2020 MPA Better Contest

Embargo: Do not release before 4:00 p.m., Thursday, March 25, 2021 Statewide Contest Spotlights Quality Journalism Members of Montana Press Association 2,739 entries submitted by 83 /Individual members this year. The competition inspires all journalists to produce their best work, which in turn, nurtures stronger communities. “To my way of thinking, every single person in this industry who has come through the past year deserves recognition. If we were presenting these awards in person - as was tradition before 2020 - I'd ask for a round of applause to celebrate and recognize all of us. In the midst of the chaos that was last year, a number of member papers submitted their best work as part of the Michigan Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest. Today, awards were given to those entries that stood out to our judges as some of the best of the best. What is clear from this contest and from our collective efforts over the past year is that Michigan journalists and our hometown newspapers are talented, passionate and dedicated to making sure our readers stay informed.” —Julie Stafford, President Michigan Press Association, and publisher of the Greenville Daily News.

The 2020 “Newspaper of the Year” award is presented to the top newspaper in eight circulation classes based on points accumulated (100 for first, 70 for second and 40 for third) in all Editorial contest categories. Winners of those awards are listed below.

Daily Newspapers of the Year Weekly/News Media Publication Newspapers of the Year Circulation Class Total Points Newspaper Circulation Class Total Points Newspaper Class A 1,170 Free Press Class A 1770 Huron County View Class B 860 Traverse City Record-Eagle Class B 2180 Leelanau Enterprise Class C 1520 Midland Daily News Class C 670 Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Herald- News Class D 1260 Greenville Daily News Class D 1170 Michigan Advance

Circulation Class Breakdown: Daily Class A – over 20,000; Daily Class B – 11,001-20,000; Daily Class C – 5,001-11,000; Daily Class D – 5,000 and under; Weekly Class A/News Media – over 15,000; Weekly Class B/News Media – 7,001-15,000; Weekly Class C/News Media – 3,001-7,000; Weekly Class D/News Media – 3,000 and under. The 2020 Advertising Contest this year awarded the Excellence in Advertising Award to the overall winner in all the advertising categories. We based this award on points accumulated (100 for first, 70 for second and 40 for third) in all nine advertising categories. The three finalists are: Tecumseh Herald, Tri-County Times, and Cadillac News, with the winner being the Tecumseh Herald. The MPA Public Service Award recognizes a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper or newspaper individual that has made a significant contribution to the betterment of their community. The three finalists are: Grand Rapids Press for “Mental Health Series”, Detroit News “Detroit Homeowners overtaxed $600 million”, and for “Free Press coverage of the coronavirus pandemic”, with the award going to Detroit News. The MPA Rookie Writer Award recognizes exemplary efforts of new writers just breaking into journalism. The three finalists are: Caitlin Taylor of The Monroe News, Zahra Ahmad of and Andrew Rosenthal of the Traverse City Record-Eagle, with the award going to Zahra Ahmad. The MPA Public Notice Journalism Award recognizes stories that exemplify the importance of public notice in newspapers. The finalists Greenville Daily News for “Montcalm County commissioner goes AWOL” with the award going to Greenville Daily News. Best coverage of the Coronavirus in Michigan recognizes submissions for this category should focus on coverage of the Covid 19 pandemic in Michigan. Coverage of health care, community impact etc. may be included. The four finalists (had a tie for second place) are Leelanau Enterprise for “Covid 19 2020-04-09”, Detroit News for “Testing needed to reopen economy, but Michigan trails other states” Michigan Advance for “The toll coronavirus has taken on Michigan” and Detroit Free Press for “Detroit Free Press coverage of the coronavirus pandemic” with the award going to Michigan Advance. The Best FOIA Story Award recognizes the best story using FOIA as the main tool to gain information. This award will shine a spotlight on the importance of FOIA in getting information about what is going on in government. the best story using FOIA as the main tool to gain information. This award will shine a spotlight on the importance of FOIA in getting information about what is going on in government. The three finalists are: Traverse City Record-Eagle for “TCAPS transparency”, Greenville Daily News for “FOIA-related stories which culminated to Bob Clingenpeel’s resignation”, and Bridge Magazine for “Wolf kills and deer heads: Trouble at the DNR”, with the award going to Greenville Daily News.

The 2021 MPA Better Newspaper Contest opens August 1, 2021.

2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Weekly/News Media B - Best Columnist Best Columnist 2 Entries Daily A - Best Columnist First Place Leelanau Enterprise 10 Entries Multiple Columns First Place Grand Rapids Press Eric Carlson Letter from the Editor: Journalists record the pain of community Second Place Leelanau Enterprise protests, and they live it, too Confessions of a Hallmark Christmas movie junkie John Hiner Amy Hubbell Second Place Grand Rapids Press Weekly/News Media C - Best Columnist INTERFAITH INSIGHT - A personal confession: I am a racist 30 Entries Douglas Kindschi First Place News Third Place Detroit Free Press When Hogs Squeal Nancy Kaffer Eddie B. Allen Jr. Daily B - Best Columnist Second Place Oceana's Herald-Journal 11 Entries The best Thanksgiving of all First Place The Monroe News Mary Beth Crain Best columnist entry Third Place Grosse Pointe News Caitlin Taylor Seeking liberty and justice for all Second Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Mary Anne Brush Brendan Quealy Honorable Mention Tecumseh Herald Third Place Imagine That Collection of columns from Nick Buckley Mary Kay McPartlin Nick Buckley Weekly/News Media D - Best Columnist Daily C - Best Columnist 6 Entries 9 Entries First Place Michigan Advance First Place Midland Daily News Susan J. Demas It really can be a new you Second Place Oscoda Press Kate Hessling Sunrise Reflections column by Jason Ogden Second Place Petoskey News-Review Jason Ogden You can wait Third Place The Clinton Local, LLC. Jeremy McBain At the Movies with Nate Adams Third Place Ludington Daily News Nate Adams On the Other Hand by Steve Begnoche Honorable Mention The Advance Steve Begnoche Dialogue: 3 samples by Marcia Loader Marcia Loader Daily D - Best Columnist 9 Entries Best Editorial First Place Niles Daily Star Ambrosia Neldon Daily A - Best Editorial 2 Entries Second Place Huron Daily Tribune First Place Detroit News I was attacked University board secrecy undermines public trust Scott Nunn Ingrid Jacques Third Place Huron Daily Tribune Second Place Mary Drier COVID concerns should not mean less transparency in government Weekly/News Media A - Best Columnist LSJ Editorial Board 4 Entries First Place Huron County View Daily B - Best Editorial 6 Entries View From Here - Seth Stapleton First Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Seth Stapleton Editorial: We all should take pride in community outrage over TCAPS Second Place Tri-County Times secrecy Thankful for our local police officers Nathan Payne Sharon Stone Second Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Third Place Tri-County Times Editorial: A quick trip to the cleaners That's Not Entertainment Allison Batdorff Vera Hogan Third Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Honorable Mention Tri-County Times Editorial: Gov's husband's request didn't float our boat Is Lowering Flags Becoming Misplaced Display Allison Batdorff Vera Hogan

