'Indianapolis Star' Columnist Takes Top IAPME Honors

By: Indianapolis Star writer Matthew Tully took top honors at the Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors' awards ceremony Saturday for his coverage of a crime-plagued city apartment complex.

Tully won the Kent Cooper award for best overall newswriting at the IAPME spring meeting held at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel in downtown Indianapolis.

Judges called Tully's series on the Phoenix Apartments "journalism at its best" and lauded him for taking readers into a neighborhood that the larger community "found all too convenient to ignore."

The judges also praised the work of Star photographer Danese Kenon and said of Kenon and Tully: "It took no small amount of courage for these journalists to so frequently visit a place where even the police feel unsafe, and the conditions they exposed forced bureaucrats and politicians to respond in ways they should have long ago, but never would have without this searing report."

Janelle Roberts from The Journal Gazette won the Bushemi Sweepstakes Award for photo judged best of show during the banquet. Her photo, titled "38th Departure," shows an Indiana National Guard soldier being deployed for duty bending down to speak to her little sister.

The Will Counts Photojournalism Award for the top young photojournalist went to Joel Philippsen of The Republic in Columbus. Philippsen is a 2006 graduate of Ball State University and worked at The Herald-Press in Huntington before joining The Republic.

Phyllis McQueen won the Dale W. Burgess Award, which annually honors outstanding performance by an Indiana AP staff member.

McQueen has been administrative assistant in the Indianapolis bureau since 1998. She was cited largely for her work in planning and executing the annual job fair sponsored by the Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors and the Hoosier State Press Association Foundation and organizing the AP's network of election vote reporters in all 92 counties. She also assists editors at AP-served newspapers in numerous activities throughout the year.

AP member newspaper editors in Michigan judged this year's IAPME news and photojournalism contests, which are based on work done in 2007.

Following are the contest winners in these circulation divisions:

? Division 1, newspapers with daily circulations of 50,000 or more.

? Division 2, newspapers with daily circulations of 20,000 to 49,999.

? Division 3, newspapers with daily circulations of 10,000 to 19,999.

? Division 4, newspapers with daily circulations of 9,999 or less.

NEWSWRITING:

Editorial writing

Division 4

First: Dave Kurtz, The Evening Star, Auburn, "Emergency dispatching held hostage; Del Johnson made Auburn a special place; Tax savings really will be tax trade"

Second: Dan Davis, The Tribune, Seymour, "Were savings flushed away?; Darlage should withdraw request; Is police review board working?"

Third: Kelly Hawes, Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, "Wade Steffey; Good Book; No Hugs?"

Division 3

First: Rich Gotshall, Daily Journal, Franklin, "Proposal for gambling should be stopped; Commissioners, don't leave public out of loop; Bill passage boom for public"

Second: Rick A. Richards, The News-Dispatch, Michigan City, "Council Hypocrisy; Nepotism; Chemical Plant"

Third: David Hill, Daily Reporter, Greenfield, "Animal Control should return bird; Conflict of interest in mayoral recount; Peyton Manning: A new king of pop"

Division 2

First: Stephanie Salter, Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, "Driving while distracted: There ought to be a law; From death -- the gift of life; A supreme blow to free speech"

Second: Scott Underwood, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, "Shooting calls for external probe; Back to the future with Ockomon appointments; Ivy Tech trustees broke trust"

Third: Linda Hughes-Kirchubel, Journal & Courier, Lafayette, "Five prodigal counties come home; 'We're bored' is a common complaint; Drop the us-versus-them mentality"

Division 1

First: Stacey Stumpf, The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, "Social Security and buses; Low-balling farmland; BP and air quality"

Second: Tracy Warner, The Journal Gazette, "To: Tony Dungy; Whitewash; Driving on taxpayers' bill"

Third: Karen Francisco, The Journal Gazette, "Test scores and decent schools; Legislature's revolving door; Ivy Tech trustees"

Community affairs/public interest

Division 4

First: Cindy Bevington, Catherine Housholder, Grace Housholder, The News-Sun, Kendallville, "Solid Rock Forestry Closes Doors"

Second: Patricia Morrison, Nate Smith, Sally Petty, Washington Times-Herald, "Truelove Scandal"

Third: Dan Davis, January Wetzel, Zach Spicer, Aubrey Woods, The Tribune, Seymour, "Police review board needs changed"

Division 3

First: Erin Meyer, David Hill, Daily Reporter, "Seats of Power: Conflicts of Interest on the Greenfield City Council"

Second: Staff, Daily Journal, "Election 2007: Where They Stand"

