place in photography for images captured at the Brown Family Ranch rodeo in Gary.
The awards mark another year of statewide recognition for Capital B Gary’s work. The honors reflect a newsroom committed to covering Gary in full, from moments of crisis to the stories, traditions and people that define the city.