Feature - 1st placeMichael Scott, of Columbus goes headfirst into a hot day at the Hilltop Swim Club in Columbus . (Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch)
Feature - 2nd placeMatt McClinton, of Clown-N-Around, holds a balloon open as it is inflated during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival Balloon Classic Invitational. (Scott Heckel / The Repository)
Feature - 3rd placeBreelyn Neil, 5, flinches as Peter Rushton presents her with a Burmese python during the P.T. Reptiles show at the Park Branch of the Public Library as part of the Summer Reading Program (Barbara J. Perenic / Springfield News-Sun)
Feature - HMDylan LeMaster, 6, of Leroy, Ohio, who is mostly blind, clutches his two ribbons as someone pats him on the head in congratulations after placing first in the category "Beginner Equitation" and placing second in "Beginner Trail" horse riding competition during the Riders With Disabilities Horse Show hosted by Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center at the Polo Field in Moreland Hills . (Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer)
General News - 1st placeSandy Sainey trims extra grape clusters off the vines at Soine Vineyards in Powell. The cluster pruning will help the distressed vines concentrate their depleted nutrients (due to lack of water) on the remaining grapes making for a better wine. (Jonathan Quilter / The Columbus Dispatch)
General News - 2nd placeCindy Archer, 44, of Raleigh, North Carolina, laughs as she does a hula dance after just finishing her audition for the NBC TV show "The Biggest Loser" at the Plaza Cleveland South hotel in Independence. (Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer)
General News - 3rd placeChristopher Woodard, a SkillsUSA volunteer from Ohio HiPoint Career Center in Bellefontaine, works with his peers to paint a handicap ramp on a house in Glouster. (Chris Russell / The Columbus Dispatch)
General News - HMStaff Sargent James Milicia, of Fredericktown, goes nose to nose with his son Angelo Milicia ,7, after a Call to Duty Ceremony for the Operational Mentor and Liaison Team at Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church. James who has served multiple deployments will be serving in Afghanistan. (Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch)
General News - HMCaleb Antram, 8, eagerly waits to have a poster signed by USAF (Ret.) Capt. Dutch Van Kirk, the navigator on the B-29 Enola Gay, who discussed his experiences in World War II including the mission which dropped the atomic bomb on Japan during a speaking appearance. (Barbara J. Perenic / Springfield News-Sun)
Portrait - 1st placePaul Herman, 92, stands in his front yard where he has a 60 foot short wave radio antenna in Clintonville. (Jonathan Quilter / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 2nd placeJacqueline Roane had a rock smash into her front windshield of her Ford Taurus near I-71 and Rt. 161 in Columbus. The perpetrator has shattered the windshields of at least two vehicles we know of. Now Roane can't drive her car around looking for jobs. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 3rd placeErik Jul was laid off during the recession and found a job through Jewish Family Service's Success Program and now works for a temporary IT staffing company with the state department of education. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Spot News - 1st placeA Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad train collided with a mid-sized car on Portage Street NW just west of Whipple Avenue NW in Jackson Township. The driver was killed. Here a trainman looks out the door from the train. (Scott Heckel / The Repository)
Spot News - 2nd placeMembers of the Springfield Police Division's Special Operations Team fire tear gas into a residence at 730 East Street as they work to get murder suspect Laune Dozier to surrender after he refused to come out of the residence. (Bill Lackey / Springfield News-Sun)
Spot News - 3rd placeMembers of the Springfield Police Division's Special Operations Team arrest murder suspect Laune Dozier after a standoff at 730 East Street where he refused to surrender. (Bill Lackey / Springfield News-Sun)
Sports - 1st placeEvan Turner, former basketball player at Ohio Sate University, dunks during the "Battle for Ohio" charity basketball game at the St. John Arena. (Brooke LaValley / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 2nd placeColumbus Crew defender Julius James (26) goes up for a header against D.C. United forward Maicon Santos (29) in the second half during their MLS game at Columbus Crew Stadium. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 3rd placeColumbus Crew forward Jairo Arrieta (25) goes up for a header against D.C. United defender Dejan Jakovic (5) in the first half during their MLS game at Columbus Crew Stadium. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports feature - 1st placeMichael Putnam hits his second shot under the trees on the 6th hole during the 1st round of the 2012 Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational at Ohio State University Golf Club's Scarlet Course. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports feature - 2nd placeGeneva United team members prepare to leave Tulino Field after defeating the Ashtabula All Stars in a Little League tournament game in Ashtabula. (William A. West / Wwest News Service (WNS))
Story - 1st placeKent Beittel walks through the shelter on a warm morning while Akima Farrier cools herself with a washcloth in the hallway of the shelter. Akima uses the shelter for mail delivery and other services. (Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 2nd placeHillbilly Lanes is a backyard bowling lane created out of old pins and left over bowling paraphernalia. (Eric Albrecht / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 3rd placeA client goes zipping through the trees at Camp Mary Orton as ZipZone guides wrap up their training by giving friends and family a chance to experience the zip line course. (Chris Russell / The Columbus Dispatch)
