Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: The Detroit News Entry Title: Michigan's unemployment system rife with fraud, mistakes Entry Credit: Beth LeBlanc Judge Comment: Reporter Beth LeBlanc went beyond the press conferences and held the state accountable for losing billions of dollars. Her clear, concise writing made it easy to understand. And her Kardashian lead made me laugh out loud. It was a smart way to get readers into the story while highlighting the scope of the fraud.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Detroit Free Press Entry Title: Free Press special report: The truth about COVID-19 vaccines Entry Credit: Detroit Free Press Staff Judge Comment: This package was well reported and presented to the community in a true "news you can use" way. I loved how it was given to vaccinated people with a call to action, and how the reporters took the time to collect concerns from the unvaccinated. It was honest without being judgemental. Great job.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: The Grand Rapids Press Entry Title: Kalamazoo River sediment crisis Entry Credit: Garret Ellison Judge Comment: Science stories are often hard to distill for readers, but these articles nailed it. The analogies gave me a clear understanding of the size of the problem and the stakes. The video was engaging, and the writing was excellent.
