PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors announced winners of the group's annual writing and photo contests on Monday.

Cash awards will be presented to the first-place winners at the PAPME's annual convention in Gettysburg on May 29.

The contests were judged by editors at AP member newspapers in Colorado.

Sports Deadline Reporting

First Place: Staff, Philadelphia Daily News, "Send in the crown – Phillies win the World Series"

Second Place: Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Boston's Bay"

Sports/Outdoors Column

First Place: Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Role model Walker fulfills huge promise"

Second Place: Joe Starkey, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Disease couldn't ruin Blass"

Sports Feature Reporting

First Place: Mark Kram, Philadelphia Daily News, "A place beyond words"

Second Place: Karen Price, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Man vs. nature"

Editorial

First Place: Reg Henry, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Brain Dead"

Second Place: Tom Waseleski, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "WVU-gate"

Investigative Reporting

First Place: Luis Fabregas, Andrew Conte, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Transplanting too soon"

Second Place: Martha Woodall, Dan Hardy, The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Charter Schools"

Spot News Reporting

First Place: Staff, The Morning Call, Allentown, "Bulldog Bolts"

Second Place: Jan Murphy, Charles Thompson The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, "Bonus Busts"

General News Reporting

First Place: Carl Prine, Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Sale of the Steelers"

Second Place: Tracie Mauriello, Dennis B. Roddy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Bonusgate"

Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Tom Infield, The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Alpha Company: Their war comes home"

Second Place: Betsy Hiel, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "The Battle for Afghanistan"

Business Writing

First Place: Harold Brubaker, The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Taxpayers on hook for millions"

Second Place: Allison Heinrichs, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Ethanol hits lean times in W. PA."

Feature Writing

First Place: Cristina Rouvalis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Watch him succeed"

Second Place: William Loeffler, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "You can always wear it again"

Column

First Place: Elmer Smith, Philadelphia Daily News, "Fumo vs. Spitzer: It's about hypocrisy"

Second Place: Jill Porter, Philadelphia Daily News, "Are we ready to cross Obama's bridge?"

Public Service

First Place: John Shiffman, John Sullivan, Tom Avril, The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Smoke and Mirrors: The Subversion of the EPA"

Second Place: Kitty Caparella, Philadelphia Daily News, "Post Mortem"

Online Coverage of Breaking News

First Place: Catherine Lucey, Chris Brennan, Philadelphia Daily News, "PhillyClout coverage of Election Day"

Second Place: Staff, The Morning Call, "Carbon Monoxide victim was retired PPL Engineer"

Spot News Photo

First Place: David Maialetti, Philadelphia Daily News, "Fallen police officer"

Second Place: Gary Dwight Miller, The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, "Fire"

Feature Photo

First Place: Andrew Russell, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Battle for the ages"

Second Place: Guy Wathen, Tribune-Review, Greensburg, "Veterans Day"

Sports Photo

First Place: James M. Kubus, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Just shy of a miracle"

Second Place: Sean Simmers, The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, "Last second win"

Personality Portrait

First Place: Andrew Russell, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Art in the Arctic"

Second Place: Rebecca Droke, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Life of the party: designer Sean Gray"

Photo Story

First Place: Sean Simmers, The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, "A bond forever"

Second Place: Christine Baker, The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, "Choosing birth at home

Sports Deadline Reporting

First Place: Sean McLernon, Ryan Dixon, York Daily Record/Sunday News, "Still the best"

Second Place: Ryan Robinson, Lancaster New Era, "A heroic battle"

Sports/Outdoors Column

First Place: Paul Sokoloski, Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, "Strip the man of his status as Pens captain"

Second Place: Don Stewart, Reading Eagle, "Battle with cancer gives MacDonald perspective"

Sports Feature Reporting

First Place: Jeff Frantz, York Daily Record/Sunday News, "The last fight"

Second Place: Cory Giger, Altoona Mirror, "Black and white"

Editorial

First Place: Jim Burchik, Lancaster New Era, "Lower drinking age a horrendous idea"

Second Place: Ernest Schreiber, Lancaster New Era, "Child-porn case outcome troubling"

Investigative Reporting

First Place: Dave Janoski, Michael Sisak, The Citizens' Voice, Wilkes-Barre, "Follow the money"

Second Place: Jack Brubaker, Lancaster New Era, "Locked up and beaten up"

Spot News Reporting

First Place: Dave Janoski, The Citizens' Voice, Wilkes-Barre, "Unlucky Louie"

Second Place: Kimm Montone, David Falchek, Staff, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, "3 Slain in City"

General News Reporting

First Place: Mike Hoover, Rick Lee, Mike Argento, Michele Canty, Jeff Frantz, York Daily Record/Sunday News, "Ex-cop accused of rape"

Second Place: Dan Singleton, Borys Krawczeniuk, Stacy Brown, Laura Lejere, and staff, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, "Fallen firefighter"

