The 2026 Goldsmith Award winners: How they did it with Tony Schick and Monica Samayoa of Oregon Public Broadcasting

In their 2025 series “Power Struggle,” reporters Tony Schick and Monica Samayoa of Oregon Public Broadcasting explain why states in the Pacific Northwest — despite their portrayal as leaders in green energy — rank near the bottom of the country for the growth of renewable power.

This reporting team, in partnership with ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network, broke down green energy production and its relationship to the nation’s electrical grid. Schick and Samayoa explained how the Northwest region’s electrical grid was incapable of hooking up all the new wind and solar farms that are needed to reduce fossil fuel use.

The series was eye-opening to local lawmakers and served as a catalyst for reform.

On May 18 at 1 p.m. ET, The Journalist’s Resource will host a free hourlong webinar with Schick and Samayoa, winners of the 2026 Goldsmith Prize for Explanatory Reporting.

This is your chance to hear from Schick and Samayoa about how they did this reporting. Register above and submit your questions in advance.