The chapter’s 64th annual Founders Day meeting was a combination of fellowship, networking and acknowledgement of the achievement of area journalists. But along the way, a brick was also thrown.

Bill Bush and Jennifer Smith Richards will be presented the First Amendment Award at the Central Ohio SPJ Pro Chapter’s annual Founders Day event for their work on the “Counting Kids Out” series, an investigation that continues to make headlines.

Long before he became a politician, Mike Curtin made his name by writing about Ohio politics. The former Dispatch editor and freshman state representative for the 17th district will be our keynote speaker for the 2013 Founders Day, May 16 at the Fawcett Center.

Chapter members are once again being asked to submit nominations for the group’s annual awards. The board of directors will review the nominations and select winners in each category, with the awards handed out during May’s Founders Day event.

Ohio’s Best Journalism 2013 contest is open and accepting awards. The competition, presented collaboratively by the Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland pro chapters of The Society of Professional Journalists, honors print, broadcast, online, trade and college journalists in Ohio for their best work during 2012.