Enterprise Reporting

First Place: James Haggerty, David Falchek, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, "Changing economy"

Second Place: Tom Lavis, Ruth Rice, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, "Churches at the crossroads"

Business Writing

First Place: Jim Haggerty and Staff, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, "Boscov's seeking Chapter 11 protection"

Second Place: Nicholas Sohr, The Citizen's Voice, Wilkes-Barre, "Facing Recession"

Feature Writing

First Place: Erica Erwin, Erie Times-News, "Lost Innocence: The Wurst shooting ten years later"

Second Place: Phil Gianficaro, The Intelligencer, Doylestown, "Blue sky rains red sun"

Column

First Place: Philip E. Heron, Delaware County Daily Times, "Crego's legacy lives on in Penn-Delco"

Second Place: Linda Espenshade, Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster, "Saying goodbye to 'the girls' might be harder than expected"

Public Service

First Place: Christina Kristofic, The Intelligencer, Doylestown, "The missing minute"

Second Place: Staff, York Daily Record/Sunday News, "How do we stop DUI?"

Online Coverage of Breaking News

First Place: Staff, York Daily Record/Sunday News, "Manhunt for ex-cop accused of rape"

Second Place: Staff, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, "Palin visit to Scranton"

Spot News Photo

First Place: Jason Plotkin, York Daily Record/Sunday News, "A loved one lost"

Second Place: Celeste Van Kirk, Observer-Reporter, Washington, "A bittersweet day"

Feature Photo

First Place: Carl Kosola, The Intelligencer, Doylestown, "Backyard Wrestling"

Second Place: Greg Wohlford, Erie Times-News, "Will trend go stale?"

Sports Photo

First Place: Richard Hertzler, Lancaster New Era, "Foggy Practice"

Second Place: Rob Engelhardt, Erie Times-News, "Dodgeball"

Personality Portrait

First Place: Richard Hertzler, Lancaster New Era, "Love light"

Second Place: Lauren A. Little, Reading Eagle, "The art of teaching art"

Photo Story

First Place: Jason Farmer, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, "Hero answers the final bell"

Second Place: Susan Angstadt, Reading Eagle, "The long goodbye"

Sports Deadline Reporting

First Place: Jeff Rice, Walt Moody, Vinny Pezzimenti, Centre Daily Times, State College, "A skidding stop"

Second Place: Mitch Rupert, Press Enterprise, Bloomsburg, "Cruel and unusual"

Sports/Outdoors Column

First Place: Todd Stanford, The Daily Item, Sunbury, "Ermert's 99 lives on in infamy"

Second Place: Walt Moody, Centre Daily Times, State College, "Celebration shouldn't whet fans' appetite for public destruction"

Sports Feature Reporting

First Place: Dave Zeitlin, Daily Local News, West Chester, "What happened to Dusty Grim?"

Second Place: Dave Zeitlin, Daily Local News, West Chester, "Hearts of Gold"

Editorial

First Place: Nancy March, The Mercury, Pottstown, "State budget plan built like a straw house"

Second Place: David Troisi, Williamsport Sun-Gazette, "Math makes bay cleanup a state funding priority"

Investigative Reporting

First Place: Patrick E. Litowitz, New Castle News, "LaGrotta accuser shares motives"

Second Place: Beth Brelje, Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, "Animal abuse official fired"

Spot News Reporting

First Place: Pete Bosak, Jennifer Thomas, Chris Rosenblum, Centre Daily Times, State College, "Gunman Killed"

Second Place: Andrew Scott, Beth Brelje, Howard Frank, Dan Berrett, Helen Yanulus, Janis Dahlman, Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, "Teen Rape Suspect"

General News Reporting

First Place: David Pierce, Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, "Poconos rides out housing bust, experts say"

Second Place: Sam Kusic, The Indiana Gazette, "Wheeler Arson Trial"

Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Jennifer Miller, Daily Local News, West Chester, "Guns and crime"

Second Place: Dana Pauling, Centre Daily Times, State College, "Mold problem kept quiet"

Business Writing

First Place: Jennifer Thomas, Centre Daily Times, State College, "Devastating blow"

Second Place: Gretchen Metz, Daily Local News, West Chester, "Gridlock: Transit shortfall clogs economic engine"

Feature Writing

First Place: Chris Rosenblum, Centre Daily Times, State College, "Unbroken Spirit"

Second Place: Liz Hayes, Michael Aubele, Tom Yerace, Valley News Dispatch, Tarentum, "Barber Pols"

Column

First Place: Evan Brandt, The Mercury, Pottstown, "Remember kids, don't be a smartass"

Second Place: David Pierce, Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, "Today's 'us vs. them' a twist on tourism bashing"Public Service

First Place: Beth Brelje, David Pierce, Howard Frank, Paula C. Heeschen, Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, "Monroe's clout cut to pieces"

Second Place: Evan Brandt and Nancy March, The Mercury, Pottstown, "Keeping local officials on track"

