Much as The Santa Barbara Independent enjoys running contests, we really love winning them! This past week rained Better Newspapers Contest awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association, most notably when photographer Paul Wellman swept the weekly newspaper categories for photo illustration with an image of Olympian Ashton Eaton. Writers and designers got in on the praise with first-place wins for our Refugio Oil Spill coverage, Matt Kettmann’s “Flexing Muscles Over Mussels,” Tyler Hayden’s “Game of Drones,” and Keith Hamm’s “Sharks Alive.” Nick Welsh’s Angry Poodle Barbecue column and John Zant’s “Shooting Star” feature won seconds, as did a colorful advertising insert, with thirds going to stellar promo ads designed by Marianne Kuga and our sparkling new Real Estate section.