Mark Katches, former investigations editor of the Orange County Register, edited a six-month investigation into a county pension system by Dave Umhoefer — a story that won the Pulitzer Prize for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel yesterday.

Katches, pictured above (he’s the white guy), saw two of his investigative projects make it to the finalist stage at the Register. But he left the SoCal paper to become the assistant managing editor for projects and investigations for Milwaukee’s 10-person Watchdog Team, thinking the Wisconsin paper was more committed to investigations than anyone out here.

We made fun of him for leaving this lovely weather, but it looks like the last laugh is on us.

Congratulations, Mark!