1st Place Environment: P. Kevin Morley, Richmond Times-Dispatch–Robert Michael cleans the large aquarium at Cabela’s, in the North American Big Game Display in the new outdoor gear and hunting supply retailer set to open April 6. March 22, 2016
2nd Place Environment: Jonathon Gruenke, Daily Press–A great blue heron rests atop a tree as the sun sets over the James River Monday evening March 21, 2016.
3rd Place Environment: Jay Diem, Eastern Shore News–A turkey vulture spreads its wings to sun itself atop a utility pole on Willis Wharf Road in Exmore, Va. on Wednesday morning, April 6, 2016. The region woke to frost Wednesday morning.
HM: Alexa Welch Edlund, Richmond Times Dispatch–Red-billed oxpeckers feast on a giraffe in Kruger National Park, South Africa in March 2016.
HM: Rob Ostermaier, Daily Press–A great blue heron looks for a meal in the James River on a chilly Wednesday evening in Newport News.
1st Place Feature:Vicki Cronis-Nohe, Virginian-Pilot–Patient John Geheren, 11, and his father Michael, right, watch in surprise from a hospital room as Wayne Barrows swings by their window on March 21, 2016. The crew of Appearances Window Cleaners of Tidewater dressed as superheroes as a treat for patients at the children’s hospital in Norfolk.
2nd Place Feature: Kristen Zeis, Virginian-Pilot–Bretteney Beverly sits down while talking to friends before the start of the Regent University 2016 Commencement Ceremony at held at Library Plaza on the Regent University campus in Virginia Beach, Va., on Saturday, May 7, 2016. Beverly graduated with her Master of Fine Arts in Acting.
3rd Place Feature: Erica Yoon, Roanoke Times–Maria Goodman-Osby, 5, center, plays with inflated beach balls along with other community members at Afton Garden Apartments off of Hunt Ave. NW during National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016. Part of the night’s mission is to foster community building and promote police-community partnerships.
HM Feature: Rob Ostermaier, Daily Press–Michael White and Isaiah Hill continue to fish near the Coleman Bridge as a series of thunderstorm cells move through the area.
HM Feature: Heather Rousseau, Roanoke Times–Maverick Johnston (from left), 7, Naomi Lankford, 6, and Lydia Lankford, 10, re-enact Norman RockwellÕs painting titled ÒArt Critic,Ó at the Taubman Museum of Art on Wednesday. ÒAmerican Chronicles: The Art of Norman RockwellÓ is on exhibit at the museum until June 12. The home-schoolers from Botetourt County attended the TaubmanÕs childrenÕs program and recreated scenes from the exhibit, using props provided by the museum.
1st Place General News: John Shinkle, Politico–Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) gives a passionate thank you speech to the supporters that waited outside the House overnight during the Democrats attempt to force a vote on gun safety legislation on June 23, 2016.
2nd Place General News: Jonathon Gruenke, Daily Press–Jessica Leitch, right, begins to cry as Benjamin Leitch, left, and Gracelyn Leitch enter the family’s van Sunday morning July 17, 2016 to move to Missouri from Smithfield. Jessica is leaving behind her husband John Leitch in hopes of finding better special education for Benjamin.
3rd Place General News: P. Kevin Morley, Richmond Times-Dispatch–Classmates of Dylan Ballard, 17, gather at a memorial site at the scene where Ballard and Elliott Hinton, 22, died Saturday night when the truck they were in drove off the 6000 block of Cold Harbor Road and into this tree. At left, Ballard’s football teammate Nathan Johnson (facing) embraces Jenna Head and Cade Prior looks at the items left at the site. Said Johnson of Ballard, “That’s my brother. He was my best friend.” At right, Bailey Campbell (left) and Jacob Bragg were among many close friends of Ballard’s who came to the site after school let out Monday, April 25, 2016.
HM Place General News: Scott Elmquist, Style Weekly–Brianna Scott, 19, a Virginia Commonwealth student listens to the opening remarks of the Richmond Grabs Back Anti-Trump protest held in Richmond on November 12th. Hundreds marched through the streets of Richmond in protest of the newly elect president, while championing the rights of women, minorities and the LGBT community.
HM Place General News: Matt McClain, Washington Post–United States Naval Academy plebes take part in log pt during Sea Trials at the United States Naval Academy on Tuesday May 17, 2016 in Annapolis, MD.
1st Place Lifestyle: Jonathon Gruenke, Daily Press–Bradley Garner hugs his father, Jim, as he lies in bed at Commonwealth Assisted Living in Hampton Thursday evening March 24, 2016. Jim died from Alzheimer’s April 2, 2016. Jim was diagnosed by the National Institute of Health in 2011 with “mild cognitive impairment,” the precursor to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The genetically pre-determined disease has devastated his family–his mother died of the disease at age 61, his older brother at 52.
