S-R, staff win regional AP awards

The Spokesman-Review won four awards Friday in a regional Associated Press news contest, including public service honors.

The Utah-Idaho-Spokane Associated Press Association announced the awards during its annual meeting in Snowbird, Utah. The Spokesman-Review winners included:

“The William H. Cowles 3rd Memorial Award for public service reporting: For a series of stories on Otto Zehm, a mentally disabled janitor who was falsely accused of a crime and died after being beaten by police. The award is named for the late publisher of The Spokesman-Review, who died in 1992.

“Special projects: James Hagengruber, second place for his “Brothers in Arms” stories.

“Beat reporting: James Hagengruber, third place for environmental coverage.

“Spot news: Taryn Brodwater and Bill Morlin, third place for coverage of Joseph Duncan’s guilty plea.