Great journalism

Congrats to the News Tribune in Tacoma for being named best business section in its circulation category. From the judges' comments on the Society of American Business Editors & Writers:

For their innovations in the section and strong coverage of local issues. From their use of blogs on the front page, to the daily Highlights of the Day, this paper is being recognized for its creativity. The quick hit briefs in Highlights were effectively packaged and the real estate section was terrific. The paper showed it puts a premium on business news, with strong enterprise work on stories like the Dec. 23 piece on Russell Investment Group and the Dec. 16 piece on the Wii. The paper also paid a lot of attention to coverage inside the business pages.

And if you're in the mood for more great journalism, have a look toward North Carolina:

Charlotte: The Cruelest Cuts: The human cost of bring poultry to your table
An exhaustive portrait of the appalling working conditions of "a disturbing subclass of compliant workers with few, if any, rights" – some 28,000 workers who put te chicken on American plates.

Raleigh: Mental Disorder: The Failure of Reform
Traces waste of hundreds of millions of dollars and the abuse of mentally ill citizens who needed real help. Far-ranging results have already followed the series.