NATCHEZ — The DAILY LEADER news staff captured three firstplace awards, and 11 honors overall, Saturday duringMississippi-Louisiana Associated Press Managing Editors Associationeditorial competition.

Photographer Jonathon Alford received two first placeawards.

One was in the illustration category for a picture of severalU.S. flags flying outside homes following the Sept. 11 tragedy. Hisother first place honor was in the multi-picture category for aseries of photographs about firefighter training.

News Editor Matthew Coleman and Staff Writer Scott Tynescaptured a first place award in the continuing coverage category.Their series of stories focused on the search for a missingBrookhaven pilot.

In a special category this year, the newspaper’s staff receiveda second place award for its local coverage of the Sept. 11terrorist attacks.

Staff Writer Kim Windmiller captured a second place award in thelifestyles category. Alford received second place awards in thesports action photo and illustration categories.

A third place honor went to Alford in the feature photocategory. Newspaper Publisher Bill Jacobs won third place foreditorials.

Managing Editor Nanette Laster received an honorable mention forpersonal columns. Coleman also got an honorable mention in theeditorials category.

The DAILY LEADER competed against newspapers with circulationsof less 10,000.