Penny Loeb, investigative reporter for New York Newsday, and former MICAR research assis- tant Tom Braden, have been se- lected as co-recipients of the Roy W. Howard Public Service Award, pre- sented yearly by the Scripps-How- ard Institute. Loeb and Braden were se- lected for Loeb's Newsday series that exposed problems in New York City's collection of taxes and billing of services. Braden assisted Loeb by pro- viding some data analysis, and writ- ing a story for the series.
by using a personal computer to analyze more than 17 million city finance records. The series was accomplished "For once its a public service award that truly served the public," Loeb said. Because of her series the city owes its property owners $275 million due to overpayments. Braden said he was pleas- antly surprised to be selected as a co- recipient. "I was surprised because I thought Penny would be the only recipient," Braden said.
"All I can say is that Penny is one helluva reporter." The award will be presented in April.