RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Winners of the North Carolina Associated Press News Excellence Awards were announced Thursday at the North Carolina Press Association Winter Institute in Raleigh.

Newspapers from across North Carolina submitted entries in the AP contest, which honored exemplary journalistic work published in 2016. The AP is a not-for-profit news cooperative representing about 4,000 newspapers and 5,000 broadcasters in the United States.

The North Carolina AP News Excellence winners are:

—Thomas Wolfe Award for outstanding writing (Division III): First Place, Kathleen Purvis, The Charlotte Observer, “Cornbread: The Great Divide”; Finalist, Beth Walton, Asheville Citizen-Times, “Living Transgender.”

—O. Henry Award for outstanding writing (Division II): First Place, Mark Wineka, Salisbury Post, “The Livengoods”; Finalist, Paul B. Johnson, The High Point Enterprise, “Through the Eyes of Refugees”; Finalist, Anna Johnson, Burlington Times-News, “Unique Challenges.”

—O. Henry Award (Division I): First Place, Joey Millwood, Hendersonville Times-News, “Athlete Excelled Despite Homelessness”; Finalist, William Toler, Richmond County Daily Journal, “It’s the Marijuana that Helps.”

—Walter Spearman Award for outstanding writing by a journalist with less than two years of daily newspaper experience (Division III): First Place, Monica Vendituoli, The Fayetteville Observer, “Ladies of Value Ministry Seeks to Help Fayetteville-Area Strippers”; Finalist, Abigail Margulis, Asheville Citizen-Times, “Behind the Lines: Firefighters Share Stories”; Finalist, Monica Vendituoli, The Fayetteville Observer, “Warrant: Man Accused of Sex Trafficking Soldier Threatened to Tell Her Commander.”

—Walter Spearman Award (Division II): First Place, Jessica Williams, Burlington Times-News, “Student Mental Health”; Finalist, Jessica Williams, Burlington Times-News, “The Money Mirage”; Finalist, Stephanie Butzer, The High Point Enterprise, “In it for the Long Run/Local Runners Remember 2013 Boston Attack.”

—Walter Spearman Award (Division I): First Place, William Toler, Richmond County Daily Journal, “Running at ‘Little Rock”’; Finalist, Kelsey Padgett, The Wilson Times, “Going Rogue”; Finalist, Andrew Mundhenk, Hendersonville Times-News, “Not Forgotten.”

—Senator Sam Award for recognition of excellence in open government reporting (Division III): First Place, Rick Rothacker, Katherine Peralta and Steve Harrison, The Charlotte Observer, “HB2 Emails.”

—Senator Sam Award (Division I-II): First Place, Corey Friedman, The Wilson Times, “Body Camera Law and Middlesex Town Code”; Finalist, Josh Bergeron, Rebecca Rider and Amanda Raymond, Salisbury Post, “Sunshine Week: Officials Travel.”

—North Carolina AP Member Photo of the Year: Jeff Siner, The Charlotte Observer, for his image of a lone protester standing defiantly in front of police officers in Charlotte, N.C. Sept. 20, 2016, after demonstrations broke out following a fatal police shooting.

For a list of winners, go to http://discover.ap.org/contests/north-carolina