EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — On Thursday WBRE/WYOU Eyewitness News Team was awarded nine 2023 Keystone Media Awards.
The Eyewitness News Team won First Place for Best Spot News Coverage of the I-81 Deadly Crash of I-81 in March of 2022. A snow squall moved through the area. It caused a 50-car pileup on I-81 in Schuylkill County, PA. Eyewitness News teams were on the scene providing updates during our 5, 6, 7, and 11 pm Newscasts.
Andy Mehalshick and videographer L Bacerra won Honorable Mention for Best Continuing Coverage West Side Mall Potholes, Drivers reached out to the I-Team to investigate the situation of massive potholes at the West Side Mall in Edwardsville. PA. Some of the drivers say their vehicles were damaged when they hit the potholes. Drivers were delighted when the owner paved the lot.
The sports team’s former sports director A.J. Donatoni, Sports Executive Producer Richard Charneski, and Sports Anchor Brett Alper won Honorable Mention Best Series Eyewitness News Athlete of the Week. Each week when high school sports are active, the WBRE/WYOU Eyewitness Sports team produces our Athlete of the Week segment. We highlight local high school student-athletes for accomplishments both on and off the playing grounds
The I-team`s Andy Mehalshick and Videographer L Bacerra also took home Second Place for Best Investigative Reporting Vision Home Builders The Eyewitness News I-Team reported for months about Vision Home Builders, Columbia County PA. Customers asked the I-Team to investigate the company saying they were out tens of thousands of dollars and homes were not completed. In June, an intense confrontation between the owner of Vision Home Builders, a customer, and the I-Team.
PA Live Host Chris Bohinski and Videographer Colin Elgonitis won Second Place in Best Feature “How to Say Wilkes-Barre” With a population of about 50,000 people, many call the city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania their home. But why does everyone pronounce it a different way? In this piece, Chris and Colin took to the streets of the W-B to find out the true pronunciation of “Wilkes-Bear/Bar/Berry”.
We also took home First Place for Best Documentary “Opioids From Crisis to Hope” Jayne Ann Bugda, Executive Producer Special Projects: Mark Hiller, Host; Colin Elgonitis, Editor; and Matthew Gronski, Director, Reporters, Julie Dunphy, Nicole Rogers, Cody Butler; Mark Albrecht and Tony Ingargiola, Videographers were honored. “Opioids From Crisis to Hope” is a half-hour program focusing on the use and abuse of opioids in our communities in Northeast Pa.
Second Place Best Documentary Veterans Voices Honoring Those Who Serve- Each November we pause to remember our Veterans in our program “Veterans Voices”. we focused on Veterans and organizations that work to help veterans. We are very proud of our commitment to our veterans. Involved in the project Jayne Ann Bugda, Executive Producer Special Projects; Colin Elgonitis, Editor; Matthew Gronski, Director; Nick Toma, Host; Candice Kelly, Host; Mark Hiller, Madonna Mantione, Sydney Kostus, Thomas Battle, Nicole Rogers- Reporters; Colin Elgonitis, Tony “Ingy” Ingargiola, Joey Dominick, Joe Gayton, Taylor Chronowski, videographers.
Honorable Mention Best Documentary “Agnes at 50” – In June Eyewitness News paused to remember June 1972- the Agnes Flood. The storm devastated the Wyoming Valley in Northeastern Pennsylvania changing lives and the landscape forever. The memories of Agnes are still very vivid. Eyewitness News shared many personal stories. Our hour-long special was highlighted by Digitally Remastered videos, some videos not seen in 50 years.
Jayne Ann Bugda, Executive Producer Special Projects; Colin Elgonitis, Editor; Matt Gronski, Director; Tony “Ingy” Ingargiola, Archivist/Editor; Andy Mehalshick, Reporter; Mark Hiller, Reporter; Madonna Mantione, Reporter; Chris Bohinski, Reporter; Joe Garrison, Reporter; L Bacera, Mark Albrecht, videographers, Nick Toma and Candice Kelly: Hosts Craig Hume, News Director
First Place Best Sportscast “The Friday Night Sports Show” – During high school football season, WBRE/WYOU the Eyewitness Sports team produces the Friday Night Sports Show for 12 weeks during the regular season and the start of the playoffs. It’s a fast-paced highlight show mainly focused on football A.J. Donatoni, Sports Director, Richard Charneski, Executive Sports Producer; Brett Alper; Sports Anchor, Joe Garrison, Sports Reporter.
The awards will be presented in November.