Vindicator again named best in class at AP awards

Staff report

COLUMBUS

For the second-straight year, The Vindicator was named best in the state for newspapers with a daily circulation of 25,000 to 74,999 and won 12 other first-place awards Sunday in the annual Ohio Associated Press Media Editors competition.

The Vindicator won the General Excellence award for 2014 and the top award for Best Digital Presence.

“To win best in Ohio for the second year in a row is a huge thrill,” Vindicator Editor Todd Franko said. “We work hard in so many ways. What’s special this year is to earn digital and social media honors along with our traditional media work. That’s pretty cool.”

The Vindicator’s Joe Scalzo was selected Best Sports Writer and won three other first-place awards.

Vindicator art director Robert McFerren earned the honor of Best Graphics Artist and won two other top awards.

Vindicator sports editor Ed Puskas was named Best Sports Columnist and shared the top award for Best Sports Event Coverage with Scalzo.

Other first-place winners from The Vindicator included photographer William Lewis for Best Photo Essay; freelance photographer David Dermer for Best Sports Photo; and chief photographer Robert Yosay for Best News Photo. Yosay earlier this year won the top Ohio News Photographers Association award for Spot News.

Sixty-two daily newspapers submitted 2,395 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics and photos from 2014.

The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,400 daily newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States. Members of AP include 85 daily newspapers in Ohio.

The Vindicator also placed second and third in 21 categories. Following are the results:

General Excellence: 1. The Vindicator.

Best Digital Presence: 1. The Vindicator.

Best Full Page Layout: 2. Robert McFerren, The Vindicator; 3. McFerren.

Best Investigative Reporting: 2. The Vindicator, “Fracking and Earthquakes in the Valley.”

Best Enterprise Reporting: 3. Robert Connelly and Kalea Hall, The Vindicator, “Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course.”

Best Breaking News Coverage: 3. The Vindicator, “The Resignation of Randy Dunn.”

Best Community Service: 2. The Vindicator, “Tracking Mahoning County Spending Series.”

Best Photo Essay: 1. William Lewis, The Vindicator, “Homemade Sausage at Mt. Olivet Church”; 3. Robert Yosay, The Vindicator, “Ice Fishing.”

Best Sports Photo: 1. David Dermer, The Vindicator, “All Hoosiers.”

Best News Photo: 1. Robert Yosay, The Vindicator, “Body Found on Midland.”

Best Illustration: 1. Robert McFerren, The Vindicator, “Leno’s Last Stand (up)”; 3. McFerren, “Tressel Crossing the Mahoning.”

Best Informational Graphics: 1. Robert McFerren, The Vindicator, “Alleged Enterprise of Oakhill Corruption”; 2. McFerren, “Poland Earthquakes.”

Best Daily Sports Section: 2. The Vindicator.

Best Sports Event Coverage: 1. Joe Scalzo and Ed Puskas, The Vindicator, “Bo Pelini Hired as YSU Football Coach”; 3. Scalzo and Puskas, “Firing of YSU Football Coach Eric Wolford.”

Best News Writer: 3. Peter Milliken, The Vindicator.

Best Photographer: 3. Robert Yosay, The Vindicator.

Best Sports Writer: 1. Joe Scalzo, The Vindicator; 2. Kevin Connelly, The Vindicator.

Best Sports Feature Writer: 1. Joe Scalzo, The Vindicator.

Best Sports Columnist: 1. Ed Puskas, The Vindicator.

Best Graphics Artist: 1. Robert McFerren, The Vindicator; 3. Richard Darbey, The Vindicator.

Best Feature Writer: 2. Todd Franko, The Vindicator; 3. Kalea Hall, The Vindicator.

Best Editorial Writer: 3. Rick Logan, The Vindicator.

Best Business Writer: 2. Ed Runyan, The Vindicator; 3. Kalea Hall, The Vindicator.

Best Headline Writer: 2. Matt Arnold, The Vindicator.

Best Use of Social Media: 1. Joe Scalzo, The Vindicator.

TELEVISION

The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, 21 WFMJ-TV, also fared well in the annual Ohio Associated Press Media Editors broadcast competition.

Following are the results:

Best Investigative Reporting: 2. Michelle Nicks, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown, “YPD OVI.”

Best Documentary or Series: 2. Kate Keller and Sam Easton, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown, “Medical Marijuana.”

Best Use of Photography: 1. Derek Steyer, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown; 2. Robert Meluch, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown, “Bottle Recycling.”

Best Broadcast Writing: 2. Michelle Nicks and John Mikulas, WFMJ-TV, Youngstown.