Jonathan Liu is 2006 Twin Cities Metro Spelling Bee champion

Minneapolis/St. Paul - (March 23, 2006) - Jonathan Liu a seventh-grade student from Central Middle School in Eden Prairie triumphed after 21 grueling rounds against 25 other champion fifth- through eighth-grade spellers to win the 2006 Twin Cities Metro Spelling Bee, sponsored by the Star Tribune. Jonathan won the event by correctly spelling “quinquennially.” He is the son Jing Wen and JJ Liu of Eden Prairie.

As the new metro area champion, Jonathan receives a trip for two to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., May 31 - June 1, 2006, courtesy of the Star Tribune. He also has a plaque and a $100 savings bond as mementos of his victory.

About the Star Tribune

The Star Tribune Company, a news and information company serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, is owned by The McClatchy Company of Sacramento, Calif. (NYSE:MNI). The Star Tribune newspaper is one of the top 20 largest newspapers in the nation, with an average daily circulation of 379,713 and an average Sunday circulation of 666,683 (per Audit Bureau of Circulations audit for 52-weeks ending 03/27/05). The company’s website, www.StarTribune.com, is the most frequently used local news and information service for the Twin Cities market. The Star Tribune Foundation has been supporting Twin Cities’ communities since 1945 and currently distributes about $3 million annually. On the Net: The Star Tribune Company: www.startribunecompany.com/company/, and The McClatchy Company: www.mcclatchy.com.

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Contact Sally Nelson
Phone: (612) 673-7771
Email: snelson@startribune.com