Butler Eagle takes home award at Golden Quill event
The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania presented the Butler Eagle with a Golden Quill award for one of its stories published following the assassination attempt of then-candidate President Donald Trump in July 2024.
“The recognition of this work is a tribute to the skill and dedication of those reporters, editors and photographers who not only tell the stories of our community and document its history but also shine the light on problems and challenges,” said Donna Sybert, Butler Eagle managing editor.
The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania hosted its 61st Golden Quill Awards ceremony the evening of May 28 at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh.
The Butler Eagle had two articles up for the same award in the Enterprise/Investigative, Written Journalism, Division 2, category. The winning article was titled “Secret Service flaws enabled Trump assassination attempt,” which was written through a collaboration that included former staff writer Irina Bucur, assignment editor Tracy Leturgey and community editor Eddie Trizzino.
The investigation by Spotlight PA, ProPublica and the Butler Eagle revealed that the weaknesses that led to the assassination attempt were not unique to the July rally, but the inevitable breakdown of an already vulnerable system.
In the same category, a Butler Eagle article titled “Changing Pathways: Enterprise Series on how Butler County is rebuilding in the wake of a drug epidemic,” also was a finalist and the work of the entire Butler Eagle newsroom.
Butler Eagle entries also were finalists in categories such as Profile for an article with the headline “Meet the 2 brothers who have maintained Butler’s North Side Cemetery for decades” by Trizzino.
Laura Crago, host of the Butler Eagle’s Alter Eagle podcast, was a finalist for an award in the Audio Journalism Lifestyle category for an episode titled “BONUS — Mother’s Memories.”
Staff photographer Morgan Phillips also was a finalist for an award in the Feature Photo category for her photo titled “Lemonade to kick off the summer,” taken at a Foodie Friday event in downtown Butler last May.
Butler Eagle freelance photographer Holly Mead also was a finalist in the Spot News Photo category for her photo titled “Racer dies in Lernerville Speedway crash.”
The Golden Quills competition honors professional and student excellence in print, broadcast, photography, videography and digital journalism in Western Pennsylvania and nearby counties in Ohio and West Virginia.
