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The 2010 Pulitzer Prizes (for 2009 work) are being announced right now. The Washington Post has won four, the New York Times three. Self-syndicated cartoonist Mark Fiore won for cartoons posted on SFGate.com. The Los Angeles Times and ProPublica were finalists for public service in a joint entry for "their exposure of gaps in California’s oversight of dangerous and incompetent nurses, blending investigative scrutiny and multimedia storytelling to produce corrective changes." The Bristol, Va. Herald Courier won the medal in public service. Also, the LAT's Ken Bensinger and Ralph Vartabedian were finalists in national reporting for their Toyota coverage: "tenacious reporting on how design flaws and weak federal oversight contributed to a potentially lethal problem with Toyota vehicles, resulting in corrective steps and a congressional inquiry." Plus Borzou Daragahi of the Times in international reporting, for his Iran election coverage.
Also: A.O. Scott of the NYT was a finalist in criticism for his film writing. Full list of journalism winners; more finalists and letters winners to come.
And: They're celebrating this afternoon at the Center Theatre Group over a finalist nod in drama for Rajiv Joseph's play, "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo," which debuted last year at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. The play re-opens at the Mark Taper Forum on April 25, with previews beginning this Wednesday.
Updated post