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DETROIT (AP) — Newspapers in Detroit, Ann Arbor and Jackson were named the best in the state Sunday in the annual Michigan Associated Press Media Editors newspaper competition.
General Excellence awards for 2014 went to the Detroit Free Press, The Ann Arbor News and The Jackson Citizen Patriot.
Thirty-three daily newspapers submitted 1,270 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics and photos from 2014.
Entries were judged by editors from The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch and The Sacramento (Calif.) Bee, Division III; The (Elyria, Ohio) Chronicle-Telegram and Sandusky (Ohio) Register, Division II; the Decatur (Ala.) Daily and Fort Payne (Ala.) Times-Journal, Division I.
The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,400 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States. Members of AP include 48 daily newspapers in Michigan.
Winners in the 2014 Michigan APME newspaper contest:
DIVISION III, Newspapers with a daily circulation of more than 40,000
General Excellence: 1, Detroit Free Press; 2, The Grand Rapids Press; 3, The Detroit News.
Best Enterprise Reporting: 1, Jim Schaefer and Brian Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, "Is Ice Cream Man a War Criminal?"; 2, Karen Bouffard, The Detroit News, "Surviving Through Age 18"; 3, Garret Ellison and Cory Morse, The Grand Rapids Press, "Urban Renewal."
Best Investigative Reporting: 1, Detroit Free Press, "The State of Charters in Michigan"; 2, Christine MacDonald, The Detroit News, "Delinquent Landlords Taking Section 8 Funds"; 3, Gina Damron, Detroit Free Press, "Why Wasn't He In Prison?"
Best Sustained Coverage in News: 1, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Bankruptcy Mediation Exclusives"; 2, The Detroit News, "GM Auto Switch Cutoff"; 3, Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, "Radioactive Sludge."
Best Breaking News: 1, The Grand Rapids Press, "Tornado Rips Through Grand Rapids Suburbs"; 2, Louise Knott Ahern and Lindsay VanHulle, Lansing State Journal, "Legally Married"; 3, The Grand Rapids Press, "Fifth Third Ballpark Blaze."
Best News Column: 1, Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press, "Kids Fight — And the Teacher Gets Tossed?"; 2, Rochelle Riley, Detroit Free Press, "Maya Angelou Obituary"; 3, Tom Rademacher, The Grand Rapids Press, "Ailing Flower Man's Message."
Best Public Service: 1, Robin Erb, Detroit Free Press, "Affordable Care Act Guides"; 2, The Grand Rapids Press, "Vaccinations Series"; 3, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Pension Vote."
Best Feature Story: 1, Sue Thoms, The Grand Rapids Press, "How Pam Buschle Found Will to Survive"; 2, Sue Thoms, The Grand Rapids Press, "Life as Conjoined Twins"; 3, Jim Schaefer and Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press, "The Flower Lady of the Great Lakes."
Best Website: 1, Detroit Free Press; 2, Lansing State Journal; 3, The Detroit News.
Best Multimedia Storytelling: 1, Elizabeth Conley and Jim Lynch, The Detroit News, "White Lake Moves Beyond its Toxic Past"; 2, Eric Seals and Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, "Ice Breaker"; 3, Scott Atkinson, The Flint Journal, " Lost Orphans."
Best Video: 1, Brian Kaufman and Jim Schaefer, Detroit Free Press, "Ice Cream Man or War Criminal?"; 2, Katie McLean, The Flint Journal, "Through Thick and Thin"; 3, Donna Terek, The Detroit News, "Harmonica Evangelist."
Best Photo Essay: 1, Michelle Tessier, The Flint Journal, "Search for Stability"; 2, Chris Clark, The Grand Rapids Press, "Septic Shock Survivor Adjusts to Life"; 3, Jake May, The Flint Journal, "Remembering Doug Halstead."
Best Sports Photo: 1, Robin Buckson, The Detroit News, "Class D Champions"; 2, Elizabeth Conley, The Detroit News, "The Crack of the Bat"; 3, Jarrad Henderson, Detroit Free Press, "Trophy Joy."
Best Feature Photo: 1, Jake May, The Flint Journal, "Till Death Do Us Part"; 2, David Guralnick, The Detroit News, "I Can't Look!"; 3, Jake May, The Flint Journal, "Give Me the Green Light."
Best News Photo: 1, Cory Morse, The Grand Rapids Press, "Man Shot While Sleeping"; 2, Laura McDermott, The Flint Journal, "11-hour Standoff Ends in Death"; 3, Chris Clark, The Grand Rapids Press, "Driver Killed."
Best Informational Graphics or Illustrations: 1, The Grand Rapids Press, "Michigan's Vaccination Waiver Rates"; 2, Ed Riojas, The Grand Rapids Press, "Michigan's Best Pie"; 3, Ed Riojas, The Grand Rapids Press, "LaughFest."
Best Sports Coverage: 1, Detroit Free Press, "Harbaugh Hired!"; 2, Detroit Free Press, "A 50-Year Roar: The Death of William Clay Ford"; 3, Detroit Free Press, "Coming Up Roses!"
Best Sports Column: 1, Tom Gage, The Detroit News, "New York Sorrow"; 2, Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press, "The Mystery Yooper and His Horse of Destiny"; 3, Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News, "Michigan Concussion."
Best Sports Enterprise: 1, Brendan Quinn, The Grand Rapids Press, "This is John Beilein"; 2, Joe Rexrode, Detroit Free Press, "Ageless Wonder"; 3, Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press, "Family Honors Sons."
Best Sustained Coverage in Sports: 1, Detroit Free Press, "The Fall of Jayru Campbell"; 2, Detroit Free Press, "Wolverines' Troubled Times"; 3, Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press, "Dancing to Gold and Fame."
Best Writer: 1, John Carlisle, Detroit Free Press; 2, Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press; 3, Francis X. Donnelly, The Detroit News.
Best Editorial Writer: 1, Jen Eyer, The Grand Rapids Press; 2, Zane McMillin, The Grand Rapids Press; 3, Kristin Longley, The Flint Journal.
Best Multimedia Journalist: 1, Elizabeth Conley, The Detroit News; 2, Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press; 3, Katie McLean, The Flint Journal.
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