Three AAN publications were named winners of the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2011 Sigma Delta Chi Awards yesterday.

The Independent Weekly (NC) took top prize in the Investigative Reporting category for the entry, “The Waste Land” and other stories of people living near garbage, by Rebekah L. Cowell.

In addition, two VVM publications were honored in the Feature Reporting and Public Service categories:

Taking first-place in public service journalism for non-daily publications was Gus Garcia-Roberts of Miami New Times. Garcia-Roberts was honored for “Rotten to the Core,” his investigation revealing rampant fraud in Florida’s controversial McKay Scholarship Program. Just north on I-95, Stefan Kamph of New Times Broward-Palm Beach took first in feature reporting for non-daily publications with “My Father’s Bones,” the fascinating story of how a boy searching for his past met up with a detective in search of justice.