The photo above features part of your beloved Streetsblog team (from left Editor Gersh Kuntzman, investigative reporter Jesse Coburn and senior reporter Dave Colon) doing what they do best: collecting awards from the venerable Silurians Press Club.
As it has for years, the Streetsblog team celebrated its glorious take on Wednesday night at the also-venerable National Arts Club, where Coburn won a top prize (beating the Times, no less) for his investigation into the dangers of school streets, "Always Scared." Re-read it here.
But as Ron Popeil used to say, that's not all. Julianne Cuba and Kevin Duggan won a merit award for their coverage of the inane reconstruction of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, and Cuba won an environmental award for her coverage of how the state's so-called "green amendment" is being perverted in an effort to block legitimate and environmentally sound dense urban development. If you didn't read that story, you simply must.
So, obviously, it was a great night with our friends at the Silurians. Kudos to Joe Berger, Tony Guida and Scotti Williston for making us feel so at home.
In other news (wait, was there other news beyond our awards?):
- The top story yesterday was Mayor Adams's tepid response to the lithium-ion battery fire crisis (NYDN, NY Post), though amNY seemed to give Hizzoner more credit than he deserved and Hell Gate called it like it is. And, of course, we were there, too.
- Meanwhile, the Times did a big takeout.
- The Daily News reported that taxi drivers want a congestion pricing exemption (which seems fair, because their passengers should pay), but Streetsblog really dug deep on the issue.
- What a shitshow in Albany. (NY Post)
- Welcome to the War on Cops, Luke Winkie! (Slate)
- Here's a fair hike explainer. (NYDN)
- Like Streetsblog, the Brooklyn Paper also covered the need to, well, cover the BQE in South Williamsburg.