Times Wins Honors in APSE Contest

The Times was among three newspapers to place in the top 10 in daily and Sunday section competition in the large-paper circulation category of the annual Associated Press Sports Editors national contest.

Times reporters also earned six top-10 finishes in writing categories -- Bill Plaschke and T.J. Simers for column writing; Plaschke and Bill Shaikin for feature writing; Steve Henson for explanatory journalism, and Shaikin for breaking news story -- in judging that concluded Wednesday.

The Boston Globe and Dallas Morning News were the only papers with circulations of 250,000 or more to win APSE’s triple crown by placing in the top 10 for daily, Sunday and special sections. The Times earned honorable mention for special sections.

The section judging is final, and papers in the top 10 will receive awards at APSE’s national convention in Orlando, Fla., in June. A top five and honorable mentions among the writing finalists will be announced in late March.

Scott M. Reid of the Orange County Register earned top 10 for investigative reporting, which spanned all circulation categories.

In the 100,000-250,000 circulation category, the Los Angeles Daily News and Riverside Press-Enterprise received honorable mentions for Sunday sections and Press-Enterprise reporter Matt Tresaugue earned top 10 for game story.

In the 40,000-100,000 circulation category, the Palm Springs Desert Sun was top 10 for special sections and the Santa Barbara News-Press received honorable mention for Sunday sections.

Other writing winners included: Bill Cizek of the South Bay Daily Breeze (breaking news story) and David Lassen of the Ventura County Star (game story) in the 40,000-100,000 category; and Robert Johnson of the Antelope Valley Press (breaking news) in the under-40,000 classification.