First Place, General News - Mike Cardew / Akron Beacon JournalRachel Peters of Mount Vernon rests against the headstone of her best friend Joseph Garton, Sergeant U.S. Army and a Vietnam veteran, at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman on Memorial Day.
Second Place, General News - Kyle Robertson / The Columbus DispatchJerry (right) and Debbie Russell hold hands while talking about how they were injured in the machete attack at Nazareth Mediterranean Cuisine from the hospital beds at Grant Medical Center in Columbus on February 14. The couple spent Valentines Day in the hospital after both having to have multiple surgeries to save their hands.
Third Place, General News - Jonathan Quilter / The Columbus DispatchTerrance Trent (right) looks up before addressing the family members of William Lewis and Stephanie Fibelkorn after they gave impact statements prior to his sentencing for causing the accident that took the lives of Lewis and Fibelkorn. Trent's attorney Steve Dehnart is at left.
Award of Excellence, General News - Barbara J. Perenic / The Columbus DispatchFans of pop music star Justin Bieber try to attract the attention of TV cameras while waiting for the doors for general admission to open.
Award of Excellence, General News - Scott Heckel / The (Canton) RepositoryTeens console each other during a service for Brianna Yarger, who lost her life in a car crash days earlier. Destany Taylor (far right) survived the crash, and was recovering from her injuries. The remembrance took place in Navarre, close to the local high school.
