Deadline Detroit Announces the First Membership Prize Winners

Deadline Detroit member Robert Wells shows his courtside Pistons tickets, one of many prizes in January.

Membership has its rewards. This week, we're doing some rewardin'.

Monday we had our first drawing for prizes in Deadline Detroit's membership program. Next month we'll have another, and again give away restaurant gift certificates, sports tickets and Starbucks cards. Restaurants will include Takoi, Grand Trunk Pub, Marble Bar and Wright & Company.

Winners for January are listed below.

We want to thank everyone who has signed up to support what we're doing at Deadline Detroit -- producing compelling local news and curating the best stories from fellow journalists in the community.

Independent local journalism is more important than ever as newspaper staffs shrink. That means far too many important stories go on unreported. As The Washington Post motto goes: "Democracy dies in darkness." We believe that.

Thanks again. And please encourage friends, family and co-workers to join. Memberships are only $3 a month. We think its worth the price of helping journalism thrive in Detroit.

► Join here

Sports tickets

► 2 pairs of courtside Pistons seats and parking: Michael Papas, Robert Wells