DESERET NEWS GLEANS A BEVY OF AWARDS

Deseret News reporters received numerous awards, including first-place recognition in comprehensive reporting, feature writing, special projects, non-deadline police and government reporting, several awards for photography and sports feature and sports news, and first place in design at the 1996 annual Society of Professional Journalists awards.

Free-lance journalist Lynn Packer, who fought for access to Salt Lake Mayor Deedee Corradini's tax records, and Betsy Wolf, executive director of Common Cause, received top awards Saturday from the Utah Headliners Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.Packer, whose work appears in the Private Eye Weekly, received the Roy B. Gibson Freedom of Information Award. Representing himself in court, Packer successfully argued Corradini's tax rec-ords during her association with Bonneville Pacific should be classified as public documents.

Gibson, the award's namesake, was a television broadcasting pioneer and ardent First Amendment advocate. The award honors an individual or organization for promoting First Amendment principles.

Wolf received the Clifford P. Cheney Service to Journalism Award. As executive director for Common Cause, Wolf has fought tirelessly for more than a decade to preserve the public's access to government dealings.

"SPJ has relied heavily on Betsy's keen eye to catch obscure language in bills that might close off the ability of journalists and the public to scrutinize government activities," said chapter president Joan O'Brien.

Here is a list of the winners recognized Saturday:

Print

Editorials

1. Lex Hemphill, Salt Lake Tribune, "Go for 3 Million Acres"

2. Diane Cole, Salt Lake Tribune, "Truth Time for Waldholtz"

3. Harry E. Fuller, Salt Lake Tribune, "Bill of Rights Peril"

Opinion/Columns Writing

1. Mark Trahant, Salt Lake Tribune

2. Doug Robinson, Deseret News

3. Jay Evensen, Deseret News

Editorial Cartoon

1. Calvin Grondahl, Standard Examiner, "Vietnam Veterans"