SALT LAKE CITY — The Deseret News took home the most awards of any news organization in the state this week in the annual contest from the Utah Headliners Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

First-place awards for best series, best photographer and best feature article were among the 68 accolades that went to the Deseret News. Other competitors in the Division A category included the Salt Lake Tribune, the Provo Daily Herald, the Ogden Standard-Examiner and the Utah Investigative Journalism Project.

Unified, West Valley and West Jordan firefighter a fire at Village Green Apartments in West Valley City on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018.
Unified, West Valley and West Jordan firefighter a fire at Village Green Apartments in West Valley City on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Awards earned by the Deseret News included:

Series: First place, Lois M. Collins, Sara Israelsen-Hartley, Erica Evans, Matthew Piper, Jennifer Graham, "Generation Vexed"; third place, Kelsey Dallas, Gillian Friedman, "Religious freedom series"; honorable mention, Sara Israelsen-Hartley, Lois M. Collins, "Paid family leave."

General feature: First place, Gillian Friedman, "A Utah mother was deported. She left on Christmas Day. Now a year later she lives with the choice."

General news: Second place, Wendy Leonard, "Sixth-generation Utah farmer defends farm."

Editorial: First place, Jay Evensen, "In our opinion: Inland Port Authority rules are anything but 'ambiguous'"; third place, Christian Sagers, "The sacrifice for freedom requires but one thing from us."

Multimedia journalist: First place, Erica Evans, "What behavioral psychology can teach us about fixing Utah's air quality problem."

Elvia Hernandez Chilel, 11, writes on the steamed window of a van on a frigid morning in South Salt Lake on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017. At the time, she and her family lived in the van, which had a broken heater.
Elvia Hernandez Chilel, 11, writes on the steamed window of a van on a frigid morning in South Salt Lake on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017. At the time, she and her family lived in the van, which had a broken heater. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Best newspaper reporter: Third place, Gillian Friedman; honorable mention, Jennifer Graham.

Best photographer: First place, Jeffrey Allred; third place, Ravell Call; honorable mention, Steve Griffin.

Photo essay: First place, Laura Seitz, "A Dream Deferred"; honorable mention, Kristin Murphy, "Van Family."

General news photo: First place, Jeffrey Allred, "Candle Light."

Feature photo: First place, Ravell Call, "Heavenly Ride"; second place, Kristin Murphy, "VR Seniors"; honorable mention, Spenser Heaps, "Mother's Day."

Review/criticism: First place, Lottie Peterson Johnson, "Andrea Bocelli tells Utah crowd, 'I will never forget your affection.' Mr. Bocelli, the feeling's mutual"; honorable mention, Josh Terry, "Movie review: Weak, boring 'Truth or Dare' isn't the tense horror thriller you're looking for."

Opinion column: Second place, Jay Evensen, "Why Salt Lake County has to get mammoth housing project right"; third place, Boyd Matheson, "America cannot survive the monster of pleasant distractions."

Mike Kelsch rides his bike on the shore of Antelope Island on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. Haze from an inversion is seen in the background in the mountains on Antelope Island.
Mike Kelsch rides his bike on the shore of Antelope Island on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. Haze from an inversion is seen in the background in the mountains on Antelope Island. | Ravell Call, Deseret News

Spot news: Second place, Tad Walch, Sydney Jorgensen, Sarah Harris, Herb Scribner, "Russell M. Nelson to lead The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"; third place, Pat Reavy, Lois M. Collins, "First 24 hours' coverage of Lauren McCluskey murder"; honorable mention, Dennis Romboy, Jasen Lee, "Josh Holt released from Venezuelan prison."

Religion/values: Second place, Jennifer Graham, "Utah now allows 'liquid cremation.' Does this new method of remains disposal cross an ethical line?"; third place, Amy Donaldson, "Kearns speedskater Jerica Tandiman says Mormon faith, family helped her achieve Olympic dream"; honorable mention, Tad Walch, "Inside the collaboration between the LDS Church and NAACP."

Personality profile: Second place, Jesse Hyde, "The last statesman: Can Jon Huntsman Jr. keep the art of diplomacy alive"; honorable mention, Trent Toone, "How Mark Madsen met his wife: A look into the present-day life of the NBA's favorite 'Mad Dog.'"

