Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors

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The 2009 Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors annual convention was held on May 29, 2009 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The contest was judged by member newspapers in Colorado.

Contest information for the 2010 PAPME contest will be posted in November 2009.

For the Paul Vathis Photojournalism Award, Best in Show and Ralph J. Flamminio Scholarship winners, please see PAPME News. Congratulations to all of the winners!

PAPME 2009 Contest winners:

CIRCULATION OVER 75,000

WRITING

Best Sports Deadline Reporting

First Place: Staff, Philadelphia Daily News, “Send in the crown - Phillies win the World Series”

Second Place: Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Boston's Bay”

Best Sports / Outdoors Column

First Place: Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Role model Walker fulfills huge promise”

Second Place: Joe Starkey, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “Disease couldn't ruin Blass”

Best Sports Feature Reporting

First Place: Mark Kram, Philadelphia Daily News, “A place beyond words”

Second Place: Karen Price, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “Man vs. nature”

Best Editorial

First Place: Reg Henry, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Brain Dead”

Second Place: Tom Waseleski, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “WVU-gate”

Best Investigative Reporting

First Place: Luis Fabregas, Andrew Conte, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “Transplanting too soon”

Second Place: Martha Woodall, Dan Hardy, The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Charter Schools”

Best Spot News Reporting

First Place: Staff, The Morning Call, “Bulldog Bolts”

Second Place: Jan Murphy, Charles Thompson, The Patriot-News, “Bonus Busts”

Best General News Reporting

First Place: Carl Prine, Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “Sale of the Steelers”

Second Place: Tracie Mauriello, Dennis B. Roddy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Bonusgate”

Best Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Tom Infield, The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Alpha Company: Their war comes home”

Second Place: Betsy Hiel, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “The Battle for Afghanistan”

Best Business Writing

First Place: Harold Brubaker, The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Taxpayers on hook for millions”

Second Place: Allison Heinrichs, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “Ethanol hits lean times in W. PA.”

Best Feature Writing

First Place: Cristina Rouvalis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Watch him succeed”

Second Place: William Loeffler, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “You can always wear it again”

Best Column

First Place: Elmer Smith, Philadelphia Daily News, “Fumo vs Spitzer: It's about hypocrisy”

Second Place: Jill Porter, Philadelphia Daily News, “Are we ready to cross Obama's bridge?”

Best Example of Public Service by a Newspaper

First Place: John Shiffman, John Sullivan, Tom Avril, The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Smoke and Mirrors: The Subversion of the EPA”

Second Place: Kitty Caparella, Philadelphia Daily News, “Post Mortem”

Best Online Coverage of Breaking News

First Place: Catherine Lucey, Chris Brennan, Philadelphia Daily News, “PhillyClout coverage of Election Day”

Second Place: Staff, The Morning Call, “Carbon Monoxide victim was retired PPL Engineer”

PHOTOS

Best Spot News Photo

First Place: David Maialetti, Philadelphia Daily News, “Fallen police officer”

Second Place: Gary Dwight Miller, The Patriot-News, “Fire”

Best Feature Photo

First Place: Andrew Russell, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “Battle for the ages”

Second Place: Guy Wathen, Tribune-Review, “Veterans Day”

Best Sports Photo

First Place: James M. Kubus, Tribune-Review, “Just shy of a miracle”

Second Place: Sean Simmers, The Patriot-News, “Last second win”

Best Personality Portrait

First Place: Andrew Russell, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “Art in the Arctic”

Second Place: Rebecca Droke, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Life of the party: designer Sean Gray”

Best Photo Story

First Place: Sean Simmers, The Patriot-News, “A bond forever”

Second Place: Christine Baker, The Patriot-News, “Choosing birth at home”

CIRCULATION 30,000-75,000

WRITING

Best Sports Deadline Reporting

First Place: Sean McLernon, Ryan Dixon, York Daily Record / Sunday News, “Still the best”

Second Place: Ryan Robinson, Lancaster New Era, “A heroic battle”

Best Sports / Outdoors Column

First Place: Paul Sokoloski, Times Leader, “Strip the man of his status as Pens captain”

Second Place: Don Stewart, Reading Eagle, “Battle with cancer gives MacDonald perspective”

Best Sports Feature Reporting

First Place: Jeff Frantz, York Daily Record / Sunday News, “The last fight”

Second Place: Cory Giger, Altoona Mirror, “Black and white”

Best Editorial

First Place: Jim Burchik, Lancaster New Era, “Lower drinking age a horrendous idea”

Second Place: Ernest Schreiber, Lancaster New Era, “Child-porn case outcome troubling”

Best Investigative Reporting

First Place: Dave Janoski, Michael Sisak, The Citizens' Voice, “Follow the money”

Second Place: Jack Brubaker, Lancaster New Era, “Locked up and beaten up”

Best Spot News Reporting

First Place: Dave Janoski, The Citizens' Voice, “Unlucky Louie”

Second Place: Kimm Montone, David Falchek, Staff, The Times-Tribune, “3 Slain in City”

