BJ's Ken Love, PD staff win ONPA awards

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's photography staff has been named best in the state for the eighth year in a row by the Ohio News Photographers Association. The PD also won best picture usage by a large newspaper in the state.

Ken Love of the Akron Beacon Journal was named ''Clip Photographer of the Year'' from points he accumulated in the association's monthly clip contest in 2007.

Love and Beacon Journal photographer Phil Masturzo also received ''awards of excellence'' for their work over the past year. The winner was Chris Russell from the Columbus Dispatch.

The Beacon Journal photo staff was named the third best in Ohio for newspapers with circulations of more than 100,000. The Columbus Dispatch took second. The Beacon Journal staff also placed third in the ''picture usage'' category.

Ninety-eight photographers from across the state submitted 1,404 entries in the 57th annual news photography contest judged Friday and Saturday at Kent State University. Judging the competition were Jim Gehrz from the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Karen Pulfer Focht from The Memphis Commercial Appeal and Jack Ziblukis, associate professor of journalism at Arkansas State University.

Chris Russell of The Columbus Dispatch was named News Photographer of the Year. Plain Dealer photographer Lisa DeJong placed second, and her colleague Gus Chan placed third.