Mission Local takes top honors from Society of Professional Journalists in three categories — including breaking news

Mission Local, the 10-year-old news site you are currently reading, is small.

But we are mighty. And we are humbled: Today, the Society of Professional Journalists announced that we have taken three of its awards for excellence, competing against the esteemed field of Northern California print and online outfits — including the category of “breaking news.”

In her nominating letter for that category — in which Mission Local was judged against all participating Northern California media — our executive editor, Lydia Chavez, wrote, “In some sense it is preposterous to think that a small site could better other coverage in the breaking story of Mayor Ed Lee’s death.”

But, she continued, “these stories make the case.”

Our four deadline submissions following Lee’s sudden death were Laura Wenus’ piece “In Ed Lee, Mission leaders saw an immigrant ally who couldn’t quell a crisis”; Julian Mark’s story “Mixed feelings in SF Mission Chinese community about Ed Lee’s legacy”; and Joe Eskenazi’s columns “The Legacy of Ed Lee” and “Mark Farrell is your new mayor — and pandemonium ensues.” 

Mission Local also took home the “Ongoing Coverage” category for our analyses of the San Francisco Police Department’s sclerotic reform process.

Our submissions included “Road to SFPD reform cautiously, sometimes haltingly, engages community” by Charlotte Silver; “Most SF police stations falter in communicating with residents” by Mallory Newman; “The hot seat: Is Chief Bill Scott reforming the SFPD?” by Julian Mark; “Police Chief Bill Scott and the police union’s self-inflicted wounds” by Joe Eskenazi; and “Last week’s SFPD shooting — A frame-by-frame breakdown with expert analysis,” also by Mallory Newman.

Finally, we also won top honors in the category of “Community Journalism” — which is, of course, our raison d’être.

Our entries included “The SF Mission District’s invisible foot patrols” by Julian Mark; Developer’s “I am not a Monster” ad blitz makes few friends” and “The strange and terrible saga of San Francisco’s ‘historic laundromat’ represents the worst of planning and development in this town” by Joe Eskenazi; “Artist René Yañez engages viewers with wit and energy” by Lydia Chavez; and “19-year-old police shooting victim came to the U.S. as a child and grew up and worked in SF’s Mission” by Julian Mark and Lydia Chavez.

Mission Local managing editor Joe Eskenazi thanks the Society of Professional Journalists and, most of all, our readers. He encourages you to check back with us today and every day.

The next big story is always coming. The City provides.