GOOD FOR US Phoenix snags four NEPA prizes

The Providence Phoenix won four prizes, including first-place accolades for environmental and general news reporting, during the New England Press Association’s 2003 better newspaper contest.

Contributing writer Steven Stycos snared the first-place environmental reporting award for " What a waste, " published April 18, 2003, which revealed how recycling efforts will barely make a dent in Rhode Island’s ever-growing amount of trash without greater incentives. Stycos also won second-place in the investigative reporting category for " Forgotten men, " published August 8, 2002, about how the Immigration and Naturalization Service’s (now the Bureau of Customs and Immigration Enforcement) growing practice of mandatory detention violates due process, and how critics say the worst conditions for New England detainees are at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston.

News editor Ian Donnis nabbed a first-place prize in the general news category for " Is Linc Chafee really a Republican? " published March 7, 2003, which examined the maverick ways of our state’s junior senator. Donnis also won a second-place award in spot news reporting for " Beyond grief, " published February 27, 2003, about trying to make sense out of the Station nightclub disaster.

Awards were presented February 7 during the annual NEPA banquet at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston. The Boston-based Phoenix Media/Communications Group, which also publishes the Boston Phoenix and Portland Phoenix, claimed a total of 20 NEPA awards.