For the fourth year in a row, KCLU walked away with the most "Golden Mike" awards of any radio station in Southern California in recent ceremonies at Universal City.

The National Public Radio station, owned by California Lutheran University, was honored in 10 "Division B" categories by the Southern California Radio Television News Association (RTNA).

Among the most meaningful awards for the KCLU team to win was "Best News Special" for the team effort of covering the Ventura County fires of 2004. KCLU program director Jim Rondeau was also honored for the first time individually with a "Best Public Affairs Program" award for his work on CrossTalk, a public affairs show airing weekdays from 9 to 10 a.m. CrossTalk covers local and regional issues.

"We’re honored and humbled by our peers’ recognition of KCLU’s excellence in covering local news and providing vital public affairs programming," said KCLU general manager Mary Olson. "We are very proud of the entire team and of the support we receive from our community to help public radio fulfill its important role."

The station was honored for "Best Spot News Story" and "Best Live Coverage of a News Story" for Ventura County Firestorm; "Best Hard New Series Reporting" for Ronald Reagan Remembered; "Best Feature News Series Reporting" for Arts & The Schools; "Best Serious Feature Reporting" for Another Senseless Killing; "Best Sports Reporting" for Steroids & Teens; "Best Sports Feature" for Pint Sized Bowler; and "Best Use of Sound" for Floating Classroom.

University Vice President Ritch Eich, Ph.D., said KCLU was "a credit not only to the university but also to the communities that the station serves." Among many recent examples, Eich cited last year’s devastating fires as a time when KCLU was "critically important as a trusted source of news and credible information for local residents."

"All of us at the university join with the RTNA in saluting the KCLU’s excellence and its commitment to the communities it serves," said Eich. "We appreciate the support given to the station by the surrounding communities as well."

KCLU is a National Public Radio and jazz station that broadcasts on 88.3 FM in Ventura County.