Missouri APME Newspaper Winners

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - KANSAS CITY, MO (AP) - Winners of the 2018 Missouri Associated Press Media Editors newspaper contest were announced Thursday.

Nineteen newspapers submitted 413 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories and photos from 2018. A list of winners can be found at http://discover.ap.org/contests/Missouri-newspaper.

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

Winners in the 2018 Missouri APME newspaper contest:

News Writing Sweepstakes: Jackie Rehwald, Springfield News-Leader, “’’She was Homeless, Hit by a Truck and Lost Her Baby. Now She’s Being Sued by Medicaid.”

Photojournalism Sweepstakes: Nathan Papes, Springfield News-Leader, “Dying Dad Walks Daughter Down the Aisle.”

General Excellence Awards:

DIVISION IV (newspapers with circulations over 1 million weekly)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

DIVISION III (newspapers with circulations 150,000 to 1 million weekly)

Springfield News-Leader

DIVISION II (newspapers with circulations 25,000 to 150,000 weekly)

Columbia Missourian

DIVISION I (newspapers with circulations under 25,000 weekly)

Maryville Forum

AP Member of the Year: The Joplin Globe

DIVISION IV

Best Website: 1, St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Feature Writing: 1, Joe Robertson, The Kansas City Star, “SWAT Told Olathe Police Not to Go in, Body Cams Show. They Did Anyway and Killed a Woman”; 2, Erin Heffernan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Bird Watchers Spend the Day Scaring Birds”; 3, Judy L. Thomas, The Kansas City Star, “One Bishop Could Lead the Way to Another Bishop Being the First Charged for Sex Abuse.”

Headline Writing: 1, Josh Renaud, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Cities Reduce/Reuse/Rethink Recycling”; 2, Mike Reilly, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Swinging in the Rain”; 3, Colleen Schrappen, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “The End of an Aura.”

Opinion Writing: 1, Tod Robberson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “The Cancer of Decay”; 2, Tod Robberson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “King of Blight”; 3, Melinda Henneberger, The Kansas City Star, “If Gov. Eric Greitens Coerced His Hairdresser, Then He Should be Impeached.”

Public Interest/Investigative or In-Depth Reporting: 1, Samantha Liss, Blythe Bernhard and Chuck Raasch, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Sticker Shock”; 2, Erin Heffernan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “On Camera, in the Dark”; 3, Ian Cummings, Glenn E. Rice and Tony Rizzo, The Kansas City Star, “Stalk. Murder. Repeat.”

Sports Feature Writing: 1, Sam Mellinger, The Kansas City Star, “Good and Lucky: How Patrick Mahomes Wound Up in Kansas City, Quarterbacking the Chiefs”; 2, Brooke Pryor, The Kansas City Star, “Inside the ’Beautiful Mind’ of New Chiefs Wide Receiver Sammy Watkins”; 3, Vahe Gregorian, The Kansas City Star, “Amid Hall of Fame Campaign, Chiefs Great Johnny Robinson Stands for Something More.”

Spot News: 1, Jason Hancock, Bryan Lowry and Allison Kite, The Kansas City Star, “Greitens Resigns”; 2, The Kansas City Star, “17 Die in Missouri Duck Boat Tragedy”; 3, Jack Suntrup and Kurt Erickson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Greitens Resigns.”

Spot Sports: 1, The Kansas City Star, “Adidas Trial Verdict; KU’s Bill Self Defends Program; Big 12 Basketball Media Day”; 2, The Kansas City Star, “KU Beats Duke in Overtime to Reach Final Four”; 3, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “PGA Champion.”

Feature Photos: 1, Robert Cohen, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Bathrobe Shoveler”; 2, Cristina Fletes, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Cooling Off”; 3, J.B. Forbes, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Elevator Man.”

Graphics: 1, Wade Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Tillerson Out”; 2, Evan Hill, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “What’s New at the Arch?”

Photo Story: 1, Robert Cohen, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Broken Homes, Broken Lives”; 2, Laurie Skrivan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Bride of Christ”; 3, Laurie Skrivan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Home Away from Home.”

Sports Photos: 1, Robert Cohen, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Gymnastics Moves”; 2, Robert Cohen, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Ouch!”; 3, Laurie Skrivan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Cheering for Tiger.”

Spot News Photos: 1, J.B. Forbes, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Freeze!”; 2, J.B. Forbes, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Police Comfort”; 3, David Carson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Presidential Visit.”

