Creative Loafing Atlanta, Houston Press, Independent Weekly, L.A. Weekly, Phoenix New Times, and The Village Voice were among the honorees.
Watson joined the paper two months after its launch in 1983. She served on the AAN Executive Committee as Secretary from 2000 to 2010.
The Independent Weekly (Durham, N.C.) and its associated website, indyweek.com, are being sold to Richard Meeker and Mark Zusman. Meeker and Zusman are the owners of City of Roses Newspaper Company which publishes Willamette Week and the Santa Fe Reporter.
Pacific Northwest Inlander picked up the General Excellence award.
Independent Weekly, Miami New Times, and New Times Broward-Palm Beach were named winners of the Society of Professional Journalists' 2011 Sigma Delta Chi Awards.
The Colorado Springs Independent will start publishing on Wednesdays starting April 11, 2012.
Independent Weekly, Mountain Xpress and Yes! Weekly recently received accolades from the organization.
