Miami New Times, Palo Alto Weekly, Westword Win Sigma Delta Chi Awards

april 22, 2014 04:30 pm

Three AAN publications were among the winners of the 2013 Sigma Delta Chi Awards for excellence in journalism, given out by the Society of Professional Journalists.

Palo Alto Weekly picked up the Public Service Journalism award for its coverage of bullying in the Palo Alto school district. Writers Terri Lobdell and Chris Kenrick, and editor Jocelyn Dong were named in the award:

The Weekly coverage included two cover story packages researched and written by Lobdell, "Out of the Shadows," about bullying, and "Power to Hurt," on the use of social media by teens, and numerous news stories by Kenrick and Lobdell on the school district's handling of bullying complaints, federal investigations and the development of bullying policies. The award also recognizes the Weekly's pursuit and use of public records as part of its reporting process.

Westword staff writer Alan Prendergast won the Feature Reporting award for "The Lifers Book Club," a story about a book club for inmates at the Limon Correctional Facility in Colorado.

Miami New Times senior writer Michael E. Miller received the award for Non-Deadline Reporting for "Champ," an account of porn star John Snavely's alleged murder of a millionaire. New Times editor Chuck Strouse points out that this is the third major national award the paper has received in 2014:

Miller's award follows a first place in the Aronson Awards for Social Justice Journalism by staff writer Terrence McCoy and a George Polk Award for sports writing by managing editor Tim Elfrink. Elfrink's work on steroids and baseball has also been honored by Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and the Investigative Reporters and Editors.

View the full list of 2013 Sigma Delta Chi winners here.