FARGO — The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and its staff nabbed 91 awards among daily newspapers in the North Dakota Newspaper Association’s 2023 Better Newspaper Contest.
The Forum won the Sweepstakes award for cumulative wins and was named Best of the Dakotas, which includes all South Dakota daily newspapers, as well.
Forum reporters April Baumgarten and Jeremy Turley took home the First Amendment award for
their investigation into former state Sen. Ray Holmberg’s links to a child porn suspect
.
David Olson’s series about troubles within
North Dakota’s legal guardianship program
won the Community Service award.
Melissa Van Der Stad
was named Rookie Reporter of the Year.
The Forum’s advertising department also took home the NorthSCAN Top Seller award.
Adam Willis, agricultural coverage, for a story about one landowner’s
efforts to restore the Dakota’s grasslands
.
April Baumgarten, government reporting, for a story about
attorneys having a difficult time phoning their clients in North Dakota prisons
.
April Baumgarten, spot news, for a story about a dating
relationship between a Cass County prosecutor and Fargo detective that potentially could have affected the outcome of a murder case
April Baumgarten and Jeremy Turley, reporting series, for
their investigation into former state Sen. Ray Holmberg’s links to a child porn suspect
.
C.S. Hagen and April Baumgarten, reporting, for a story about
how regular gunshots keep tenants of a Fargo apartment complex indoors and in fear
.
Chris Flynn,
spot news photo.
David Olson, headline, ”
Navel bombardment
” for a story about Fargo Public Schools dropping the midriff-covering requirement from their dress code.
David Samson, pictorial photo.

David Samson / The Forum
David