Stop The Presses

The East Valley Tribune of Mesa, Arizona, just won a Pulitzer Prize for a 2007 piece on Sheriff Joe Arpaio's efforts to focus on illegal immigration, its cost to taxpayers and to public safety. The piece -- written by Paul Giblin and Ryan Gabrielson -- exposed slow response times to emergencies and reduced law enforcement as the sheriff dedicated more of his agency's resources to seeking out and arresting illegal immigrants.
The Pulitzer Prize is a United States award for achievements in newspaper journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University. It's a really big deal to win a Pulitzer Prize and amazing that a newspaper in Mesa, Arizona, received one.
If prizes were given for irony, the East Valley Tribune would doubtless receive one of those, too.
Three months ago -- during massive staff cuts -- the newspaper laid off it's now Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, Paul Giblin.
Associated Press writes that, "While he is relishing the honor, Giblin admitted he wondered what it would have been like to find out he won from within the Tribune's Mesa, Arizona, newsroom.
Giblin is quoted as saying, "It is kind of sad. I wish I was still at the Tribune. I'd have a party with them right now."
You gotta wonder if the newspaper still thinks Giblin was a good lay off choice. But then, in these times, are there any good choices?