Best General News Reporting

First Place: Mike Hoover, Rick Lee, Mike Argento, Michele Canty, Jeff Frantz, York Daily Record, “Ex-cop accused of rape”

Second Place: Dave Singleton, Borys Krawczeniuk, Stacy Brown, Laura Lejere, and staff, The Times-Tribune, “Fallen firefighter”

Best Enterprise Reporting

First Place: James Haggerty, David Falchek, The Times-Tribune, “Changing economy”

Second Place: Tom Lavis, Ruth Rice, The Tribune-Democrat, “Churches at the crossroads”

Best Business Writing

First Place: Jim Haggerty and Staff, The Times-Tribune, “Boscov's seeking Chapter 11 protection”

Second Place: Nicholas Sohr, The Citizen's Voice, “Facing Recession”

Best Feature Writing

First Place: Erica Erwin, Erie Times-News, “Lost Innocence: The Wurst shooting ten years later”

Second Place: Phil Gianficaro, The Intelligencer, “Blue sky rains red sun”

Best Column

First Place: Philip E. Heron, Delaware County Daily Times, “Crego's legacy lives on in Penn-Delco”

Second Place: Linda Espenshade, Intelligencer Journal, “Saying goodbye to 'the girls' might be harder than expected”

Best Example of Public Service by a Newspaper

First Place: Christina Kristofic, The Intelligencer, “The missing minute”

Second Place: Staff, York Daily Record / Sunday News, “How do we stop DUI?”

Best Online Coverage of Breaking News

First Place: Staff, York Daily Record / Sunday News, “Manhunt for ex-cop accused of rape”

Second Place: Staff, The Times-Tribune, “Palin visit to Scranton”

PHOTOS

Best Spot News Photo

First Place: Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record / Sunday News, “A loved one lost”

Second Place: Celeste Van Kirk, Observer-Reporter, “A bittersweet day”

Best Feature Photo

First Place: Carl Kosola, The Intelligencer, “Backyard Wrestling”

Second Place: Greg Wohlford, Erie Times-News, “Will trend go stale?”

Best Sports Photo

First Place: Richard Hertzler, Lancaster New Era, “Foggy Practice”

Second Place: Rob Engelhardt, Erie Times-News, “Dodgeball”

Best Personality Portrait

First Place: Richard Hertzler, Lancaster New Era, “Love light”

Second Place: Lauren A. Little, Reading Eagle, “The art of teaching art”

Best Photo Story

First Place: Jason Farmer, The Times-Tribune, “Hero answers the final bell”

Second Place: Susan Angstadt, Reading Eagle, “The long goodbye”

CIRCULATION 15,000-29,999

WRITING

Best Sports Deadline Reporting

First Place: Jeff Rice, Walt Moody, Vinny Pezzimenti, Centre Daily Times, “A skidding stop”

Second Place: Mitch Rupert, Press Enterprise, “Cruel and unusual”

Best Sports / Outdoors Column

First Place: Todd Stanford, The Daily Item, “Ermert's 99 lives on in infamy”

Second Place: Walt Moody, Centre Daily Times, “Celebration shouldn't whet fans' appetite for public destruction”

Best Sports Feature Reporting

First Place: Dave Zeitlin, Daily Local News, “What happened to Dusty Grim?”

Second Place: Dave Zeitlin, Daily Local News, “Hearts of Gold”

Best Editorial

First Place: Nancy March, The Mercury, “State budget plan built like a straw house”

Second Place: David Troisi, Williamsport Sun-Gazette, “Math makes bay cleanup a state funding priority”

Best Investigative Reporting

First Place: Patrick E. Litowitz, New Castle News, “LaGrotta accuser shares motives”

Second Place: Beth Brelje, Pocono Record, “Animal abuse official fired”

Best Spot News Reporting

First Place: Pete Bosak, Jennifer Thomas, Chris Rosenblum, Centre Daily Times, “Gunman Killed”

Second Place: Andrew Scott, Beth Brelje, Howard Frank, Dan Berrett, Helen Yanulus, Janis Dahlman, Pocono Record, “Teen Rape Suspect”

Best General News Reporting

First Place: David Pierce, Pocono Record, “Poconos rides out housing bust, experts say”

Second Place: Sam Kusic, The Indiana Gazette, “Wheeler Arson Trial”

Best Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Jennifer Miller, Daily Local News, “Guns and crime”

Second Place: Dena Pauling, Centre Daily Times, “Mold problem kept quiet”

Best Business Writing

First Place: Jennifer Thomas, Centre Daily Times, “Devastating blow”

Second Place: Gretchen Metz, Daily Local News, “Gridlock: Transit shortfall clogs economic engine”

Best Feature Writing

First Place: Chris Rosenblum, Centre Daily Times, “Unbroken Spirit”

Second Place: Liz Hayes, Michael Aubele, Tom Yerace, Valley News Dispatch, “Barber Pols”

Best Column

First Place: Evan Brandt, The Mercury, “Remember kids, don't be a smartass”

