North Dakota Monitor journalists honored for investigative reporting, community service
May 04, 2026 | 12:24 pm ET
Description
North Dakota Monitor journalists, from left, Michael Achterling, Mary Steurer, Amy Dalrymple, Jacob Orledge and Jeff Beach pose for a photo May 1, 2026, at the North Dakota Newspaper Association convention in Bismarck. (Photo by Grant Coursey/The Bismarck Tribune)
North Dakota Monitor journalists received top honors for investigative journalism, government reporting and community service during the North Dakota Newspaper Association annual convention this past weekend.
Reporter Jacob Orledge received a first place A-Mark Prize for his four-part series titled “Extracted: How oil companies pull more money from North Dakota mineral owners.” The A-Mark Prize recognizes excellence in investigative journalism.
“What set this series apart was its commitment to talking with the people directly affected,” wrote the judges.
Orledge also received a first-place reporting series award for the project, which was produced in collaboration with ProPublica.
Orledge and Mary Steurer won a Community Service award for their yearlong reporting on the North Dakota Ethics Commission.
“Your reporting demonstrates thoughtful, fair and impactful journalism that clearly serves the public interest,” judges wrote.
Orledge earned first-place government reporting for a story titled “Voters created an ethics commission in North Dakota. Then the Legislature limited its power.” The story also was produced in collaboration with ProPublica.
Monitor reporters nearly swept the government reporting category, with Orledge also receiving third place for a story about how fake critical minerals became part of state law and Steurer receiving honorable mention for reporting about the North Dakota Supreme Court’s supermajority rule.
Monitor staff received a total of 16 awards in the competition, including first place for best website. Other awards were:
- Steurer received second place feature reporting for a story about the impact of abortion policy and second place spot news for coverage of the Greenpeace trial verdict.
- Reporter Michael Achterling received a third place award for his reporting on a lack of sign language interpreters in the state. Achterling also received honorable mentions for news photo and feature photo.
- Monitor Editor Amy Dalrymple and Deputy Editor Jeff Beach received second place government reporting series for their coverage of former Sen. Ray Holmberg’s sentencing. Dalrymple also earned second place in reporting for Holmberg coverage.
- Beach received honorable mention for best headline.
Bismarck, ND
