Delaware Gazette reporter D. Anthony Botkin is a finalist in the Ohio Associated Press Media Editors’ 2018 newspaper contest, the AP announced Tuesday.

The awards in actual order of finish — first, second and third places — will be announced at the Ohio APME annual awards banquet May 4 in Columbus. The General Excellence, Hall of Fame, Rising Star and First Amendment winners also will be announced at the meeting.

Botkin, a veteran photographer from the Dayton area who joined the Delaware Gazette staff in March 2016 as a reporter, is a finalist in the Best Feature Photo category for his “Multitasking” submission. In the photograph, which was taken during the 2018 Delaware County Fair, Botkin captured a shot of Jenna Johnson milking her goat, Buttercup, while simultaneously texting on her cell phone.

“Tony is one of the hardest-working journalists I’ve come across in my 15 years in the business,” Delaware Gazette Editor Joshua Keeran said. “His photography skills and dedication to getting the shot, no matter the obstacle, makes him a true asset to the Delaware Gazette and its readers.”

Fifty-five daily newspapers submitted 1,776 entries in the AP contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics and photos from 2018.

The Delaware Gazette competes in Division I (newspapers with a daily circulation up to 7,999), which was judged by editors from the Petoskey (Michigan) News-Review and the Ludington (Michigan) Daily News.

The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing 1,300 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations in the United States.