Feature - 1st place - Michael Kiedrowski, aka Mr. Prune, presents the prune paczki to the partygoers at the Kiedrowski bakery's 14th annual Paczki Ball at DeLuca's Place in the Park in Lorain. In the spirit of a Polish wedding, there were polkas, pierogis and, in honor of Fat Tuesday, paczkis. Each flavor, prune, apricot, sugar, rose and poppyseed, was presented by a couple bearing a tray of the sugary pastries, wearing bathing suits and the men clad in boxers emblazoned with the bakery logo. (Lynn Ischay / The Plain Dealer)
Feature - 2nd place - A female great blue heron, left, accepts a stick from a male Tuesday as they build their nest at a rookery on Bath Road on the southern edge of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Summit County. Males arrive at the nesting site in February, and females follow a few weeks later. A male offers a female a stick, and if she accepts it, they mate and bond for the season. Three to seven eggs hatch in late April, and the young fledge in July. If fledglings survive the first winter, they can live to be 20. (Lynn Ischay / The Plain Dealer)
Feature - 3rd place - Judah Evans (bottom) and Justin Carney (behind him) get a push from Judah's brother Isaac Evans, Landon Peterson (top) and Justin's sister Cameron Carney (right) on the sidewalk next to High Street in Harrisburg. The group was taking advantage of the sunshine by using Landon's idea to put different items on top of a skateboard to see how far they could make it down the sidewalk. This particular trip failed soon after launch. (Jonathan Quilter / The Columbus Dispatch)
General News - 1st place - Delaware County Sheriff's deputy Mark Kern is the school resource officer for the Big Walnut School district. Here he talks to junior Emily Fiasconi, at Big Walnut High School. Fiasconi credits deputy Kern for his positive influence on her life and the choices she has made outside of school. She has also chosen him to present her with her high school diploma when she graduates next year. (Jonathan Quilter / The Columbus Dispatch)
General News - 2nd place - Retired Cleveland Patrolman Robert Bonness weeps while apologizing to the community for collecting child pornography and trying to arrange a sexual tryst with someone he believed was a 12-year-old girl. His attorney, Edward LaRue, right, begged the judge to show the 53-year-old Parma man mercy. (Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer)
General News - 3rd place - Joyce Smith gives her father Elton Hietman a kiss after a ceremony during which the 88-year-old World War II veteran from Xenia was presented with five medals he never received from his service in the United State Army. (Barbara J. Perenic / Springfield News-Sun)
Illustration - 1st place - Ohio State fans (Chris Russell / The Columbus Dispatch)
Illustration - 2nd place - Rich Kline sports glam rock boots reminiscent David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust days at the Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood. Kline dresses in many of Bowie's incarnations during his live shows in his Bowie tribute band called Diamond Dogs. (Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer)
Illustration - 3rd place - Homemade butter. (Fred Squillante / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 1st place - Former Shamrock Club president Dick Bolton, 77, takes a photo before the start of the St. Patricks day parade in the Arena District. (Jeff Hinckley / The Columbus Dispatch)
Portrait - 2nd place - Vincent Quevedo, associate professor at Kent State University's School of Fashion Design and Merchandising, is showcasing his work in "Beyond Fashion: Fiber and Fashion Art," which runs through Feb. 12 at the KSU museum. (Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer)
Portrait - 3rd place - Jon Forman, in the lobby of Shaker Square Cinemas, has influenced Cleveland's moviegoing habits for more than three decades. (Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer)
Spot News - 1st place - Two vehicles collided near SR 4 and Baldwin Road sending two to hospitals on medical helicopters with serious injuries. (Barbara J. Perenic / Springfield News-Sun)
Spot News - 2nd place - Staff photo by Marshall Gorby (Marshall Gorby / Springfield News-Sun)
Spot News - 3rd place - Members of the Mad River Twp. Fire Department attempt to extinguish a fire in a car that struck a telephone pole, rolled and landed on the side of a tree on Fowler Road. The two people in the vehicle were transferred to Miami Valley Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. (Marshall Gorby / Springfield News-Sun)
Sports - 1st place - Harvest Preparatory's Shakir Dunning, 42, can't watch as Hiland starts to celebrate their win in Ohio High School Division IV State Championship game at Value City Arena. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Sports - 2nd place - An emotional Michael Baker of Twinsburg celebrates after defeating Cincinnati Elder's Ian Korb for the state wrestling championship in the 171-pound match in Columbus. (Marvin Fong / The Plain Dealer)
Sports - 3rd place - Akron head coach Keith Dambrot and Kent State head coach Geno Ford attempt to separate players and staff after a scuffle occurred at the end of Akron's 66 to 65 overtime win over Kent State in the men's MAC Tournament championship game at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. (Marvin Fong / The Plain Dealer)
Sports - HM - An unidentified member of the Tri-Village student section was ejected from Thursday's Division IV regional semi-final basketball game at Springfield High School after mooning Shelby Hocter (14) of Southeastern as Hocter attempted a free throw. (Barbara J. Perenic / Springfield News-Sun)
Story - 1st place - Northland's Trey Burke, 3, puts his head down during the 4th quarter of their game against LaSalle during the 2nd half of their Division IV state championship game at Value City Arena. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 2nd place - A decoy crow hangs from a tree set up by Shannon Mayes of Gallipolis before hunting crows out in Richmond Dale, Ohio. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Story - 3rd place - Kentucky Wildcats forward Josh Harrellson (55) forces a jump ball as he blocks Ohio State Buckeyes forward Jared Sullinger (0) in the first half of their NCAA regional tournament game at the the Prudential Center. (Neal C. Lauron / The Columbus Dispatch)
