Winners announced in ‘13 OAPME newspaper contest

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - DIVISION II, newspapers with a daily circulation of 8,000 to 12,999

General Excellence: 1, Ashland Times-Gazette; 1, The Medina Gazette (tie); 2, Zanesville Times Recorder; 3, The Marietta Times.

Best Headline Writer: 1, Jim Bartholow, The Marietta Times; 2, Michael Buettner, Ashland Times-Gazette; 3, Scott Kline, The Medina Gazette.

Best Business Writer: 1, Hannah Sparling, Zanesville Times Recorder; 2, Dave Gossett, Steubenville Herald-Star; 3, Linda Harris, Steubenville Herald-Star.

Best Columnist: 1, Chris Schillig, The (Alliance) Review; 2, Rob Todor, The (Alliance) Review; 3, Janice Kiaski, Steubenville Herald-Star.

Best Editorial Writer: 1, Jan Larson-McLaughlin, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune; 2, Dorma J. Tolson, Lisbon Morning Journal; 3, Paul Giannamore, Steubenville Herald-Star.

Best Feature Writer: 1, Hannah Sparling, Zanesville Times Recorder; 2, Patrick O’Neill, Zanesville Times Recorder; 3, Tyler Buchanan, The Athens Messenger.

Best Graphics Artist: 1, Michael Lehmkuhle, The (Newark) Advocate; 2, Chris Weidinger, Ashland Times-Gazette; 3, Devon Brabenec, Ashland Times-Gazette.

Best Sports Columnist: 1, Matt Hammond, Bellefontaine Examiner; 2, Jason Arkley, The Athens Messenger.

Best Sports Feature Writer: 1, Kevin Wiseman, The Athens Messenger; 2, Albert Grindle, The Medina Gazette; 3, Brandon Hannahs, Zanesville Times Recorder.

Best Sports Writer: 1, David Harpster, The (Massillon) Independent; 2, Tim Shoemaker, Ashland Times-Gazette; 3, Rick Noland, The Medina Gazette.

Best Photographer: 1, Kevin Whitlock, The (Massillon) Independent; 2, Patricia Schaeffer, Lisbon Morning Journal; 3, Robb DeCamp, The Marietta Times.

Best News Writer: 1, Loren Genson, The Medina Gazette; 2, Amy Knapp, The (Massillon) Independent; 3, Hannah Sparling, Zanesville Times Recorder.

Best Sports Event Coverage: 1, Doug Haidet and Tom Puskar, Ashland Times-Gazette, “State Tournament for the Ages”; 2, Chris Easterling, The (Massillon) Independent, “2013 Wrestling Championships”; 3, The Medina Gazette, “Heartbroken Hornets.”

Best Sports Enterprise: 1, Brandon Hannahs and Sam Blackburn, Zanesville Times Recorder, “Opening New Doors”; 2, Doug Haidet, Ashland Times-Gazette, “50 Years at Community Stadium.”

Best Special Sports Section: 1, Albert Grindle, The Medina Gazette, “2013 Football Preview”; 2, Matt Hammond and Steve Smith, Bellefontaine Examiner, “The Game”; 3, Ashland Times-Gazette, “2013-14 Fastbreak Focus.”

Best Daily Sports Section: 1, The Medina Gazette; 2, Ashland Times-Gazette; 3, Ron Firth and Michael Burich, Lisbon Morning Journal.

Best Informational Graphics: 1, Erin O’Neill, The Marietta Times, “Must-have Medical Tests”; 2, Erin O’Neill, The Marietta Times, “Founders’ Final Resting Spots”; 3, Becky Tener, Ashland Times-Gazette, “Who Will be Crowned?”

Best Illustration: 1, David Knox, The Medina Gazette, “Puff Balls”; 2, Mark Pummell, The (Celina) Daily Standard, “Golf Cover”; 3, Erin O’Neill, The Marietta Times, “Heart Health.”

Best Breaking News Photo: 1, Michael Lehmkuhle, The (Newark) Advocate, “Mother’s Plea”; 2, Patricia Schaeffer, Lisbon Morning Journal, “Saving the Day”; 3, Michael Lehmkuhle, The (Newark) Advocate, “Big ’O’verturned.”

Best General News Photo: 1, Sarah Gordon, Ashland Times-Gazette, “Spelling Bee Emotions”; 2, Chris Crook, Zanesville Times Recorder, “Paige Calendine”; 3, Glenn Dettman, The (Massillon) Independent.

Best Feature Photo: 1, Patricia Schaeffer, Lisbon Morning Journal, “On the Fence”; 2, Luke Gronneberg, The Sidney Daily News, “Baby Swing”; 3, Kevin Whitlock, The (Massillon) Independent, “Snow Fun.”

Best Sports Photo: 1, Patricia Schaeffer, Lisbon Morning Journal, “Bronc Flying”; 2, Tom E. Puskar, Ashland Times-Gazette, “Where Did He Go?”; 3, Ron Schwane, The Medina Gazette, “Header-ache.”

Best Photo Essay: 1, Jessica Phelps, The (Newark) Advocate, “A World Apart”; 2, Sara C. Tobias, The (Newark) Advocate, “It Takes a Village”; 3, Enoch Wu, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “Last Day at Ridge.”

Best Community Service: 1, The Medina Gazette, “Anatomy of a Teen Suicide”; 2, Alex Aspacher, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “Road Rage Over Historic Home”; 3, Shelley Grieshop, The (Celina) Daily Standard, “Residents Want Improvements at Intersection.”

Best Special Section: 1, Ashland Times-Gazette, “Transitions: 2013 Progress Edition”; 2, The Marietta Times, “Progress 2013: The Great Flood 100 Years Later”; 3, Steubenville Herald-Star, “Remembering John F. Kennedy.”

Best Breaking News Coverage: 1, Stephanie Ujhelyi, The (Alliance) Review, “Pipe Bomb Arrest”; 2, Jo Ann Bobby-Gilbert, Lisbon Morning Journal, “Storm Wreaks Havoc”; 3, Missy Loar and Tom Puskar, Ashland Times-Gazette, “Another Pump House Fire.”

Best Explanatory Reporting: 1, The Marietta Times, “Preventative Measures for Finances”; 2, Courtney Day, Ashland Times-Gazette, “Moody’s Downgrades AU Bonds”; 3, Jim Brewer, Ashland Times-Gazette, “Fracking Update.”

Best Enterprise Reporting: 1, David Knox, The Medina Gazette, “Ohio Losing High-Tech Jobs”; 2, Christina McCune, The (Massillon) Independent, “SWAT Outcomes”; 3, Bill Ryan, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “Cow Farming.”

Best Investigative Reporting: 1, Steve Robb, The Athens Messenger, “Athens County Sheriff Investigation”; 2, Loren Genson and David Knox, The Medina Gazette, “Superintendent’s Contract Has Lavish Perks”; 3, Hannah Sparling, Zanesville Times Recorder, “BCI Investigation into Dugan Shooting.”

Best Full Page Layout: 1, Erin O’Neill, The Marietta Times, “Berry Sweet”; 2, Ryan Gillis, Lisbon Morning Journal, “Big Rig”; 3, Wendy Van Sickle, The Athens Messenger, “’A Christmas Story’ at 30.”

Best Page One Layout: 1, Zanesville Times Recorder; 2, Scott Kline, The Medina Gazette; 3, The (Massillon) Independent.

Best Use of Multimedia: 1, Shannon Harsh, The (Alliance) Review, “YMCA Tour”; 2, J.D. Pooley, The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune, “BGSU Football Ladies Night”; 3, Joe Higgins, The Athens Messenger, “Forgotten Veterans.”