Finalists announced in 2016 Michigan APME newspaper contest

DETROIT (AP) - Finalists have been announced in the Michigan Associated Press Media Editors 2016 newspaper contest.

The awards in actual order of finish - first, second or third - will be announced at the annual Michigan APME annual awards banquet April 30 in Lansing. The General Excellence and First Amendment award winners also will be announced at the meeting.

Twenty-eight newspapers submitted 978 entries in the contest, which featured news, sports and weather reporting as well as features, documentaries and photography from 2016.

Entries were judged by editors from San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego, California and The (Youngstown) Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio, Division III; Troy Daily News, Ohio and The Chronicle Telegram, Elyria, Ohio, Division II; and Abilene (Texas) News and the Chillicothe Gazette, Ohio, Division I.

The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,400 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States.

Finalists in the 2016 Michigan APME newspaper contest:

Division III, Newspapers with a daily circulation over 40,000:

Best Headline Writing: Keith Roberts, The Detroit News; Jerry Seim, The Grand Rapids Press; Andreas Supanich, The Detroit News.

Best Business Writing: Matthew Dolan and Brent Snavely, Detroit Free Press; Garret Ellison, The Grand Rapids Press; John Gonzalez and Amy Sherman, The Grand Rapids Press.

Best Column: John Counts, The Grand Rapids Press; Stephen Henderson, Detroit Free Press; Rochelle Riley, Detroit Free Press.

Best Editorial Writing: Brian Dickerson, Detroit Free Press; Nancy Kaffer, Detroit Free Press; The Grand Rapids Press.

Best Feature Writing: John Carlisle and Salwan Georges, Detroit Free Press; John Counts, The Flint Journal; Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press.

Best Sports Story: Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press, “Pavel Datsyuk Says He Will Leave the Red Wings After Playoffs”; James Hawkins and Josh Katzenstein, The Detroit News, “Football Recruiters Hit Paydirt in Three States”; Jarerd Purcell, The Grand Rapids Press, “Southgate Anderson Teen Issaic Allard Walks at Homecoming Football Game After Overcoming Paralysis.”

Best Sports Feature Story: Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, “Ex-Lions QB Kramer Gets Help After Suicide Attempt after Years of Pain”; Jared Purcell, The Grand Rapids Press, “All-Time Greats: Curtis Jones is the Best Basketball Player You’ve Never Heard Of”; Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press, “62 Years Later, Detroit Tigers Prospect Earl Robinette Signs Contract.”

Best Sports Column: Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press, “Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio Rejects Flash, Builds on Values”; David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press, “Jim Harbaugh’s Officiating Rant was Beneath Michigan’s Competitive Dignity”; Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News.

Best Illustration or Graphic: James Hollar, The Detroit News, “Climbing the Ladder of Success”; Milt Klingensmith, The Flint Journal; Milt Klingensmith, The Grand Rapids Press, “Even Light Smoking Can be Deadly.”

Best Spot News Photo: Clarence Tabb Jr., The Detroit News, “Last Ride”; Jake May, The Flint Journal, “A Living Nightmare”; Cory Morse, The Grand Rapids Press, “Comforting Touch.”

Best Feature Photo: Emily Rose Bennett, The Grand Rapids Press, “Hockey, Not Horses: A Slice of Winter Life on Mackinac Island”; Jake May, The Flint Journal, “Poisoned”; Jake May, The Flint Journal, “Setting the Bar High.”

Best Sports Photo: Allison Farrand, The Grand Rapids Press, “The Pull”; David Guralnick, The Detroit News, “Chasing the Puck”; Tegan Johnston, The Flint Journal, “Ride.”

Best Photo Story: Jake May, The Flint Journal, “Flint, a City Poisoned”; Jake May, The Flint Journal, “Still Standing: 100 Flint Residents Dealing with a Poisoned Water System”; Jake May, The Flint Journal, “The Wright Stuff.”

Best Video: Salwan Georges, Detroit Free Press, “Sudan to Detroit, a Refugee Journey”; Donna Terek, The Detroit News, “Cathedral of St. Anthony: A Church Reborn”; The Grand Rapids Press, “Paradise Exposed: A New View on Old Detroit.”

Best Public Service: Keith Matheny and Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, “Oil to be Shipped Under St. Clair River in Aging Pipelines”; Detroit Free Press, “Flint Water Resource Guide”; The Flint Journal, “The Mistakes Made, The Lives Affected.”

