Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Cardinal News Entry Title: Markus Schmidt public safety portfolio Entry Credit: Markus Schmidt Judge Comment: Excellent stories, full of detail yet easy to follow even for readers not understanding legal issues. Not just well written, but interesting, especially "Shocking" story. So many stories of this nature jump around, but not these. Transitions cemented each story together.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Cardinal News Entry Title: Matt Busse public safety portfolio Entry Credit: Matt Busse Judge Comment: Excellent stories on the pipeline issue. The writer definitely understands this issue and conveys it well without sensationalizing in his stories. It's not easy reporting on proceedings that are so in-depth, but writer made it look easy.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Independent-Messenger Entry Title: Hardersen public safety portfolio Entry Credit: Kayla Hardersen Judge Comment: The Emporia Safe and EPD and Flock Safety stories are just what readers need to read about. Good information shared concisely. Proof that good stories don't need to be wordy. Well done.
Competition Comment: Excellent stories. Had I had more time to judge, final order could be shuffled as my scoring system showed tenths of a point difference in rankings. Tough class to pick winners....
