The Vindicator’s finalists announced in APME newspaper contest

Staff/wire report

COLUMBUS

Finalists have been announced in the Ohio Associated Press Media Editors’ 2018 newspaper contest, with The Vindicator’s staff in the running for many awards, including best public service, best spot news coverage and best enterprise reporting.

The awards in actual order of finish – first, second and third places – will be announced at the Ohio APME annual awards banquet May 4 in Columbus. The General Excellence, Hall of Fame, Rising Star and First Amendment winners also will be announced at the meeting.

Fifty-five daily newspapers submitted 1,776 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics and photos from 2018.

Here are The Vindicator’s finalists in the newspaper contest for Division IV, newspapers with a daily circulation of 19,000 to 59,999:

Best Headline Writer: Ed Puskas and Jen Schatzel

Best Business Writer: Jordyn Grzelewski, Kalea Hall

Best Columnist: Bertram de Souza

Best Graphics Artist: Robert McFerren

Best Sports Feature Writer: Brian Dzenis

Best Daily Sports Section: The Vindicator

Best Illustration or Informational Graphic: Robert McFerren

Best Feature Photo: Emily Matthews

Best Video: Emily Matthews

Best Public Service: Kalea Hall and Jordyn Grzelewski, “GM Lordstown Closure Coverage”

Best Spot News Coverage: The Vindicator, “Al Adi Coverage”; The Vindicator, “GM Lordstown ‘New Black Monday’”

Best Enterprise Reporting: Graig Graziosi, “Predatory Land Contracts/Lawsuit”; Justin Wier and David Skolnick, “Marchionda, Bozanich, Sammarone Indicted in Ongoing Corruption Probe”

Best Investigative Reporting: Samantha Phillips, “Liberty Pond Death”

Best Full Page Design: Robert McFerren

Best Digital Project: The Vindicator, “Election Coverage 2018/Vindy Live Debate”

Best Digital Presence: The Vindicator