Best Spot News Coverage: Detroit Free Press, “Mass Shooting in Kalamazoo County by Uber Driver”; The Detroit News, “Half of Detroit’s Votes May be Ineligible for Recount”; The Grand Rapids Press, “Multiple Tornadoes Hit Grand Rapids Area.”

Best Enterprise Reporting: Paula Gardner and Brian McVicar, The Grand Rapids Press, “Uneven Paying Field”; Eric D. Lawrence and John Gallagher, Detroit Free Press, “At Rusting Wayne County Jail Site, Winter is Coming - Again”; Julie Mack, The Grand Rapids Press, “A Deadly Mix.”

Best Investigative Reporting: Jennifer Dixon and Kristi Tanner, Detroit Free Press, “Deadly Asbestos”; Emily Lawler and Craig Mauger, The Grand Rapids Press, “Hush Funds”; The Flint Journal, “All the Governor’s Men.”

Best Full Page Design: Katie Karnes and Milt Klingensmith, The Grand Rapids Press, “Pushing for ’PIPES’’’; Brian McNamara, Detroit Free Press, “Solutions Section Cover”; Alicia Secord, Detroit Free Press, “An Attack on All of Us.”

Best Digital Presence: Detroit Free Press; The Detroit News; The Grand Rapids Press.

Best Multimedia Storytelling: Scott Levin, The Flint Journal, “Flint Water: All Governor’s Men; Faces of Flint”; Scott Levin, The Grand Rapids Press, “Ironwood: Northern Michigan has the State’s Highest Suicide Rate”; The Detroit News, “USS Detroit: A New Breed of Ship for U.S. Navy.”

Division II, Newspapers with a daily circulation of 10,000 to 39,999:

Best Headline Writing: Katie Karnes, Jackson Citizen Patriot; Katie Karnes, Jackson Citizen Patriot; Rich C. Lakeberg, Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Best Business Writing: Alexander Alusheff, Lansing State Journal; Rosemary Parker, Kalamazoo Gazette; Danielle Portteus, The Monroe News.

Best Column: Dillon Davis, Battle Creek Enquirer; Annie Kelley, Battle Creek Enquirer; Judy Putnam, Lansing State Journal.

Best Editorial Writing: Stephanie Angel, Lansing State Journal; Dan Nielsen, Traverse City Record-Eagle; Nathan Payne, Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Best Feature Writing: Marta Hepler Drahos, Traverse City Record-Eagle; Rachel Greco, Lansing State Journal; Steven Reed, Lansing State Journal.

Best Sports Story: Nick Buckley, Battle Creek Enquirer, “The Return of the Rink”; Brendan F. Quinn, The Ann Arbor News, “As Senior Day Arrives, Spike Albrecht and Caris LeVert Tackle the Ending No One Wanted”; Matt Wenzel, Jackson Citizen Patriot, “Loss of Leg, Return of Cancer Not Stopping this Michigan High School Bowler.”

Best Sports Feature Story: Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer, “Indy 500 Rekindles Memories of Brayton”; Tony Garcia, Jackson Citizen Patriot, “Found in Bible Box in Haiti, High School Athlete Finds Home on Football Field”; Brendan F. Quinn, The Ann Arbor News, “Being Hutch: The Story Behind Michigan’s Iconic Coach, and What’s Next for Carol Hutchins.”

Best Sports Column: Hugh Bernreuter, The Saginaw News, “Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart Coach Damon Brown Enjoys Emotional Return to Last Happy Time We Had as Family”; Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer; Nick Buckley, Battle Creek Enquirer.

Best Illustration or Graphic: Selena Hautamaki, The (Marquette) Mining Journal, “Fire Prevention”; Selena Hautamaki, The (Marquette) Mining Journal, “Mining Exploration”; Selena Hautamaki, The (Marquette) Mining Journal, “Superiorland Magazine Cover.”

Best Spot News Photo: Jessica Christian, Jackson Citizen Patriot, “Dog Rescue”; Tessa Lighty, Traverse City Record-Eagle, “Gene’s Auto Parts Fire”; Yfat Yossifor, The Bay City Times, “Man Escapes Vehicle Through Windshield After it Rolls Over in Crash.”

