Star Tribune coverage of a fatal fire in Minneapolis and degradation of Minnesota lakes won top statewide reporting awards, it was announced last weekend.
The Star Tribune won Frank Premack Public Affairs Journalism Awards for its breaking-news and follow-up coverage of the Lake Street McMahon's Irish Pub fire in April 2010 that killed six people, including three children. It also won for investigative or analytical reporting with its series called "Losing our Lakes," by reporters Jim Spencer and Tom Meersman.
Other award winners included the St. Cloud Times, Bemidji Pioneer and the Twin Cities Daily Planet.
Individual awards were given to Gary Eichten of Minnesota Public Radio and Laura Waterman Wittstock, former president of Migizi Communications, a nonprofit devoted to the Indian community.
The entries, all of which came from Minnesota publications, were judged by a panel of Minnesota citizens in arts, journalism, law and politics.
KATHERINE LYMN
