The journalistic work of Managing Editor Ashlee Green and former Editorial Intern Matthew Benusa has made it to the finals in The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania’s 58th Golden Quill Awards.

By: NSC Staff

The journalistic work of Ashlee Green and Matthew Benusa has made it to the finals of the 2022 Golden Quill Awards.

Green is The Northside Chronicle’s managing editor. Her story, “Magic Theory 101 with Jon Tai,” is a finalist in the Arts/Entertainment category. It profiles Northsider Jon Tai, who quit his job of over eight years at a medical software company to pursue doing live magic performance full-time right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In the story, Tai describes his roots as a shy, awkward kid doing card tricks and explains how his view on virtual magic changed dramatically throughout the course of the pandemic.

Benusa is a former Northside Chronicle editorial intern. His story, “WYEP-FM’s Joey Spehar is Northside born and bred,” is a finalist in the “Profile” category. It details the morning DJ’s family business, Marshall’s, Ltd. in Spring Garden; the meaning behind his tattoos; and the pros and cons of having a vanity license plate in Pittsburgh.

2022 marks the 58th year of the annual Golden Quill Awards, which are presented by the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania. The awards recognize professional excellence across, according to the organization’s website, “written, photographic, illustration, broadcast, audio, video, and digital journalism in Western Pennsylvania and nearby counties in Ohio and West Virginia.” 

The winners of this year’s awards will be announced at a presentation at the Rivers Casino Event Center on May 24. You can find the full list of finalists here.