Winners announced in 2016 Indiana APBA Contest

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Winners have been announced in the Indiana Associated Press Broadcasters Association 2016 contest.

The awards were presented at the organization's annual awards banquet Saturday in Indianapolis.

The IAPBA also elected Susan Batt, investigative and special products producer at WTHR-TV in Indianapolis, as president. Other officers: President-elect Mike Latta, photojournalist at WTHI-TV in Terre Haute, and secretary Susan Dinkel, news director/anchor at WTHI-TV.

Elected to the board was Joe Schlaerth, news director at WFIE-TV in Evansville. He joins incumbent board members Terri Cope-Walton, news director of WRTV, Indianapolis; Lisa Ryan, reporter and morning edition host at WBOI in Fort Wayne; and A.J. Brammer, news director at WORX in Madison.

Twenty-five broadcast organizations submitted 329 entries in the contest, which featured news, sports, and weather reporting as well as feature, investigative, public interest reporting, photography, video, and website categories.

The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,400 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States.

WINNERS LIST IN TVI/METRO TV:

Best Spot News Reporting: 1, Allison Herman, Andrew Scherer, Bob Donaldson and Debby Knox, WTTV-TV, "Principal Dies Saving Students"; 2, Jennie Runevitch and Clint Erbacher, WTHR-TV, "Deadly School Bus Crash."

Best General News: 1, Scott Swan and Ryan Thedwall, WTHR-TV, "One Step at a Time"; 2, Dave MacAnally and Clint Erbacher, WTHR-TV, "A Promise to Dad."

Best Feature: 1, Kevin Rader and Steve Rhodes, WTHR-TV, "Time with Dad"; 2, Shawn Pierce and Phil Sanchez, WISH-TV, "Hoosier Hardwood."

Best Enterprise Story: 1, Jennie Runevitch and Steve Rhodes, WTHR-TV, "Food Fight"; 2, Deanna Allbrittin and Ruthanne Gordon, WTTV-TV, "Waiting on 911."

Best News Series: 1, Rafael Sanchez, Jason Scheuer, Steve Brenneman and Terri Cope-Walton, WRTV-TV, "Moving to Mexico"; 2, Gabby Gonzalez and Greg Wilkerson, WXIN-TV, "Dirty Dining."

Best Continuous Coverage of a Single Event: 1, Al Carl, WISH-TV, "Kokomo Tornado"; 2, Olivia Dangler, Megan Kramer and Andrew Scherer and Staff, WTTV-TV, "A Murder, Shots Fired at Police, and One Suspect."

Best Community Impact: 1, Larry Delia, Kathy Hostetter, Michael Brouder and Young-Hee Yedinak, WTHR-TV, "WTHR Cares Emergency Relief Network: Tornado Relief"; 2, Fanchon Stinger and Jamie Suiter, WXIN-TV, "Neighborhood Watch: We're Talking, but Who's Listening?"

Best Website: 1, Amanda Rakes, Matt Adams, Kylee Wierks and Greg Margason, WXIN-TV, "FOX59.com"; 2, WTHR Digital Team, WTHR-TV, "WTHR.com."

Best Sports Report or Program (TV): 1, Dave Furst, Brad Brown, Michael Grady and Brad Forestal, WRTV-TV, "Trackside 6"; 2, Rich Nye and Ben Reiff, WTHR-TV, "Hinchcliffe's Comeback."

Best Sports Videography (TV): 1, Clint Erbacher, WTHR-TV, "Settle Your Score"; 2, Josh Blankenship, WTHR-TV, "Field of Dreams."

Best Feature or Enterprise Videography (TV): 1, Dominik Fuhrmann, WDRB-TV, "Crazy Bill"; 2, Clint Erbacher, WTHR-TV, "Cancer Club."

Best Station Photojournalism (TV): 1, WTHR-TV; 2, WRTV-TV.

Best Investigative Report (TV): 1, Bob Segall, Bill Ditton, Susan Batt and Cyndee Hebert, WTHR-TV, "Charity Caught on Camera"; 2, Sandra Chapman, Ryan Thedwall, Bill Ditton and Susan Batt, WTHR-TV, "Dangerous Exposure."

Best Student Reporter: No Winner.

Best Producer (TV): 1, Phil Cannelongo, WTHR-TV; 2, Bobbie Brooks, WTHR-TV.

Best Reporter: 1, Rafael Sanchez, WRTV-TV; 2, Gabby Gonzalez, WXIN-TV.

Outstanding Weather Operation: 1, WRTV-TV, "WRTV Weather"; 2, Sean Ash, Angela Buchman, Kelly Greene and Chuck Lofton, WTHR-TV, "WTHR Skytrak Weather."

Best Newscast (TV): 1, Bobbie Brooks and WTHR News Team, WTHR-TV; 2, WRTV-TV.

