Best of Show

•  “After the Fire,” Matt Rainey, The Star-Ledger, Newark          

1. Spot News-Weekly

• First Place-"Truck Overturn," Demitirus Balevski, Today Newspapers, West Paterson, North Jersey Media Group

• Second Place-"Close Call," Gary Jung, Ridgewood News, North Jersey Media Group

• Third Place-"Bus Fire," Anthony Smedile, The Current, Egg Harbor, Catamaran Media Co.

• Honorable Mention-"Not So Comfortable," Al Sullivan, The Hoboken Reporter, Hudson Reporter Associates

• Honorable Mention-"The Victory," Michele Johnson, The Coast Star, Manasquan, Coast Star Inc.

1. Spot News-Daily

• First Place-"Clubbing Protestors, Protestor Strikes, Gun is Drawn," Andrew Mills, The Star-Ledger, Newark          

• Second Place-"Cuban Protestor," Andrew Mills, The Star-Ledger, Newark          

•  Third Place-"Anguished Cry," Ellie Markovitch, The Jersey Journal, Jersey City

• Honorable Mention-"Watery Landing," Frank H. Conlon, The Star-Ledger, Newark          

• Honorable Mention-"Burned Out," Peter Ackerman, Asbury Park Press, Neptune

2. General News-Weekly

• First Place-“A Final Salute” Robert Ward, The Beacon, Manahawkin Times-Beacon Newspapers

• Second Place-“Pinned,” Jeff Granit, Gazette Leader, Worrall Community Newspapers

• Third Place-“Untitled,” Susan Zeilnhofer, ” Dateline Journal, Clifton, North Jersey Media Group

• Honorable Mention-“You Don’t Say,” Jeff Granit, Echo Leader, Union, Worrall Community Newspapers

• Honorable Mention-“Maypole Weavers,” Robyn C. Stein, Hopewell Valley News, Pennington, Packet Publications

2. General News-Daily

• First Place-“Sign of the Times,” Paris L. Gray, Courier-Post, Cherry Hill

• Second Place-“Praying Over Pastor,” Michael Mancuso, The Times, Trenton

• Third Place-“Short End of the Stick,” Dale R. Gerhard- The Press of Atlantic City, Pleasantville

• Honorable Mention-“Funeral,” Stanley Brick, The Times, Trenton

• Honorable Mention-“Solider Boy--Korean War Memorial,” Vernon Ogrodnek, The Press of Atlantic City, Pleasantville   

 3. Sports Action-Weekly

• First Place-“Home Plate Collision,” Larry Murphy, The Citizen of Morris County, Denville, Recorder Community Newspapers

• Second Place-“Down the Line,” Jerry Wolkowitz, The News Transcript, Freehold, Greater Media Newspapers

• Third Place-“The Grab,” Dennis Cairns, The Coast Star, Manasquan, Coast Star Inc.

• Honorable Mention, “Got an Itch?” Susan Zeilnhofer, Suburban Trends, West Paterson, North Jersey Media Group

• Honorable Mention-“I Got It!” Chris Troyano, The Two River Times, Red Bank

3. Sports Action-Daily      

• First Place-“Out of Reach,” Nancy Rokos, Burlington County Times, Willingboro    

• Second Place-“Soar to Score,” Michael Mancuso         The Times, Trenton          

• Third Place-“Fight,” Mike Treola, Asbury Park Press, Neptune         

• Honorable Mention-“O’Neill Tumbles,” Thomas E. Franklin, The Record, Hackensack

• Honorable Mention-“Clearance”, Shawn Sullivan, Courier-Post, Cherry Hill

4. Sports Feature-Weekly

• First Place-“Score!!” Frank Wojciechowski, The Princeton Packet, Princeton Packet Publications

• Second Place-“Just Can’t Watch,” Debbie Weisman, The Bernardsville News, Recorder Community Newspapers

• Third Place-“Hiding,” Jerry Wolkowitz, The News Transcript, Freehold, Greater Media Newspapers

• Honorable Mention, “Clifton Loses Title Match,” Susan Zeilnhofer, Dateline Journal, Clifton, North Jersey Media Group

• Honorable Mention-“Shot Put Launch,” Jerry Wolkowitz, The Suburban, Freehold, Greater Media Newspapers

4. Sports Feature-Daily

• First Place-“It's Not Just About the Fish,” Carmine Galasso, The Record, Hackensack

• Second Place-“Victory by Pin,” Frank H. Conlon, The Star-Ledger, Newark

• Third Place-“Key Goal,” Peter Ackerman, Asbury Park Press, Neptune         

• Honorable Mention-“Zippy’s Revenge,” David M. Warren, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia   

• Honorable Mention-“Yank’s Win,” Thomas E. Franklin, The Record, Hackensack

5. Feature-Weekly 

• First Place-“Trainer,” Phil McAuliffe, Messenger-Press, Hightstown, Packet Publications

• Second Place-“Synchronized Swimming, Almost,” Jerry Wolkowitz, The North/South Brunswick Sentinel, Freehold, Greater Media Newspapers

• Third Place-“Tree Man,” Anthony Smedile, The Current, Egg Harbor, Catamaran Media Co.

