Congratulations to The New Wave of Journalism: 2011 SPJ Spring Conference speakers Jeff Gottlieb and Ruben Vives and their LA Times colleagues, who won the Pulitzer Prize gold medal for Public Service Journalism Monday!

Here are Jeff, Ruben and their colleagues celebrating in the newsroom when the award was announced. Jeff and Ruben led a team of 20 reporters and editors who produced a series of articles revealing massive official corruption and illegal taxation in Bell, a city with among the poorest residents in Los Angeles County. They will talk about their reporting at a workshop on “From School Board to City Council: Getting the Story at Public Meetings” at the conference on Saturday, April 30.

That’s good news for those who have already registered for The New Wave of Journalism conference. For those who haven’t, we’ve got bad news – the conference is SOLD OUT.

A limited number of tickets are still available, however, for the SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards Luncheon on Saturday, where the region’s best and brightest student journalists will be recognized. Frank LoMonte, executive director of the Student Press Law Center, will provide the keynote speech at the awards luncheon.

For more information about the conference, visit www.spjsandiegoconference.com.

When:  Friday, April 29, 6:30-9 p.m. and Saturday, April 30, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

Where:  Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn & Suites, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, San DiegoCost:  $125 for professional members, $150 for professional non-members, $75 for students. Registration includes all programs, Opening Night Reception and Closing Reception. Mark of Excellence Awards Luncheon tickets are sold separately for $40 per person.

Questions:  Contact spjsandiegoconference@gmail.com