The Mountain Enterprise won first place for Best Breaking News Story Series in the National Newspaper Association’s Better Newspapers Contest for 2018.

The winning entry “SWAT Standoff Alarms Mountain” included a commentary, “Social Media Loved SWAT Standoff,” photos of the marathon 14-hour event and a follow-up story “‘That Boy Is Alive Because We Called in SWAT,’ KCSO Lieutenant Says.” All were written by Editor Patric Hedlund, with a political cartoon by Peter Gullerud and reporting support by Publisher Gary Meyer during the long, tense, night of the standoff. The coverage was published March 31 and April 7, 2017.

“This is a very comprehensive article of an event affecting a small town. I look for timeliness and impact, and both elements were very apparent. I commend you on a well-written piece,” the final judge wrote.

—The TME Team

This is part of the June 29, 2018 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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