A toast to Hamilton Spectator reporter Amy Kenny, the 2016 Journalist of the Year (Joanna Frketich/Hamilton Spectator/TWITTER)
A toast to Hamilton Spectator reporter Amy Kenny, the 2016 Journalist of the Year (Joanna Frketich/Hamilton Spectator/TWITTER)

The 62nd Ontario Newspaper Awards were held Saturday night at the Sheraton Hamilton hotel. More than 200 of the province’s top journalists, editors and newsroom staff gathered to celebrate excellence in journalism.

Congratulations to all winners and nominees.

Arts & Entertainment Writing
WINNER: JON WELLS, THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR
FINALIST: JEFF HICKS, WATERLOO REGION RECORD
FINALIST: JOEL RUBINOFF, WATERLOO REGION RECORD
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K.A. (SANDY) BAIRD AWARD
Humour Writing
WINNER: Ben McLean, Kingston Whig-Standard
FINALIST: Lorraine Sommerfeld, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Jane Sims, London Free Press

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JACK BOWMAN MEMORIAL AWARD
Spot News Photography (under 25,000 circulation)
Winner: Mark Wanzel, The Barrie Examiner
FINALIST: Benjamin Aubé, The Timmins Daily Press
FINALIST: Elliot Ferguson, Kingston Whig-Standard

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Feature Photography (under 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Mark Wanzel, Barrie Examiner
FINALIST: Mike Beitz, Stratford Beacon Herald
FINALIST: Elliot Ferguson, Kingston Whig-Standard
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Online Photography
WINNER: DAN JANISSE, The Windsor Star
FINALIST: Craig Glover, The London Free Press
FINALIST: John Rennison, The Hamilton Spectator

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JOHN E. MOTZ MEMORIAL AWARD
Design and Graphics (over 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Pat Weberman and William Tait, Windsor Star
FINALIST: Tania Praeg, Waterloo Regional Record
FINALIST: John Bullock, The Hamilton Spectator

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Municipal Affairs (under 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Joelle Kovach, Peterborough Examiner
FINALIST: Bill Sawchuk, St. Catharines Standard
FINALIST: Len Gillis, Timmins Daily Press

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Municipal Affairs (over 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Jeff Outhit, Waterloo Region Record
FINALIST: Julie Kotsis, Windsor Star
FINALIST: Steve Buist, Hamilton Spectator

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WALTER J. BLACKBURN AWARD
Sports Photography (under 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Franki Ikeman, The Welland Tribune
FINALIST: Gino Donato, The Sudbury Star
FINALIST: Bob Tymczyszyn, St. Catharines Standard

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EDITORIAL, OPINION AND ANALYSIS (over 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: John Roe, Waterloo Region Record
FINALIST: Steve Buist, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Anne Jarvis, Windsor Star

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SOCIAL MEDIA
WINNER: Amy Kenny, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Tim Gordanier, Kingston Whig Standard
FINALIST: Kate Dubinski, London Free Press

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GREEN ENVIRONMENT WRITING
WINNER: Debora Van Brenk, London Free Press
FINALIST: Bruce Heidman, The Sudbury Star
FINALIST: Rob O’Flanagan, The Guelph Mercury
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SPOT NEWS REPORTING (over 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Corey Larocque, Matt Day, Aedan Helmer, Sam Cooley, Tony Spears and Dani-Elle Dube, Ottawa Sun team
FINALIST: Debora van Brenk, John Miner, Randy Richmond, Norman De Bono and Jennifer O’Brien, London Free Press team
FINALIST: Pat Maloney and Dale Carruthers, London Free Press

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SPOT NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY  (over 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Craig Glover, London Free Press
FINALIST: Dan Janisse, The Windsor Star
FINALIST: Haley Ritchie, Metro Ottawa

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BUSINESS WRITING
WINNER: Steve Buist, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Aedan Helmer, Ottawa Sun
FINALIST: Amy Kenny, The Hamilton Spectator
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C.B. SCHMIDT AWARD
Novice Reporting (over 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Sam Cooley, Ottawa Sun
FINALIST: Anam Latif, Waterloo Region Record
FINALIST: Julienne Bay, Ottawa Sun

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ROBERT J. HANLEY AWARD
SPORTS WRITING (under 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Cory Smith, Stratford Beacon Herald
FINALIST: Greg Colgan, Woodstock Sentinel Review
FINALIST: Thomas Perry, Timmins Daily Press

