The Los Angeles Times won the most-prestigious Pulitzer Prize today — the public service award — given to the paper for breaking and investigating the city of Bell's salary scandal.

The paper also won the photography award for feature shots on the aftermath of violent crime.

Past LA Weekly Pulitzer-winner and food critic Jonathan Gold was a finalist for newspaper-based criticism, a nod that ultimately went to Boston Globe art critic Sebastian Smee. Gold, however, remains the sole food writer to have ever won that award.

Times writers Jeff Gottlieb and Ruben Vives were the main reporters covering bell for the paper.

The Times:

Jeff Gottlieb, Ruben Vives and other Times staff writers wrote about Bell officials who secretly enriched themselves with extravagant salaries and benefits. The Times' reporting led to criminal charges against former Bell City Administrator Robert Rizzo, who, with his $800,000 salary, became the face of the scandal. Rizzo and seven other current or former city officials were charged with multiple felonies and have been ordered to stand trial.

The New York Times reports it also won two Pulitzers — for commentary and foreign reporting.

Added: Get the full list of winners here.

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