LA Weekly and its journalists comprise 21 finalists in the Los Angeles Press Club's 55th Southern California Journalism Awards.

The finalists were announced today and include Gene Maddaus for Journalist of the Year and Hard News story and Simone Wilson, Hillel Aron, and this writer for Hard News as well. Other nominations include:

(Specific, nominated material, where cited, is linked).

–Gendy Alimurung for News Feature.

–Tibby Rothman for Personality Profile.

–Simone Wilson for Investigative Series.

–Gendy Alimurung for Business.

–Tessa Stuart for Business.

–Catherine Wagley two times for Entertainment Reviews/Criticism/Columns.

–Zachary Pincus-Roth for Entertainment News or Feature.

-Steven Leigh Morris for Headline (“The Race-Time Continuum”).

-Libby Molyneaux for Headline (“The Oyster is His World”).

-Darrick Rainey for Design (2012 Theater Issue; he's the only finalist and, thus, appears to be the winner).

–Ted Soqui for Photo Essay (“LA Riots; 20 Years Later”).

-Zachary Pincus-Roth, Amanda Lewis, Catherine Wagley, Siran Babayan and Jacy Wojcik for Group Blog (Public Spectacle).

-LA Weekly staff for News Website (People Issue Microsite).

–Jake Swearingen for Best Use of Social Media (“Air Pollution Causes … Brain Damage”).

-And this reporter for Online Journalist and Personality Profile.

Our friends at OC Weekly received much love as well. Just a few examples: Editor Gustavo Arellano is also up for Journalist of the Year. Senior Editor R. Scott Moxley is a finalist for Hard News. And Managing Editor Nick Schou is up for Entertainment Reviews/Criticism/Columns.

See all the finalists here. The awards will be announced during a Gala Dinner June 23 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel downtown.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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