Independent wins award in Michigan Press Association contest

The Michigan Press Association held its annual convention last week and announced winners in its annual 2017 Better Newspapers contest.
The Belleville-Area Independent won an Honorable Mention in Spot News Story for its June 8, 2017 story: “Mark Germano arraigned for murder in Sunday shooting” by Editor Rosemary Otzman.
There were 14 entries from around the state in that category, which was for weekly news media in Class C, 3,001 to 7,000 circulation. One hundred newspapers/individual members took part in this year’s contest.
As an update, Mark Germano, 45, on Jan. 19 was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison for second-degree murder and a weapons charge. He is at the Earnest C. Brook Correctional Facility in Muskegon Heights with a minimum discharge date of June 3, 2044. An appeal is being filed.