Finalists announced for Ohio AP awards

Staff report

COLUMBUS

The Vindicator and its staff are finalists in several categories in this year’s Division IV Ohio Associated Press Media Editors competition, for newspapers with daily circulation of 25,000 to 74,999.

The newspaper’s series of stories on fracking is among the finalists for “Best Community Service.”

Among the three “Best Editorial Writer” finalists is The Vindicator’s Dennis Mangan, joined by Gayle Beck, The (Canton) Repository; and Jim Krumel, The Lima News.

Robert McFerren, art director for The Vindicator, got a nod for “Best Graphics Artist” along with Bob Kast and Michael Weiss, both of The Repository.

Other categories:

Best Breaking News: Elise Franco, The Vindicator, “Manhunt For Killer”; staff, The (Willoughby) News- Herald, “Shooting at Chardon High School”; Joe Gorman, Warren Tribune Chronicle, “‘We’re Dying.’”

Best Enterprise Reporting: Ashley Luthern, The Vindicator, “Juvenile Justice Series.” The Repository, “The Diabetes Crisis”; Bob Blake, The Lima News, “Modern-Day Slavery.”

Best Investigative Reporting: Robert Guttersohn, The Vindicator, “What Has Liberty ‘LEARN’ed?”; Doug Livingston, Warren Tribune Chronicle, “Mahoning Valley Charities”; Heather Rutz, The Lima News, “Pay Questioned.”

Best Community Service: The Vindicator, “Gas/Fracking Stories”; Warren Tribune Chronicle, “Tribune Chronicle Celebrates 200 Years”; Warren Tribune Chronicle, “Veterans Day.”

Best Sports Writer: Joe Scalzo, The Vindicator; Josh Weir, The Repository; Tom Usher, The Lima News.

Best Photographer: Robert Yosay, The Vindicator; Jay Sowers, The Lima News; Scott Heckel, The Repository.

Best Informational Graphic: McFerren, The Vindicator, “Titanic”; Bob Kast, The Repository, “Traffic Cameras”; Michael Weiss, The Repository, “Canton Marathon Course.”

Best Spot News Photo: William Lewis, The Vindicator, “South Side Sorrow”; Craig Orosz, The Lima News, “Man Dies in I-75 Crash”; Scott Heckel, The Repository, “Dice Game Lead to Homicide.”

Best Use of Multimedia: Staff and Todd Franko, The Vindicator, “Greatest Golfer of the Valley”; Ben Duer, The Repository, “Remembering McKayla Hoopes”; Michael Blair, The News-Herald, “Hospice Treatment Doesn’t Keep Wade Stroup From Volunteering.”

Awards in these categories will be announced during a ceremony in Columbus on May 19.