Third: Laurie Wink, The News-Dispatch, "Smoking in Indiana"

Division 2

First: Laura Lane, The Herald-Times, Bloomington, "No House to Call Home"

Second: Jennifer Boen, The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, "Manage Reality, Believe in Possibility"

Third: Brenda Showalter, The Republic, Columbus, "Foreclosure Crisis"

Division 1

First: Matthew Tully, The Indianapolis Star, "Phoenix Apartments"

Second: Garrett Mathews, Libby Keeling, Rich Davis, Susan Orr, Thomas Langhorne, John Martin, Gavin Lesnick, Evansville Courier & Press, "12 Days of Caring"

Third: James Wensits, Jamie Loo, Sue Lowe, Cory Havens, South Bend Tribune, "Fiscal Armageddon: How tax changes could short-circuit our way of life"

Nondeadline sports reporting

Division 4

First: Mike Hutsell, The Evening News, Jeffersonville, "Small in Numbers Strong in Support"

Second: Jeremy Hines, The Courier-Times, New Castle, "A Passion to Punish"

Third: Mark Murdock, The Evening Star, "Alex still the same"

Division 3

First: Rick Morwick, Daily Journal, "Always on the lookout, All in a day's work"

Second: Mike Bennett, Palladium-Item, Richmond, "Life, Laughter, Lundy"

Third: Rick Morwick, Daily Journal, "Best of Friends"

Division 2

First: Michael Casagrande, Scott Duncan, The Star Press, Muncie, "Everyone's invited to tourney"

Second: Richard Torres, The Herald Bulletin, "All-Area Wrestling"

Third: Blake Sebring, The News-Sentinel, "Football lessons"

Division 1

First: Staff, The Times of Northwest Indiana, "Class Basketball "

Second: Garret Mathews, Evansville Courier & Press, "Referees: It's not about the money"

Third: Jeff Carroll, South Bend Tribune, "Life falling out of focus"

Deadline sports reporting

Division 4

First: Kevin Harris, The Evening News, "Just as Sweet"

Division 3

First: Mike Bennett, Ryan Clark, Palladium-Item, "He's my biggest hero"

Second: Jeff Skirvin, Daily Journal, "CG tennis doubles-double"

Third: Myyon Barnes, Josh Chapin, Palladium-Item, "Heartbreaking loss"

Division 2

First: Brian Bennett, Tyler V. Hoeppner, The Republic, "Dream Stays Alive"

Second: Greg Fallon, The Star Press, "Coach's contract history-making"

Third: Pete DiPrimio, The News-Sentinel, "Fairy tale comes true for IU"

Division 1

First: Terry Hutchens, The Indianapolis Star, "A fond, sad farewell"

Second: Tim Ethridge, Evansville Courier & Press, "Wild and Wonderful"

Third: Eric Hansen, South Bend Tribune, "On the cutting room floor"

Feature series

Division 4

First: Nick Schneider, Greene County Daily World, Linton, "Guardsmen Receive their Orders"

Second: Melissa Soria, Pharos-Tribune, "Tom's Journey"

Third: Cindy Bevington, The News-Sun, "Autism Diagnosis Hits Families Hard"

Division 3

First: Carly Nation, The Times-Mail, Bedford, "Mission Impossible? Where does No Child Left Behind leave special education?"

Second: Annie Goeller, Daily Journal, "Six seconds: life and death"

Third: Rick A. Richards, The News-Dispatch, "Crutches can't hold him back"

Division 2

First: Stephanie Salter, Tribune-Star, "Amber Alert Guideline Change"

Second: Ken de la Bastide, Kokomo Tribune, "Living off the Land"

Third: Danielle Rush, Ken de la Bastide, Meghan Durbak, Kokomo Tribune, "Colts Super Bowl Season"

Division 1

First: Joseph Dits, South Bend Tribune, "The daily hunt for scrap, cash for humble needs"

Second: Andy Gammill, The Indianapolis Star, "A Lesson in Hope: John Marshall School"

Third: Rich Davis, Evansville Courier & Press, "'37 Flood"

Feature writing

Division 4

First: Chris Morris, The Evening News, "Not Ready For Retirement"

Second: David Mann, The Evening News, "Is it easy being green?"

