Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: The Smithfield Times Entry Title: Town council and the Fab 4 Entry Credit: Steve Stewart Judge Comment: The publisher of this newspaper does not hesitate in his columns to call for an accountable, responsible town government. Citing specific incidents contrary to responsive government he brings readers the details of undercover actions and incidents of critic retribution that inspired voters/readers to make changes. These were columns penned by the publisher under his label, but they could also be deemed dynamically inspired editorials . . . except they were personal, not institutional.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Rappahannock News Entry Title: Pam Owen/Wild Ideas Entry Credit: Pam Owen Judge Comment: Making little critters in her life personal friends the columnist shares that intimacy with readers. With loads of “technical” detail the commentary reads like well researched features.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: The Smithfield Times Entry Title: Growth? Entry Credit: Steve Stewart Judge Comment: Just excellent, reasoned columns taking to task the miscalculations of a town council that appears out of touch with its constituents. Reasoned delivery inspires the accountability demands of the writer . . . and readers.
Competition Comment: Tough group of entries all with engaging personalities casting the narratives! Picking the winners centered on reader engagement. Even spiders had those engaging qualities, along with the misaligned local politicos called out in the winner's essays. Serving readers remains the most essential quality and criteria for judging such entries.