DIVISION III

Best Website: 1, The Joplin Globe; 2, Springfield News-Leader.

Feature Writing: 1, Jackie Rehwald, Springfield News-Leader, “She was Homeless, Hit by a Truck and Lost Her Baby. Now She’s Being Sued by Medicaid.”; 2, Emily Younker, The Joplin Globe, “One Year Later: Nicodemus, Russell Families Healing after Losing Sons to Tragedy”; 3, Jordan Larimore, The Joplin Globe, “Local Groups, Law Enforcement Fight Human Trafficking in Joplin, Elsewhere.”

Headline Writing: 1, Thomas Huitt-Johnson, St. Joseph News-Press, “Patty Cakes Beats Baker Man”; 2, Brandon Zenner and Thomas Huitt-Johnson, St. Joseph News-Press, “Oh, Buch-Yeah”; 3, Giacomo Bologna, Springfield News-Leader, “Male Privilege Gone Wrong: Man Sentenced for Abandoning Corpse of Springfield Woman.”

Opinion Writing: 1, Springfield News-Leader, “If Safety is the Goal, Greene County Sheriff Must Change Pursuit Habits”; 2, Carol Stark, The Joplin Globe, “Duck Boat Tragedy Did Not Have to Happen”; 3, Andy Ostmeyer, The Joplin Globe, “No Excuse for Ignorance of Sunshine Law.”

Public Interest/Investigative or In-Depth Reporting: 1, Jordan Larimore and Emily Younker, The Joplin Globe, “Anatomy of a Tragedy”; 2, Emily Younker, The Joplin Globe, “As Student Populations Diversify, Teaching Staffs Remain Mostly White”; 3, Alissa Zhu, Springfield News-Leader, “1,800 Emails Shed Light on Greene County’s ’Sausage Making’ Ahead of Tax Vote.”

Sports Feature Writing: 1, Wyatt D. Wheeler, Springfield News-Leader, “Jackie Stiles, Still Fearing for Her Life, is on a Mission to Inspire Everyone she Seets”; 2, Wyatt D. Wheeler, Springfield News-Leader, “He was the Best Prospect to Ever Commit to Missouri State. Now He’s Trying to Stay Alive.”; 3, Jason Peake, The Joplin Globe, “A Special Bond: Mother Keeps Late Daughter Connected to Pro Boxer.”

Spot News: 1, Springfield News-Leader, “Branson, Missouri, Duck Boat Tragedy: 17 Dead, Others Injured in ’Mass Casualty’ Incident”; 2, Wyatt D. Wheeler, Springfield News-Leader, “The Water was Just the Beginning of Tia Coleman’s Nightmare”; 3, Jeff Lehr, The Joplin Globe, “Surviving Family Members Deal with ’Horrific’ Details of 1999 Freeman-Bible Murders.”

Spot Sports: 1, Wyatt D. Wheeler, Springfield News-Leader, “’I was Hired Here to Win Championships. Period.’: The Dana Ford era begins at MSU”; 2, Wyatt D. Wheeler, Springfield News-Leader, “FDA, Experts Cite Safety Risks of Therapy That Injured 2 MSU Players”; 3, Jason Peake, The Joplin Globe, “Logan Moon Set to Resume Pro Baseball Career.”

Feature Photos: 1, Nathan Papes, Springfield News-Leader, “Dying Dad Walks Daughter Down the Aisle”; 2, Roger Nomer, The Joplin Globe, “Balloons for Pen Pals”; 3, Nathan Papes, Springfield News-Leader, “What I Learned Spending the Night at Safe to Sleep, Springfield’s Overnight Women’s Shelter.”

Graphics: 1, Jamie Stade, Springfield News-Leader, “The Story of Milly Sawyers Across Early Springfield.”

Photo Story: 1, Andrew Jansen, Springfield News-Leader, “Family Fighting for Medical Marijuana Reform for Their Son”; 2, Roger Nomer, The Joplin Globe, “Joy Prom”; 3, Nathan Papes, Springfield News-Leader, “Dying Dad Walks Daughter Down the Aisle.”

Sports Photos: 1, Laurie Sisk, The Joplin Globe, “Determined to Tag”; 2, Andrew Jansen, Springfield News-Leader, “Here Come the Bears: Missouri State Knocks Off No. 9 Illinois State in Statement Victory”; 3, Laurie Sisk, The Joplin Globe, “Stops a Goal.”

