First Place, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer
First Place, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerCleveland is considered the epicenter of the subprime mortgage meltdown. Roughly 30 percent of subprime mortgages are delinquent or in foreclosure. With the cities economic problems and dropping home prices, the region is unlikely to turn around anytime soon. Darnellas Caldwell holds her head in frustration because she can't get a straight answer from the mortgage company as to whether there is hope she may be able to keep her home. The home has been sold, but there is no date as to when she has to vacate.
First Place, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerA Slavic Village home that has all its siding stripped next to a nicer home in the community. Slavic Village is considered ground zero in the nation's housing crisis with the largest number of foreclosures, per capita, of any zip code in the country.
First Place, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerShawn Bell, of Bell Properties, goes through the window of a foreclosed home under the watchful eye of deputy Rob Kole.
First Place, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerCuyahoga County Sheriff Deputy David Rowe watches the upstairs as his partner checks the remainder of the downstairs in a home on Talford Ave.
First Place, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerCuyahoga County Sheriff Deputy Rob Kole surveys the basement of a Dynes Ave. home where the copper plumbing and water heater were taken out.
First Place, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerCuyahoga County Sheriff Deputy Rob Kole, arrests a woman who had a warrant for parole violation while serving an eviction Wednesday, October 3, 2007. The other tenant in the house laughs at the woman's predicament.
First Place, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerCleveland dog warden Miguel Santiago takes away a dog owned by Charles Murphy from a home on E. 70 St.
First Place, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerThe U-Haul truck is loaded with Darnellas Caldwell's belongings to be moved into storage.
First Place, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerCaldwell celebrates after getting everything into her self storage unit on moving day.
Second Place, News Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon Journal
Second Place, News Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalAn Akron police officer keeps an eye on Alexander Campbell, 55, as he holds a knife to his throat at his home on Idaho Avenue during an hour-long standoff in his front yard. Before police arrived, Campbell used a Louisville Slugger to smash the vehicle of his estranged wife, Candy, prior to pulling the knife on her and himself. The standoff ended when Campbell was tasered and placed into custody.
Second Place, News Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalAkron police officers talk to Alexander Campbell, 55, as he holds a knife to his throat at his home during an hour-long standoff. The standoff ended when Campbell was tasered and placed into custody.
Second Place, News Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalAkron police officers talk to a distraught Alexander Campbell, 55, as he holds a knife to his throat at his home on Idaho Avenue during an hour-long standoff in his front yard.
Second Place, News Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalCandy Campbell, 54, sits in the back of a police cruiser after a standoff situation between Akron police and her husband Alexander Campbell in the Kenmore area April 19, 2007 in Akron.
Second Place, News Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalAkron police officers subdue Alexander Campbell, 55, with a taser forcing him to drop his knife after an hour-long standoff.
Second Place, News Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalAlexander Campbell, framed in a window of his estranged wife's Jeep, waits to be transported by the Akron police. Campbell smashed the vehicle with a Louisville Slugger prior to pulling a knife on his wife and himself, which led to a hour-long standoff with Akron police. The standoff ended when Campbell was tasered and placed into custody.
Second Place, News Picture Story - Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalAlexander Campbell, in handcuffs, is calmed by a neighbor as he is taken away from his home after a hour-long standoff with Akron Police.
Third Place, News Picture Story - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer
Third Place, News Picture Story - Lisa DeJong / The Plain DealerSchoolmates of Asteve' Thomas cry as they walk out of the Thomas' funeral service at Mount Sinai Baptist Church. Asteve' "Cookie" Thomas, 12, was shot and killed, an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of suspected drug peddlers, as she walked home from a candy store on Francis Avenue. Cleveland accounted for more than half of the homicides in the region, reporting 132 homicides this year. James Yhonquea, 20, of Cleveland, has been charged with aggravated murder.
Third Place, News Picture Story - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer The high school choir from Cleveland School of the Arts practices singing "Steal Away Home" for the funeral service for Asteve' Thomas, just outside of Mount Sinai Baptist Church. Thomas was a stand-out student at the school, a poet and a member of this choir.