2nd Place Lifestyle: Rob Ostermaier, Daily Press–Christopher Newport University student James Dennehy was born in India without arms and adopted by an American family in Ashland, Virginia. He’s adapted since birth to use his feet in place of his hands.
3rd Place Lifestyle: Matt McClain, Washington Post–A worker fumigates the Guabiraba neighborhood for mosquitos on Wednesday March 16, 2016 in Recife, Brazil. The Zika virus has been rampant in this region. The virus is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
HM Lifestyle: Heather Rousseau, Roanoke Times– Kyla Donoho, 22, has Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), which she thinks is a result from using an IV during her heroin addiction. Donoho injects herself with prescription medication daily to prevent future blood clots. She is in a residential substance abuse treatment program where she is working to get clean for herself, her baby, her boyfriend and her grandmother. Donoho, at 18, was introduced to cocaine by her mother and then to heroine in her first serious relationship with a man named Joseph whose name is tattooed on her belly. She hopes to have it removed.
HM Lifestyle: Vicki Cronis-Nohe, Virginian-Pilot–Kathy Brandt watches as her husband Russ cleans green beans for dinner at their Norfolk home on May 11, 2016. Kathy was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s several years ago, and Russ has since found out that caregiving tasks, such as respite care, are not covered by health insurance. Russ is her sole caretaker.
1st Place Pictorial: Matt McClain, Washington Post–Workers adjust flags at Hillary Clinton’s election night headquarters at the Javits Center on Tuesday November 8, 2016 in New York City, New York. She lost the election to Donald Trump.
2nd Place Pictorial: Kristen Zeis, Virginian-Pilot–The tail of Jilly, handled by Greg Bennett with the Dare County Sheriff’s office, peeks through the windshield of an old truck while searching for narcotics in the vehicle during a training that took place at the Manteo Detention Center in Manteo, N.C., on Thursday March 3, 2016. The weekly trainings with handlers and their dogs last about four hours.
3rd Place Pictorial: Bill Tiernan, Virginian-Pilot–The East Beach neighborhood of Norfolk,VA. along the Chesapeake Bay now one of the most affluent in Norfolk.
HM Place Pictorial: Joe Fudge, Daily Press–Historic 1804 New Point Lighthouse, workers are saving the Lighthouse from the waters of the Chesapeake Bay with the new outer ring of large rocks to serve as a break water to protect the small island near Mathews Co.
1st Place Portrait: Daniel Min, Richmond Times-Dispatch–Keith Allen Harward shows his tattoo with convicted date, exonerated date, Innocent Project, and his exonerated number. Harward, a former sailor wrongly imprisoned for 1982 slaying of a Newport News man and the rape of his wife, walked out of the prison after 33 years. Virginia Supreme Court granted a writ of actual innocence and tossed out his convictions after DNA tests.
2nd Place Portrait: Kristen Zeis, Virginian-Pilot–Nichole Credle, is photographed at her Suffolk, Va., home on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. Credle signed a contract with Sea-Thru, a Virginia Beach, Va., window company in June 2016 and has yet to receive her windows. She’s battling the company in an effort to retrieve a $2,278 deposit for preach of contract. Credle’s current windows are leaking and she’s worried about the risk of mold, which she says would result in health issues for her children, who are asthmatic. Credle is photographed with her children, Collin Credle Jr., 5, and Hailey, 6.
3rd Place Portrait: M. Scott Mahaskey, Politico–Portrait of Bishop Calvin Woods, Sr. of Shiloh Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama, photographed Feb. 19, 2016. Commenting on this yearÕs election, Woods said: ÒItÕs a mess in a way. When we sow the wind, we reaped a whirlwind (referring to biblical verse Hosea 8:7). So we canÕt blame anybody but ourselves for that. So we have to deal with it. Some of us are too wishy-washy when it comes to justice and things of that nature.Ó
HM Portrait: Aileen Devlin, Daily Press–Benjamin Patten-Dunivan, 11, comes up for air while swimming on Thursday, Aug. 11. At five o’clock everyday local Tangier Island youths congregate at the ice cream restuarant and walk to the gas dock to jump off the pier before the sun sets.
HM Portrait: Jill Nance Waugh, News & Advance–Elvis tribute artist Taylor Rodriguez, 18, prepares for a performance at Grace Memorial Church on New Hampshire Avenue.
1st Place Sports Action: Jason Hirschfeld, VIrginian-Pilot–Old Dominion’s Brandan Smith dunks in the first half against VCU, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016 at the Constant Center in Norfolk.
2nd Place Sports Action: P. Kevin Morley, Richmond Times-Dispatch–Freeman High’s Waleed Suliman (left) places first, defeating second-place Harrison Martingayle (right) of Princess Anne in the boys 5A, 1000-meter race in the Virginia High School League’s State Group 5A/6A indoor track championships at Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, Va., Feb. 27, 2016.
3rd Place Sports Action: Ryan Kelly, Daily Progress–Covenant quarterback Nic Sanker is sacked by Blue Ridge’s Jamison Harrison during a high school football game at The Covenant School on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. Blue Ridge defeated Covenant 55-14.
