Our goals at Cleveland Magazine include helping you find a great place to eat or live, see the city in new ways and better understand the important issues that our city faces. Rarely, if ever, do we shine the light on ourselves.
But today, I'm excited to congratulate senior editor Annie Nickoloff for being a finalist in the Feature category for the 2024 National City and Regional Magazine Association Awards. She is being honored for our July 2023 cover story "The Nightmare in East Palestine." For this narrative feature, Nickoloff spent time with residents of the Ohio town in the days and months following the tragic train derailment and subsequent man-made environmental catastrophe.
A little over a year ago, on Feb. 3, 2023, Nickoloff saw the disaster unfolding in the Ohio town. She quickly understood the fear that the town was experiencing and that the fear was spilling out into the entire region. Despite all the unknowns, she called me, immediately ready to leap into action and head east to start reporting. While she didn’t head out that very night (I had my own anxieties around that), she closely monitored the story and, soon after, made her way to the town to connect with residents and business owners. She listened to their stories and documented this important moment in their lives and in the region's history.
I think this story exemplifies a lot about Annie. She has a willingness to rise to the occasion without hesitation when duty calls. This was her first feature of this magnitude, and she displayed great reporting, storytelling, and compassion for her subjects. Her journalistic instincts immediately told her that this event was significant, but she always has her finger on the pulse. All the while during this massive project, she stayed on top of her daily tasks and brought a positive energy to the team, even in challenging moments.
Of course, a story like this can't get done without a team behind the writer. Art director Erin Stinard and associate art director Abigail Archer designed the cover and layout, respectively. Managing editor Ron Ledgard provided guidance and edits, and former associate editor Anthony Elder diligently fact checked the story.
The recognition is even more special as Cleveland is playing host to this year's CRMA award ceremony. From May 18-20, editors, publishers, salespeople and writers from dozens of magazines across the country, including the likes of Texas Monthly and Chicago Magazine, will spend time learning and enjoying our great city.
Congratulations, Annie. This may have been the first, but I know it’s not the last. We’re rooting for you this month when CRMA comes to town!
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