Outstanding News Operation: 1, Al Carl, WISH-TV, "24-Hour News 8"; 2, Kerri Cavanaugh, Olivia Dangler and Staff, WTTV-TV, "This is CBS4."

WINNERS LIST IN TVII/LOCAL TV:

Best Spot News Reporting: 1, WSBT 22 News Staff, WSBT-TV, "Kokomo Tornadoes"; 2, WSBT 22 News Staff, WSBT-TV, "Denise Bohn Murder."

Best General News: 1, Patrece Dayton and Mike Latta, WTHI-TV, "A Coroner's 33 year mission"; 2, Holly Campbell and Katherine Tsakkos, WANE-TV, "Mom Shows Effects of Gunfight Inside Home."

Best Feature: 1, Suzanne Spencer and Jade Birch, WSBT-TV, "Skillet Presidential Challenge"; 2, Kelly Roberts, WANE-TV, "Human Backpack."

Best Enterprise Story: 1, Erin Meyer, WFIE-TV, "Santa at the Salon"; 2, Suzanne Spencer and Jade Birch, WSBT-TV, "Police Marketing."

Best News Series: 1, Tricia Sloma and Ethan Carlson, WNDU-TV, "Living with Lead"; 2, Terra Brantley and Jake Weaver, WANE-TV, "Journey to the Vatican."

Best Continuous Coverage of a Single Event: 1, WSBT 22 News Staff, WSBT-TV, "Deadly Courthouse Shooting"; 2, Alyssa Ivanson, WANE-TV, "Amber Alerts."

Best Community Impact: 1, 14 News Staff, WFIE-TV, "Sunrise School Spirit: Season 2"; 2, Sara Wittmeyer, Wes Akers, Steve Burns and James Vavrek, WTIU-TV, "Finding the Fix: Heroin's Hold on the Heartland."

Best Website: 1, Scott Arnold, Jade Scott and Chris Essex, WTHI-TV, "WTHITV.com"; 2, NewsCenter 16 Staff, WNDU-TV, "WNDU.com."

Best Sports Report or Program (TV): 1, Dean Huppert, WSBT-TV, "Legally Blind"; 2, Adam Derengowski, WSBT-TV, "Race to Recovery."

Best Sports Videography (TV): 1, Glenn Marini, WANE-TV, "Dwenger's Dynamic Duo of Digits."

Best Feature or Enterprise Videography (TV): 1, Danielle Kennedy, WSBT-TV, "Art under the Commerce"; 2, Danielle Kennedy and Joe Eufemi, WSBT-TV, "River Rescue Training."

Best Station Photojournalism (TV): 1, WSBT-TV; 2, WTHI-TV.

Best Investigative Report (TV): 1, Alyssa Ivanson, WANE-TV, "Baby Boxes"; 2, Jess Powers, WFIE-TV, "Stolen Valor."

Best Student Reporter: No Winner.

Best Producer (TV): 1, Ashley Henderson, WSBT-TV; 2, Lee Stevens, WSBT-TV.

Best Reporter: 1, Alyssa Ivanson, WANE-TV; 2, Pete Byrne, WSBT-TV.

Outstanding Weather Operation: 1, Nicholas Ferreri, Greg Shoup, Rob Lydick and Hannah Strong, WANE-TV, "NewsChannel 15 Weather Team"; 2, Kevin Orpurt and Eric Stidman and Matt Brooks, WTHI-TV, "Storm Team 10."

Best Newscast (TV): 1, WSBT-TV, "First Alert Weather Day"; 2, WSBT-TV, "Deadly Courthouse Shooting."

Outstanding News Operation: 1, WSBT-TV; 2, WTHI-TV.

WINNERS LIST IN RADIO I/METRO RADIO:

Best Spot News Reporting: 1, Jake Harper, WFYI-FM, "For Med Students, "Match Day" Is a Day for Tears, Cheers and Jitters"; 2, Drew Daudelin, WFYI-FM, "Trump Tweets Don't Faze Union President."

Best General News: 1, Michael Puente, WBEZ-FM, "East Chicago Not Sure How to Oust Councilman Accused of Murder"; 2, Nick Janzen and Lauren Chapman, WBOI-FM, "Conservation Practices Have Effect from Midwest All the Way to Gulf of Mexico."

Best Feature: 1, Nick Janzen, WBOI-FM, "Strange Salamanders Have a Lot to Teach"; 2, Leigh DeNoon, WFYI-FM, "Bail Bonds Agent Is Unexpected Ally for Families Entangled in Justice System."

Best Enterprise Story: 1, Jake Harper, WFYI-FM, "For People Recovering from Addiction, Insurance Rules Can Be a Big Obstacle"; 2, Kayla Blakeslee, WOWO-AM, "Can You Change Your Early Vote in Indiana?."

