HATTIESBURG — The Natchez Democrat won 12 total awards, including two first-place awards, Saturday at the Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press Media Editors annual contest.

The contest entries were from newspapers from both Mississippi and Louisiana and were published in 2015. The winners were announced Saturday during a banquet in Hattiesburg.

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

Lindsey Shelton won first place in the general news category for “Shining the Light: The Parchman Ordeal 50 Years Later” for coverage of the 50th anniversary of the Parchman Ordeal.

Vershal Hogan won first place in the investigative category for “How Much from Hydro Plant,” coverage of the connection of Vidalia’s hydroelectric royalties and the Square on Carter Project. The newspaper swept the investigative category with wins in second and third place as well.

The Democrat placed third for the statewide Margaret Dixon Freedom of Information Award for Hogan’s coverage of the Square on Carter project.

Other awards The Democrat staff won include:

Second place

-Features — Sarah Cook

-Investigative — Cook

-Layout and Design — Ben Hillyer

-General news photo —Hillyer

-Illustration — Sam Gause

-Sports Action Photo — Gause

Third place

-General news — Cook

-Investigative — Cook and Hogan

-General news photo — Hillyer