Toledo Blade, 2026
Author(s): Alexa York
A two-part, year-long investigation by Toledo Blade exposes decades of deception by U.S. government and industry officials that put the small Cold War–era town of Luckey, Ohio, at risk. Testing of local groundwater wells revealed high levels of radioactivity in half of them, prompting action from local, state and federal authorities.
Excellence in Environmental Reporting is named in honor of Edward W. “Ted” Scripps II. Early in his career, Ted worked as a reporter for United Press and Scripps Howard newspapers in Denver and San Francisco. Ted also served as a vice president and secretary of The E.W. Scripps Company. He was a conservationist with interests in environmental issues and changing technologies in the communications industry.