The Selma Times-Journal garnered second-place honors in the Community Service Award category in its class in the 2002 Alabama Associated Press Managing Editors contest.

The award was given for &uot;Stranger in My House,&uot; a series of stories by The Times-Journal staff that detailed a rash of break-ins at area businesses and the subsequent changes that were implemented to deter future break-ins.

The Times-Journal also picked up two first-place awards in the Lifestyles Features and Business News categories, a second-place award in the Sports Feature category, and an honorable mention for photography in the Sports Feature category.

Megan Lavey picked up a first-place award in the Lifestyles Feature category for her story on &uot;Restoring History,&uot; concerning the refurbishment of the Kress Building.

Former Times-Journal editor Jonathan McElvy won first-place honors in the Business News category for &uot;Bitter Sugar,&uot; about the demise of the American Candy Co.

Former Times-Journal sports editor Kevin Bush won second place in the Sports Feature category for &uot;No Girls Allowed,&uot; a story about Dallas County High School place-kicker Chelsea Chamberlin.

Former Times-Journal photographer Bob Ealum won honorable mention in the Sports Feature category for photos.

Newspapers across the state competed in three classes based on circulation size.

The contest was judged by AP member newspaper editors in Arizona.

Winners of the 2002 Alabama Associated Press Managing Editors contest will be honored May 10 at the annual meeting of the Alabama APME at the Hilton Garden Inn at Orange Beach.