Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Wisconsin State Journal Entry Title: After an armed fugitive invaded their home, recovery is a long road Entry Credit: Anna Hansen Judge Comment: Audio of the 911 call is a heck of a compelling way to lede this story. Very well written, above and beyond just the “straight” news reporting. A clear top submission. Good Job!
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: The Cap Times Entry Title: Attorneys don’t want Dane County Judge Ellen Berz to hear their cases Entry Credit: Danielle DuClos Judge Comment: Excellent subject, handled in a straightforward way. I would have liked to see the story lead with a more-descriptive dive into one of the anecdotes of bizarre behavior (perhaps a detailed account of when she left court to arrest a hospitalized defendant) then dovetail into the bigger story. All in all, a good story handled well
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Green Bay Press-Gazette Entry Title: Victims say former Green Bay tennis coach broke 'a collective sense of safety' when he recorded upskirt videos of young girls Entry Credit: Vivian Barrett Judge Comment: Well-written lede. Compelling subject matter. The stories that finished higher did so because of more enterprise in the reporting. But this is a well-done story.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: Wisconsin State Journal Entry Title: Former Reedsburg woman has no regrets about fleeing family 63 years ago Entry Credit: John Gittings Judge Comment: Pretty incredible cold-case story about a woman who fled abusive husband and found 63 years later. Too bad she wouldn’t talk to you. Investigtive tick-tock a little hard to follow, I might’ve cast it through the eyes of the investigator and built a bit of narrative to string the pieces together. All in all, a compelling story well handled.
