Watching the winning entries, we realized that some of the best work, as always, was being done at our NBC affiliates. Specifically, an ice-fishing piece from KARE 11 in Minneapolis made light bulbs go off over our heads.

What about a series called "Across America," where we could invite our affiliate partners to submit examples of their very best work?

Many of our colleagues at NBC stations responded with some terrific stories. We had hoped to air the top entries on Nightly News, but most of the best pieces were so long that they that wouldn’t fit into our 22-minute news hole and leave enough room for the day’s coverage. Rather than cut them down, we thought it would be more appropriate to use the Internet to present the stories, just as local viewers saw them, at their original length..

That’s how this Across America section on Daily Nightly was born.

In this first installment you’ll see two reports that are, as we say in this business, "good stories well told."

• One comes from WBIR in Knoxville, will introduces your to one of the bravest and strongest young men you’ll ever meet, a real winner.   (Click here to read a blog entry from Russell Biven on this story.)

• The second story, also from WBIR, is the remarkable story of a Bible that made its way from Tennessee to Biloxi and helped a hurricane victim there at a time when she really needed it.  (Click here for a blog from John Becker on this.)

The reporters who covered theses stories have all written blogs with their own behind-the-scenes impressions.

We think you’ll enjoy watching these outstanding examples of great local coverage. After you view them, I’m sure you’ll agree with Steve Capus and me that the best stories come from Across America.