Southern California News Group reporters recently took home a handful of prizes during the Los Angeles Press Club’s SoCal Journalism Awards, including a bronze in the Sports Journalist of the Year category and an investigative journalist sweeping up multiple wins across several categories.

The winners, who write and take photos for an array of the news group’s 11 daily publications across the the region, were honored during the 67th annual awards dinner on Sunday, June 22.

John Murphy, a freelance journalist who writes for the Redlands Daily Facts and other SCNG publications, came in third place in the sports journalist of the year category.

Murphy also won third place in the news feature personality profile category in newspapers with under 50,000 circulation for “Banning football standout Deven Ray Jr. has emerged out of a dark past into a bright future,” published in the San Bernardino Sun.

Scott Schwebke, an investigative reporter for SCNG, won first place in investigative reporting in newspapers with under 50,000 circulation for “Harbor-UCLA orthopedics chief fired for accepting improper payments, patient misconduct.”

Schwebke’s reporting, judges said, provides “details of allegations against a doctor that would otherwise have been kept under wraps – at least in the short term.”

That story also won a third place award in the news feature category for newspapers with under 50,000 circulation, and Schewbke won a second place award in the news feature category for newspapers with more than 50,000 circulation for “Aliso Viejo residents claim herbicide spraying near their homes is making them sick.”

Schwebke also came in third place in the local political government reporting, crime and corruption section, for “Arcadia councilmember under harsh glare over ties to accused Chinese agent.”

Kristy Hutchings, senior reporter and editor for the Press-Telegram, and Lisa Jacobs, former editor for The Beach Reporter, won second place in education reporting in the print, any outlet, category for “Meet the student journalists bringing college campus protests to the world.”

Erika Ritchie, staff writer for the Orange County Register, won second place in the hard news in print, any outlet, category for “A first for Marines and Camp Pendleton as ACVs return from Indo-Pacific.”

Jason Henry, an investigative reporter for SCNG, won second place in the news feature, general/hard news, category in newspapers with under 50,000 circulation for “How ‘pig butchering’ romance scams siphon millions from Californians every year.”

Beau Yarbrough, reporter for the San Bernardino Sun, and Jordan Darling, reporter for the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, won second place in the local political/government reporting, schools and universities category, for “Riverside takes UC Riverside to court over university’s growth plans,” published in The Press-Enterprise.

David Wilson, reporter for the Pasadena Star-News, won first place in the entertainment news or feature category for newspapers with under 50,000 circulation for “How the Rose Parade’s largest marching band is gearing up for a key moment: ‘the turn.’”

Wilson’s eye-witness accounts and drone coverage brought the story of a high school marching band practicing for the Rose Parade to life, judges said, with quotes and pictures from a unique perspective.

SCNG reporter Steve Scauzillo won third place in that same category for “The rise of Jimmy Kimmel: From LA’s KROQ, to talk show host to now Biden’s emcee,” published in the Pasadena Star-News.

Rich Archbold, a columnist for the Press-Telegram, won third place in the columnist category for newspapers with under 50,000 circulation.

David Crane, photographer for the LA Daily News, won first place for feature photo in the art and photography section for “Super Moon Strut.” The photograph captured people at the Griffith Observatory walking in front of the backdrop of the August super moon.

The photo was “by far the runaway winner, well seen, and executed,” judges said.

Keith Birmingham, photographer for the LA Daily News, won second place in the sports photo category for “Freddie Freeman’s big swing.”