BAR HARBOR – The Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram took Newspaper of the Year honors in the Maine Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest.

The Sun Journal took third place in the general excellence competition for daily newspapers and second place in the same category for weekend newspapers.

The winners were announced Saturday at the association’s annual banquet held at the Bar Harbor Regency.

Among the 25 awards the Sun Journal won were a first-place award in the Freedom of Information category. The paper was recognized for pursuing a report that had been withheld on the apprehension of Auburn Mayor Normand Guay for suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants in August 2003.

City Editor Karen Kreworuka praised reporter Scott Taylor’s diligent efforts in pursuing documents the Sun Journal believed were public record. This same entry was also among six newspapers nationwide selected to receive Freedom of Information citations from the Associated Press Managing Editors earlier this month.

The city desk staff also won a first-place award for a project on auto inspections. Reporters took one vehicle to 20 different inspection stations and got a wide range of results, from passing to being told the car needed $500 worth of work to get a sticker.

“This group of reporters functions as a team, sharing ideas and sources and creative ideas. The result has been excellent reporting,” Kreworuka said.

Papers were judged on work they published between April 1, 2003, and March 31, 2004. The judges were from newspapers in other New England states.

This year’s Sun Journal winners, including eight first-place awards, are:

• City staff, first place, Freedom of Information, Auburn Mayor Normand Guay’s arrest.

• City staff, first place, analysis/weekend, “One Car: 20 Inspections.”

• Christopher Williams, Bonnie Washuk, first place, analysis/daily, “Opposition Diverse.”

• Lisa Chmelecki, first place, feature/daily, “Prison Lies Ahead.”

• Kathryn Skelton, first place, news story/weekend, “Addressing The Bottom Line.”

• Amber Waterman, first place, sports action photo, “Disappointing Loss.”

• Paul Wallen, first place, front page design/weekend, “Someone Is Watching.”

• Ursula Albert, Jose Leiva, first place, specialty design/weekend, Encore.

• Staff, second place, continuing story/weekend, “The Big Gamble.”

• Carol Coultas, Kathryn Skelton, second place, news story/weekend, “Retail of Two Cities.”

• Daniel Hartill, second place, feature/weekend, “A Soldier’s Story.”

• Lisa Chmelecki, second place, investigative report/daily, “Auburn Mayor Charged.”

• Staff, second place, investigative report/weekend, “One Car: 20 Inspections.”

• Kevin Mills, third place, sports story, “Back From Iraq.”

• Staff, third place, continuing story/daily, on Auburn Mayor Normand Guay’s arrest.

• David Farmer, third place, editorial page/weekend, “Perspective: Off Target.”

• Ursula Albert, Russ Dillingham, Paul Wallen, third place, specialty page design/weekend, “Splat!”

• Amber Waterman, third place, picture story, “Faith Healing.”

• Daryn Slover, third place, spot news, “Water Trouble” (Canton flooding).

• Ben Stackhouse, third place, feature headline, “Tale Wags the Dog.”

The paper also won these advertising awards:

• Bruce Rioux, second place, Best New Idea, daily/weekend.

• Michelle Pushard, second place, Campaign or Series, daily/weekend.

• Lindsey Durnbaugh, second place, In-Paper Circulation Promo, daily/weekend.