Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Hartley - The Hartley Sentinel-The Everly/Royal Ne Entry Title: Hartley Pool Coverage Entry Credit: Nicholas Pedley Judge Comment: Hartley officials didn't want to talk about their community's unopened pool. But the Hartley Sentinel kept reporting on the pool's problems and silcence of officials and provided a valuable service to readers and taxpayers as a result.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Traer - North Tama Telegraph Entry Title: Redhawk football and the move to 8-Player Entry Credit: Ruby McAllister Judge Comment: Exhaustive coverage of the pros and cons of switching from conventional 11-man to 8-man football. Stories could have gone into more depth about how football and sports ties a small town together and how absence or reduction could have debilitating effects.
