SUSTAINED COVERAGE/SERIES

Judged by Byron Acohido, The Seattle Times, Pulitzer Prize winner in 1997 for Beat Reporting. The judge said:

First Place
Katy Bornhofen, Surprise Independent, "Dysart Funding Woes"

"The first place winner obviously puts time and care into reporting and writing. School funding controversies can be tedious. Yet these stories had leads that were crisp and engaging. I got a quick sense of what the story focus was and why I should keep reading."

Second Place
Patrick O'Grady, Arrowhead Ranch Independent, "Group Home Riles Neighborhood"

"Solidly reported, well-organized, balanced coverage of this emerging community controversy. Great job making those extra phone calls to get state officials and documents into the story, providing key background and context other reporters may have overlooked."

Third Place
Patrick O'Grady, Arrowhead Ranch Indpendent, "School Boundary Changes"

"Well-thought out, nicely executed coverage of an issue public officials set in motion without proper level of public input. Material was well-organized with effective use of sidebars."

Honorable Mention
Carolyn Wall, Payson Roundup, "Valley Land Deal Alarms Local Officials"

"Reporter should be commended for extensive reporting. Tighter organization and an active writing voice would have made this material more compelling."