BANGOR – The Bangor Daily News received more than 40 awards in the annual Maine Press Association Better Newspaper contest, including 14 first place honors. The awards ceremony was held Saturday in Portland during the organization’s annual convention.

All placings listed below are in the category of daily-weekend combined unless otherwise noted.

Photography-Graphics

General news photo: second, Kevin Bennett.

Scenic photo: third, Scott Haskell.

Illustration: second, Kevin Bennett & Jonathan Ferland; third, Jonathan Ferland.

Picture story: first, Stephen Katz.

Feature photo: first, Jerry Swope, former Bangor Daily News intern; third, Linda Coan O’Kresik.

Sports action photo: third, Leslie Barbaro, former Bangor Daily News intern.

Graphics: second, Eric Zelz.

Writing

News story, third in daily, Beurmond Banville; third in weekend, (tie) Ruth-Ellen Cohen, Bangor Daily News, & Chris Williams, Lewiston Sun Journal.

Spot news story: first, Liz Chapman, Walter Griffin, Bill Trotter and Doug Kesseli; second, Dawn Gagnon.

Investigative report, weekend: first, Misty Edgecomb.

Analysis: second in daily, Jeff Tuttle.

Continuing story, weekend: second, Deborah Turcotte, Misty Edgecomb and Mary Anne Lagasse.

Feature story, weekend: second, Misty Edgecomb.

Local column: first, Alicia Anstead.

Feature headline: third, Becky Bowden.

Specialty page design, daily: first and second, Jonathan Ferland; weekend: third, Eric Zelz.

Front page design, weekend: second, Eric Zelz.

Special section: second, Bangor Daily News staff.

Opinion column: first, Bruce Kyle.

Editorial cartoon: first, George Danby.

Layout

Editorial page, daily and weekend: separate firsts in each category, Richard Shaw.

Sports story: third, John Holyoke.

Sports feature, daily: second, Jessica Bloch; weekend: second, John Holyoke; third, Jessica Bloch.

Sports column: third, John Holyoke.

Sports section, weekend: third, Joe McLaughlin and staff.

Advertising

Local ad black and white: first, Bridgit Cayer and Kim Reid; third, Shelley Sund and Tom Carson.

Local ad in color: second, Shelley Sund and Evelyn Emery.

Campaign or series: first, Elizabeth Hansen and Shelley Sund; third, Elizabeth Hansen and Shelley Sund.

Advertising layout: third, Barbara Mower.

Supplement-special section: third, Pat Horne, Brian Swartz and Shelley Sund.

Self-promotion: first, Elizabeth Hansen and Shelley Sund.

Web site, all combined: first, Tim Archambault and Shelley Sund.