1 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Daily C - Best Editorial Second Place Glen Arbor Sun Newspaper 2 Entries Support Leelanaus young families: vote Yes on early childhood First Place Midland Daily News millage Support your local newspaper and your right to know Jacob Wheeler Kate Hessling Third Place Flintside Second Place The Daily News, Iron Mountain Say its name Putting on a mask isnt too much to ask Alexandria Brown Betsy Bloom Honorable Mention Oscoda Press Daily D - Best Editorial More info on COVID-19 cases should be shared 3 Entries Jason Ogden First Place Greenville Daily News Best Newspaper Design Arm yourself with facts against fake news Elisabeth Waldon Daily A - Best Newspaper Design Second Place Huron Daily Tribune 1 Entries County commissioners missing the boat by abandoning remote First Place Grand Rapids Press meeting attendance for Sunday, August 25, 2019 for best Scott Nunn newspaper design category Grand Rapids Press staff Weekly/News Media A - Best Editorial 2 Entries Daily B - Best Newspaper Design First Place Tri-County Times 2 Entries The government sells your data First Place Hannah Ball Shootings on the Rise Second Place Tri-County Times Stephanie Giluk Raging about Radium Girls Second Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Hannah Ball Traverse City Record-Eagle Record-Eagle staff Weekly/News Media B - Best Editorial 3 Entries Daily C - Best Newspaper Design First Place Leelanau Enterprise 2 Entries Welcome 2020! First Place Ludington Daily News John Elchert Daily News - Jan. 2, 2020 Second Place Leelanau Enterprise David Bossick Letter went over the line Second Place Midland Daily News John Elchert May 30, 2020 edition of the Midland Daily News Third Place Leelanau Enterprise Bill Petzold Keep calm Leelanau, remain resilient Daily D - Best Newspaper Design John Elchert 4 Entries Weekly/News Media C - Best Editorial First Place Niles Daily Star 15 Entries Niles Daily Star First Place Grosse Pointe News Ambrosia Neldon, Emily Sobecki, Sarah Culton Leadership lacking in Shores Second Place Barb Arrigo September 7, 2019 full Journal Second Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Staff Herald-News Third Place Greenville Daily News Move forward with yes votes Greenville Daily News design Eric Hamp Darrin Clark Third Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Weekly/News Media A - Best Newspaper Design Herald-News 2 Entries Work together to make things right First Place Tri-County Times Eric Hamp Tri-County Times 2/23/20 Honorable Mention Grosse Pointe News Jennifer Ward Who's behind the recall effort? Second Place Huron County View Barb Arrigo Huron County View Weekly/News Media D - Best Editorial Seth Stapleton, Liz LaFave, Jane Vanderpoel 8 Entries Weekly/News Media C - Best Newspaper Design First Place The Advance 7 Entries Look for the facts in 2020 First Place Grosse Pointe News Marcia Loader Grosse Pointe News full issue Jody McVeigh, John Minnis, Mary Anne Brush, Bob St. John 2 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Second Place Tecumseh Herald Daily D - Best Page or Pages Design The Tecumseh Herald - November 14, 2019 14 Entries The Tecumseh Herald Staff First Place Niles Daily Star Third Place The Tri-City Times Superheroes save the day Best Newspaper Design Emily Sobecki Staff Second Place Niles Daily Star Cleaning service expands Weekly/News Media D - Best Newspaper Design Emily Sobecki 3 Entries Third Place Manistee News-Advocate First Place Michigan Advance Page design front page Oct. 16, 2019 Michigan Advance News Advocate Staff Joe Wright, Nelle Dunlap, Susan J. Demas Honorable Mention Sturgis Journal Second Place The Advance Best Page/Page Design entry The last paper before the world stopped...March 11, 2020 Candice Phelps, Journal Staff Marcia Loader Third Place The Clinton Local, LLC. Weekly/News Media A - Best Page or Pages Design Good-bye, heated community debate, celebrations and so much 6 Entries more! First Place Tri-County Times Michael Walters, Amanda Morris Living Local pages Lorie Gavulic Best Page or Pages Design Second Place Macomb Chronicle Daily A - Best Page or Pages Design Photos of the Year 3 Entries Jason Clancy First Place Grand Rapids Press Third Place West Bloomfield Beacon Al Kalines legacy Still roaring Grand Rapids Press staff Jason Clancy Second Place Grand Rapids Press Weekly/News Media B - Best Page or Pages Design The Great Lakes State looks great at 183, but how did she get here? 2 Entries Grand Rapids Press staff First Place Leelanau Enterprise Third Place Grand Rapids Press Cherry Timeline People want to know: Who is responsible? Amy Hubbell, Mike Anderson Grand Rapids Press staff Second Place Leelanau Enterprise Daily B - Best Page or Pages Design Snow Business 5 Entries Daniel Fortune, Mike Anderson First Place Weekly/News Media C - Best Page or Pages Design Ann Arbor downtown boom 10 Entries Stephanie Giluk First Place Oceana's Herald-Journal Second Place Traverse City Record-Eagle In loving memory of Kaitlynn Scott Oct. 19, 2019, A1 Amanda Dodge Record-Eagle staff Second Place Tecumseh Herald Third Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Quilts on display at Clinton Arts Center July 5, 2020, A1 Cory Mathis Record-Eagle staff Third Place Oceana's Herald-Journal Honorable Mention Traverse City Record-Eagle Celebrating 150 years of writing the first draft of history March 28, 2020, A1 Amanda Dodge Record-Eagle staff Honorable Mention Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon Daily C - Best Page or Pages Design County Herald-News 7 Entries Out for a Sunday Drive First Place Cadillac News Eric Hamp, Krista Tacey-Cater Christmas Weekly/News Media D - Best Page or Pages Design Sarah Adams 2 Entries Second Place Midland Daily News First Place Michigan Advance 100 things Midland is thankful for A tale of two oil pipelines and their place in the presidential race Katy Kildee, Kate Hessling Laina G. Stebbins, Susan J. Demas Third Place Midland Daily News Second Place The Clinton Local, LLC. Fair folk portraits Graduation -- COVID style Katy Kildee Michael Walters, Amanda Morris Honorable Mention Midland Daily News May 30, 2020 front page Bill Petzold 3 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Best Sports Column Third Place Huron Daily Tribune Who needs Lions when you have Bearcats Daily A - Best Sports Column Mark Birdsall 17 Entries Honorable Mention Greenville Daily News First Place Detroit Free Press Two thumbs up sort of Almont-Denby and the quest to find out what really happened Alex Freeman Jeff Seidel Second Place Detroit News Weekly/News Media A - Best Sports Column Hiatus may cause us to rethink priority we put on organized youth 1 Entries sports First Place Huron County View John Niyo Paul Adams personal column (Sports) Third Place Lansing State Journal Paul Adams I've run hundreds of miles through Lansing at night. This is what it's Weekly/News Media C - Best Sports Column like. 6 Entries Matthew Miller First Place Oceana's Herald-Journal Honorable Mention Without new sports, old sports have to do for now Girls wrestling state finals at Ford Field may not be far away Andy Roberts Patrick Nothaft Second Place White Lake Beacon Daily B - Best Sports Column Commend MHSAA for giving sports a chance 16 Entries Andy Roberts First Place Bay City Times Third Place Presque Isle County Advance/Onaway Outlook Dear Baseball: Heartbroken seniors farewell letter touches all who Matters of the heart love the game Peter Jakey Lee Thompson Honorable Mention Presque Isle County Advance/Onaway Second Place Battle Creek Enquirer Outlook Eddie Sturm has been the face of Climax-Scotts football for two Coach Watson closes in on 500 wins decades Peter Jakey Bill Broderick Weekly/News Media D - Best Sports Column Third Place Traverse City Record-Eagle 5 Entries A tiny ripple to an emotional wave First Place Benzie County Record Patriot Mark Urban Detroit Lions NFL Draft grades out good, but not perfect Honorable Mention Traverse City Record-Eagle Robert Myers Injured Rayder saved girl's life at Frankfort game Second Place Oscoda Press James Cook Sunrise Reflections Sports Columns Daily C - Best Sports Column Jason Ogden 10 Entries Third Place Benzie County Record Patriot First Place Livingston County & Argus Patience the best play for Detriot Lions You can support MHSAA coronavirus decision and hurt for the Robert Myers athletes Business/Agriculture News Bill Khan Second Place Alpena News Daily A - Business/Agriculture News Posens Momrik as passionate as ever 10 years after heart attack 25 Entries James Andersen First Place Detroit News Third Place Midland Daily News Driven by Greed: The story of UAW corruption Better than real life: MDN sports writers making a splash in video Staff baseball game Second Place Detroit Free Press Bill Petzold Out of Gear Honorable Mention Midland Daily News Phoebe Wall Howard It just puts a smile on your face Third Place Grand Rapids Press Dan Chalk Wolverine tannery cleanup Garret Ellison Daily D - Best Sports Column Honorable Mention Bridge Magazine 9 Entries Michigan businesses and the pandemic First Place Manistee News-Advocate Staff If there was ever a time for teamwork, it's now Dylan Savela Daily B - Business/Agriculture News Second Place Manistee News-Advocate 22 Entries Baseball is back: Saints lead the way, open season safely First Place Bay City Times Dylan Savela Perch for profit Caitlyn French 4 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Second Place The Ann Arbor News Weekly/News Media C - Business/Agriculture News Ann Arbors changing skyline 15 Entries Ryan Stanton First Place The Tri-City Times Third Place Saginaw News Keihin to shut down UAW strike Tom Wearing Heather Jordan, Kaytie Boomer Second Place Presque Isle County Advance/Onaway Outlook Lamphrey count steady and new lab operational Daily C - Business/Agriculture News Mary Ann Heidemann 19 Entries Third Place Oceana's Herald-Journal First Place Ludington Daily News Shelby's Media Technologies helps improve education one desk at a COVID-19 in congregate housing time Hannah Hubbard Sharon Hallack Second Place Midland Daily News Honorable Mention The Record DuPont employees face ongoing pay issues Growers fight freezing weather Ashley Schafer Stacy Sobotka Third Place Petoskey News-Review Stay home impact on business Weekly/News Media D - Business/Agriculture News Ryan Bentley 15 Entries Honorable Mention Cadillac News First Place The Advance Cadillac 4 theater Pandemic Business Stories: Area businesses cope; Rupp's stand on Karen Hopper Usher belief auto wash essential; Off to the races despite COVID Melissa Burnor Daily D - Business/Agriculture News Second Place Flintside 13 Entries New hotel in downtown Flint symbolizes city's comeback First Place Huron Daily Tribune Marjory Raymer PBB has not gone away Good, solid business reporting. Sara Eisinger Third Place Second Place Greenville Daily News Virtual courts provide access to justice during shutdown Farmers vs. floods Kelly Caplan Elisabeth Waldon Honorable Mention The Clinton Local, LLC. Third Place Huron Daily Tribune "Taste the Love" Cormorants damaging fish populations Michael Walters Mary Drier Honorable Mention The Daily Globe Feature Photo Realtor struggles differ across border Tom LaVenture Daily A - Feature Photo 18 Entries Weekly/News Media A - Business/Agriculture News First Place Detroit Free Press 4 Entries Family Visit First Place Huron County View Mandi Wright Hardship in the dairy industry Second Place Bridge Magazine Seth Stapleton Teen suicide Second Place Huron County View Dale Young Local businesses dealing with varying degrees of struggles Third Place Flint Journal Seth Stapleton A different kind of graduation Third Place Tri-County Times Jake May Too little, too late for dairy farmers? Honorable Mention Flint Journal Tim Jagielo Overcoming COVID Weekly/News Media B - Business/Agriculture News Jake May 7 Entries Daily B - Feature Photo First Place Leelanau Enterprise 28 Entries Last farmer standing First Place Saginaw News Alan Campbell Kids hangout during 51st annual African Cultural Festival Second Place Leelanau Enterprise Rachel Ellis Group questions Brazil cherry imports Second Place Bay City Times Alan Campbell No Excuses, Not Even COVID-19 Third Place Leelanau Enterprise Kaytie Boomer CHERRY ANTI-DUMPING CLAIM DENIED Third Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Alan Campbell Boat builder Mike Krebs

