KUNR Reporter Julia Ritchey has won a regional Edward R. Murrow award from the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) for her story Short On Water, Farmer Tries Desert Ducks. She won in the hard news category for small market radio stations. You can check out the other winners here.
In her story, Ritchey finds a fresh take on the continuing drought conditions that Nevada farmers have been facing for several years. She profiles Yerington farmer Darrell Pursel who used to grow a lot of alfalfa and is now trying to raise ducks in the desert.
"Farmers are really innovative in the ways that they've tried to beat the economic hardship of not being able to grow as much or grow the thing they used to grow with unlimited water, "Ritchey says. "It's always interesting how people get by in hard times."
Hear more from Ritchey, along with News Director Michelle Billman, as they chat with KUNR's Steve Shadley about Ritchey's honor and the three Associated Press awards that KUNR also nabbed for work produced in 2015.