IRON MOUNTAIN — The Daily News won eight awards in the annual Michigan Associated Press Media Editors newspaper competition, including first- or second-place awards in four writing categories as well as third place for public service, general excellence and digital presence.

The Associated Press announced the results last week after canceling its awards banquet scheduled for April 4 in Lansing.

Earlier, The Daily News earned seven honors from the Michigan Press Association in its Better Newspaper Contest, including three in categories open statewide to all member newspapers and platforms.

In the MAPME contest, which covered the calendar year 2019, The Daily News competed in Division 1 for newspapers with daily circulations of less than 10,000.

First place awards were —

— Best Headline Writing, a staff award, based on a sampling of news and sports entries: “Good headlines are clever, informative, incisive and above all clear,” judges wrote. “This entry fits the bill.”

— Best Sports Feature Story: Sports Writer Burt Angeli for “‘An Interesting Ballclub’: Bobcats Remember, Celebrate 1989 State Championship.” Judges complimented Angeli for a strong lead and well-told story — “A very enjoyable read.”

— Best Business Writing: Managing Editor Betsy Bloom, for a group of “Business Showcase” stories. “The writer has a very readable, clear writing style and provides keen insights into people behind the businesses,” the judges said.

Staff Writer Brian Christensen earned second place in the Best Business Writing category, also for “Business Showcase” stories, with judges remarking, “The writer tackles diverse business topics with aplomb.”

The other MAPME awards included —

— Best Feature Writing, second place: Former Staff Writer Theresa Proudfit for a selection of stories that included “A Father for Christmas.”

— Best Public Service, third place: News Editor Jim Anderson for coverage of Dickinson County Healthcare System’s financial restructuring. “A well-written and informative series on a major local issue,” judges said.

— Best Digital Presence, third place: Recognizing the newspaper’s website, www.ironmountaindailynews.com, and related Facebook posts and Twitter alerts.

— General Excellence, third place.

Other Upper Peninsula newspapers earning awards in the MAPME’s Division 1 were Austin Hemmingson, Escanaba Daily Press, third place for Best Sports Column; Clarissa Kell, Escanaba Daily Press, third place for Best Spot News Photo; and Jason Juno, Ironwood Daily Globe, third place for Best Feature Photo.

The contest was judged by a handful of newspapers in Ohio.

Members of Montana Press Association judged entries in the 2019 Michigan Press Association contest for the period from Aug. 1, 2018, through July 31, 2019. The Daily News competed in the Daily C division for newspapers with a circulation of 5,001 to 11,000. Winners were announced March 16.

Bloom took first place for Best Columnist for “Northwoods Notebook,” a regular feature in the newspaper’s Outdoors section.

Former Sports Editor Adam Niemi received second place in Sports Photo for “Mountaineers fall in state finals,” a photograph showing Iron Mountain’s Charlie Gerhard reacting as Pewamo-Westphalia celebrated its Division 3 state basketball championship after a controversial finish.

The Daily News earned honorable mention in two Daily C categories: Bloom, in Photo Story, for “Returning birds make for a rainbow at the feeders”; and Special Section, a staff award for “Logging Today.”

Several MPA categories were open class, in which all entries were judged against each other regardless of circulation or platform. Anderson placed second in Public Notice Journalism for “DCHS sets hearing on $25M in borrowing.” The category recognized stories that exemplify the importance of public notice in newspapers.

In another open class, Niemi received honorable mention for Best Headline for “No Cain Do: Brewers OF saves HR to preserve Opening Day win,” a reference to Lorenzo Cain’s game-ending catch March 28, 2019, in Milwaukee.

Finally, The Daily News received honorable mention in the Open Class-Best Website category, in which only one other newspaper was recognized. First place was won by Flintside, an online magazine based in Flint; second place went to the Grand Haven Tribune; and third place went to Bridge Magazine, an online publication of the non-profit Center for Michigan.

Escanaba’s Daily Press received MPA awards in two Daily C categories — second place to Hemmingson for Best Sports Column and third place to Ilsa Matthes for Feature Photo. The Daily Globe’s Juno took first place in Daily D for Feature Photo.