BILOXI — The Natchez Democrat won general excellence and 15 first place awards Saturday at the annual Mississippi Press Association Better Newspaper Contest.

The newspaper also placed second among all daily newspapers in the state in the competition for the Dan M. Phillips Freedom of Information Award for its coverage of the Natchez Board of Aldermen’s crime meetings.

The Democrat competes in most other categories with daily newspapers with circulations between 9,000 and 20,000. The newspaper won 35 awards overall.

First place awards included:

Best spot news story — Julie Finley, “Teen charged with killing parents, friend”

Best planned series of stories — Finley, “Roadmap to the future — SACS accreditation”

Best front page

Best graphic — Ben Hillyer, “Salaries of area public officials”

Best commentary column — Finley, “School board is hurting parish children”

Best design

Best sports action photo — Hillyer

Best feature photo — Hillyer

Best pictorial series — Hillyer

Best picture-story combination — Luke Horton

Best personality portrait — Horton

Best special section or issue — “Profile 2007: Building Blocks, The ABCs of the Miss-Lou”

Best lifestyles section

Best sports section — Jeff Edwards

Best editorials

Second place awards included:

Best spot news story — Katie Stallcup, “Truck drives off cliff”

Best spot news photo — Hillyer

Best sports action photo — Marcus Frazier

Third place awards included:

Best investigative coverage, “Circuit Clerk M.L. “Binkey” Vines”

Best planned series of stories, “Season of Wishes”

Best sports column — Edwards

Best spot news photo — Hillyer

Best sports feature photo — Frazier

Best pictorial series — Hillyer

Best picture-story combination — Hillyer and Finley, “All about me”

Personality portrait — Hillyer

Best editorial page

Honorable mention awards included:

Best spot news story — Stallcup, “One dead, another injured in shooting”

Best commentary column — Hillyer

Best headline — Finley and Hillyer

Best sports feature story — Matt Burrowes

Best Web site