Third Place, News Picture Story - Lisa DeJong / The Plain DealerA family member waits for the casket of Asteve Thomas to be brought out of the funeral service at Mount Sinai Baptist Church. At the funeral, the Rev. C. Jay Matthews, the Mount Sinai pastor, urged Cookie's family to seek solace in religion. “When death comes in such a tragic manner, only faith can sustain us,” he said. But his message was aimed at preventing another child from being struck by a stray bullet.
Third Place, News Picture Story - Lisa DeJong / The Plain DealerTracy Griffin (right) is helped by a friend as she cries while walking out of the funeral service for her niece Asteve' Thomas. Thomas was the youngest of 13 children.
Third Place, News Picture Story - Lisa DeJong / The Plain DealerA family member is overcome with grief as he is helped out of the funeral service for Asteve' Thomas, at Mount Sinai Baptist Church.
Third Place, News Picture Story - Lisa DeJong / The Plain DealerA young boy places flowers on the casket during the funeral for Asteve "Cookie" Thomas at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery. Hundreds came to the grave site to mourn her.
Third Place, News Picture Story - Lisa DeJong / The Plain DealerKim Elliot, mother of Asteve "Cookie" Thomas, releases a dove near her daughter's grave site at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery. “It could have been your little sister, it could have been your baby, it could have been anybody, " Elliot said.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon Journal
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalLes Kuglics, arm in arm with his wife, Donna, reaches out to touch the nose of the plane that holds the body of their son, Matthew. Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Kuglics, returning home on a private charter, was killed after an explosive device struck his vehicle while on his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalGrieving family members embrace as the flag-draped casket of Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Kuglics is carried from the plane by honor guard members of the Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalEmily Kuglics, 18, (left) sobs with her parents Donna and Les Kuglics (center) and grandparents, Teresa and Lewis Kuglics as the casket of her brother, Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Kuglics is seen for the first time after arriving home from Iraq.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalFriends and family members riding in a bus, follow behind a hearse carrying the body of Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Kuglics. Kuglics was brought home on a private charter after he was killed when an explosive device struck his vehicle on his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalA tribute to Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Kuglics hangs on the backstop at a baseball field on the motorcade route from the airport.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalA message to the family of U.S. Army Cpl. Zachary A. Grass, 22, made of foam cups is on a fence at Brideweser Stadium at Fairless High School in Navarre. Fairless High School graduate, Zachary A. Grass was killed in a roadside bombing in Iraq. Hundreds from this rural community, attended the funeral and graveside services to honor this fallen soldier.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalU.S. Army Cpl. Zachary A. Grass, 22, is carried by a Army Honor Guard from Fairless High School.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalMatt Kramer the former basketball coach of U.S. Army Cpl. Zachary A. Grass, 22, holds his basketball jersey outside Fairless High School before the funeral services.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalAlex Jamison, 8, pauses in front of a sign along the funeral procession of U.S. Army Cpl. Zachary A. Grass, 22, in Sugarcreek.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalA U.S. Army Honor Guard places the casket of U.S. Army Cpl. Zachary A. Grass, 22, at his gravesite at Welty Cemetery on June 25, 2007 in Sugarcreek.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalHundreds of mourners attend the funeral of U.S. Army Cpl. Zachary A. Grass, 22, at Welty Cemetery in Sugarcreek. The Fairless High School graduate's funeral services were held at the High School.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Ken Love / Akron Beacon JournalFrank and Patti Grass, clutch the flag at their son's casket as they grieve during the service at Welty Cemetery in Sugarcreek. Zachary A. Grass died in Iraq on June 16, 2007 in a roadside bombing.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerA Cleveland police officer runs into Success Tech School after a student opened fire shooting a teacher and students before turning the gun on himself.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerSuccessTech teacher David Kachadourian gives a thumbs up after being shot . Asa Coon, a student, shot two teacher and two students before turning the gun on himself.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerStudents and faculty huddle outside of Success Tech School after a student opened fire shooting a teacher and students before turning the gun on himself.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerA distraught mother, left, cries after bringing her daughter, right, out of SuccessTech School after a student opened fire shooting a teacher and students before turning the gun on himself.
Award of Excellence, News Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerStephen Coon, the brother of yesterday's school shooter, Asa Coon, was arrested at his home. Asa, a student at SuccessTech Academy, shot four people yesterday before turning the gun on himself. Stephen was arrested for an outstanding felony warrant and brought in for questioning on the school shooting.