Second Place: David Pierce, Pocono Record, “Today's 'us vs. them' a twist on tourism bashing”

Best Example of Public Service by a Newspaper

First Place: Beth Brelje, David Pierce, Howard Frank, Paula C. Heeschen, Pocono Record, “Monroe's clout cut to pieces”

Second Place: Evan Brandt and Nancy March, The Mercury, “Keeping local officials on track”

Best Online Coverage of Breaking News

First Place: Staff, The Sentinel, “Police: Barclay secretly videotaped sexual encounters”

Second Place: Naomi Creason, Alex Roarty, The Sentinel, “Bill Clinton speaks at Dickinson College”

PHOTOS

Best Spot News Photo

First Place: Jimmy May, Press Enterprise, “One Dead in Wreck”

Second Place: Robert Esquivel, Herald-Standard, “7 year-old injured in Bullskin crash”

Best Feature Photo

First Place: Justin Guido, Butler Eagle, “A good-bye kiss”

Second Place: Dave Prelosky, Butler Eagle, “Corn kids”

Best Sports Photo

First Place: Mark Nance, Williamsport Sun-Gazette, “The thrill of victory”

Second Place: Michael Bupp, The Sentinel, “State champ”

Best Personality Portrait

First Place: Matthew Harris, The Daily Item, “Runner Tyler Erhard”

Second Place: Melissa Evanko, Pocono Record, “Magazines with the most eye-popping art”

Best Photo Story

First Place: Nabil K. Mark, Centre Daily Times, “Success is no pipe dream: Vert Ride Champion Jamie Bestwick”

Second Place: Daniel Creighton, The Mercury, “Fire ravages 3 buildings”

CIRCULATION BELOW 15,000

WRITING

Best Sports Deadline Reporting

First Place: Josh Martin, Gettysburg Times, “Heart of a champion”

Second Place: Joey Gulino and Brian Cox, The Sentinel, “Tigers fall to Fighting Irish”

Best Sports / Outdoors Column

First Place: C.J. Mittica, The Bulletin, “25 and counting”

Second Place: B.J. Small, Gettysburg Times, “Charlie Sterner: A sportsman and a gentleman lost”

Best Sports Feature Reporting

First Place: Jon Sitler, Warren Times Observer, “Warren County Battery”

Second Place: Ian Ofslager and Jon Sitler, Warren Times Observer, “Huge Jump: Eisenhower great Torbett finds even more success as D-I volleyball coach”

Best Editorial

First Place: James Runkle, The Express, “Unfriendly and closed”

Second Place: Nona Breaux, The Reporter, “Mayor takes the high road”

Best Investigative Reporting

First Place: Scott Johnson, The Express, “Clinton County Budget”

Second Place: Bradley Vasoli, The Bulletin, “Adams v. Teamsters, Rendell, et al”

Best Spot News Reporting

First Place: Megan Bollinger, Frank Jost, The Sentinel, “Consumed by flames”

Second Place: Donald R. Serfass, The Times News, “Five occupants flee Tamaqua blaze”

Best General News Reporting

First Place: Kyle Milliron, Marcie Schellhammer, The Bradford Era, “Crude oil spilled”

Second Place: Chuck Hayes, Times Observer, “Oil field vandalism”

Best Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Staff, The Reporter, “Remember When”

Second Place: Staff, The Express, “Out in the cold”

Best Business Writing

First Place: Chris Buckley, The Valley Independent, “Bringing back the magic”

Second Place: Rick Kazmer, The Daily American, “Sold: Maryland company purchases Fleetwood”

Best Feature Writing

First Place: Donald R. Serfass, Karen Cimms, Times-News, “Faces of Autism”

Second Place: Chuck Hayes, Times Observer, “River Men”

Best Column

First Place: Denny Bonavita, The Courier-Express, “Godspeed, two beloved teachers”

Second Place: Nick Hoffman, The Courier-Express, “Obama's roots”

Best Example of Public Service by a Newspaper

First Place: Staff, Gettysburg Times, “Progress 2007-2008”

Second Place: Donald Serfass, Karen Cimms, Times-News, “Faces of Autism”

Best Online Coverage of Breaking News

First Place: No winner

Second Place: No winner

PHOTOS

Best Spot News Photo

First Place: Jim Ference, The Valley Independent, “Photographer changes roles”

Second Place: Bill Schwartz, Gettysburg Times, “Busload of students overturns”

Best Feature Photo

First Place: Mark Psoras, The Reporter, “Last day embrace”

Second Place: Evan Sanders, Daily Courier, “Never forget the innocent victims”

Best Sports Photo

First Place: Geoff Patton, The Reporter, “Baseball”

Second Place: Mark Psoras, The Reporter, “Game winner”

Best Personality Portrait

First Place: Bill Schwartz, Gettysburg Times, “Pucker up, baby”

Second Place: Evan Sanders, Daily Courier, “Cannoli consumer”

Best Photo Story

First Place: No winner

Second Place: No winner