The Richmond Free Press was recognized with nine awards, including two first place awards, at the annual Virginia Press Association competition in writing, photography, news presentation and advertising.

The Free Press entered work from 2023 to be judged by members of the Missouri Press Association. Winners were announced last Saturday at the VPA News & Advertising Awards Banquet in Charlottesville.

April Coleman, Free Press vice president of production, won first place in the category of professional services excluding medical and healthcare for her ad design for HDH’s 23rd anniversary celebration of being in business.

Free Press contributor Darlene M. Johnson also won first place in the feature writing portfolio category. Stories in the portfolio include a profile of Afro-Puerto Rican band Kadencia, the displacement of former Creighton Court residents and Sgt. Maj. Keith L. Craig’s journey with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Second place awards went to:

• Staff photographer Sandra Sellars for breaking news photography

• Ms. Johnson for sports writing portfolio

• Ms. Coleman for education, church and organization ad designs

• Jeremy M. Lazarus for health, science and environmental writing

Third place awards went to:

• Mr. Lazarus for education writing

• Ms. Sellars, Mr. Lazarus, Regina H. Boone, George Copeland Jr., Bonnie Newman Davis and Debora Timms for general news writing

• Freelance photographer James Haskins for sports news photo