Spot News Photos: 1, Nathan Papes, Springfield News-Leader, “Flames Shoot from Central Springfield Home”; 2, Andrew Jansen, Springfield News-Leader, “The Water was Just the Beginning of Tia Coleman’s Nightmare”; 3, Laurie Sisk, The Joplin Globe, “Briarbrook Fire.”

DIVISION II

Best Website: 1, Columbia Daily Tribune; 2, Columbia Missourian; 3, Jefferson City News Tribune.

Feature Writing: 1, Alexis Allison, Columbia Missourian, “River Man: How Jeff Barrow’s Love for Water Unites Missourians”; 2, Alexis Allison, Columbia Missourian, “Bearing the Burden: How Racism-Related Stress Hurts America’s Black Mothers and Babies”; 3, Nicole Roberts, Jefferson City News Tribune, “This was Home. I Didn’t Want to Leave.’”

Headline Writing: 1, NO WINNER.

Opinion Writing: 1, Charles L. Westmoreland, Columbia Daily Tribune, “Tribune’s View: City Must Look After its Own Business First”; 2, Gerry Tritz, Jefferson City News Tribune, “Our Opinion-Communication Needed”; 3, (Poplar Bluff) Daily American Republic, “Jeff City Circus.”

Public Interest/Investigative or In-Depth Reporting: 1, Kathryn Hardison, Columbia Missourian, “Milked Dry: Missouri’s Diminishing Dairy Industry at a Crossroads”; 2, Anna Brett and Tessa Weinberg, Columbia Missourian, “In Rural Missouri, Response to Sexual Assault is Uneven and Uncertain”; 3, Rudi Keller, Columbia Daily Tribune, “Russian Trolls Meddle at MU.”

Sports Feature Writing: 1, Cameron Teague-Robinson, Columbia Daily Tribune, “Visit with Cuonzo Martin Helps Illinois Teen Through Battle with Lymphoma”; 2, Daniel Jones, Columbia Daily Tribune, “Former College Football Player Tabb Looks to Hold NCAA Responsible for Not Doing Enough About Concussions”; 3, Eli Lederman, Columbia Missourian, “’Make an Impact’: Are All Those Missouri Uniforms Fashion Dos or Don’ts?”

Spot News: 1, Sky Chadde and Sam A Manas, Columbia Missourian, “City Manager Mike Matthes Resigns”; 2, Pat Pratt, Columbia Daily Tribune, “K2 Overdose Count Climbs as Police Seek Source”; 3, Noah Higgins-Dunn, Alexis Allison and Cary Littlejohn, Columbia Missourian, “Two Columbia-Area Hikers Found Dead in Alaska Backcountry.”

Spot Sports: 1, Greg Jackson and Jason Strickland, Jefferson City News Tribune, “Dominant from Start to Finish”; 2, Daniel Jones, Columbia Daily Tribune, “Kelly Bryant Chooses Missouri, Gives Tigers a Quarterback for 2019”; 3, Scott Borkgren, (Poplar Bluff) Daily American Republic, “Whippet Good.”

Feature Photos: 1, Hunter Dyke, Columbia Daily Tribune, “Flowercopter”; 2, Hailey Hofer, Columbia Missourian, “Josh Oxenhandler Attends the Jubilee Masquerade Gala”; 3, Jessi Dodge, Columbia Missourian, “Photo Gallery: ’Atmosphere’ Art Installation Creates Ethereal Visuals.”

Graphics: 1, Maria Callejon, Columbia Missourian, “Mending Broken Hearts”; 2, Brian Rosener, (Poplar Bluff) Daily American Republic, “Gavel Ready”; 3, Marilyn Haigh, Columbia Missourian, “Leasing Land from Across the Country.”

Photo Story: 1, Columbia Missourian, “Friday Night Sights: 9.7.18”; 2, Christiane-Tresor Crawford and Di Pan, Columbia Missourian, “Making a Difference: 27 Years of Preaching and Teaching”; 3, India Garrish, Columbia Missourian, “Teen Gets an Unconventional Prom at Women’s and Children’s Hospital.”

Sports Photos: 1, Antranik Tavitian, Columbia Missourian, “Battle Linebacker Elias Edwards Shows His Emotions at Halftime”; 2, Nate Fields, (Poplar Bluff) Daily American Republic, “State Loss”; 3, Jenna Kieser, Columbia Missourian, “Dennis Dudley of Columbia Draws His Bow Back.”

