First Place, Pictorial - Shari Lewis / The Columbus DispatchRick Ayish, of The Success Group, finds a quiet spot to read over a comparison document from the state budget during a 30-minute recess of a meeting of the members of the Legislative conference committee. The committee gathered to put the final touches on the state budget at the Statehouse.
Second Place, Pictorial - Lisa DeJong / The Plain Dealer Mikaela Clark of Cleveland tests out her wings while inside her "Fire Bird Mystical Mirage" costume near the Cleveland Museum of Art just before she steps into the parade line-up for the twentieth annual Parade the Circle in University Circle. The "Fire Bird Mystical Mirage" costume has made by Robin Van Lear, the parade's founder. The theme of this year's parade is " Chiaroscuro: Beguiling the Penumbra".
Third Place, Pictorial - Diego James Robles / Ohio UniversityPeruvian Trapeze artist, Gabriela Cavallini, flies atop the tent with a fellow performer and member of her extended family, Marco Cavallini, on March 28. “I’m not as good as my husband but I feel comfortable in the air,” Cavallini said. Although accidents do happen in the circus, the trapeze act has one of the best safety records of the show.
Award of Excellence, Pictorial - Kyle Robertson / The Columbus DispatchJake Marinko, 2, of Columbus holds his stuff animal frog in one hand while pointing to a Solomon Island leaf frog picture with his other during the opening of the Frogs: A Chorus of Colors exhibition at COSI, January 24, 2009. Visitors get eyeball to eyeball with frogs from around the world including delicate tree frogs, fat bullfrogs, bizarre horned frogs, giant toads, and elegant dart poison frogs. The traveling exhibition runs from January 24 through May 17, 2009 and is operated by Clyde Peeling's Reptiland.
