Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Daily News-Record Entry Title: Ukraine Natives Worry For Family, Friends Who Remain As Russia Invades Entry Credit: Jillian Lynch, Ian Munro Judge Comment: Excellent work in taking international breaking news and localizing it. It is able to explain the conflict through the eyes of neighbors and local leaders who are connected to Ukraine and Russia. A thoughtful piece considering those around us.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: The Free Lance-Star Entry Title: Winter storm knocks out power across region Entry Credit: Adele Uphaus-Conner Judge Comment: A piece providing data about a problem, how it's affected citizens, and what is being done to fix the problem. All of this is accomplished in a short and precise manner with the most important information at the top. Great work all around.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Daily News-Record Entry Title: DN-R Coverage of the Bridgewater College Shooting Entry Credit: Ian Munro, Kellen Stepler Judge Comment: A series of articles detailing a situation and the tragedy that ensued. The follow-up dives into it further as more information came out, while taking time to talk with students who endured and how the community responded. A good example of reporting on a tragic breaking news story that takes an extra step forward for its readers.
Place Name: Alternate Winner Contestant Name: The Free Lance-Star Entry Title: 8 hospitalized at educator event Entry Credit: James Scott Baron Judge Comment: A short and succinct piece detailing an event gone wrong and what the aftermath was. Well written and compact in its reporting.
Competition Comment: A varied set of breaking news articles that show unique approaches to events covered locally and broadly. Each piece features sharp reporting and a key understanding of which details matter the most, especially for readers who may be affected by these events. This is a great showcase for how vast breaking news can be.
