North Dakota Monitor journalists recognized for investigative reporting
North Dakota Monitor reporters Mary Steurer, right, and Jacob Orledge display their A-Mark Prizes for Investigative Journalism on May 13, 2025, in Bismarck. The first- and third-place awards were part of the North Dakota Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
FARGO – North Dakota Monitor journalists received top honors for investigative reporting at the North Dakota Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest Friday in Fargo.
Reporter Mary Steurer received a first place A-Mark Prize for a series of stories related to ethics and lawmaker conflicts of interest.
Judges called the reporting 'powerful and well-researched.'
Reporter Jacob Orledge received a third place A-Mark Prize for the story 'North Dakota's likely next governor would regulate his own industry, testing ethics guardrails.' The story was produced in collaboration with ProPublica.
'The story did a fantastic job of explaining the conflicts of interest, and also further exposing the weaknesses in North Dakota's disclosure requirements,' judges wrote.
The A-Mark Prize recognizes excellence in investigative journalism. This year was the first the prize was awarded in North Dakota. It was also the first year the North Dakota Monitor was eligible to participate in the association's contest.
The Monitor team also received three first place awards:
Best online coverage of breaking news for election night coverage
Best website
Best special news section for the 2024 voter guide
Jeff Beach, Monitor deputy editor, was recognized for his coverage of the Agridime Ponzi scheme with third place in agricultural reporting and honorable mention for agricultural photo. He also received third place in business news reporting for the story 'Corn price connection to carbon capture hard to pin down.'
Steurer also received third place breaking news coverage for a story on the verdict in a lawmaker's trial for a misdemeanor conflict-of-interest crime.
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