Michigan Press Association awards Citizen staff

The Michigan Press Association announced the 2009 Better Newspaper Contest Awards this week, with recognition for The Citizen.
The Citizen competed in the weekly Class B division, among newspapers with circulations of 10,001- 25,000.
Editor David Fleet won third place in the spot news category for his May 17, 2008 story, ‘You have to be calm? or you die,? in which he reported on a pilot’s emergency landing in the Clarkston Lakes Mobile Home Community. Judges remarked, ‘Great subject matter and hook into the story.?
Staff writer Susan Bromley took second place in the feature story category for her Dec. 6, 2008 article, ‘I would think? ‘Tomorrow it will be me,?? which told the tale of Walter Strzelecki, who survived a Nazi prison camp. Judges commented, ‘Subject’s personal stories draw the reader in and cause the reader to want more. Great use of quotes.?
Newspapers around the state submit thousands of entries yearly in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest, which was judged this year by the Iowa Press Association.
Both winning stories are on The Citizenonline.com site search.