COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Newspapers in Cleveland, Canton, Springfield, Chillicothe and East Liverpool were named the best in the state in the annual Ohio Associated Press Media Editors newspaper competition. General Excellence awards for 2012 went to The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, The (Canton) Repository, the Springfield News-Sun, the Chillicothe Gazette and The (East Liverpool) Review.
Best Photographer awards went to Gus Chan from The Plain Dealer, Scott Heckel from The Repository, Dan Starcher from The (Wooster) Daily Record, J.D. Pooley, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune and Mike Ullery from the Piqua Daily Call.
Sixty-seven daily newspapers submitted 2nd, 742 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics and photos from 2012.
Entries were judged by editors from The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C., Division V; the Naples (Fla.) Daily News, Division IV; The Paducah (Ky.) Sun and the Newspaper Daily Press Media Group in Newport News, Va., Division III; The Courier, Houma, La., and the Cumberland (Md.) Times-News, Division II; The Herald-Argus, La Porte, Ind., and the Palladium-Item, Richmond, Ind., Division I.
DIVISION V, Newspapers with a daily circulation of more than 75,000
General Excellence: 1st, The Plain Dealer; 2nd, The Columbus Dispatch; 3rd, The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Best Photographer: 1st, Gus Chan, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer; 2nd, Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch; 3rd, Amanda Davidson, The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Best Spot News Photo: 1st, Patrick Reddy, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Terror and Devastation: Tornadoes Leave Their Mark”; 2nd, Amanda Davidson, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Shootings Called Murder-Suicide”; 3rd, Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, “Two Men Killed on North Side.”
Best General News Photo: 1st, Katie Rausch, The (Toledo) Blade, “Kiss”; 2nd, Glenn Hartong, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Ex-Bengals Victim”; 3rd, Amy E. Voigt, The (Toledo) Blade, “Olympic Silver Medalist.”
Best Feature Photo: 1st, Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, “Working Man’s Recliner”; 2nd, Scott Shaw, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, “Amish Mattress Maker”; 3rd, Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, “A ‘Go’ for Halloween.”
Best Sports Photo: 1st, Jeremy Wadsworth, The (Toledo) Blade, “Picture Perfect Ending”; 2nd, Gus Chan, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, “A Hard Loss”; 3rd, Jeremy Wadsworth, The (Toledo) Blade, “The Blade Photo of the Week.”
Best Photo Essay: 1st, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Terror and Devastation”; 2nd, Dave Zapotosky, The (Toledo) Blade, “Seneca County Courthouse Demolition”; 3rd, John Kuntz, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, “A Life, Interrupted.”
Best Use of Multimedia: 1st, Carrie Cochran and Krista Ramsey, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Preventing the Unspeakable”; 2nd, Chuck Nelson, The Columbus Dispatch, “Frequent Fly-ins”; 3rd, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, “Rock Hall of Fame.”
DIVISION IV, Newspapers with daily circulation of 25,000 to 74,999
General Excellence: 1st, The (Canton) Repository; 2nd, The (Youngstown) Vindicator; 3rd, The Lima News.
Best Photographer: 1st, Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository; 2nd, Robert Yosay, The (Youngstown) Vindicator; 3rd, Jay Sowers, The Lima News.
Best Spot News Photo: 1st, Craig Orosz, The Lima News, “Man Dies in I-75 Crash”; 2nd, Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, “Dice Game Lead to Homicide”; 3rd, William Lewis, The (Youngstown) Vindicator, “South Side Sorrow.”
Best General News Photo: 1st, R. Michael Semple, Warren Tribune Chronicle, “Guilty”; 2nd, Jeff Forman, The (Willoughby) News-Herald, “Parmertor Funeral”; 3rd, Amanda Wilson, The Lima News, “Grandparent and Much More.”
Best Feature Photo: 1st, Duncan Scott, The (Willoughby) News-Herald, “Bus Stop”; 2nd, Jay Sowers, The Lima News, “Mind If I Wash, You Read?”; 3rd, Lindsay Brown, The Lima News, “FlashBack.”
Best Sports Photo: 1st, Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, “Winning Run”; 2nd, Don Speck, The Lima News, “Ohio State 26 – Michigan 21”; 3rd, Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, “I Love You.”
Best Photo Essay: 1st, The (Willoughby) News-Herald, “Chardon School Shooting”; 2nd, Jay Sowers, The Lima News, “Betting on Hope”; 3rd, Jay Sowers, The Lima News, “I’ll Run Again.”
Best Use of Multimedia: 1st, The (Youngstown) Vindicator, “Greatest Golfer of the Valley”; 2nd, Michael Blair, The (Willoughby) News-Herald, “Hospice Treatment Doesn’t Keep Wade Stroup From Volunteering”; 3rd, Ben Duer, The (Canton) Repository, “Remembering McKayla Hoopes.”
DIVISION III, Newspapers with daily circulation of 13rd, 000 to 24,999
General Excellence: 1st, Springfield News-Sun; 2nd, Sandusky Register; 3rd, Mansfield News Journal.
Best Photographer: 1st, Dan Starcher, The (Wooster) Daily Record; 2nd, Jason Werling, Sandusky Register; 3rd, Bruce Bishop, The (Elyria) Chronicle-Telegram.
Best Spot News Photo: 1st, Bruce Bishop, The (Elyria) Chronicle-Telegram, “Cops Corner Suspect After Bank Robbery”; 2nd, Kelly Petryszyn, The (Lorain) Morning Journal, “Son’s Ashes Recovered”; 3rd, Jason Werling, Sandusky Register, “Late Night Barn Fire.”
