Nick Gerda, LAist’s watchdog correspondent whose investigative work exposing the scandal involving former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do inspired changes to state law, won journalist of the year at the Golden State Journalism Awards Contest Wednesday night.
The award, from the Sacramento Press Club, honors a single journalist whose work had a substantial impact on the state, including stories that hold the powerful accountable and uncover egregious wrongs committed against powerless populations.
Megan Garvey, editor in chief and senior vice president of news for LAist, said hard-hitting journalism matters, and doing that work takes time, commitment, resources and guts. She added that the news organization was “incredibly appreciative” of the honor…