5 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Honorable Mention Jackson Citizen Patriot Honorable Mention Leelanau Enterprise Cool Luigi Trapped Porky J. Scott Park Kaula Collier Daily C - Feature Photo Weekly/News Media C - Feature Photo 18 Entries 21 Entries First Place Midland Daily News First Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Hallway Pep Herald-News Katy Kildee The Barber Is In! Second Place Petoskey News-Review Krista Tacey-Cater bump jump Second Place The Record Jillian Fellows Thunder Moon Third Place The Daily News, Iron Mountain Larry Sobczak Family portrait Third Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Betsy Bloom Herald-News Honorable Mention Midland Daily News Enjoying the Moment Ashes To Go Cheryl Holladay Katy Kildee Honorable Mention Grosse Pointe News Ice art Daily D - Feature Photo Renee Landuyt 20 Entries First Place The Daily Globe Weekly/News Media D - Feature Photo Lake Superior 8 Entries Jason Juno First Place Michigan Advance Second Place Huron Daily Tribune Rep. Brenda Lawrence speaks against gun violence at a Crash course demonstration in Ferndale Coulter Stuart Ken Coleman Third Place Greenville Daily News Second Place Michigan Advance Canine comfort Elizabeth Warren at her emotional final campaign stop in Detroit Cory Smith Allison Donahue Honorable Mention Huron Daily Tribune Third Place Michigan Advance Sunrise on Sunset Blvd. MSU students gather for a St. Patrick's Day house party despite the Tyler Leipprandt coronavirus pandemic Anna Liz Nichols Individual - Feature Photo 1 Entries Feature Story First Place Seth Herald The Barber shop of Karle Manke in Owosso,Michigan Daily A - Feature Story 30 Entries Weekly/News Media A - Feature Photo First Place Detroit Free Press 4 Entries A hot dog truck rolled through destroyed Sanford. This is what they First Place Huron County View saw. Lighting up the sky John Carlisle Paul Adams Second Place Bridge Magazine Second Place Huron County View Nearly killed by COVID-19, Michigan doctors, nurses return humbled, Star spangled spectacle smarter Seth Stapleton Robin Erb Third Place Huron County View Third Place Flint Journal Wheres the VIEW? Ubly Heights Rainbow The Journey Home Paul Adams Zahra Ahmad Weekly/News Media B - Feature Photo Honorable Mention Detroit News 7 Entries Unimaginable pain: Coronavirus robs Michigan woman of whole First Place The Citizen, Ortonville family Slime time Francis X. Donnelly Patrick McAbee Daily B - Feature Story Second Place Leelanau Enterprise 33 Entries PEACHY PARADISE First Place The Ann Arbor News Daniel Fortune Arthur, downtown Ann Arbors well-known panhandler, dies at 66 Third Place Leelanau Enterprise Ryan Stanton Kids sledding Second Place The Monroe News Eric Carlson Firefighter uses burned toys to teach fire safety Caitlin Taylor, Tom Hawley 6 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Third Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Third Place Leelanau Enterprise Predatory rental scammers on the hunt in Coburns Challenge Brendan Quealy Chris Olson Honorable Mention Traverse City Record-Eagle Weekly/News Media C - Feature Story 'I fought for myself' 34 Entries Mardi Link First Place Grosse Pointe News Daily C - Feature Story Love letters and broken hearts 27 Entries Jody McVeigh First Place Petoskey News-Review Second Place The Tri-City Times Fight for the right thing Combs times two at Weston William Perkins Maria Brown Second Place Midland Daily News Third Place Oceana's Herald-Journal A day to remember The day the dog fell through the floor Lori Qualls Mary Beth Crain Third Place Alpena News Weekly/News Media D - Feature Story Everybodys happy at an elk hunt 21 Entries Julie Riddle First Place Encore Magazine Honorable Mention The Daily News, Iron Mountain The Father of Legal Pot A Father for Christmas Chris Killian Theresa Proudfit Second Place Flintside Daily D - Feature Story The ruralization of Flint's Civic Park neighborhood 30 Entries Marjory Raymer, Alexandria Brown First Place Greenville Daily News Third Place Encore Magazine Taking nothing for granted 'We're Still Here': Recognition of Kalamazoos indigenous roots has Cory Smith been a long time coming Second Place Niles Daily Star Kara Norman Girl power Honorable Mention Benzie County Record Patriot Sarah Culton, Emily Sobecki "Miracle Dog" reunited with family after being lost on Lake Michigan Third Place Niles Daily Star Robert Myers Girl online Sarah Culton, Emily Sobecki Government/Education News Honorable Mention Greenville Daily News Daily A - Government/Education News A lasting vision 62 Entries Brandon Schreur First Place Detroit News Weekly/News Media A - Feature Story Second chance granted 4 Entries Christine Ferretti First Place Grosse Pointe Times Second Place Bridge Magazine South Pole workers recount memories both chilling and humorous Michigan's substitute teacher crisis K. Michelle Moran Ron French, Mike Wilkinson Honorable Mention Grosse Pointe Times Third Place Bridge Magazine When metro Detroit went dry 15,000 kids take two years of kindergarten. Is Lansing listening? Maria Allard, Tiffany Esshaki Ron French Second Place Chalkbeat Honorable Mention Lansing State Journal Detroit students learn to find inner strength after experiencing 10 years later, Kalamazoo River oil spill casts a shadow on debate trauma, living through COVID-19 over Enbridge's Line 5 Eleanore Catolico Carol Thompson Third Place Fraser-Clinton Twp. Chronicle Daily B - Government/Education News Two murders, four years, a case gone cold in Clinton Township 23 Entries Nick Mordowanec First Place The Ann Arbor News Weekly/News Media B - Feature Story Racism at Saline schools 7 Entries Martin Slagter First Place Leelanau Enterprise Second Place Jackson Citizen Patriot Life and death in the time of COVID City of Jackson paid $100,000 to former attorney in settlement Amy Hubbell agreement Second Place The Citizen, Ortonville Taylor DesOrmeau Area youth go 'Shop with a Hero' Third Place Saginaw News Shelby Stewart CMU sex assault Cole Waterman, Winter Keefer

