For the second time in three years, The Daily Standard has been named one of the best newspapers in the state. It won first place in general excellence at the Ohio Associated Press Media Editor's awards ceremony at Villa Milano Banquet and Conference Center in Columbus on Sunday.
The Daily Standard won a total of 23 awards, including 11 first place awards for journalism published in 2023.
Staff took first place for best enterprise writing for a series on area crime. Staff also won first place in the best spot news category for coverage of a Rockford fire.
Photographer Paige Sutter took four first place awards in the best news photo, best photo story, best sports photo and best video categories.
Graphics editor Bill Thornbro won first place for best graphic artist, best infographic and best full page design categories.
Sports reporter Tom Haines won first place in the best sports feature writer category.
Former reporter Leslie Klosterman won first place in the best investigative reporting category. She also won second place in the best enterprise reporting category.
Reporter and graphic designer Erin Gardner won second place in the best investigative reporting category.
She and Thornbro also won second in the best headline category.
Reporter William Kincaid won second place in the best news writer category and third place in the best business writer, best spot news and best feature writer categories.
Sports reporter Gary Rasberry and Haines won second place in the best special sports section category.
Columnist Jean Giesige won third place in the best column category.