Stet newsletter among best in 12-state area

The regional Green Eyeshade Awards also honor Stet’s work in election reporting.

Stet News produces the third-best newsletter in Florida and throughout a 12-state region of the South, judges with the Society of Professional Journalists Green Eyeshade Awards have decided. 

• Also, Stet’s local elections coverage in 2024 ranked second in the contest once known as the Pulitzers of the South.

Why it matters: The awards mark a high point for a 2-year-old independent startup supported by readers as it vies with major regional newspapers to fill the ever-widening gulf in local news coverage. The contest draws entries from 12 states: Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The award recognized Stet News co-founders Joel Engelhardt, Carolyn DiPaolo and Liz Capozzi with a third-place finish for best digital newsletter behind The Assembly in North Carolina, and Worth Your Time by Alabama’s Al.com.

Stet’s award-winning newsletters:

• Aug. 13, 2024: The failed effort to preserve the historic stairs at the Harriet Himmel at CityPlace, new housing in Riviera Beach, restaurant coverage and the giant orchid sculpture in downtown West Palm Beach.
• Oct. 29, 2024: West Palm Beach’s new code rules for Broadway, Riviera Beach’s court battle with resident Fane Lozman, plans for opioid settlement money headed for Palm Beach County, another layer of county protection for natural preserves and a Jupiter Halloween story.
• Dec. 3, 2024: West Palm Beach’s draft recommendations for its downtown waterfront, qualifying for Palm Beach Gardens’ first municipal election in four years, a ballot standoff in Riviera Beach and a Spanish painter’s exhibition at the Norton Museum.

Joel and Stet contributor Jane Musgrave won second place for state and local elections reporting. 

The award honored:

• Joel and Jane’s coverage of Sheriff Ric Bradshaw’s health concerns when he sought reelection last year
• Joel’s story that revealed how a candidate for West Palm Beach City Commission dropped out after a job offer to work for an unregistered and unknown charity, clearing the way for incumbent Cathleen Ward to retain her seat without opposition.
• Joel’s reporting on Port of Palm Beach Commissioner Varisa Dass’ threat to cut off a port tenant unless the tenant tripled campaign contributions to her. 

The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Greg Bluestein won first place, and the Miami Herald’s Doug Hanks took third.

The bottom line: These awards and our statewide recognition are encouraging, but the deepest satisfaction we find is in serving you, our Stet readers and supporters. We don’t exist without you.

Many Palm Beach County journalists won awards in the 75th annual competition.

They include:

Division winner for print and digital news: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Cindy Krischer Goodman, Carline Jean & Mike Stocker, Born to Die series

Health and science reporting, first place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Cindy Krischer Goodman, Health Stories published in 2024

Courts, crime and law reporting, first place: The Palm Beach Post – Holly Baltz, Jane Musgrave, Hannah Phillips and Kristina Webb, Jeffrey Epstein: The grand jury papers

Travel reporting, first place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Mark Gauert, Travel stories by Mark Gauert

Specialized writing or coverage, first place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – Cindy Krischer Goodman, Carline Jean & Mike Stocker, Born to Die series

Podcast episode, second place: South Florida Sun Sentinel – David Schutz, Sean Pitts & Robin Webb, Felonious Florida: A Stroke of Luck

Stet News partner WLRN took home two awards:

Feature reporting, first place: WLRN News – Veronica Zaragovia & Carlton Gillespie, As extreme temperatures persist in South Florida, so do threats of heat-related illness

Investigative reporting, second place: WLRN News – Danny Rivero, Tens of thousands of workers in Florida have just lost their labor unions. More is coming

Palm Beach County student journalists were also honored.

Column writing, first place: University Press – Sofia De La Esparilla, No democracy without journalism — a lesson from Woodward and Bernstein

Visual storytelling, first place: OutFAU – Lewis de Berry, The Body Issue

Editorial leadership, second place: OutFAU – Mary Rasura

Best news outlet, third place: OutFAU – Mary Rasura, CJ Walden & Kenny Ruff

Special projects, third place: OutFAU – Mary Rasura & CJ Walden, The Body Issue

Print design, third place: OutFAU – Lewis De Berry, The Body Issue

See the full list here.