DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Monitor received three honors at the Society of Professional Journalists' Minnesota Pro Chapter awards ceremony Tuesday, including a cash award for investigative reporting that placed the independent news outlet alongside some of the state's largest news organizations.
Publisher John Ramos was recognized for reporting published in 2025, earning awards in environmental news reporting, feature reporting and investigative journalism during the annual ceremony in St. Paul.
The Monitor's highest-profile recognition came with a third-place finish in the A-Mark Prize for Investigative Journalism in Minnesota, a competition launched in 2025 to reward accountability reporting. The award carried a $3,000 cash prize.
The winning investigative series examined government actions surrounding a proposed data center project in Hermantown and included the reports "Hermantown Officials Deceived Citizens, Manipulated Public Process to Pave Way for Data Center," "St. Louis County Board Manipulated Public Process to Silence Public Input on NDAs," and "22 County Employees Signed NDAs for Data Center Project."
Judges praised the investigation for exposing what they described as "a pattern of secrecy, backroom dealings, and nondisclosure agreements" that kept residents uninformed about decisions affecting their community. The judges cited the reporting's document analysis, multimedia presentation and local impact, noting that residents may not have learned the extent of the government's actions without the investigation.
The Monitor also earned first place in the small newsroom division for environmental news reporting for Ramos' article, "Duluth Looks to Federal Partnership to Address Park Point Erosion."
Judges described the story as detailed, well-written and thoroughly researched, highlighting its examination of a growing environmental challenge, the costs of mitigation efforts and the need for cooperation between local and federal agencies. Judges also commended the article's use of maps and photographs to help readers understand the issue.
In addition, the Monitor received second place in the small newsroom feature reporting category for "Normanna Township Arsonist Harassed Neighbors for Years Prior to Terrifying Rampage."
The A-Mark Prize competition drew entries from some of Minnesota's largest news organizations. First- and second-place honors went to reporting teams from KARE 11, Minnesota Star Tribune and ProPublica.
In a statement published by the Monitor, Ramos said it was "a tremendous honor" for the publication to compete with such established news organizations.
"Our self-taught publisher could not have imagined this was possible a few years ago," the statement said.
The awards represent a significant achievement for the Duluth-based online news outlet, which has built a reputation for watchdog reporting on local government, development projects and public policy issues in northeastern Minnesota.
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