• Honorable Mention-“Indian Wedding,” Phil McAuliffe, Windsor-Hights Herald, Hightstown, Packet Publications

• Honorable Mention-“Tough American,” Anthony Smedile, The Current, Egg Harbor, Catamaran Media Co.

5. Feature-Daily     

• First Place-“Oh Christmas Tree,” Dick Costello, Home News Tribune, East Brunswick

• Second Place-“Dragon Wagon,” John T. Greilick, Courier News, Bridgewater

• Third Place-“They Shoe Horses, Don't They?,” Dawn Benko, Daily Record, Parsippany

• Honorable Mention-“Sky Diver,” Mark R. Sullivan, Home News Tribune, East Brunswick

• Honorable Mention-“Sun Shades,” Thomas E. Franklin, The Record, Hackensack

6. Feature Picture Story-Weekly        

• First Place-“To Kosovo and Back,” Phil McAuliffe, The Princeton Packet, Princeton, Packet Publications

• Second Place-“Hair Today - Gone Tomorrow,” Mark Czajkowski, The Princeton Packet, Princeton, Packet Publications

• Third Place-“A Day in the Life,” Jeff Granit, Irvington Herald, Worrall Community Newspapers

• Honorable Mention-“Mario’s Barber Shop,” David Gard. Photographer. The Sandpaper, Surf City

• Honorable Mention-“Switching Places,” Jeff Granit, The Eagle, Union, Worrall Community Newspapers

6. Feature Picture Story-Daily

• First Place-“After the Fire,” Matt Rainey, The Star-Ledger, Newark          

• Second Place-“In Love With a Faded Queen,” Carmine Galasso, The Record, Hackensack

• Third Place-“Rite of Passage,” Mary Iuvone, Courier News, Bridgewater

• Honorable Mention-“Salt Factory Threatens Survival,” Sharon Gekoski-Kimmel, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia

• Honorable Mention-“Vanishing Farms,” Cindy DeSau, The Times, Trenton

7. Portrait-Weekly

• First Place-“The House That Gamal Built,” David Gard, The Sandpaper, Surf City

• Second Place-“Dutch Market Girl,” Mark Czajkowski, The Princeton Packet, Princeton Packet Publications

• Third Place-“A Time to Reflect,” Frank Wojciechowski, Photographer, The Princeton Packet, Princeton Packet Publications

• Honorable Mention-“Saluting WWI,” Mary Godleski, Gazette-Leader, Wildwood,        Catamaran Media Co.

• Honorable Mention-“Up and Running,” Gary Jung, Ridgewood News, North Jersey Media Group

7. Portrait-Daily    

• First Place-“Vending Machine Beauty,” Michael Nixon, The Times, Trenton

• Second Place-“Freedom's Footsteps,” Danielle Richards, The Record, Hackensack

• Third Place-“Eugenio Lopez,” Jason Towlen, Home News Tribune, East Brunswick

• Honorable Mention-“Living in the Shadows,” Danielle Richards, The Record, Hackensack

• Honorable Mention-“Walae and Rama,” Lisa Kyle, Herald News, West Paterson

8. Pictorial-Weekly

• First Place-“Old Glory,” David Gard, The Sandpaper, Surf City

• Second Place-“Jelly Fishing,” David Gard, The Sandpaper, Surf City

• Third Place-“Car Wash,” Joe Sarno, Suburban Trends, West Paterson, North Jersey Media Group

• Honorable Mention, “Pushing Up Daisies,” David Gard, Photographer. The Sandpaper, Surf City

• Honorable Mention-“Up A Creek,” Ryan Morrill, The Sandpaper, Surf City

8. Pictorial-Daily

• First Place-“Farmer John,” Cindy DeSau, The Times, Trenton

• Second Place-“Vintage Glory,”Beth Balbierz, The Record, Hackensack

• Third Place-“Men,” Noah Murray, The Star-Ledger, Newark

• Honorable Mention-“Equine Evening,” Michael Mancuso, The Times, Trenton

• Honorable Mention-“Jetty Sunrise,” Peter Ackerman, Asbury Park Press, Neptune

9. Illustrations-Daily and Weekly

• First Place-“Now Hear This,” Saed Hindash, The Star-Ledger, Newark

• Second Place-“Color Squeeze,” Saed Hindash, The Star-Ledger, Newark

•  Third Place-“The Trauma of Rape,” Robert Bielk, Asbury Park Press, Neptune

• Honorable Mention-“New Eggulations,” Vernon Ogrodnek, The Press of Atlantic City, Pleasantville

• Honorable Mention-“Dog Days of Summer,” Rose Shields, Burlington County Times, Willingboro