"Exemplary work"

Here's a little secret: When the Tribune won a Pulitzer Prize in April 2008 for an investigative reporting series on defective toys, Mom felt a wee bit left out. She edited a couple of follow-up stories, but she wasn't part of the official team that produced the original series in 2007 - before she worked there.

But she may get her turn yet.

Mom was the only editor on a three-part series the newspaper published this week, and its impact was swift.

Here's a note from the Tribune's editor:

Congratulations to the Chicago Tribune team that this week documented the dangers inside Illinois’ nursing homes in our three-part series, "Compromised Care."

David Jackson’s and Gary Marx’ courageous reporting revealed safety lapses that are appalling. Fifteen percent of the population of Illinois nursing homes are felons or mentally ill, and they are mixed with the geriatric population. Helpless elderly people are being killed, injured and victimized in other ways as a result.

David’s and Gary’s reporting prompted Gov. Pat Quinn to immediately appoint a task force to correct these problems while the governor was still in Copenhagen with the Olympic bid team.

Brian Boyer, Ryan Mark and Joe Germuska created a brilliant database, providing citizens with valuable information they can put to work in their lives. This project clearly demonstrated the enormous potential of the news applications team to empower readers.

Photography by Chris Walker, Terrence James and Lane Christiansen personalized the plight of people who live with the dangerous mix of residents inside the homes.

Keith Claxton’s graphics added extra dimension and helped readers quickly digest key information.

Stu Werner and Mary Kate Chambers applied their usual rigorous copy editing skills to the project.

Thanks to George Papajohn, Kaarin Tisue and Karen Flax for their careful attention to the editing and presentation that brought it all home.

This was exemplary work that will make a difference in peoples’ lives.

Bravo, Mary Kate!