Newsday wins 12 awards from NY News Publishers Association

The shooting of Oheka Castle owner Gary Melius and an investigative series that delved into Suffolk judges who violated rules to award Melius and his associates foreclosure work were among the 12 awards Newsday won in the New York News Publishers Association Awards.

Newsday staffers won 12 awards with honors for breaking news coverage, community service, photography, multimedia, newspaper supplements editorial and education column writing among them.

In the breaking news category, the paper's staff won for its reporting of the shooting of Oheka Castle owner Gary Melius. Sandra Peddie and Will Van Sant won in the community service category for "The Insiders," which reported how judges violated rules to award Melius and his associates at least $600,000 in foreclosure work.

Photojournalists Thomas A. Ferrara and J. Conrad Williams Jr. won a combined five awards. Ferrara won the Feature Photography, Online Photo Gallery and Multi-Media Presentation for "Double Lives of Derby Girls."

Williams won the News Photography category for "Presidential Face Time" and the Sports Photography category for "California Chrome."

Other winners:

Headline Writing category, This "Family" enjoys corn on macabre, Jerry Zezima

SEE PHOTOSThe Insiders investigation: Key players

Newspaper Supplement category, "Bridal Planner Explore," LI Staff

Specialty Publication category, "Newsday's 2014 Fun Book Explore," LI Staff

Editorial Writing, "Hempstead Schools," Michael Dobie

Column Writing, Education Columns, Ann Michaud