Feature - 1st place - Jeanne Martanovic, 47, of Cleveland Heights (left) kisses John Goentzel, 53, of Marion, Kansas, as they meet for the very first time as Goentzel got off his plane at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The two met on an online dating site called Catholic Singles and decided it was time to meet each other in person for Christmas. (Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer)
Feature - 2nd place - Jeremy Parkins' umbrella lost its battle against the rainstorm that blew through Columbus. The Columbus Crew's director of soccer business development had to run something out to an associate in the parking lot. He didn't return to his office at Crew Stadium dry. (Shari Lewis / The Columbus Dispatch)
Feature - 3rd place - Nancy Bytnar, 50, makes sure her lighted sign is secure on top of her minivan. Her husband Steve built the lighted sign out of a high-beam truck headlight, Plexiglass and scrap from the garage. Bytnar, a life-long resident of Rootstown, is one of the many believers worldwide that Judgment Day is May 21, 2011. (Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer)
Feature - HM - Megan Moriarty, a educator with the Ohio Craft Museum assembles snowflakes for the 35th Annual Columbus Winterfair in the Bricker Building at the Ohio Expo Center. Over 400 American Artists will be there and the show is presented by the Ohio Designer Craftsmen. (Tom Dodge / The Columbus Dispatch)
Feature - HM - Santa might want to think about a boat this Christmas instead of a sleigh. This Santa usually sits on dry land at the Wat Buddha Samakidham, a Buddhist temple on Watkins Rd.in Columbus. The temple set the Santa out to scare away birds from the pond so they won't eat the fish. (Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch)
General News - 1st place - Jaqueline Carlton, sister of Jerry Laury, a Canton taxi driver, who was fatally shot by Raul Benitez Maranon, crys during sentencing in a Summit County courtroom. In the background is Dave Harmon, owner of the Yellow Cab Co. (Scott Heckel / The (Canton) Repository)
General News - 2nd place - Six year old Mekhi D. gets close and looks Santa in the eye, asking him some questions during "Shop with a Jock Day" at Walmart in Strongsville. Cribbs and a host of Browns players took 50 children from the Cleveland Christian Home on a $100 shopping spree. (Lynn Ischay / The Plain Dealer)
General News - 3rd place - Pvt 1st Class Josh Wholaver, from Hilliard, gives his son Nate, 2, a big hug after arriving at the Westerville Christian Church for a welcome home ceremony. He and fellow members of the Ohio National Guard's 684th Medical Company returned early from what was supposed to be a year long deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Chris Russell / The Columbus Dispatch)
Illustration - 1st place - Tower Park in Westerville at sunset offers view of electric power lines. (Jeff Hinckley / The Columbus Dispatch)
Illustration - 2nd place - Ohio's Senate Bill 5 is examined. (Jeff Hinckley / The Columbus Dispatch)
Illustration - 3rd place - Maple-glazed turkey rests in front of the fireplace at the historic Welshfield Inn, scene of a Thanksgiving feast prepared by owner Scott Kuhn, and chef Amber Schuetzman. (Peggy Turbett / The Plain Dealer)
Portrait - 1st place - Ohio State defensive tackle Evan Blankenship plays his 2011 Gibson Hummingbird Pro guitar in his room at Olentangy Commons. (Shari Lewis / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 2nd place - Alison Foose, who has Down Syndrome, lives independently with a roommate in Worthington and was practicing her piano piece, "Amazing Grace" that she will performing in a local Christmas presentation. (Chris Russell / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 3rd place - Mayor Dean DePiero of Parma pictured at City Hall with all the past mayors of the city. DePierowill pass the torch on when he leaves the office in January. (Kyle Lanzer / Sun Newspapers)
Portrait - HM - Artist Alfred Tibor, 91, with Forever Mother at Argo & Lehne, in Upper Arlington. (Tom Dodge / The Columbus Dispatch)
Spot News - 1st place - Neighbors, friends and onlookers stand in font of a town-house apartment where a fire killed two young sisters on the southeast side of Columbus. (Neal C. Lauron / The Columbus Dispatch)
Spot News - 2nd place - Alan Pressley (center) hugs family members Dabrina Oates (left) and Veronica Johnson, outside a house where three people, their niece and great nephew, were found dead after firefighters responded to a blaze at 90 Wisconsin Ave in Franklinton on Christmas eve night. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Spot News - 3rd place - A resident reacts after this Lexus sedan crashed into the basement level of her home. Two young people and an adult male driver were transported to Springfield Regional Medical Center with unknown injuries after the crash. (Barbara J. Perenic / Springfield News-Sun)
Spot News - HM - Columbus crime scene investigator works the scene of the homicide at 1409 Aberdeen Ave., five blocks south of Weber Road and east of I-71. A man was shot and killed in the front yard of a North Side house this morning. (Dispatch photo by Neal C. Lauron) (Neal C. Lauron / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 1st place - Ohio State's Danny Dries (19) is taken down to the ice by Lake Superior State's Kevin Czuczman (24) in the second period of their hockey game at Value City Arena. (Neal C. Lauron / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 2nd place - Jarome Iginla (12) celebrates with his teammates after scoring on Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason (1) in the 3rd period during their NHL game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 3rd place - Ben Fys and Tim McCoy of St. Ignatius celebrate after winning the Div I state championship at Canton's Fawcett Stadium by beating Pickerington Central 34-13. (Kyle Lanzer / Sun Newspapers)
Sports - HM - Wesley College's Michael Brandenburg grabs the face mask of Mt. Union's Jeremy Murray during a drive that resulted in a Purple Raiders' touchdown. Brandenburg was penalized on the play. (Scott Heckel / The (Canton) Repository)
Story - 1st place - Anna Turso is baptized at St. Christopher's in Grandview Heights. (Chris Russell / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 2nd place - Lynn Green (left) gets a hug from Sandra Waters-Holley at the McKendree United Methodist Church in Columbus. (Jonathan Quilter / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 3rd place - Pickerington Central Marcus Milton can't watch Saint Ignatius celebrate their championship in the Division I championship game at Fawcett Stadium in Canton. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
