NATCHEZ — The Natchez Democrat won 30 total awards, including 12 first-place awards along with a statewide freedom of information award, Saturday at the 2010 Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press Managing Editors annual contest.

The contest entries were from newspapers from both Mississippi and Louisiana. The winners were announced Saturday during a banquet at the Natchez Convention Center.

The Democrat competes in the small daily newspaper division for the majority of the contest categories.

The newspaper’s investigative coverage of violations of the state’s Open Meetings Law by the Adams County Board of Supervisors earned the Margaret Dixon Freedom of Information Award. The award is given only to one newspaper in the state of Mississippi each year and is not awarded by size category.

Other awards The Democrat’s staff won include:

•Spot news writing — first place, Jennifer Edwards.

•General news writing — first place, Cassandra Mickens; third place, Cassandra Mickens.

•Features writing — First place, Emily Ham; third place Emily Ham.

•Business writing — Third place, Cassandra Mickens.

•Continuing coverage — Second place, Vershal Hogan, Julie Cooper and staff.

•Public/community service writing — Third place, Vershal Hogan and Cain Madden.

•Investigative writing — Third place, Cain Madden.

•Sports enterprise/feature writing — First place, Jeff Edwards.

•Editorials — Second place, Julie Cooper; Third place, staff.

•Headlines — First place, Jeff and Jennifer Edwards.

•Layout and design — First place, Ben Hillyer.

•Spot news photograph — Second place, Ben Hillyer.

•General news photograph — Second place, Ben Hillyer; Third place, Ben Hillyer.

•Sports action photo — Second place, Ben Hillyer.

•Sports feature photo — First place, Hannah Reel; Second place, Ben Hillyer.

•Photo illustration — First place, Ben Hillyer; Second place, Ben Hillyer; Third place, Ben Hillyer.

•Multi-picture — First place, Ben Hillyer; Second place, Ben Hillyer; Third place, Ben Hillyer.

•Portrait personality — First place, Hannah Reel; Third place, Ben Hillyer.

•Digital website — First place, Ben Hillyer.