7 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Honorable Mention The Ann Arbor News Third Place The Citizen, Ortonville The firing of Howard Lazarus Veteran US Coast Guard couple together 74 years Ryan Stanton David Fleet Honorable Mention Leelanau Enterprise Daily C - Government/Education News Childrens Center launches new program for children at home 15 Entries First Place The Daily Press Amy Hubbell Bay head used false ID to promo millage Weekly/News Media C - Government/Education News Ilsa Matthes 23 Entries Second Place Cadillac News First Place The Tri-City Times Manton commission candidates almost left off ballot due to filing How does your garden grow? snafu Maria Brown Chris Lamphere Second Place Grosse Pointe News Third Place Midland Daily News FOIA gaffe series Overnight, we turned from educators to relief sponsors Eddie B. Allen Jr. Dan Chalk Third Place The Tri-City Times Honorable Mention Cadillac News Volunteers prep stadium Manton commissioner resigns amid allegation of sexual harassment Tom Wearing Chris Lamphere Honorable Mention The Tri-City Times On the road again Daily D - Government/Education News Maria Brown 16 Entries First Place The Daily Globe Weekly/News Media D - Government/Education News Potential cuts threaten future of education 15 Entries Second Place Niles Daily Star First Place Michigan Advance The next chapter Michigan almost had robust sick leave in 2018. Republicans killed it. Ambrosia Neldon Susan J. Demas Third Place Greenville Daily News Second Place Michigan Advance Ionia County Road Commission How do you teach science experiments at home? How educators are Elisabeth Waldon adjusting to the school shutdown. Honorable Mention Manistee News-Advocate Allison Donahue Sobriety court's first grad Third Place Encore Magazine Arielle Breen The Homefront: Confronting Kalamazoo's Homelessness Crisis Staff Weekly/News Media A - Government/Education News 12 Entries News Enterprise Reporting First Place Chalkbeat Inside the Detroit right-to-read case: How a settlement came together Daily A - News Enterprise Reporting and a groundbreaking precedent fell apart 28 Entries Koby Levin First Place Detroit Free Press Second Place Chalkbeat Detroit woman was secret hoarder. Nobody knew until she was found reopening economy needs child care. This educators dead, eaten by her dog. struggle shows that rebooting centers won’t be easy. Tresa Baldas, Eric Seals Koby Levin Honorable Mention Bridge Magazine Third Place Grosse Pointe Times Detroit water shutoffs Grosse Pointe Shores retirees outraged over spike in costs for health Joel Kurth care benefits Second Place Bridge Magazine K. Michelle Moran Poisoned Michigan Honorable Mention Huron County View Jim Malewitz, Riley Beggin Teacher, coach resigns after allegations of misconduct Third Place Kalamazoo Gazette Ben Muir Christopher is dead: Chilling 911 calls detail final moments of fatal hostage situation Weekly/News Media B - Government/Education News Ryan Boldrey 9 Entries First Place The Citizen, Ortonville Daily B - News Enterprise Reporting Fewer children in Township 25 Entries Shelby Stewart First Place The Monroe News Second Place Leelanau Enterprise Homelessness in Monroe County series COMING HOME Tyler Eagle, Caitlin Taylor, Tom Hawley Eric Carlson Second Place Bay City Times Arrest in cold case doesn’t end mystery of 13-year-olds murder in 1974 Cole Waterman 8 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Third Place Bay City Times Weekly/News Media C - News Enterprise Reporting Old power plants in Michigan leave legacy of coal ash behind 13 Entries Heather Jordan First Place Flint Beat Honorable Mention Flint Beat Gun Violence Coverage High Great Lakes water levels cause havoc across Michigan Amy Diaz, Jiquanda Johnson, Sean Campbell Lynn Moore Second Place Grosse Pointe News Pointes join outcry for police fairness Daily C - News Enterprise Reporting Eddie B. Allen Jr. First Place Midland Daily News Third Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Troubled Waters Herald-News Ashley Schafer, Mitchell Kukulka, Victoria Ritter, Lori Qualls, Dan Eighty years of opportunity Chalk, Tony Lascari, Katy Kildee Krista Tacey-Cater Second Place Midland Daily News Honorable Mention Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon Are we keeping our schools secured? County Herald-News Mitchell Kukulka, Hope O'Dell 'Spread the word, slow down around roadkill' Third Place Livingston County Daily Press & Argus Krista Tacey-Cater Livingston judge pleads guilty to perjury Kayla Daugherty Weekly/News Media D - News Enterprise Reporting Honorable Mention Cadillac News 15 Entries Ranking the area's beaches First Place Encore Magazine Karen Hopper Usher The Homefront: Confronting Kalamazoo's Homelessness Crisis Ben Lando, Marie Lee, Chris Killian, Miranda Drake Daily D - News Enterprise Reporting Second Place Glen Arbor Sun Newspaper 11 Entries Black/Latina/Brown/Anishinaabeg Like Me: Voices from People of First Place Greenville Daily News Color in Leelanau County Local businesses and COVID Staff Cory Smith Third Place Michigan Advance Second Place Greenville Daily News I didn’t expect to get tackled trying to do my job Plight of the 2020 Ionia Free Fair Ken Coleman Karen Bota Honorable Mention Michigan Advance Third Place Greenville Daily News A tale of two oil pipelines and their place in the presidential race Road Department employee survey responses shine light on Laina G. Stebbins concerns Elisabeth Waldon News Photo Honorable Mention Huron Daily Tribune Unemployment impacts on county residents Daily A - News Photo 17 Entries Scott Nunn First Place Flint Journal Weekly/News Media A - News Enterprise Reporting "Walk with Us" 5 Entries Jake May First Place Chalkbeat Second Place Kalamazoo Gazette Ready or Not: What happens when students from Detroit enter Five structures destroyed college Joel Bissell Lori Higgins Third Place Detroit Free Press Second Place Macomb Chronicle Strike is over The intricacies of dual positions Ryan Garza Alex Szwarc Honorable Mention Flint Journal Weekly/News Media B - News Enterprise Reporting Family mourns slain security guard 12 Entries Jake May First Place Leelanau Enterprise Daily B - News Photo Water, water everywhere 24 Entries Amy Hubbell, Eric Carlson, Chris Olson, Alan Campbell First Place Muskegon Chronicle Second Place Leelanau Enterprise Muskegon community honors slain teen at vigil Short-term rentals Cory Morse Eric Carlson Second Place Jackson Citizen Patriot Third Place Leelanau Enterprise Lost it All SCHOOL LETTER DRAWS FIRE FROM PUBLIC J. Scott Park Amy Hubbell Third Place Battle Creek Enquirer Honorable Mention Leelanau Enterprise Albion marches for justice on Juneteenth MAN ALLEGES RACIAL PROFILING IN S-B Alyssa Keown Eric Carlson 9 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Honorable Mention Traverse City Record-Eagle Third Place The Citizen, Ortonville Visit through window BHS Senior: Go one day at a time Jan-Michael Stump Patrick McAbee Daily C - News Photo Weekly/News Media C - News Photo 10 Entries 13 Entries First Place Midland Daily News First Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Rally for Racial Justice Herald-News Katy Kildee Jail baptism next step of living Second Place Midland Daily News Krista Tacey-Cater Wading Through Second Place Hastings Banner Katy Kildee Local government goes virtual Third Place Ludington Daily News Rebecca Pierce Bad weather cancels fire training at fair Third Place The Record Jeff Kiessel Protest March Honorable Mention Livingston County Daily Press & Argus Larry Sobczak A new kind of graduation Honorable Mention Hastings Banner Gillis Benedict Shooting rampage case bound over for trial Scott Harmsen Daily D - News Photo 9 Entries Weekly/News Media D - News Photo First Place Greenville Daily News 6 Entries 'There's not enough water in the county for this fire' First Place Michigan Advance Cory Smith Sanders speaks to a packed Ann Arbor crowd before Michigan Second Place Huron Daily Tribune primary Temps spike as Helen Stephens Memorial Pool opens Andrew Roth Sara Eisinger Second Place Michigan Advance Third Place Greenville Daily News Lansing police officer stands guard as a counter-protester's car burns 'We can count on people' Anna Liz Nichols Cory Smith Third Place The Advance Honorable Mention Huron Daily Tribune Harvest time Bad Axe Meijer opens its doors Melissa Burnor Aurora Abraham Photo Story Individual - News Photo 1 Entries Daily A - Photo Story First Place Seth Herald 16 Entries Senators vote to approve the extension of Governor Gretchen First Place Detroit Free Press Whitmer's emergency declaration in Lansing A season in pictures and words Seth Herald Brian Kaufman Second Place Bridge Magazine Weekly/News Media A - News Photo Flint's last basketball team 3 Entries Dale Young First Place Huron County View Third Place Detroit Free Press Protester Baillie Fritz chants I can’t breathe Stay Home. Stay Safe. Paul Adams Kimberly P. Mitchell Second Place Huron County View Honorable Mention Grand Rapids Press Former Laker student Terrance Dubs, left, puts his arm around Black Lives Matter protesters demand change in Grand Rapids DAndre Cook Cory Morse Paul Adams Third Place Huron County View Daily B - Photo Story A fire in the Port Crescent State Park 19 Entries Seth Stapleton First Place Muskegon Chronicle The Big Red Zone Weekly/News Media B - News Photo Cory Morse 4 Entries Second Place The Ann Arbor News First Place Leelanau Enterprise April and Jacob Raising Shanty Jenna Kieser Daniel Fortune Third Place Holland Sentinel Second Place The Citizen, Ortonville Hope College Pull School: Day 1 Daytona Niles Patrick McAbee

