For the third consecutive year, The Aegis was honored as Newspaper of the Year among the state’s largest circulation non-daily papers by the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association during the organization’s annual awards luncheon Friday.
Aegis staff members received 10 first place and 15 second place individual reporting, writing, photography and multimedia awards in the competition among non-daily papers whose circulation exceeds 20,000.
The Newspaper of the Year Award is determined under a system that awards three points for first place individual award and two points for second. The Aegis also received the honor in 2001 and 2008.
Reporter David Anderson and News Editor Allan Vought received a Best in Show award among all entries in the region for investigative reporting, for their coverage of legal maneuvers that overturned convictions in several high profile murder cases in Harford County from the 1960s, 70s and early 80s.
Vought also received a Best in Show for a non-daily sports column written about the passing of the boxer Emile Griffith.
Among The Aegis awards were first and second place for public service.
Anderson, Content Editor Erika Butler and Editorial Page Editor Jim Kennedy received first place for their coverage of the emergence of synthetic drugs in Harford County.
Anderson, reporter Krishana Davis and contributor Austin Sbarra of The Bellairion at Bel Air High School received a second place in public service for their coverage of bullying issues in schools and the community.
The Aegis also received first and second place awards for breaking news coverage, breaking news photography, sports story and multimedia sports storytelling, as well as investigative reporting and non-daily sports column.
The team of Anderson, Butler and reporter Bryna Zumer won first place for their coverage of the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old by a Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputy last August.
Anderson and Butler received a second place for breaking news for their articles about a local woman who was at the Washington Navy Yard the day of the shooting rampage and for a related article about how Aberdeen Proving Ground is prepared to cope with a similar situation.
Contributor Dean Nicewander’s photo of a Level Volunteer Fire Company firefighter administering oxygen to a dog through an improvised breathing mask after the dog was rescued from a house fire received a first place for a breaking news photograph. Photo Editor Matt button received a second place for a photo from the Anderson Hardware fire last summer.
Sports reporter Dewey Fox and Vought received first place for their story about the Pons family’s ties to the colt Orb, who was being prepped for (and later won) the 2013 Kentucky Derby. Sports Editor Randy McRoberts received second place for his story on the fiasco with the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference championship games following Harford Tech’s girls lacrosse team declining to play against a superior opponent.
Besides Vought’s first place for a non-daily sports column, McRoberts received a second place for his column on the Harford Tech lacrosse controversy.
Videographer Jon Sham won first place in multimedia sports storytelling for his story, photos and video of Ravens super fan Matt “Fan Man” Andrews, while Sham and staff writer Karen Toussaint received second place for their coverage of the 2013 My Lady’s Manor Steeplechase.
Besides the first place and Best in Show he received for investigative reporting, Anderson received a second place for his follow-up coverage of the August fatal deputy-involved shooting in Forest Hill.
In addition to the awards received for their work for The Aegis, staff members were also honored with two first place awards and the second place awards for their work with The Record in the category of papers with circulation less than 10,000.
The Baltimore Sun and Howard County Times which, like The Aegis, are members of the Baltimore Sun Media Group, received Newspaper of the Year Awards for daily papers greater than 75,000 circulation and non-daily papers between 10,000 and 20,000 circulation, respectively.
Judging for this year’s contest was by members of the Kentucky Press Association.
The Aegis first place awards:
Spot News Story: David Anderson, Erika Butler, Bryna Zumer: “Teen shot by Harford deputy.”
Investigative Reporting: Allan Vought, David Anderson: “Killers, rapist seek new trials – John Huffington could leave prison.” Best in Show
Public Service: David Anderson, Erika Butler, Jim Kennedy: “Synthetic drugs get foothold in Harford.”
Affordable Health Care Act reporting: David Anderson: “Hospital plan on hold.”
Spot News Photo: Dean Nicewander: “Dog saved from smoke.”
Sports Photo: “Brian Krista: “Ankle tackle.”
Sports Story: Dewey Fox, Allan Vought: “Derby contender has Harford ties.”
Multimedia Storytelling Sports: Jon Sham: “Ravens Fan Man Matt Andrews.”
Best Photo Gallery: Matt Button, Aegis Photo Staff and Friends: “2013 Harford Photos of the Year.”
Non-daily Sports Column: Allan Vought: “The triumph and tragedy of a true champion.” Best in Show.
The Aegis second place awards:
Local Column, Critical Thinking: Allan Vought, “The Fog of November a half-century later.”
Local Column, Feature or Humor: Erika Butler, “Parents need to chill out, let the kids have fun.”
Sport News Story: David Anderson, Erika Butler: “Shaken in D.C. – Safety is ‘highest priority.'”
Investigative reporting: David Anderson: “Mortally wounded teen continued to struggle.”
Feature Story, Non-Profile: Hafiz Rashid, “Sharpening life skills.”
Public Service: Krishana Davis, David Anderson, Austin Sbarra: “Harford County community begins to confront bullying.”
Spot News Photo: Matt Button, “Anderson Hardware fire.”
Sports Story: Randy McRoberts, “What’s next after Tech?”
Sports Feature Story: Allan Vought, “A horse race for the ages.”
Arts/Entertainment Reporting: Bryna Zumer: “‘Medora’ shows what Bel Air didn’t become.”
Front Page Design: Aegis Editors, “Aegis Page 1 – Wednesday, August 21, 2013.”
Multimedia Storytelling Sports: Jon Sham, Karen Toussaint, “My Lady’s Manor Steeplechase Races.”
Best Web Video: Matt Button, Jon Sham: “Eden Mill Pumpkin Chunckin’.”
Non-Daily Sports Column: Randy McRoberts: “Division title or no, Tech still has it.”
Informational Graphics (non-daily): Patricia Irwin, “Harford County Highway Deaths.”
The Record First Place Awards:
Public Service: Bryna Zumer, Jim Kennedy, Hafiz Rashid: “Mayor, council raises blasted.”
Sports Story: Randy McRoberts: “Eagles state hoops champs again.”
Headline: Jim Kennedy: “They call it an Arr-gument.”
The Record Second Place Awards:
Environmental reporting: David Anderson, “Nearly 300 participate in 13th River Sweep.”
Multimedia Storytelling News: Matt Button, Bryna Zumer, Hafiz Rashid, “Kami Ring murder.”
