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Pulitzer Winner Was Laid Off

But he started Arizona news site with axed editor who supervised heralded series

By Mary Papenfuss, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 21, 2009 3:39 AM CDT

(Newser) – Pulitzer, Schmulitzer: being a terrific journalist is no insurance against unemployment. East Valley Trib reporter Paul Giblin was laid off from the Arizona paper last year even though he co-authored its series on immigration crackdowns that won a Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting yesterday. The supervising metro editor was also let go. But they joined forces to start a political news website, reports Portfolio. "You can do significant work, even in the face of declining resources, if you put your mind to it," said axed editor Patti Epler.

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Former East Valley Tribune reporter Paul Giblin was laid off before he was named a Pulitizer Prize winner for his series on immigration crackdowns. (AP Photo/Pulitzer Board)

East Valley Tribune reporter Ryan Gabrielson, who still works at the paper, shared the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting with his laid-off colleague Paul Giblin. (AP Photo/Pulitzer Board)

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It's almost like I'm glad we're not at the Tribune anymore because we're doing our own thing and it's pretty cool. - Editor Patti Epler who was axed along with Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Paul Giblin

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Pulitzer Winner Was Laid Off