Paper to receive two awards

The Southeast Missourian will receive two awards from the Inland Press Association at a ceremony Monday in Chicago.

Education writer Callie Clark took first place in investigative reporting for "Jefferson's Challenge," which was published in November 2002 and addressed the increasing racial imbalance at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau. It also explained how a Harvard study on resegregation -- schools becoming racially identifiable after having been desegregated at one point -- applies to local schools.

Business and health writer Scott Moyers took a second-place award in the personality/individual profile stories category for "Psychiatry on Trial," which also ran in November 2002. It was the story of a patient in the Chester (Ill.) Mental Health Center who has received national media attention for his claim that, not only is he sane, there is no such thing as mental illness.

The annual local news writing competition was judged by the University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications.

Inland Press Association, based in Des Plaines, Ill., has more than 850 member papers of all sizes in all 50 states plus Canada and Bermuda. Monday's awards ceremony at the Hotel Intercontinental kicks off Inland's 118th annual meeting.