YOUNGSTOWN Vindicator staffers win Associated Press awards

The Vindicator received a third-place award for general excellence.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Two Vindicator reporters won first place in a statewide competition for their series of stories that launched an investigation of Trumbull County purchasing practices. And one of the newspaper's graphic artists received three awards, including first place for illustration.
Stephen Siff and Peggy Sinkovich of the newspaper's Warren bureau earned the top prize for investigative reporting Sunday at the annual Associated Press Society of Ohio awards competition for newspapers in the 25,000 to 75,000 circulation range.
About the series
Their series began last August when they uncovered unchecked spending and shoddy record-keeping in the Trumbull County maintenance department. The series led to an investigation by the county prosecutor, FBI and state Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification.
Also winning first place was Ed Yozwick, graphic artist. His illustration "Making good scents" won the top prize in the best illustration category. He also won third place in that category for "A worm warning " and third place in the best full-page layout category for "What's hot or not."
The newspaper received a third-place award for general excellence. The first-place winner was The Canton Repository, followed by The Cincinnati Post in second place.
The newspaper won second place for best page-one layout for a series of layouts done by Richard Logan, news editor; Mike Braun, design desk chief; and Shirley Brown, assistant design desk chief, under the direction of Robert McFerren, graphic arts director.
The Vindicator's sports section received a second-place award for best daily sports section. Rob Todor is the editor.
The paper's business staff also was honored. Don Shilling, business editor, won third place in the best business writer category, while Cynthia Vinarsky, business writer, earned an honorable mention.
Bruce Palmer, photographer, won third place in the best feature photo category for "How fast do you think you were going?" The photo was of a police officer leaning down to look at a young girl riding a Big Wheel.