Special interest issues
Tracking Hate: We worked for several years as a media partner with ProPublica on its Documenting Hate database and reporting project. We’ve continued to produce reporting on hate crimes, hate incidents and discrimination and harassment and to produce cross-cultural features as an Ethnic Media Services (EMS) partner. That reporting is directed by Editor Layton and funded in part by an EMS fellowship.
Police conduct: We’ve been recognized for contributor Dave Waddell’s investigative reporting into killings by law enforcement agencies. See some of those honors below.
Housing & homelessness: These are crucial issues in a city that has been profoundly affected by the 2018 Camp Fire, one of the most destructive fires in history. Contributing Editor Natalie Hanson began her reporting on these issues for the daily newspaper and has continued this work for ChicoSol.
Immigration: In March 2016, we co-sponsored an immigration information fair with Orland Unified School District, OneJustice, Legal Services of Northern California and other nonprofit organizations.
Fellowships and Honors
ChicoSol’s reporting has been recognized in various categories in recent years. Here are some highlights:
2022
Contributor Dave Waddell was recognized with a Freedom of Information Award from the Society of Professional Journalists Northern California. He placed fourth in investigative reporting for this series in the annual contest run by the California News Publishers Association (CNPA).
2021
ChicoSol was recognized by CNPA for stories posted in four categories. Leslie Layton’s reporting that began with the story, “Butte County Latinos hit hardest by the pandemic” placed third in two separate categories -— coverage of the pandemic (health reporting) and public service journalism.
Layton also shared the digital news award given by Ethnic Media Services in the 2020 election coverage category for this story on Gridley, Calif.
2020
A series by Dave Waddell on law enforcement killings won first place in the In-Depth reporting category in the CNPA contest.
Waddell won first place in Land-Use Reporting for his 2019 story on the proposed Sites reservoir.
Leslie Layton won second place in Feature Story for her reporting on local attorney Sergio Garcia, who was an undocumented immigrant when he passed the Bar Exam.
2010
NAM Ethnic Media reporting honor “CSUC Grad Awaits ICE Decision”2010
John Swett award “The New Segregation” 2010 in collaboration with the Chico News & Review
Articles about ChicoSol
“Teaching Tool: Reporting via ChicoSol.org,” Inside Chico State, Feb. 15, 2016
“Shining a Light on ChicoSol,” Chico News & Review, July 3, 2008
“Small-town journalist, trailblazer: Leslie Layton,” April 29, 2022
“Local mediascape shifts with the times” includes an interview with ChicoSol Editor Layton here. Jan. 11, 2024.