Online Coverage of Breaking News

First Place: Staff, The Sentinel, Carlisle, "Police: Barclay secretly videotaped sexual encounters"

Second Place: Naomi Creason, Alex Roarty, The Sentinel, Carlisle, "Bill Clinton speaks at Dickinson College"

Spot News Photo

First Place: Jimmy May, Press Enterprise, Bloomsburg, "One Dead in Wreck"

Second Place: Robert Esquivel, Herald-Standard, Uniontown, "7 year-old injured in Bullskin crash"

Feature Photo

First Place: Justin Guido, Butler Eagle, "A good-bye kiss"

Second Place: Dave Prelosky, Butler Eagle, "Corn kids"

Sports Photo

First Place: Mark Nance, Williamsport Sun-Gazette, "The thrill of victory"

Second Place: Michael Bupp, The Sentinel, Carlisle, "State champ"

Personality Portrait

First Place: Matthew Harris, The Daily Item, Sunbury, "Runner Tyler Erhard"

Second Place: Melissa Evanko, Pocono Record, Stroudsburg, "Magazines with the most eye-popping art"

Photo Story

First Place: Nabil K. Mark, Centre Daily Times, State College, "Success is no pipe dream: Vert Ride Champion Jamie Bestwick"

Second Place: Daniel Creighton, The Mercury, Pottstown, "Fire ravages 3 buildings"

Sports Deadline Reporting

First Place: Josh Martin, Gettysburg Times, "Heart of a champion"

Second Place: Joey Gulino and Brian Cox, The Sentinel, Lewistown, "Tigers fall to Fighting Irish"

Sports/Outdoors Column

First Place: C.J. Mittica, The Bulletin, Philadelphia, "25 and counting"

Second Place: B.J. Small, Gettysburg Times, "Charlie Sterner: A sportsman and a gentleman lost"

Sports Feature Reporting

First Place: Jon Sitler, Warren Times Observer, "Warren County Battery"

Second Place: Ian Ofslager and Jon Sitler, Warren Times Observer, "Huge Jump: Eisenhower great Torbett finds even more success as D-I volleyball coach"

Editorial

First Place: James Runkle, The Express, Lock Haven, "Unfriendly and closed"

Second Place: Nona Breaux, The Reporter, Lansdale, "Mayor takes the high road"

Investigative Reporting

First Place: Scott Johnson, The Express, Lock Haven, "Clinton County Budget"

Second Place: Bradley Vasoli, The Bulletin, Philadelphia, "Adams v. Teamsters, Rendell, et al"

Spot News Reporting

First Place: Megan Bollinger, Frank Jost, The Sentinel, Lewistown, "Consumed by flames"

Second Place: Donald R. Serfass, The Times News, Lehighton, "Five occupants flee Tamaqua blaze"

General News Reporting

First Place: Kyle Milliron, Marcie Schellhammer, The Bradford Era, "Crude oil spilled"

Second Place: Chuck Hayes, Warren Times Observer, "Oil field vandalism"

Enterprise Reporting

First Place: Staff, The Reporter, Lansdale, "Remember When"

Second Place: Staff, The Express, Lock Haven, "Out in the cold"

Business Writing

First Place: Chris Buckley, The Valley Independent, Monessen, "Bringing back the magic"

Second Place: Rick Kazmer, The Daily American, Somerset, "Sold: Maryland company purchases Fleetwood"

Feature Writing

First Place: Donald R. Serfass, Karen Cimms, Times-News, Lehighton, "Faces of Autism"

Second Place: Chuck Hayes, Warren Times Observer, "River Men"

Column

First Place: Denny Bonavita, The Courier-Express, DuBois, "Godspeed, two beloved teachers"

Second Place: Nick Hoffman, The Courier-Express, DuBois, "Obama's roots"

Public Service

First Place: Staff, Gettysburg Times, "Progress 2007-2008"

Second Place: Donald Serfass, Karen Cimms, Times-News, Lehighton, "Faces of Autism"

Online Coverage of Breaking News

First Place: No winner

Second Place: No winner

Spot News Photo

First Place: Jim Ference, The Valley Independent, Monessen, "Photographer changes roles"

Second Place: Bill Schwartz, Gettysburg Times, "Busload of students overturns"

Feature Photo

First Place: Mark Psoras, The Reporter, Lansdale, "Last day embrace"

Second Place: Evan Sanders, The Daily Courier, Connellsville, "Never forget the innocent victims"

Sports Photo

First Place: Geoff Patton, The Reporter, Lansdale, "Baseball"

Second Place: Mark Psoras, The Reporter, Lansdale, "Game winner"

Personality Portrait

First Place: Bill Schwartz, Gettysburg Times, "Pucker up, baby"

Second Place: Evan Sanders, Daily Courier, Connellsville, "Cannoli consumer"

Photo Story

First Place: No winner

Second Place: No winner