Best News Series: 1, Lisa Ryan, WBOI-FM, "Teen Mental Health"; 2, Paola Marizan, WNIN-FM, "Que Pasa Midwest."

Best Continuous Coverage of a Single Event: 1, Michael Puente, WBEZ-FM, "Lead Contamination in Northwest Indiana"; 2, Samantha Horton and Steve Burger, WNIN-FM, "Dubois County Avian Flu Outbreak."

Best Community Impact: No Winner.

Best Website: 1, WFYI-FM, "WFYI.org"; 2, Katy Anderson, Zach Bernard, Lisa Ryan and Julia Meek, WBOI-FM, "WBOI.org."

Best Use of Radio Sound: 1, Jill Sheridan, WFYI-FM, "Personalized Playlists Pack Therapeutic Power for Dementia Patients"; 2, Zach Bernard, WBOI-FM, "Sounds of Summer Vibrant in Northeast Indiana."

Best Sports Play-By-Play (Radio): No Winner.

Best Public Affairs Program (Radio): 1, John Krull, Shannon Dawson and Michelle Johnson, WFYI-FM, "No Limits: Making a Healthier Place to Live"; 2, Samantha Horton and Steve Burger, WNIN-FM, "The Trend: New Harmony Conversations."

Best Student Reporter: 1, Abigail Gipson, WNIN-FM.

Best Reporter: 1, Michael Puente, WBEZ-FM; 2, John Gibson, WNIN-FM.

Best Long-Form Newscast (Radio): 1, WNIN-FM, "Day After 2016 Election Coverage"; 2, WNIN-FM.

Best Short-Form Newscast (Radio): 1, Jill Ditmire and Leigh DeNoon, WFYI-FM; 2, Taylor Bennett, WFYI-FM.

Outstanding News Operation: 1, WFYI-FM; 2, WNIN-FM.

WINNERS LIST IN RADIO II/LOCAL RADIO:

Best Spot News Reporting: 1, Lindsey Wright, WFIU-FM, "Ind. Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Pence Email Civil Suit"; 2, Becca Costello, WFIU-FM, "Indiana Electors Likely to Vote Trump despite Petitions, Emails."

Best General News: 1, Barbara Brosher, WFIU-FM, "I-69 Pay Dispute Has Some Worried about Project's Future"; 2, Barbara Brosher, WFIU-FM, "Will the Catholic Church Allow Women to Serve in Leadership Roles?"

Best Feature: 1, Stephanie Wiechmann, WBST-FM, "Mastering Tech at Any Age at the Library"; 2, Joe Hren, WFIU-FM, "Experience a Rare Outdoor Concert from a Carillon."

Best Enterprise Story: 1, Steven Lattimore, WLPR-FM, "Gary Churches Switch to Solar Power to Save Money"; 2, Sara Wittmeyer, WFIU-FM, "Ind. Officials Working to Eliminate Feral Hog Population."

Best News Series: 1, Barbara Brosher, WFIU-FM, "Scott County HIV Outbreak"; 2, Claire McInerny, WFIU-FM, "Percentage of English Language Learners in Indiana Outpaces National Average."

Best Continuous Coverage of a Single Event: 1, WFIU-FM, "The Ongoing Fight over LGBT Rights in Indiana"; 2, Barbara Brosher, WFIU-FM, "The Battle Between Notre Dame and ESPN Over Police Records."

Best Community Impact: 1, WLPR-FM, "Community Conversations."

Best Website: 1, WFIU-FM, "WFIU.org."

Best Use of Radio Sound: 1, Barbara Brosher, WFIU-FM, "National Hearing Test Allows for Over-The-Phone Screening"; 2, J.D. Gray, WFIU-FM, "Pumpkin Launchers Prepare for Competition."

Best Sports Play-By-Play (Radio): 1, Tim Torrance and Travis Calvert, WORX-FM, "2016 Madison Regatta."

Best Public Affairs Program (Radio): 1, WFIU-FM, "Finding the Fix: Heroin's Hold on the Heartland"; 2, John Strauss, WBST-FM, "Indiana Weekend: Madison County Fair."

Best Student Reporter: 1, Sophia Saliby, WFIU-FM; 2, Tony Sandleben, WBST-FM.

Best Reporter: 1, Steven Lattimore, WLPR-FM; 2, Stephanie Wiechmann, WBST-FM.

Best Long-Form Newscast (Radio): 1, A.J. Brammer, WORX-FM; 2, Stan Sollars and IPR News Team, WBST-FM.

Best Short-Form Newscast (Radio): 1, Sara Wittmeyer, WFIU-FM; 2, Sara Wittmeyer, WFIU-FM.

Outstanding News Operation: 1, WFIU-FM.

A winners list with judges' comments is available at: http://discover.ap.org/contests/Indiana-broadcast