COLUMBUS — Finalists were announced Monday in the Associated Press Society of Ohio’s 2007 newspaper competition. The Mount Vernon News is represented in several categories.
•Best Videographer: George Breithaupt, Kenesha R. Beheler and Samantha Deem all were named finalists.
•Best News Writer: Mark S. Jordan.
•Best Investigative Reporting: Melissa Raines, for her school fire inspection series.
The News is also a finalist in the Best Web Site category. Joshua Morrison is the News’ web master.
The News competes in Division II, newspapers with daily circulation of 8,000 to 12,999. The awards in actual order of finish — first, second and third places and honorable mentions — will be announced at the annual APSO meeting April 27 in Columbus.
Seventy-one daily newspapers submitted 3,215 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics, photos, design and videography from 2007.
Entries were judged by editors from the Ventura County Star, Camarillo, Calif., Division V; the Erie (Pa.) Times-News, Division IV; Potomac News, Woodbridge, Va., Division III; The Monitor, McAllen, Texas, and Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas, Division II; and State Journal, Frankfort, Ky., Division I.
The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,500 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States. Members of AP include 88 daily newspapers in Ohio.
