Two Plain Dealer series win national awards (Spirko)

"Crude Awakening," a weekly, six-month look at the energy crisis, won the National Press Foundation's Thomas L. Stokes Award for 2005's best energy and environment writing in a daily newspaper.
"Liar" was a yearlong project begun by Bob Paynter, then investigative editor, and joined by Sandra Livingston, investigative reporter. It cast doubt on John Spirko's conviction for the 1982 murder of Betty Jane Mottinger, a postmaster in rural western Ohio. For instance, a star witness later reversed key aspects of his testimony, and the strongest physical evidence in the case pointed to other men, who were never tried.
The stories highlighted numerous problems with the evidence, which helped persuade three members of the Ohio Parole Board to recommend that Spirko's life be spared. Gov. Bob Taft has delayed Spirko's execution three times since September.
The award comes with a $2,500 prize. The series will be reprinted in the book "Best Newspaper Writing 2006."
In 2005, Plain Dealer reporter Alana Baranick won the Distinguished Writing Award for obituary writing from ASNE.
"Crude Awakening" won $1,000 for the series that examined the volatile past, present and future of the world's biggest industry, which has caused booms, busts, wars, pollution and political downfalls. The series began in May and continued through mid-November. Seven graphic artists, 13 reporters and various photographers and editors contributed to the series.
The foundation's judges wrote, "This series was unquestionably the most comprehensive and informative of any of the entries. . . . Beyond the in-depth reporting, the graphics that accompanied the articles were extraordinary. The Plain Dealer is to be commended for devoting so much in resources and space to one of the foremost issues for our time and future."
The Stokes award is named for a United Features columnist in Washington, D.C., who was noted for coverage of energy and conservation.