First place: Will Richmond, The Herald News

Read online: The mayoral recall petitioners named Herald News’ 2014 Newsmaker of the Year, Bizarro Fall River

Follow Will on Twitter @Will_Richmond

I love a good news columnist, one who mixes a lot of solid news facts in with his or her opinion, and Will Richmond does that very well.

Second place: Jay Ashley, Burlington Times-News

Read online: Associated memories, The fight of a lifetime, Spreading a little Elvis

Follow Jay on Twitter @tnJayAshley

Some nicely written pieces that are a step above your usual slice-of-life columns.

Third place: Steve Damish, The Enterprise

Read online: Raynham’s angel forever among us, Taunton suicide reveals a tangled Web, indeed, An epidemic of inaction led to overdose crisis

Follow Steve on Twitter @stevedamish_ENT

Some tough topics — particularly teen suicide — handled in a sure-handed way. Not easy to do.