The Association for Alternative Newsweeklies recently announced finalists for its best blog category, naming the City Desk staff blog among the top four for highest-circulation papers. City Desk was also named as a finalist in this category last year. The latest nomination brings Washington City Paper‘s AAN awards total this year to five. The paper was also nominated in Photography, Arts Criticism, Media Reporting/Criticism, and Innovation/Format Buster categories.

Blog judges evaluated three individual posts and the overall blog. So which among our much-loved, never criticized blogposts made the cut?

You’ve got some news: Jason Cherkis reporting from a crime scene at 11th and Girard.

You’ve got a ranting, crazy NIMBY: Amanda Hess on the Frank Winstead tapes.

And as our wild card, you’ve got Andrew Beaujon on our very own City Paper fridge cavorting with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Ranking of finalists in all categories will be announced at the annual AAN convention June 26 in Tucson. Also nominated among blogs:

Newsdesk by the Austin Chronicle News staff

Hair Balls by the Houston Press staff

Politics Blog by the San Francisco Bay Guardian staff.