10 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Honorable Mention Jackson Citizen Patriot Weekly/News Media D - Photo Story Nurse comes home after treating COVID-19 patients 7 Entries J. Scott Park First Place Encore Magazine Porch Portraits Daily C - Photo Story Brian K. Powers 10 Entries Second Place Michigan Advance First Place Midland Daily News Here’s the moment when Trump read aloud the impeachment vote Mid-Michigan Dam Failures results at his Battle Creek rally Katy Kildee Andrew Roth Second Place Midland Daily News Third Place Benzie County Record Patriot Fresh Meat Training Camp Escaping winter Katy Kildee Robert Myers Third Place Ludington Daily News LHS Homecoming Special Section Jeff Kiessel Daily A - Special Section Daily D - Photo Story 9 Entries 10 Entries First Place Detroit Free Press First Place Huron Daily Tribune We Remember: Coronavirus Pandemic in Michigan Night aglow Detroit Free Press Staff Tyler Leipprandt Second Place Grand Rapids Press Second Place Greenville Daily News Michigan's Mental Health Crisis Show of solidarity Grand Rapids Press staff Cory Smith Third Place Detroit Free Press Third Place Niles Daily Star Lives with Limits: The coronavirus pandemic in Michigan Carvers continue to sculpt Detroit Free Press Staff Emily Sobecki Honorable Mention Manistee News-Advocate Daily B - Special Section Portagers pull it off 3 Entries Dylan Savela First Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Rise Weekly/News Media A - Photo Story Record-Eagle staff 4 Entries Second Place Traverse City Record-Eagle First Place Huron County View The Playbook Solidarity for social injustice HCV Record-Eagle staff Paul Adams, Seth Stapleton Third Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Second Place Huron County View Grand Traverse Scene Celebration of music in Port Austin Record-Eagle staff Seth Stapleton Third Place Huron County View Daily C - Special Section Laker Seniors finding a way 8 Entries Seth Stapleton, Paul Adams, Jane Vanderpoel First Place The Daily News, Iron Mountain Remembering Burt Angeli Weekly/News Media B - Photo Story Staff 1 Entries Second Place Alpena News First Place Leelanau Enterprise Progress 2019 CHILLY CHILI Staff Daniel Fortune Third Place The Daily News, Iron Mountain Weekly/News Media C - Photo Story Logging Today 13 Entries Staff First Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Daily D - Special Section Herald-News 11 Entries DNR Sign Shop First Place Niles Daily Star Krista Tacey-Cater Horizons Second Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Staff Herald-News Second Place Sturgis Journal 108,012 Shoreline Krista Tacey-Cater Candice Phelps, Journal Staff Third Place Grosse Pointe News Third Place The Daily Globe Season's creepings Progress 2020 -- Gogebic County Business Renee Landuyt The Staff

