Chicago news groups take home first "New America Award".

The Society of Professional Journalists presented the first New America Award in July, which honors collaborative public service journalism by ethnic and mainstream media. The award goes to those who work together to explore and expose an issue of importance to immigrant or ethnic communities in the United States.

The 1st place award went to Residents Journal editor Mary C. Johns, assistant editor Beauty Turner and Brian J. Rogal, associate editor of The Chicago Reporter. Their piece, "Deadly Moves," is a collection of investigative stories on Chicago public housing. The series exposed unforeseen but deadly flaws in the way the city was relocating some 25,000 families …