Best General News Photo: 1st, Bruce Bishop, The (Elyria) Chronicle-Telegram, “Making Sure to Eat Well”; 2nd, Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, “Flag Burning”; 3rd, Barbara Perenic, Springfield News-Sun, “Lanterns Soar in Memory.”
Best Feature Photo: 1st, Randy Roberts, The (Findlay) Courier, “Just Ducky”; 2nd, Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, “Pig Scramble”; 3rd, Michael Lehmkuhle, The (Newark) Advocate, “Playing in the Rain.”
Best Sports Photo: 1st, Mike Schenk, The (Wooster) Daily Record, “Twice as Nice”; 2nd, Barbara Perenic, Springfield News-Sun, “Touchdown Flip”; 3rd, Jason Lenhart, The (Newark) Advocate, “Tough Lay Up.”
Best Photo Essay: 1st, Dave Polcyn, Mansfield News Journal, “Tiger Paws Rescue Center Closes”; 2nd, Barbara Perenic, Springfield News-Sun, “Chinese New Year”; 3rd, Bruce Bishop, The (Elyria) Chronicle-Telegram, “The Extraordinary Ordinary Girl.”
Best Use of Multimedia: 1st, Jason Werling, Sandusky Register, “Road Trip: Ohio 4”; 2nd, Jason Werling and Angela Wilhelm, Sandusky Register, “Huron Implodes ConAgra Facility”; 3rd, Michael Blair, The (Lorain) Morning Journal, “Somerset Apartment Fire.”
DIVISION II, Newspapers with daily circulation of 8,000 to 12nd, 999
General Excellence: 1st, Chillicothe Gazette; 2nd, The (Massillon) Independent; 3rd, The Medina Gazette.
Best Photographer: 1st, J.D. Pooley, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune; 2nd, Brent Lewis, Chillicothe Gazette; 3rd, Gayle Agnew, The (Alliance) Review.
Best Spot News Photo: 1st, Caitlin Stewart, The Sidney Daily News, “Assault in Court”; 2nd, Enoch Wu, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “Vehicle Crashes in Ditch”; 3rd, Sarah Gordon, Ashland Times-Gazette, “Witness Reaction.”
Best General News Photo: 1st, Frank Robertson, Chillicothe Gazette, “Stray Cat Solutions”; 2nd, Brent Lewis, Chillicothe Gazette, “Serviceman’s Surprise Return”; 3rd, Sarah Gordon, Ashland Times-Gazette, “Hey, Mr. President.”
Best Feature Photo: 1st, Trevor Jones, Zanesville Times Recorder, “A Taste of the Simple Life”; 2nd, Jess Lanning, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, “Circus Kangaroo Puts on a Knockout Show”; 3rd, Sarah Gordon, Ashland Times-Gazette, “Lawn Mower Derby.”
Best Sports Photo: 1st, Enoch Wu, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “BGSU Women’s Basketball”; 2nd, Tom E. Puskar, Ashland Times-Gazette, “Belly Flop at Second Base”; 3rd, Kevin Riddell, Chillicothe Gazette, “Ropin ’em In.”
Best Photo Essay: 1st, Enoch Wu, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “Fire Destroys Barn”; 2nd, Luke Gronneberg, The Sidney Daily News, “Mitt Romney Visits Sidney”; 3rd, Trevor Jones, Zanesville Times Recorder, “Wilderness Challenge 5K Mud Run.”
Best Use of Multimedia: 1st, J.D. Pooley, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “Violinist Doesn’t Fiddle Around”; 2nd, Erin Pustay, The (Massillon) Independent, “Elec Simon Performs at Whipple Heights”; 3rd, Chris Crook, Zanesville Times Recorder, “Celeste Fronsman Memorial.”
DIVISION I, Newspapers with daily circulation of up to 7,999
General Excellence: 1st, The (East Liverpool) Review; 2nd, The Ironton Tribune; 3rd, The (Fremont) News-Messenger.
Best Photographer: 1st, Mike Ullery, Piqua Daily Call; 2nd, Trevor Jones, Coshocton Tribune; 3rd, Bill Sinden, The Marion Star.
Best Spot News Photo: 1st, Trevor Jones, Coshocton Tribune, “Safe and Sound After Rollover”; 2nd, Jessica St. James, The Ironton Tribune, “Young and Reckless”; 3rd, Mike Ullery, Piqua Daily Call, “Bridge Fire.”
Best General News Photo: 1st, James Proffitt, Port Clinton News-Herald, “First Day of School”; 2nd, Mike Ullery, Piqua Daily Call, “After the Blaze”; 3rd, Jonathon Bird, The (Fremont) News-Messenger, “Red, White and Blue.”
Best Feature Photo: 1st, Elizabeth Nihiser, Logan Daily News, “Knock Knock. Whooo’s There?”; 2nd, Elizabeth Nihiser, Logan Daily News, “Stroll With Your Sweetheart”; 3rd, Mike Ullery, Piqua Daily Call, “Body English.”
Best Sports Photo: 1st, Mike Ullery, Piqua Daily Call, “Leaping Grab”; 2nd, Bill Sinden, The Marion Star, “North Union Invitational Golf Tournament”; 3rd, Jim Rinaldi, The (London) Madison Press, “Using Their Heads.”
Best Photo Essay: 1st, James Miller, The Marion Star, “Fighting for Marion’s Safety”; 2nd, Chris Crook, Coshocton Tribune, “Balloon Festival Friday”; 3rd, Sara Tobias, Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum, “Truck Runs Amok.”
Best Use of Multimedia: 1st, Gary Abernathy, Hillsboro Times-Gazette, “Pierson Murder Case Moves Through Court”; 2nd, Kristi Murphy, Circleville Herald, “Early Morning Raid Targets 25 Drug Suspects”; 3rd, Troy Daily News, “The Blitz: Online Edition.”