Social Issues Story ( 10,001 and Over Multi-Day)Back
Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Duluth News Tribune Entry Title: ‘A ripple effect’ Entry Credit: Brady Slater Judge Comment: This story stood out above an outstanding group of entries. It's a perfect balance of portraying the humanity of the story's subjects with deft reporting of the issues that stand in the way of the Black community getting information about and access to the COVID-19 vaccine. An outstanding read.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Rochester- Post Bulletin Entry Title: Pace of comeback Entry Credit: Jeff Kiger Judge Comment: Next-level reporting here connects for the readers how one visible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the city's downtown is having a greater effect on another sector. The connection is one that many readers likely wouldn't make and it this coverage does so very plainly and intelligently.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Mankato - The Free Press Entry Title: Finally Home: The journey from homelessness to housed Entry Credit: Brian Arola Judge Comment: This category had many outstanding stories about issues related to homelessness. But this one stands out because of the brief but impactful examples of what the main subject of the story had to do to survive. Humanizes the subject and makes the reader want to learn more about him, his situation and the effort to find homes for the homeless. Well done.