Third: Jenny Kobiela, The Evening Star, "Male elementary teachers rare"

Division 3

First: Noelle M. Steele, Daily Reporter, "Suffering in Silence"

Second: Annie Goeller, Daily Journal, "Home on the Range"

Third: Sara Clifford, The Times-Mail, "Opera House 100th Anniversary"

Division 2

First: Dann Denny, The Herald-Times, Bloomington, "Caring Mother"

Second: Mike Leonard, The Herald-Times, "Making it Back"

Third: Michelle Kinsey, The Star Press, "High on the Mountain"

Division 1

First: Phil Richards, The Indianapolis Star, "Sidelined no more"

Second: Jacob Bennett, Evansville Courier & Press, "Living on the River"

Third: Emma Downs, The Journal Gazette, "The only troop for them"

Nondeadline news reporting

Division 4

First: Cindy Bevington, The News-Sun, "A Big Public Health Experiment"

Second: Chris Morris, The Evening News, "Pasture Razing"

Third: Paul Hines, Sandy Moore, Amy Mastin, Audrey Hamlin, The Courier-Times, "Full-Scale Riot: New Castle Correctional Facility"

Division 3

First: Michele Holtkamp-Frye, Annie Goeller, Daily Journal, "Meal Tickets"

Second: Adam Parkhouse, The News-Dispatch, "I-C Baseball Loses $44,432"

Third: Annie Goeller, Daily Journal, "Railroad Crossings"

Division 2

First: Staff, The Herald Bulletin, "20 Questions: How Can I Save on Gasoline?"

Second: Jason McFarley, The Truth, Elkhart, "High Profile Crimes"

Third: Dorothy Schneider, Journal & Courier, "Uninsured"

Division 1

First: Piet Levy, Post-Tribune, Merrillville, "A Pro at Cons"

Second: Staff, The Times of Northwest Indiana, "Deadly Roads"

Third: Alicia Gallegos, South Bend Tribune, "Violent Crime: Everyone Pays"

Deadline news reporting

Division 4

First: Patricia Morrison, Sally Petty, Washington Times-Herald, "Meredith House Burns"

Second: Patricia Morrison, Sally Petty, Washington Times-Herald, "Knepp Dies in Plane Crash"

Third: Aubrey Woods, Brandy Emily, Dan Davis, The Tribune, "I lost everything"

Division 3

First: Annie Goeller, Daily Journal, "Two brothers killed in SUV-train crash"

Second: Staff, Palladium-Item, "Visteon Closing"

Third: Staff, Palladium-Item, "Fire Guts Building"

Division 2

First: Keith Roysdon, Nick Werner, Lathay Pegues, Rick Yencer, John Carlson, Seth Slabaugh, The Star Press, "End of the Line"

Second: Staff, Journal & Courier, "Steffey"

Third: Staff, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, "Digging Out"

Division 1

First: Staff, The Times of Northwest Indiana, "Plane Crash"

Second: Garret Mathews, Bill Medley, Kate Braser, Evansville Courier & Press, "Three miners die in fall"

Third: Staff, South Bend Tribune, "Police family mourning again"

Headline writing

Division 4

First: Shea Van Hoy, The Tribune, New Albany, "Bunny You Should Ask; Whistle While He Works; They Auto Know"

Second: Amy Huffman-Branham, The Tribune, New Albany, "It's What's Inside that Counts; Bang for your Bucks; Free Stylin"

Third: Amy Huffman-Branham, The Evening News, "Much Ado Instead of Nothing; Close Encounters of the Canine; The Fast Picture Show"

Division 3

First: David Hill, Daily Reporter, "Crunching numbers; A man of His Word; The long Good buy"

Second: Mike Emery, Palladium-Item, "Bus drivers: Don't take us for a ride; The grapes of laugh; Missing wire's no short circuit"

Third: Milissa Tuley, Daily Journal, "Harry plotters; Still rolling in the d'oh!; Birds and the B's"

Division 2

First: Chad Steenerson, Tribune-Star, "Santa gets his bell rung in weekend sleighing; Apple of our 'i'; As beer keg thieves tap into high metal prices, profit hops away"

Second: Staff, Journal & Courier, "Chicken soup for the sole; Moo goo gai panned; T. Rex may have tasted like chicken"

Third: Terry Mark, The Truth, "Bye-bye to boom-boom; Bakery says it will rise; Man, the ice cometh"

Division 1

First: Dwight Adams, The Indianapolis Star, "i-gottahaveit-Phone; When Lilly tightens belt, region holds its breath; Hallmark's new message: Get well, one day at a time"

Second: Amanda Beglin, The Journal Gazette, "Gossip binds people, or so we've heard; Sweet talker; Tote'em poll"

Third: Staff, South Bend Tribune, "A new home run king ?; Towing company on hook; Bears are good as Gould in OT"