The Daily Herald won eight first-place and seven second-place awards in the Utah Idaho Spokane Associated Press Association’s annual news contest for work produced during 2017.

Among first place award-winning news was the story “Transgender at BYU: Current and former students living lives despite unclear policies” by Braley Dodson; Jared Lloyd’s sports story “Miracle Cowboy,” multiple images by photojournalist Isaac Hale and graphic art in the Daily Herald’s weekly entertainment section The Ticket by David Revilla.

The Deseret News in Utah and the Times-News and Moscow-Pullman Daily News in Idaho were named the winners Friday in the general excellence category of the Utah Idaho Spokane Associated Press Association’s news contest.

The Deseret News in Salt Lake City won the William H. Cowles III Memorial Award for public service reporting for their coverage of Utah’s opioid epidemic.

Top investigative honors for the largest division of newspapers went to Mark Shenefelt of the Standard-Examiner in Ogden for coverage of inmate deaths reaching a 17-year high in northern Utah.

A total of 16 daily newspapers submitted 532 entries in the contest. The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,400 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States.

FIRST PLACE

Feature Story: By Braley Dodson, “Transgender at BYU: Current and Former Students Living Lives Despite Unclear Policies”

General News Photo: By Isaac Hale, “Orem Mayor Cuts Ribbon on New Splash Pad”

Graphic Artist: By David Revilla, “The Ticket.”

Sport Feature Photo: By Isaac Hale, “Skyhawks vs. Lions”

Online Best Website: Stacy Johnson, www.heraldextra.com

Sports Column: Jared Lloyd

Spot News Photo: By Isaac Hale, “West Mountain Fire”

Spot Sports Story: By Jared Lloyd, “Miracle Cowboy”

SECOND PLACE

Investigative Reporting: By Staff, “Utah County’s Housing Dilemma”

Photo Illustration: By David Revilla

Feature Photo: By Isaac Hale, “Outdoor Show”

Picture Story/Photo Essay: By Sammy Jo Hester, “Learning to Breathe”

Sports Column: By Sunny Mahe, “A Coach’s Wife.”

Spot Sports Story: By Darnell Dickson, “Top-Ranked Duke Teaches Wolverines a Lesson in Elite Play”

Editorials: By Jordan Carroll

THIRD PLACE

Investigative Reporting: By Kurt Hanson and Genelle Pugmire, “Claims, Statements of Provo Mayoral Candidates Verified, Disputed”

Portrait photo: By Isaac Hale, “The Candy Bomber”