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JOAN MAY MEMORIAL AWARD
COLUMN WRITING
WINNER: Anne Jarvis, Windsor Star
FINALIST: Greg Van Moorsel, London Free Press
FINALIST: Michelle Hauser, Kingston Whig-Standard
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TONY FREDO MEMORIAL AWARD
FEATURE WRITING (under 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Paul Schliesmann, Kingston Whig-Standard
FINALIST: Len Gillis, Timmins Daily Press
FINALIST: Laura Cudworth, Stratford Beacon Herald
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RICHARD SUTTON AWARD
PHOTOJOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Craig Glover, London Free Press
FINALIST: Annie Sakkab, Waterloo Region Record
FINALIST: Mark Wantzel, Barrie Examiner

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DEL BELL MEMORIAL AWARD
Feature Writing (over 25,000)
WINNER: Amy Kenny, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Paul Schliesmann, Kingston Whig-Standard
FINALIST: Jeff Outhit, Waterloo Region Record

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GENERAL NEWS FEATURE
WINNER: May Warren, Guelph Mercury
FINALIST: Carol Mulligan, The Sudbury Star
FINALIST: Susan Sherring, Ottawa Sun

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K. J. STRACHAN AWARD
EDITORIAL, OPINIONS & ANALYSIS (under 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Phil Andrews, Guelph Mercury
FINALIST: Doug Edgar, Owen Sound Sun Times
FINALIST: Hugo Rodrigues, Cornwall Standard-Freeholder
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FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY (over 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Derek Ruttan, London Free Press
FINALIST: Gary Yokoyama, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Cathie Coward, The Hamilton Spectator

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INVESTIGATIVE/ENTERPRISE REPORTING
WINNER: Jon Wells, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Matt Day, Ottawa Sun
FINALIST: Jonathan Sher, London Free Press

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DESIGN & GRAPHICS (under 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Tania Praeg, Guelph Mercury
FINALIST: Dave Ashton, The Intelligencer (Belleville)
FINALIST: Brad Demers, St. Catharines Standard

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GENE FLORCYK MEMORIAL AWARD
SPORTS WRITING (over 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Teri Pecoskie, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Greg Mercer, Waterloo Region Record
FINALIST: Mary Caton, Windsor Star

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HEALTH NEWS & LIFESTYLE
WINNER: Paul Schliesmann, Kingston-Whig Standard
FINALIST: Joanna Frketich, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Jonathan Sher, London Free Press

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SPOT NEWS REPORTING (under 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Paul Svoboda, Jerome Lessard and Emily Mountney-Lessard, Belleville Intelligencer
FINALIST: Bill Potrecz and Bernie Puchalski, St. Catharines Standard
FINALIST: Greg Furminger, Welland Tribune

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LARRY N. SMITH AWARD
NOVICE REPORTING (under 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: May Warren, Guelph Mercury
FINALIST: Megan Stacey, Woodstock Sentinel-Review
FINALIST: Sarah Moore, Timmins Daily Press

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MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM
WINNER: Mark McNeil, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Greg Furminger, Welland Tribune
FINALIST: Kate Dubinsky, London Free Press
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ONLINE MULTIMEDIA SPECIAL PROJECT
WINNER: Trevor Wilhelm, Windsor Star
FINALIST: Drew Edwards, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Luke Hendry, The Belleville Intelligencer

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EDUCATION WRITING
WINNER: Jon Wells, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Jeff Outhit, Waterloo Record
FINALIST: Kate Dubinski, London Free Press
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WALTER J. BLACKBURN AWARD
SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY (over 25,000 circulation)
WINNER: Derek Ruttan, London Free Press
FINALIST: Jason Kryk, Windsor Star
FINALIST: Barry Gray, The Hamilton Spectator

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ONLINE VIDEO PRODUCTION
WINNER: Dylan Kristy, Windsor Star
FINALIST: Dan Janisse, The Windsor Star
FINALIST: Dani-Elle Dube, Ottawa Sun

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Martha Blackburn Award Journalist of the Year
WINNER: Amy Kenny, The Hamilton Spectator
FINALIST: Paul Schliesmann, Kingston-Whig Standard
FINALIST: Jon Wells, The Hamilton Spectator

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62nd Annual Ontario Newspaper Awards