The Dayton Daily News has won three first-place awards in theannual Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition for2009.
DaytonDailyNews.com beat out the Columbus Dispatch and ClevelandPlain Dealer for best web-site honors in Division V, for newspaperswith a daily circulation of more than 75,000.
The judges lauded the paper's website as 'very easy to navigate'and for the frequency of news updates.
Staff Writer Joanne Huist Smith won first place for bestcommunity service for a package of stories, 'Heroin Hits Home.' Thejudges said her series contained 'jolting anecdotes, carefuldocumentation' and 'delivers information straight to thebloodstream.'
Columnist Tom Archdeacon was judged best sports feature writer.The judges called his writing 'clean and vivid' with 'beautiful,telling details' and said he is 'a natural-born storyteller.'
Photographer Jim Wit-mer scored second place in best sports photofor his shot, 'Winning Scream.'
Staff Writers Tom Beyerlein and Laura Bischoff won third place inthe enterprise reporting category for their stories about 'DeathRow: No Certain End.'
Daily News food writer Mark Fisher's insights and commentariesabout 'Dayton Food and Restaurants' finished third for best blog.
General excellence awards in the five divisions went to TheColumbus Dispatch, Canton Repository, Sandusky Register, AshlandTimes-Gazette and Washington Court House Record Herald.
