The regional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists announced Friday winners of the “Top of the Rockies” competition. The Daily Herald, part of region 9 of the society, came away with 18 different awards, eight of which were first place awards.

Stories entered into the competition were written in 2018. The Colorado Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists sponsors and manages the contest, which grew from a Colorado-only contest to include New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

In addition to seven first-place awards, Daily Herald journalists won six second-place awards and five third-place awards.

Daily Herald reporters won first-place awards for religion general reporting, best solutions journalism, legal general reporting, agricultural and environment general reporting, health general reporting and sports photography, among other categories. Second-place awards were given in categories such as page design, news reporting, and science and technology general reporting.

Worth highlighting is the work by the Arts and Entertainment and Food staff at the Daily Herald, which took away a total of four awards all its own. The Daily Herald as a staff was also recognized for Taste Magazine and “The State of Education in Utah Valley.”

“While our goal as a community newspaper serving Utah County is to always tell stories that inspire and compel our readers, it is validating to our journalists to be recognized by their peers for their superior work in the West,” Jordan Carroll, Daily Herald executive editor, said.

Read some of the first-place award-winning stories below and see the full list of the awards and award winners from the Daily Herald.

1st place Religion General Reporting: Genelle Pugmire: LDS Church doctrine vs. ‘Mormon Doctrine’ — What’s the difference?

1st place Best Solutions Journalism: Staff: The State of Education in Utah Valley

1st place Legal: General Reporting: Ashley Stilson: There are no words to describe the nightmare’: Man who assisted in friend’s suicide sent to prison

1st place: Ag and Environment: General Reporting: Katie England: Utah County farmers brace for impacts of trade war

3rd place: Health: General Reporting: Braley Dodson: Utah State Hospital marks 485 patients resting in unmarked graves in Provo cemetery

1st place: Sports Photography: Evan Cobb: After the race

1st place: Headline Writing: Doug Fox

1st and 2nd place: A&E and Food: Criticism: Doug Fox and Kari Kenner

2nd place Feature Page Design: David Revilla: “One Love” Ticket cover

2nd place A&E and Food: Enterprise Reporting: Sarah Harris: Evermore Park coverage

2nd place News Reporting- Single Story: Katie England: Protecting petroglyphs as Utah County develops

2nd place: Science and Technology: General Reporting: Karissa Neely: Orem company’s interactive textbooks connect learners and instructors

2nd place: Legal: Enterprise Reporting: Ashley Stilson: Cleaning up contamination: What happens to meth houses

3rd place: Education: General Reporting: Braley Dodson Latino teachers, principals extremely rare in Utah schools

3rd place: A&E and Food: Single Story: Sarah Harris: How an insufferable Provo filmmaker recruited Jack Black for a low-budget movie

3rd place: Business: Enterprise Reporting: Karissa Neely: Tariffs’ effects on Utah County

3rd place: Special Section: Staff: Taste Magazine