Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: North News Entry Title: The road to a revitalized North Minneapolis must be paved by those who live here Entry Credit: David Pierini Judge Comment: The article is a thorough and well-sourced look at how residents in an area could be affected by redevelopment. Instead of talking to city officials and developers, the reporter spoke to people in the community. As a result, the reader can better understand why those residents have fear and optimism about what comes next. The level of detail in the story made it stand out.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Blaine, Spring Lk Park, Columbia Hgt, Fridley Life Entry Title: Making up for lost time Entry Credit: Emilee Wentland, Jonathan Young, Paige Kieffer Judge Comment: The story is a nice examination of how the wedding industry bounced back after COVID-19 restrictions put most events on hold. The reporters got a wide variety of sources and included interesting survey data in the article. However, hearing from more couples would have improved the story.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Blaine, Spring Lk Park, Columbia Hgt, Fridley Life Entry Title: Shorthanded Entry Credit: Jonathan Young Judge Comment: The reporter does a good job detailing the struggles of restaurant owners trying to find enough workers. The story also includes data showing how the worker shortage is affecting a variety of businesses. It was very informative.
