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Tampa Bay Times' food critic Laura Reiley wins prestigious Paul Hansell Award

 
LARA CERRI   |   Times
LARA CERRI | Times
Published Nov. 16, 2017

Tampa Bay Times food critic Laura Reiley has received the Florida Society of News Editors' 2017 Paul Hansell Award for Distinguished Achievement in Florida Journalism.

Named after a longtime Associated Press bureau chief in Florida, the award recognizes overall excellence in reporting and writing by a journalist at a Florida newspaper. The organization announced the prize on Nov. 10.

Reiley, 50, was recognized for her series "Farm to Fable," an investigation exposing falsehoods in the food industry, from restaurants to farmers markets. Reiley's work prompted state investigations and regulatory changes.

READ THE SERIES: Farm to Fable

"It was a deeply reported story that exposed widespread deception regarding one of our most intimate choices we make — what food we put in our bodies," said Ravi Nessman, South news director for the AP, in a press release. "The victims included the little guy, struggling small-scale farms whose names — but not products — were being used by restaurants to sell expensive meals. And they included consumers, who believed they were eating something very different than they actually were."

Reiley was a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in criticism, including the "Farm to Fable" series. She was a finalist for the 2017 James Beard Media Awards and took top honors from the Association of Food Journalists and the World Food Travel Association, among others.