11 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Weekly/News Media A - Special Section Third Place Grand Rapids Press 4 Entries 79 U.S. veterans, 10 former Lions, 1 heck of a day in Washington First Place Tri-County Times Benjamin Raven Shop Local Honorable Mention Detroit Free Press Sales Team, Editorial Staff, Graphics Department Joe Murphy, Red Wings' No. 1 pick, is homeless again and refusing Second Place Huron County View help Women in Agriculture Jeff Seidel John Bonke, Liz LaFave, Jane Vanderpoel Third Place Huron County View Daily B - Sports Feature 31 Entries Fall Sports Preview First Place Bay City Times Paul Adams, Liz LaFave, Jane Vanderpoel Akron-Fairgrove proves there is hope after a 44-game losing streak Weekly/News Media B - Special Section Lee Thompson 2 Entries Second Place Muskegon Chronicle First Place Leelanau Enterprise Big Red Zone - For kids in the tough town of Muskegon, athletic 2020 Wedding Guide success means the promise of a better life Advertising Department, Editorial Department, Creative Department Scott DeCamp Second Place Leelanau Enterprise Third Place Saginaw News How To Choose 2019 Bullock Creek basketball player saves dad, but still scared to leave Advertising Department, Creative Department him alone Weekly/News Media C - Special Section Hugh Bernreuter 11 Entries Honorable Mention Traverse City Record-Eagle First Place Tecumseh Herald Co-operation between schools tackles declining high school sports 2020 Manitou Beach Guide numbers Cory Mathis Jake Atnip Second Place Tecumseh Herald Daily C - Sports Feature Homefront Winter 2019-2020 15 Entries Nanci Heiney First Place Ludington Daily News Third Place Tecumseh Herald Urka to lead all-female crew in monumental sports broadcast Homefront Fall 2019 Noah Genson Nanci Heiney Second Place Petoskey News-Review Honorable Mention Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon Running into history County Herald-News Jillian Fellows Summer Seasons 2020 Third Place Midland Daily News Staff Victory day a win-win Dan Chalk Weekly/News Media D - Special Section 7 Entries Honorable Mention Midland Daily News First Place Encore Magazine Double duty: Dows Emrich a soccer coach by day, ER nurse by night The Homefront: Confronting Kalamazoo's Homelessness Crisis Fred Kelly Staff Daily D - Sports Feature Second Place The Advance 7 Entries Hurray for the Heroes! First Place Greenville Daily News The Advance Staff Theres no way this is ever going to happen Third Place Benzie County Record Patriot Alex Freeman 2019 Benzie County Fall Sports Second Place Manistee News-Advocate Robert Myers, Bob Allen A family affair Dylan Savela Sports Feature Third Place Greenville Daily News Daily A - Sports Feature Back on the bike 22 Entries Alex Freeman First Place Detroit Free Press Weekly/News Media A - Sports Feature Michigan State star Cassius Winston’s grief is so heavy, not even 4 Entries basketball can ease it First Place Huron County View Shawn Windsor Glory Days Second Place Flint Journal Paul Adams Grand Blancs Camden Witucki is the best football player youve never Second Place Huron County View heard about The beginning of greatness Brendan Savage Paul Adams

12 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Weekly/News Media B - Sports Feature Daily B - Sports Photo 6 Entries 28 Entries First Place Leelanau Enterprise First Place The Ann Arbor News 1,000-point scorers all in the family Helmets flying Chris Olson Jenna Kieser Second Place The Citizen, Ortonville Second Place Jackson Citizen Patriot Remembering 'Mr. Tiger' Al Kaline Face Wash David Fleet J. Scott Park Third Place Leelanau Enterprise Third Place Saginaw News Life, football, legacy of Pop Warner Wrestling grimace Chris Olson Riley Yuan Honorable Mention Muskegon Chronicle Weekly/News Media C - Sports Feature Muskegon Big Reds Football 15 Entries First Place Flint Beat Cory Morse From Football To Boxing A Flint Mans Journey To The Olympic Daily C - Sports Photo Boxing Trials 11 Entries Royce Stephens First Place Midland Daily News Second Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Rivals Collide Herald-News Katy Kildee Four years a football player Second Place Midland Daily News Krista Tacey-Cater Sweet Victory Third Place White Lake Beacon Katy Kildee For athletes missing sport, Whitehall Russell & Zweigel know how it Third Place Livingston County Daily Press & Argus feels Headed for the hoop Andy Roberts Gillis Benedict Weekly/News Media D - Sports Feature Daily D - Sports Photo 9 Entries 7 Entries First Place Flintside First Place Greenville Daily News Flint native imparting global basketball knowledge to Mott players Confidence Builder Patrick Hayes Cory Smith Second Place The Advance Second Place Manistee News-Advocate Virus leads to cancellation of spring sports A touchdown to remember Melissa Burnor Dylan Savela Third Place Benzie County Record Patriot Third Place Greenville Daily News Canceled season cost Myers Family Feud Robert Myers Cory Smith Honorable Mention Oscoda Press Honorable Mention Huron Daily Tribune Oscoda soccer defeats Alcona in away match Oscoda soccer Bearcats dreams of state championship end with tough 21-20 loss to defeats Beal City Ben Murphy Mark Birdsall Sports Photo Weekly/News Media A - Sports Photo 3 Entries Daily A - Sports Photo First Place Huron County View 15 Entries Harbor Beach cross country coach Debbie Anderson reacts First Place Grand Rapids Press Paul Adams Detroit Tigers Gatorade bath Second Place Huron County View Michael Mulholland Very few times has Bill Sweeney shown much emotion Second Place Grand Rapids Press Paul Adams Michigans veterans lead the way in win over Creighton Third Place Huron County View Mike Mulholland Harbor Beach’s Dylan Kadar is mobbed by his teammates Third Place Kalamazoo Gazette Paul Adams Victory Joel Bissell Weekly/News Media B - Sports Photo Honorable Mention Kalamazoo Gazette 3 Entries Marching to victory First Place Leelanau Enterprise Joel Bissell Norse fall in title game Daniel Fortune