Medical/science: First place, Erica Evans, Spenser Heaps, "Why Oslo's 'greedy method' may be the answer to Utah's air pollution woes"; honorable mention, Ben Lockhart, "Advanced surgery zapping Parkinson's symptoms comes to Utah."

Arts and entertainment: Second place, Court Mann, "Before 'BlacKkKlansman,' an old Deseret News article that may have started it all."

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake explodes from the sidelines as the Wisconsin Badgers missed a late field goal giving the Cougars the victory at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018.
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake explodes from the sidelines as the Wisconsin Badgers missed a late field goal giving the Cougars the victory at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News

Military: Second place, Annie Knox, "Special courts give Utah veterans a chance to reclaim their honor."

Minority issues: Third place, Marjorie Cortez, "Last stop — graduation: Refugee's nearly 5-hour commute pays off."

Business reporting: Second place, Erica Evans, "Is DNA testing telling us more than we want to know? The untold story of Ancestry.com"; honorable mention, Art Raymond, "Tech's dirty little secret: Female founders struggle in venture funding game"

Criminal justice: Third place, Annie Knox, "6 accuse ex-symphony director of sexual misconduct"; honorable mention, Stephen Dark, "'Not for sale': How one's woman's quest to stop sex trafficking may have ended in her death."

Continuing coverage: Honorable mention, Erica Evans, Gillian Friedman, "Discrimination, sexual misconduct went unchecked in Utah State University music department"

Sports column: First place, Amy Donaldson, "A weekend with men in uniform offers insight into the NFL's decision to punish protesters"; second place, Brad Rock, "Give Merril Hoge some space"; third place, Amy Donaldson, "The bonds of student athletes transcends sport, schools as support soothes devastated U. community."

Ryan Luke and his wife, Steph Sheen, look at burned motorcycles that were in a detached garage behind their home in West Valley City on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018. Police say Luke and Sheen's neighbor on Thursday shot and killed a West Valley code enforcement
Ryan Luke and his wife, Steph Sheen, look at burned motorcycles that were in a detached garage behind their home in West Valley City on Friday, Aug. 10, 2018. Police say Luke and Sheen's neighbor on Thursday shot and killed a West Valley code enforcement officer, and burned down their house and the garage. | Ravell Call, Deseret News

Sports non-deadline reporting: First place, Jesse Hyde, "The lonely master: From March Madness to Shanghai, the unlikely journey of Jimmer Fredette"; second place, Herb Scribner, "Meet 'The Dirtbags,' a Utah County flag football team that went undefeated over three seasons"; third place, Eric Woodyard, "Family first: Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone is content with life after basketball"; honorable mention, Dick Harmon, "BYU legend Ty Detmer on his love of hunting."

Sports action photo: Second place, Spenser Heaps, "Blinded by the Light"; honorable mention, Steve Griffin, "Steer Wrestling."

Sports feature photo: Third place, Steve Griffin, "Cougar Jump Around"; honorable mention, Kristin Murphy, "Champs."

Sports videography: Second place, Jeffrey Allred, "Jimmer."

Feature videography: Third place, Spenser Heaps, Erica Evans, Rex Warner, Taylor Lewis, "Does Norway hold the key to Utah's air pollution problem?"

Spot news photo: First place, Ravell Call, "Fire and shooting"; third place, Jeffrey Allred, "Fire."

Feature page design: First place, Mary M. Archbold, "Who's it gonna be?"; second place, Heidi Perry, "A good problem"; honorable mention, Heather Tuttle, "What it's like inside Mars."

Front page design: Second place, Mary M. Archbold, "How Utah's newest laws will affect you"; honorable mention, Mary M. Archbold, "The money behind Utah's marijuana initiative."

Best single-page design: Second place, Mary M. Archbold, "Does Norway hold the key to clean air?"; third place, Heidi Perry, "The Tony Finau Story"; honorable mention, Heidi Perry, "A family divided."

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Headline writing: Second place, Deseret News visual/edit team.

Best use of news-oriented social media: Third place, Deseret News.

Best news-oriented website: Honorable mention, Deseret News.

Best newspaper: Second place, Deseret News.

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