NAREE award winners announced

The judges, faculty of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, said about House + Home: “Appealing to readers of many backgrounds, this section combines showcase features with informative standing columns.” They especially liked the question-and-answer interviews with local people.

In addition, Richmond Times-Dispatch business reporter Carol Hazard won the first-place award for the best report in a daily newspaper with circulation less than 250,000 for a story she wrote last June about a multimillion-dollar real estate Ponzi scheme involving Donald C. Lacey.

Lacey, a former Henrico County police officer, pleaded guilty to two charges in federal court in March after defrauding as many as 200 investors out of millions of dollars. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 for each charge when he is sentenced June 18.

“This story about a real estate investment that went sour is extremely well-reported,” the judges said.

The award were handed out Friday night at NAREE’s annual conference, held this year in Austin, Texas.