Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: The Lakeland Times Entry Title: U.S. Vaccine Court 5 part series Entry Credit: Richard Moore Judge Comment: Did great job explaining difficult topic and why it mattered, how it impacts lots of different parties. Complicated system summed up well. Lots of excellent statistics to add context for readers.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: The Press Times Entry Title: Breaking the Cycle Entry Credit: Kris Leonhardt, Josephine Hinderman, Kaity Coisman Judge Comment: Issues important to families in region. Love that it's a collaborative effort by a lot of local news groups. Gives voice to voiceless, something we all strive for in journalism. Wish every story in series had found people to put faces to the numbers. Lots of talking to officials, but not average people who might be impacted.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Vilas County News-Review Entry Title: Lac du Flambeau members convicted of illegally spearing 126 walleyes May 4 Entry Credit: Doug Etten Judge Comment: Spearing story had good reporting and interviewing. Clear quotes, important story to this community.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: The Lakeland Times Entry Title: Bombshell: DNR sat on resolutions opposing Pelican River Forest purchase Entry Credit: Richard Moore Judge Comment: Loved use of open records. Did great job explaining difficult topic.