Best Feature Photo: Mark Bugnaski, Kalamazoo Gazette, “Ghost Bikes Become Beautiful Flower Sculptures, a Shrine to 5 Cyclists Killed”; Tom Hawley, The Monroe News, “111 Miles Done!”; J. Scott Park, Jackson Citizen Patriot, “Plunged.”

Best Sports Photo: Joel Bissell, The Muskegon Chronicle, “Pulling for Victory”; John Discher, The (Adrian) Daily Telegram, “Leap at Second Base”; Jan-Michael Stump, Traverse City Record-Eagle, “Football Snow Angel.”

Best Photo Story: Julia Nagy, Lansing State Journal, “Glen Brough”; Julia Nagy, Lansing State Journal, “The Life of Laura Kaufman”; Julia Nagy, Lansing State Journal, “The Mitten Mavens.”

Best Video: Melanie Maxwell, The Ann Arbor News, “Preserving Michigan’s Music with Matt Jones and the River Street Anthology”; Melanie Maxwell, The Ann Arbor News, “See Baby Goats in Tiny Coats at White Lotus Farms in Ann Arbor”; Julia Nagy and Beth LeBlanc, Lansing State Journal, “Don Miller.”

Best Public Service: Andrew Hoag and Mark Tower, The Saginaw News, “Seniors Struggle to Make Ends Meet in Wake of SNAP Benefit Cuts”; Ryan Stanton, The Ann Arbor News, “Dioxane Plume Under Ann Arbor”; Traverse City Record-Eagle, “School Closures.”

Best Spot News Coverage: Ryan Shek, Jackson Citizen Patriot, “Multiple Fire Departments Battling Church Fire in Grass Lake”; Kalamazoo Gazette, “Kalamazoo Mass Shooting”; Lansing State Journal, “Stuart Dunnings III Arrested.”

Best Enterprise Reporting: Kathleen Lavey, Lansing State Journal, “What’s the Future for Great Lakes Salmon?”; Matt Mencarini and Justin Hinkley, Lansing State Journal, “Prostitution and Human Trafficking”; Matt Mencarini and Justin Hinkley, Lansing State Journal, “Stuart Dunnings III.”

Best Investigative Reporting: Matt Mencarini and RJ Wolcott, Lansing State Journal, “At MSU: Assault, Harassment and Secrecy”; Matthew Mencarini, Lansing State Journal, “Evidence Issues Not Disclosed to Prosecutors”; Steven Reed, Lansing State Journal, “High Cost of the Heights.”

Best Full Page Design: Jessica Havens, The Monroe News, “A Huge Jolt”; Katie Karnes and Milt Klingensmith, Kalamazoo Gazette; David Panian and Karri Tarsha, The (Adrian) Daily Telegram, “Adrian Soaring Club.”

Best Digital Presence: Selena Hautamaki, The (Marquette) Mining Journal; Andy Taylor and Erin Sloan, Traverse City Record-Eagle; Battle Creek Enquirer.

Best Multimedia Storytelling: Lansing State Journal, “Families, Officials Fight to Keep Local Serial Killer in Prison”; Lansing State Journal, “Lansing’s Craft Beer Scene is Booming”; Lansing State Journal, “The Heights: As Eastwood Grew, Lansing Twp. Debt Spiraled.”

Division I, Newspapers with a daily circulation under 10,000:

Best Headline Writing: Darrin Clark, The (Greenville) Daily News; Matt DeYoung, Grand Haven Tribune; Alex Doty, Grand Haven Tribune.

Best Business Writing: Amy Biolchini, The Holland Sentinel; Justine McGuire, The Holland Sentinel; Austin Metz, The Holland Sentinel.

Best Column: Mitch Galloway, Ludington Daily News; Lisa Roose-Church, Livingston Daily Press & Argus; Renee Tanner, Petoskey News-Review.

Best Editorial Writing: Betsy Bloom, The (Iron Mountain) Daily News; Sarah Leach, The Holland Sentinel; Elisabeth Waldon, The (Greenville) Daily News.

Best Feature Writing: Theresa Proudfit, The (Iron Mountain) Daily News; Lisa Roose-Church, Livingston Daily Press & Argus; Cory Smith, The (Greenville) Daily News.

Best Sports Story: Ryan Schlehuber, The (Greenville) Daily News, “Crystal Brother and Sister Compete in World Powerlifting Tournament with Success”; Ryan Schlehuber, The (Greenville) Daily News, “Norwegian Foreign Exchange Student Lives Out Dream”; Josh VanDyke, Grand Haven Tribune, “Laker Legacy.”