13 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Second Place Leelanau Enterprise Third Place Battle Creek Enquirer Pleva MHSAA suspends all winter tournaments, here's what players, Daniel Fortune coaches are saying Bill Broderick Weekly/News Media C - Sports Photo Honorable Mention Times Herald 18 Entries First Place Iosco County News-Herald Zoot suit riot: Marine City boys basketball upsets St. Clair with wild IN A DOWNPOUR finish Ben Murphy Brandon Folsom Second Place Iosco County News-Herald Daily C - Sports Writing HITS THE EDGE 11 Entries Ben Murphy First Place Alpena News Third Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Parents fuming over missing kids photos Herald-News James Andersen DRIVE KILLER Second Place Livingston County Daily Press & Argus Erick Simons Knee infection nearly cost Brighton wrestler state title Honorable Mention Oceana's Herald-Journal Bill Khan Hart wins 2OT thriller in opener over Holton, 48-40 Third Place Livingston County Daily Press & Argus Andy Roberts Best story wasn't at front of the pack Bill Khan Weekly/News Media D - Sports Photo Honorable Mention Midland Daily News 9 Entries First Place The Clinton Local, LLC. Freeland coach Tom Zolinski has passed away Victory is ours Fred Kelly Linda McCombs Daily D - Sports Writing Second Place The Advance 8 Entries D'Ondre Shaw First Place Manistee News-Advocate Marcia Loader A touchdown to remember Third Place The Advance Dylan Savela Cole Giesige (16) outruns a pair of San Creek Aggies Second Place The Daily Globe Melissa Burnor 'It was a miracle' Jason Juno Sports Writing Third Place Manistee News-Advocate Daily A - Sports Writing Portagers edge Defenders with second-half comeback 13 Entries Dylan Savela First Place Flint Journal Honorable Mention Greenville Daily News Being named Flint Beechers AD bittersweet for Mike Williams after Any given Friday morning father dies from COVID-19 Alex Freeman Brendan Savage Weekly/News Media A - Sports Writing Second Place Detroit Free Press 3 Entries Detroit Tigers unified in Black Lives Matter movement, kneeling First Place Huron County View together before opener TEARS OF JOY Harbor Beach girls win emotional cross country Jeff Seidel regional Third Place Kalamazoo Gazette Paul Adams How a Paw Paw football player went from cheerleader to field goal Second Place Huron County View kicker Believers: Ubly wins first district title since 2008 Patrick Nothaft Paul Adams Honorable Mention Lansing State Journal Third Place Huron County View How Cassius Winston wore pain on his shoulder and honored his End of an era brother's life Paul Adams Nate Atkins Weekly/News Media B - Sports Writing Daily B - Sports Writing 6 Entries 22 Entries First Place Leelanau Enterprise First Place Bay City Times Angers steps down as Lakers football coach One of states smallest schools, All Saints finds reward through faith Chris Olson and football Second Place Leelanau Enterprise Lee Thompson Leland twins ski for Lakers team Second Place Bay City Times Chris Olson Smalltown Cass City stands tall in toe-to-toe battle with big-city Loyola Lee Thompson 14 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Third Place Leelanau Enterprise Daily C - Spot News Story Lakers Fall 14 Entries Daniel Fortune First Place Midland Daily News Homes in peril Weekly/News Media C - Sports Writing Staff 9 Entries Second Place Cadillac News First Place Oceana's Herald-Journal A positive outcome Pirates make history - again Rick Charmoli Andy Roberts Third Place Cadillac News Second Place White Lake Beacon Swastikas spray-painted on sidewalk Reeths-Puffer on to semis after huge quarterfinal win over W.W. Karen Hopper Usher Tower Honorable Mention Livingston County Daily Press & Argus Andy Roberts 2 adult foster care facilities shut down after police raid Third Place White Lake Beacon Kayla Daugherty Wildcats make statement with regional route of Sanford Meridian Andy Roberts Daily D - Spot News Story 18 Entries Weekly/News Media D - Sports Writing First Place Greenville Daily News 4 Entries I’ve got to go out and look for him First Place The Advance Elisabeth Waldon Taking down Goliath Second Place Greenville Daily News Melissa Burnor Flat River Community Players lose almost everything in blaze at 129- Second Place The Advance year-old building Penalty dashes Royals' district hopes Cory Smith Marcia Loader Third Place Niles Daily Star Third Place The Clinton Local, LLC. 'Say his name' Sports Columnist "Jeff Sez" Sarah Culton Jeff Szceszniak Honorable Mention The Daily Globe Spot News Story Lac du Flambeau man sentenced for role in Valliere murder Richard Jenkins Daily A - Spot News Story 20 Entries Weekly/News Media A - Spot News Story First Place Detroit Free Press 6 Entries Mid-Michigan flooding disaster First Place Chalkbeat Jeff Seidel, Keith Matheny, And the Detroit Free Press Staff Summer school began in Detroit Monday, but protesters blocked Second Place Detroit Free Press some students from attending classes in person Police, protesters clash in Detroit; 21-year-old dead after shooting Eleanore Catolico, Lori Higgins Staff Second Place Fraser-Clinton Twp. Chronicle Third Place Flint Journal Clinton Township man guilty of first-degree murder in deaths of Missing Swartz Creek man found dead, mutilated and partially eaten sister, her boyfriend in rural basement Nick Mordowanec Flint Journal staff Weekly/News Media B - Spot News Story Honorable Mention Lansing State Journal 4 Entries 3 dead, 3 critically injured in plane crash west of airport First Place The Citizen, Ortonville Craig Lyons, Megan Banta, Justin Mack, Matthew Dae Smith Brandon EMS response, efforts saves township man Daily B - Spot News Story Shelby Stewart 19 Entries Second Place The Citizen, Ortonville First Place Saginaw News Dam breach, flood sweeps away cabin 500-year flood slams mid-Michigan David Fleet Saginaw News staff Third Place The Citizen, Ortonville Second Place Traverse City Record-Eagle As COVID spreads schools, churches, governments cope Danielle Cornish Her life before: Homeless woman, 41, dies of Shelby Stewart exposure Honorable Mention The Citizen, Ortonville Mardi Link Health Costs: Michigan's flavored vape ban Third Place The Ann Arbor News Shelby Stewart University of Michigan provost faces sexual misconduct allegations Steve Marowski, Martin Slagter Honorable Mention Daily Telegram Adrian Mall condemned Weekly/News Media C - Spot News Story Spencer Durham 13 Entries

