Five Times Writers Earn APSE Honors

Times reporters earned five top-10 finishes in writing categories in the large-paper circulation division of the annual Associated Press Sports Editors national contest.

The Times also was named one of the top 10 daily sports sections in the large-paper category in judging this week.

Writing finalists from The Times were Bill Plaschke and T.J. Simers in column writing, Helene Elliott in breaking news story, David Wharton in feature writing, and Wharton and Gary Klein in project writing.

The section judging is final, and papers in the top 10 will receive awards at APSE’s national convention in Las Vegas in June. A top five and honorable mentions among the writing finalists will be announced the first week in April.

Mark Saxon of the Orange County Register made the top 10 for project writing in the large-paper category, and the Register received honorable mention in daily sections.

In the 100,000 to 250,000 category, the Riverside Press-Enterprise was top 10 for daily sections.

In the 40,000 to 100,000 category, the Ventura County Star made the top 10 in Sunday sections and honorable mention in daily sections, and the Daily Breeze received honorable mention in Sunday sections.

Other writing winners included Sean Fuchs (breaking news) and Brian Golden (columns) of the Antelope Valley Press in the under-40,000 category and Bob Buttitta (explanatory) and Rhiannon Potkey (projects) of Ventura in the 40,000 to 100,000 division.