Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: The News & Advance Entry Title: Ayers calls handling of 2019 Amherst homicide case 'colossal failure', prosecutor responds; Final defendant in 2017 murder of Lynchburg teen is sentenced; Man sentenced to 50 years for attack on Realtor in Bedford County Entry Credit: Justin Faulconer Judge Comment: This reporter/writer has a clear grasp of story organization, which makes a complicated story like this much easier to digest. Lot of work in this lede piece and it shows. Nice job! The same standards are evident in the other two submissions.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Bristol Herald Courier Entry Title: New Sullivan jail about 68% complete; Seven years later, murder suspect remains on loose; Two trees mark Sullivan observance Entry Credit: Robert Sorrell Judge Comment: This piece answered my questions about the need for the jail, how they got where they are with it and where they are now. It's a great incremental piece on the jail.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: The News & Advance Entry Title: A youth curfew in Lynchburg? Leaders agree on action, yet questions remain; 'A child of Lynchburg:' Community rallies behind family of slain six-year-old; 'One of the worst floods that I've seen': Storms, heavy rain wreak havoc in Lynchburg Entry Credit: Bryson Gordon Judge Comment: This lede piece was really long and could have benefited from some tighter editing. That said, it's an important piece and the reporter shows great insight. The reporter shows the same kind of insight in the other pieces too.
