NJ.com Wins Inaugural A Mark Award for Investigation
The outlet's probe into a possible cancer cluster near a Keyport toxic landfill was honored at the sixth annual Byrne Kean NJ Journalism Awards.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Cancer
NJ.com won the inaugural A Mark Award for Investigative Journalism in New Jersey at the sixth annual Byrne Kean NJ Journalism Awards, held Thursday at the Morris Museum. The honored investigation examined a possible cancer cluster near a toxic landfill in Keyport.
Why it matters
The investigation documents hundreds of residents with cancer in a community living near a toxic landfill, drawing attention to local health concerns in New Jersey. Recognition through the new A Mark Award highlights the role of local investigative reporting in examining environmental health questions.
The investigation references 504 residents with cancer in the Keyport area, a figure drawn from the reporting rather than a verified epidemiological count. The source does not establish a causal link between the landfill and the cases.
The players
NJ.com
NJ.com is a New Jersey news website covering statewide politics, business, and local news.
Corporation for New Jersey Local Media
The Corporation for New Jersey Local Media is a nonprofit that organizes the Byrne Kean NJ Journalism Awards.
A-Mark Foundation
The A-Mark Foundation is a nonpartisan nonprofit that funds the journalism awards presented in New Jersey.
The details
Reporters Karin Price Mueller and Steven Rodas were credited with the work, including a Faces of Cancer story featuring Gigi Liaguno-Dorr, who grew up near the landfill and is fighting colon cancer after losing her mother to the disease. The awards were organized by the nonprofit Corporation for New Jersey Local Media and funded by the nonpartisan A-Mark Foundation.
Timeline
Thursday, November 5, 2026: Awards presented at the sixth annual Byrne Kean NJ Journalism Awards at the Morris Museum
Roadmap
The investigation is recognized in the sixth annual Byrne Kean NJ Journalism Awards, the program's established framework for honoring New Jersey reporting. The inaugural A Mark Award adds a new category to that series.
Residents near the Keyport landfill and others concerned about cancer risk in the area may want to follow the reporting for updates on health findings. The investigation focuses attention on how local environmental exposures could relate to cancer among residents.
The takeaway
Local investigative reporting can surface community health concerns that merit follow-up from residents and officials. Readers concerned about environmental cancer risks can track ongoing coverage of the Keyport site.
Further reading
Explore more on Cancer coverage across New Jersey.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NJ.