HM Sports Action: Daniel Min, Richmond Times-Dispatch–Mills Godwin’s first baseman Cal O’Donnell tags out Lee-Davis’ Chip Granderson in the third inning at Lee-Davis during the high school baseball game.
HM Sports Action: Rob Ostermaier, Daily Press–Christopher Newport’s Josh Davis can’t pull in this pass under pressure from Montclair State’s Shaon Stephenson during the fourth quarter at CNU.
1st Place Sports Feature: Jonathon Gruenke, Daily Press–Members of the USS Abraham Lincoln hockey team take selfies before the start of Saturday’s Air vs. Sea hockey game at the Scope Arena in Norfolk on January 30, 2015.
2nd Place Sports Feature: Bill Tiernan, Virginian-Pilot–From left: Coach Leon Wilson jokes with Kemon Wood,4, who plays with the super tiny mites football team of the 757 Seahawks Youth Athletic Association, after he put his shoulder pads on backwards before a team practice Sept.29, 2016. His father Detrell Wood, an assistant coach of the super tiny mights, was helping his son get his pads turned around. Wilson is a coach of the 10U division players.
3rd Place Sports Feature: Jonathon Gruenke, Daily Press–Steam rises above Hampton’s Burnell Pulley before the start of Friday’s Region 5A South playoff game against Indian River at Darling Stadium November 18, 2016.
HM Place Sports Feature: Heather Rousseau, Roanoke Times–The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets react to the game as they eat pizza during the first half of the game against Miami University in Blacksburg, Va. Thursday, October 20 2016.
HM Place Sports Feature: Jay Westcott, News & Advance–E.C. Glass senior TJ Jones (left) and teammate Ricardo Crews (right) console Liberty Christian’s Jay Barber after Thursday night’s postseason elimination basketball game.
1st Place Spot News: Kristen Zeis, Virginian-Pilot–“This devastates the hell out of me,” said Kevin Dillard while draining a pool that was the location of the drowning of his toddler neighbor in Virginia Beach, Va., on Saturday, April 2 , 2016. On Friday, April 1, 2016, a toddler was reported missing on the 1800 block of Old Ridge Road in Virginia Beach, Va., shorty after, her body was found in the pool in Dillard’s backyard. ÒThey have to look at that pool every day,Ó he said. ÒIÕm not doing that to them. IÕm not doing that to me.Ó
2nd Place Spot News: Todd Spencer, Virginian-Pilot–Melody Spraggin holds her ten year old son Mark Spraggin outside a residence in the Tidewater Gardens neighborhood, where Norfolk Police say two officers were involved in a fatal shooting inside. Melody said that the man shot was her uncle and she was waiting for information from the police.
3rd Place Spot News: Lee Luther–The front wheel came off of Susan Malburg’s stroller tipped over but the baby and Malburg were not hurt as both were quickly cared for by other runners in the IRON 5 K Race on Sunday.
HM Spot News: Jill Nance Waugh, News & Advance– Nick Mobley helps finds possessions for the house owned by Jack Baker at 13720 Richmond Highway on February 24, 2016, a hour after an EF3 categroy tornado tore miles-long swatch of damage through in Appomattox County, Va.
HM Spot News: P. Kevin Morley, Richmond Times-Dispatch–Ameyah Graves (far left) couldn’t believe that her mother’s car was totaled by a fallen tree during Thursday night’s storm. She and neighbors along Patrick Avenue lost their power. From left: Ameyah Graves, Jamya Mobley (11), Aquan Mobley (7), their mother Audreyel Mobley and Audreyel’s husband, Jonas Baptist.
1st Place Election: Shelby Lum Cousino, Richmond Times-Dispatch–Voters line up in voting booths to cast their ballots at Robious Elementary School on Tuesday Nov. 8, 2016.
2nd Place Election: Matt McClain, Washington Post–A photograph of presidential candidate, Donald Trump is seen in a residential neighborhood on Tuesday February 02, 2016 in West Des Moines, IA.
3rd Place: 3rd Place Election: M. Scott Mahaskey, Politico–Supporters cheer as Hillary Clinton accepts the nomination to become the nominee for president at the Democratic National Convention July 28, 2016 in Philadelphia, Penn.
HM: Election: M. Scott Mahaskey, Politico–A campaign volunteer yells “lock her up” as Donald J. Trump holds a campaign rally Nov. 2, 2016 at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater in Miami, Florida. The phrase became a rally cry across the United States as Trump supporters believed former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton should be charged over various actions during her time as secretary.
HM: Election: M. Scott Mahaskey, Politico–Former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, alongside Vice Presidential candidate Sen. Tim Kaine, during a balloon drop following her speech to delegates to accept the nomination to become the nominee for president at the Democratic National Convention July 28, 2016 in Philadelphia, Penn.
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