*For Excellence in Environmental News Writing, a package of stories by former staff writer Sean Rowe (now with the forthcoming Broward New Times) garnered first place, while a package by staffer Kirk Semple took second.
*For Excellence in Governmental News Writing, staff writer Robert Andrew Powell won a second-place award. First place went to Janet Cho of the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.
*Staff writer Lynda Edwards won the Excellence in Feature Writing category, for her June 5 story about the folklore of homeless children, "Myths Over Miami."
*Judy Cantor took second place in Excellence in Religion Writing for "An Unorthodox Style," a November 1996 piece about a painter who had to break with the Hasidic faith in order to pursue her art. That category was won by Juli Cragg Hilliard of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
The awards were presented this past Saturday, October 25, at a banquet in Cocoa Beach.