15 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results First Place Hastings Banner John Barnes Shooting rampage case bound over for trial Third Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Rebecca Pierce TCAPS transparency Honorable Mention Grosse Pointe News Brendan Quealy Petition language for board recall rejected Honorable Mention Jackson Citizen Patriot Mary Anne Brush FOIA of investigation into high school coach and teacher reveals Second Place Iosco County News-Herald pattern of sexual misconduct Heavy 150-year rainfall hits hard over two days in Iosco County Taylor DesOrmeau, Marie Weidmayer Jenny Haglund Third Place Tecumseh Herald Best Headline Officials Respond as Virus Spreads Open Class - Best Headline Jackie Koch 36 Entries Weekly/News Media D - Spot News Story First Place Detroit Free Press 10 Entries Some pomp, despite the circumstances First Place Michigan Advance Janet Graham Tyrants Get The Rope: Small anti-Whitmer protest rocks Capitol, Second Place Grand Rapids Press reporter hit by gun A whiff of summer Anna Liz Nichols, Susan J. Demas Grand Rapids Press staff Second Place Michigan Advance Third Place Jackson Citizen Patriot Breaking: Judge grants AGs request for temporary Line 5 shutdown After 70 years of marriage, couple dies minutes and inches apart Laina G. Stebbins Taylor DesOrmeau Third Place Michigan Advance Honorable Mention Daily Telegram Inman found not guilty on lying to FBI, mistrial declared on bribery, No fair extortion charges David Panian Nick Manes Best Photo Honorable Mention Flintside Sewing for Safety: Flints Shay Oliver and friends craft homemade Open Class - Best Photo face masks for health workers 27 Entries Santiago Ochoa First Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Under construction Best Coverage of the Coronavirus in Michigan Mike Krebs Open Class - Best Coverage of the Coronavirus in Michigan Second Place Detroit Free Press 78 Entries Hoop Dreams First Place Michigan Advance Ryan Garza The toll coronavirus has taken on Michigan Third Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Staff Herald-News Second Place-tie Leelanau Enterprise A NEW PATH WITH GOD COVID 19 2020-04-09 Krista Tacey-Cater Editorial Department Honorable Mention The Ann Arbor News Second Place-tie Detroit News Empty Streets 'Testing needed to reopen economy, but Michigan trails other states Nicole Hester Craig Mauger Best Podcast Second Place is a tie between the Leelanau Enterprise and . Open Class - Best Podcast Third Place Detroit Free Press 15 Entries Detroit Free Press coverage of the coronavirus pandemic First Place Detroit Free Press Detroit Free Press Staff We Live It: Audio stories during the pandemic Honorable Mention Bridge Magazine Staff Bridge in the pandemic Second Place Detroit News Bridge Staff Sins of Detroit podcast: Bad science convicts the wrongfully accused George Hunter Best FOIA Story Third Place The Monroe News Open Class - Best FOIA Story 'After the Pandemic,' wishes 14 Entries Paula Wethington First Place Greenville Daily News Honorable Mention Tri-County Times FOIA-related stories which culminated to Bob Clingenpeels Throwback Thursday throws out screen time resignation Tim Jagielo Elisabeth Waldon Second Place Bridge Magazine Best Video Presentation Wolf kills and deer heads: Trouble at the DNR 16 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Open Class - Best Video Presentation Remembering how Ann Arbor saved the Michigan Theater 40 years 20 Entries ago First Place Detroit Free Press Ryan Stanton Facebook Live video coverage of Detroit police protests Staff Public Notice Journalism Award Second Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Open Class - Public Notice Journalism Award 'I don't want it to be forgotten' 1 Entries Mike Krebs First Place Greenville Daily News Third Place Flint Beat Montcalm County commissioner goes AWOL Remembering Dan Holbrook, owner of Dan's Quickstop in Flint, MI Elisabeth Waldon Mark Felix Honorable Mention Flint Beat Public Service Award Parking Lot Preaching - Flint pastor steps outside of church walls to Open Class - Public Service Award bring the word to members 11 Entries Jamal Bransford First Place Detroit News Best Website Detroit homeowners overtaxed $600 million Christine MacDonald, Mark Betancourt Open Class - Best Website Second Place Detroit Free Press 16 Entries Free Press coverage of the coronavirus pandemic First Place GreatLakesNow.org Detroit Free Press Staff Great Lakes Now Third Place Grand Rapids Press Staff Mental health series Second Place Bridge Magazine Julie Mack Bridge Michigan Honorable Mention Encore Magazine Bridge Staff The Homefront: Confronting Kalamazoo's Homelessness Crisis Third Place Flintside Staff Flintside.com Patrick Hayes Rookie Writer Best Writing Open Class - Rookie Writer 11 Entries Open Class - Best Writing First Place Flint Journal 29 Entries Zahra Ahmad for rookie of the year writer for The Flint Journal First Place Detroit Free Press Zahra Ahmad Georgea Kovanis Second Place Traverse City Record-Eagle Second Place Flint Journal Andrew Rosenthal The Journey Home Third Place The Monroe News Zahra Ahmad Rookie writer -- Caitlin Taylor Third Place Bridge Magazine Caitlin Taylor Robin Erb Honorable Mention Michigan Advance Honorable Mention Detroit Free Press Allison Donahue Searching for normal: A grieving Detroit writer goes looking for a new barber Community Business Promotions Bill Laitner Open Class - Community Business Promotions Most Innovative Story Telling 16 Entries First Place Leelanau Enterprise Open Class - Most Innovative Story Telling Valentine's Day 15 Entries Creative Department, Advertising Department First Place Detroit Free Press Second Place The Advance She was prostituting, pregnant, doing drugs by 14. Now, Taylor girl Last-minute gift suggestions from A-Z! fights to save her own life. Eric May, Darin Wolfe, Ashliegh Bruneau Georgea Kovanis, Mandi Wright, Brian McNamara Third Place Leelanau Enterprise Second Place Grand Rapids Press Featured Realtor Finding their voices: Michigan residents confront mental health Creative Department, Advertising Department Julie Mack, Scott Levin Third Place Saginaw News High waves threaten dream homes Heather Jordan, Kaytie Boomer

Honorable Mention The Ann Arbor News Entertaining Services 17 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Open Class - Entertaining Services Cadillac News 8 Entries First Place Tecumseh Herald Restaurants TCA Adding Color to Your Community Open Class - Restaurants Cory Mathis 10 Entries Second Place Cadillac News First Place Tecumseh Herald YMCA - Kids are back in school 50% off coupon Embers Bar and Grill Red Head Foodie Cadillac News Nanci Heiney Third Place Cadillac News Second Place Grosse Pointe News Lakewood on the Green - Golf Guide Ad Red Crown Quality Eats Cadillac News Paul Biondi, Donna Zetterlund Honorable Mention Tri-County Times Third Place Grosse Pointe News Southern Lakes Parks & Rec Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe Terese Allen, Lorie Gavulic Julie Sutton, John Pigott, Ken Schop Real Estate Honorable Mention Leelanau Enterprise Knot Just A Bar Polish Dinner Open Class - Real Estate Advertising Department, Creative Department 8 Entries First Place Tecumseh Herald Best Digital Ad Bob Fox Fresh Perspective Open Class - Best Digital Ad Cory Mathis 2 Entries Second Place Tecumseh Herald First Place Cadillac News Lone Oak Properties Red Mill Pond Highpoint - GMC Ring in the New Year Nanci Heiney Cadillac News Third Place Tri-County Times Second Place Cadillac News Tammy Tipton Team Highpoint - Cadillac Tiffany Marchand, Rebecca Andreski Cadillac News Honorable Mention Cadillac News Five Star - Greg Bosscher - SOLD SIGN Small Ads Work Cadillac News Open Class - Small Ads Work New and Used Vehicles 8 Entries First Place Tecumseh Herald Open Class - New and Used Vehicles Tecumseh Antique Appeal One Night Stand 7 Entries Nanci Heiney First Place Tecumseh Herald Second Place Cadillac News Suburban Chevrolet American Baseball Dean's Body Shop - OOPS Nanci Heiney Cadillac News Second Place The Daily Globe Third Place Tecumseh Herald Cloverland Motors Tecumseh Veterinary Play Hard. Have Fun. Daily Globe Advertising Cory Mathis Third Place Cadillac News Honorable Mention The Daily Globe Betten Baker - Black Friday Full Page Abelman's Clothing Cadillac News Daily Globe Advertising Honorable Mention Cadillac News Classic Chevy - Classified Liner - Under $10,000 Specials General Retail Cadillac News Open Class - General Retail Best Health Care ad 25 Entries First Place Tri-County Times Open Class - Best Health Care ad Sawyers Jewelers 3 Entries Terese Allen, Lorie Gavulic First Place Tecumseh Herald Second Place Cadillac News Carter Rehab Center Heavy Christmas Shopping L&J Meats - Prepare for Holidays Cory Mathis Cadillac News Second Place Houghton Lake Resorter & Roscommon County Third Place Tecumseh Herald Herald-News Sieler's Water Systems Man's Best Friend The Brook Nanci Heiney Alycia Nielsen, Patty Tribelhorn Honorable Mention Tri-County Times Third Place Cadillac News Billmier Camera Cadillac Urgent Care - ReOpen Ad 18 2020 Better Newspaper Contest Editorial & Advertising Results Coreena Storms, Rebecca Andreski Open Class - Home Furnishings 9 Entries First Place Cadillac News Store More Mini Barns & Cabins - Need More Storage Cadillac News Second Place Tri-County Times Lauricella Painting Kathleen Smith, Lorie Gavulic Third Place The Advance Turn your Tax Refund ... Tammy's Furniture Eric May, Ashliegh Bruneau Honorable Mention Tecumseh Herald Integrity Painting and Construction Pros Spring Opening Cory Mathis Home Services Open Class - Home Services 15 Entries First Place Leelanau Enterprise Trapper Ron Advertising Department, Creative Department Second Place Cadillac News Moore Mechanical - Coming Soon to Cadillac Cadillac News Third Place Tri-County Times Byron Plumbing Kathleem Smith, Lorie Gavulic Honorable Mention Tri-County Times Mr. Electric Kathleen Smith, Lorie Gavulic

19