Best Sports Feature Story: Dan D’Addona, The Holland Sentinel, “Hugs, Hoops and Healing”; Ryan Schlehuber, The (Greenville) Daily News, “Father and Son Duo from Greenville Named Michigan Arms’ Wrestlers of the Year”; Chris Zadorozny, The Holland Sentinel, “Running Past Disease.”

Best Sports Column: Paul Adams, Huron Daily Tribune, “A Journey 15 Years in the Making”; Bill Khan, Livingston Daily Press & Argus, “State Tournaments Can be Cruel, Beautiful”; Josh VanDyke, Grand Haven Tribune, “VanDyke: MCC Continues to be a Small-School Juggernaut.”

Best Illustration or Graphic: Jordan Haenlein and Alex Doty, Grand Haven Tribune, “State of Craft Beer in Michigan”; Renee Tanner, Petoskey News-Review, “Delegate the Vote”; Renee Tanner, Petoskey News-Review, “What They Make.”

Best Spot News Photo: Gillis Benedict, Livingston Daily Press & Argus, “Lagoon Drive Fire”; Nick King, Midland Daily News, “Fire”; Caleb Whitmer, The Holland Sentinel, “Pigs Escape in Allegan County Crash.”

Best Feature Photo: Nick King, Midland Daily News, “In Flight”; Erin Kirkland, Midland Daily News, “Keeper of Culture”; Brittney Lohmiller, Midland Daily News, “Balancing Ballet.”

Best Sports Photo: Dan D’Addona, The Holland Sentinel, “Ethan Curtis & Cody Miller”; Jason Juno, The (Ironwood) Daily Globe, “Hurley’s Tim Buerger Makes Catch”; Brittney Lohmiller, Midland Daily News, “Volleyball Reaction.”

Best Photo Story: Erin Kirkland, Midland Daily News, “Keeper of Culture”; Erin Kirkland, Midland Daily News, “Weaving their Way”; Brittney Lohmiller, Midland Daily News, “One Busy Bird.”

Best Video: Bill Khan, Livingston Daily Press & Argus, “Epic Girls Cross Country Regional Battle”; Jeff Kiessel, Ludington Daily News, “Godspell”; Cory Smith, The (Greenville) Daily News, “A Weight Loss Story: Mike Walsh and Ann Harvey.”

Best Public Service: Alex Doty, Grand Haven Tribune, “Heath Pointe”; Theresa Proudfit, The (Iron Mountain) Daily News, “Gifts of Life”; Livingston Daily Press & Argus, “The Public Payroll.”

Best Spot News Coverage: Lisa Roose-Church and Gillis Benedict, Livingston Daily Press & Argus, “3 Dead in 40-car Pileup”; Becky Vargo, Grand Haven Tribune, “New Jersey Man Washed Off Grand Haven’s North Pier”; Becky Vargo, Grand Haven Tribune, “Woman Killed in U.S. 31 Motorcycle Crash.”

Best Enterprise Reporting: Brenda Battel, Huron Daily Tribune, “Fighting for Public Information”; Ilsa Matthes, Escanaba Daily Press, “Commissioner’s Grant Questioned”; Curtis Wildfong, The Holland Sentinel, “Life for a Life?”

Best Investigative Reporting: Chris Aldridge, Huron Daily Tribune, “Tilting Turbines”; Amy Biolchini and Curtis Wildfong, The Holland Sentinel, “Room for Rent”; Elisabeth Waldon, The (Greenville) Daily News, “Montcalm County Budget Fiasco.”

Best Full Page Design: Ryan Schlehuber, The (Greenville) Daily News, “Live to Dance”; Grand Haven Tribune, “Living Local “; Midland Daily News, “Majestic Michigan.”

Best Digital Presence: Sarah Leach and Jason Barczy, The Holland Sentinel; Grand Haven Tribune; Petoskey News-Review.

Best Multimedia Storytelling: Alex Doty, Grand Haven Tribune, “Church Fire”; Cory Smith, The (Greenville) Daily News, “Belding Marching Band Places 5th at State Finals and Tri County Marching Band Competes at Finals for 1st time “; Cory Smith, The (Greenville) Daily News, “New Year, New Life: Greenville Residents Transform their Lifestyles Via Weight Loss.”