John Counts On The Internet

Society of Professional Journalists (national):

• Part of a team that worked on Flint water crisis coverage awarded the 2016 Sigma Delta Chi Award for public service journalism. My contributions included “How the government failed the people of Flint” and sharing a byline on “All the governor’s men.” 

Associated Press Media Editors (national):

• Part of a team that was awarded the Al Neuharth Award for Investigative Reporting for our work on the Flint water crisis: “All the governor’s men.”  Judges praised it as “way ahead of the national media on the investigative work, and finding the faces and voices of those who were affected as contaminated water put the population at risk.”

Michigan Press Association: 

• First place for Best Column, “Michigan ghost town is cautionary tale of unchecked capitalism” 
• First place for Best Innovative Storytelling, “Five years of super drunk law”
• Part of a team that won first place for best enterprise reporting, the Public Service Award and best special section for work on the Flint water crisis, “All the governor’s men.” 
• Third place in Best Writing category: “How the government failed the people of Flint“
• Honorable mention for Best Feature Story, “Trump Country: Visit the Michigan town where the Republican candidate is most beloved”

Michigan Associated Press Media Editors Awards: 

• First place Best Investigative Reporting for work on the Flint water crisis, “All the governor’s men.” 
• Second place for Best Feature Writing, “How the government failed the people of Flint“
• Third place for Best Column, “Michigan ghost town is cautionary tale of unchecked capitalism”