Reporter Peter Whoriskey of The Washington Post has won the National Press Foundation’s first “Feddie” Award for stories describing the consequences of federal policy on local business and economic life. One of Whoriskey’s two stories detailed how federal policy intended to encourage energy-efficient bulbs inadvertently led to the closing of the last incandescent light-bulb manufacturer in the U.S. and the loss of 200 jobs in rural Virginia. His second story focused on a Florida company facing financial pressure to move to China where the incentives are better.

Keith Chu of the Bulletin, in Bend, Oregon, with 33,000 readers, received an Honorable Mention for a detailed story on how federal stimulus dollars, intended to put unemployed loggers back to work, ended up being used to import foreign workers to do the work, resulting in a federal investigation.

Whoriskey will receive a $5,000 prize and an engraved crystal vase at NPF’s 28th annual awards dinner, March 1, 2011, at the Hilton Washington. Chu will receive a $1,000 prize.

“Both of these reflect just what we were looking for, top-flight journalism that captures the increasingly important nexus between the federal government and actions at the state and local levels,” said NPF president Bob Meyers. “We were thrilled with the many fine entries we got. The judges did not have an easy time. These were simply the best.”

Judges for the Feddie included George Condon, National Journal (chairman); Sandy Johnson, Center for Public Integrity; Mike Tackett, Bloomberg News; Chuck Lewis, Hearst; and John Walcott, SmartBrief.

Other honorees at the NPF dinner include Andrea Mitchell, NBC News & MSNBC; Al Hunt, Bloomberg news; Gilbert Grosvenor, National Geographic Society; Mark Silverman, The Tennessean; and Matt Wuerker, POLITICO.

For information about the NPF dinner, contact Kerry@nationalpress.org. For information about NPF or its activities, contact Bob@nationalpress.org.

2010 The Feddie Reporting Award
Peter Whoriskey / Washington Post