Spot News Photos: 1, Hunter Dyke, Columbia Daily Tribune, “Suicide in the Street”; 2, Hunter Dyke, Columbia Daily Tribune, “Kitten Rescue Cliché”; 3, Phu Nguyen, Columbia Missourian, “Terrance Williams Embraces Maleshia Estes at the Scene of a Shooting at 720 Demaret Drive.”

DIVISION I

Best Website: 1, Missouri Lawyers Weekly; 2, Phil Cobb, Maryville Forum.

Feature Writing: 1, Claire Colby, Boonville Daily News, “The Midwife Drive: More Rural Women Having Home Births”; 2, Claire Colby, Boonville Daily News, “Inmates Get Their Hands Dirty as They Get Clean”; 3, Nicholas Phillips, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, “From Prisoner to Public Defender.”

Headline Writing: 1, Tony Brown, Maryville Forum, “Bass Master Angles for Pro Fishing Career”; 2, Tony Brown, Maryville Forum, “Lettuce Dream Plants a Seed with Kehoe”; 3, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, “That Empty Feeling.”

Opinion Writing: 1, Jason Hunsicker, Kirksville Daily Express, “Jeff City Priorities are Out of Order”; 2, Jason Hunsicker, Kirksville Daily Express, “Domestic Violence Not Just an NFL Problem”; 3, Jenny Gray, Fulton Sun, “Anniversary of 9/11 is Personal.”

Public Interest/Investigative or In-Depth Reporting: 1, Geoffrey Woehlk, Maryville Forum, “Funding Hinges on Audit”; 2, Jason Hunsicker, Kirksville Daily Express, “Lobbyists”; 3, Jenny Gray, Fulton Sun, “Historic Church’s Tiny Statue is Mostly a Mystery.”

Sports Feature Writing: 1, Travis David, Hannibal Courier-Post, “College Baseball Player, Young Fan Build Special Connection”; 2, Kevin Graeler, Hannibal Courier-Post, “Hannibal Twins Playing for Each Other in Final Game”; 3, Austin Miller, Kirksville Daily Express, “Robbins Finds Groove as Daily Express Boys Track Athlete of the Year.”

Spot News: 1, Helen Wilbers, Fulton Sun, “Several Hurt in 3-Semi Accident on I-70”; 2, Erik Cliburn, Moberly Monitor-Index, “Murderer to Serve 5 Life Sentences”; 3, Nicholas Phillips and Scott Lauck, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, “$5B Verdict Reached in Talc Case.”

Spot Sports: 1, Henry Janssen, (Brookfield) Linn County Leader, “The Bell Stays with Marceline in Thrilling Finish”; 2, Kevin Graeler, Hannibal Courier-Post, “Raw Emotions on Full Display for Father and State-Bound Son”; 3, Kevin Graeler, Hannibal Courier-Post, “Longtime Hannibal Football Coach Says Next Season Will be His Last.”

Feature Photos: 1, Skye Pournazari, Maryville Forum, “Casi Joy Performs at Pickering Horse Show”; 2, Skye Pournazari, Maryville Forum, “Goats Give Gravestones a Go-Over at Morehouse Cemetery.”

Graphics: 1, Matt Foster and Scott Lauck, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, “Six Degrees of Greitens”; 2, Ryan O’Shea and Nicholas Phillips, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, “Treatment Courts by the Numbers”; 3, Ryan O’Shea, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, “In His Defense.”

Photo Story: 1, Skye Pournazari, Maryville Forum, “Tonic Sol-Fa Performs in Maryville.”

Sports Photos: 1, Mathew Kirby, Hannibal Courier-Post, “Corner of His Muddy Eye”; 2, Jon Dykstra, Maryville Forum, “Maryville Wins Highway-71 Showdown for Seventh-Straight Year”; 3, Mathew Kirby, Hannibal Courier-Post, “Relentless.”

Spot News Photos: 1, Skye Pournazari, Maryville Forum, “Fire Claims Four-Apartment Home on Third Street”; 2, Mitch Prentice, (Camdenton) Lake Sun, “Four Boys Killed in Lake Ozark Fire Ranged in Age from 14 to 4”; 3, Skye Pournazari, Maryville Forum, “Parnell Driver Unharmed in Overturned Semi.”