Ohio Associated Press honors Blade staffers

5/20/2013
BLADE STAFF

COLUMBUS — David Kushma, The Blade’s editor, was judged the best editorial writer among Ohio’s largest newspapers in the annual Ohio Associated Press Media Editors newspaper competition.

Mr. Kushma, who oversees The Blade’s Pages of Opinion, was recognized Sunday in Columbus for his “well-written and well-reported collection of commentaries” in 2012.

First-place was awarded to Bob Cunningham as best headline writer.

In the best explanatory reporting category, Ignazio Messina and former Blade reporter Kate Giammarise were awarded third for their “Poverty & Politics” series.

Katie Rausch received first place for best general photograph, while Amy Voigt received third place in that category.

Best sports photograph was awarded to Jeremy Wadsworth, and he also picked up third place in the same category.

Dave Zapotosky was second in the best photo essay category.

Jon Chavez was awarded second in the best business writer category.

Tom Fisher was awarded second in the best graphics artist contest.

Third place for best full-page layout went to The Blade for the “Find Cutie” graphic.

General Excellence awards in the five divisions went to The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, The (Canton) Repository, Springfield News-Sun, Chillicothe Gazette, and the (East Liverpool) Review. The Columbus Dispatch won the First Amendment Award.

Sixty-seven daily newspapers submitted 2,742 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics, and photos from 2012.