Ellen Cushing of the Express Nominated for James Beard Foundation Award

Express staff writer/web editor Ellen Cushing was nominated today for a prestigious James Beard Foundation award for journalism excellence in covering wine, spirits, and other beverages for her cover story “How Peet’s Starbucked Itself” (9/21/2011). Cushing, who also writes the weekly column “Last Call” on the East Bay bar scene, is the only Northern California newspaper reporter to be nominated for this national award. She’s also only one of two alt weekly reporters nationwide to receive a nomination.