MinnPost.com, which is slated to launch later this year, will be a not-for-profit internet-based daily "paper" run by former Star Tribune editor and publisher Joel Kramer. Corey Anderson, formerly online managing editor at City Pages, will be web editor, and three former staffers will be contributors: David Brauer, Beth Hawkins, and Mike Mosedale.

Continue ReadingNew Internet Venture in Minnesota Taps Former City Pages Staffers

When the Association of Food Journalists announced the winners of their 2007 Awards this weekend, AAN members came out on top in three categories. Willamette Week's Zach Dundas took first in Newspaper Food Feature (under 150,000 circulation) for "Bean Town;" Blair Campbell's "Wineau" column in East Bay Express was named Best Newspaper Food Column; and Gail Shepherd of New Times Broward-Palm Beach won first in Newspaper Restaurant Criticism. Creative Loafing (Atlanta)'s Besha Rodell took home two third-place awards, in Newspaper Food Feature and Newspaper Restaurant Criticism; and Malcolm Gay from the Riverfront Times took third in Newspaper Food Column.

Continue ReadingAlt-Weeklies Take Home A Handful of Food Journalism Awards

On the heels of last week's story on a Vietnamese-language newspaper that has been become the target of an "anti-communist witch-hunt," staff writer Nick Schou's mug appeared "in a none-too-flattering cartoon" on Take2Tango.com, OC Weekly reports. "It's unclear just yet in what way Nick is supposed to be controlling Viet Weekly publisher Le Vu -- our translation of the accompanying Vietnamese text is still pending -- and I must say, that really doesn't look like Nick at all," writes editor Ted Kissell. "Except for the fountain pen for a hand. Totally accurate. I've been meaning to get one of those for myself."

Continue ReadingOC Weekly Writer Caricatured in Vietnamese-language Press

Joe Piasecki's "Throwaway Kids" investigative series examining flaws in the foster care system was awarded the 2007 Price Child Health and Welfare Journalism Award by The Children's Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law. "This outstanding series focuses much-needed attention on the dangers and pitfalls that await thousands of youth aging out of the foster care system each year," reads a notification letter from the institute.

Continue ReadingPasadena Weekly Wins Child Health and Welfare Journalism Award

In an interview with the Courier Post, the longtime singer and leader of the Asbury Jukes recalls his band's performance in Joan Micklin Silver's 1977 movie about a fledgling alternative weekly in Boston. According to Johnny, Jeff Goldblum, Bruno Kirby and the other then-unknown actors watched the Jukes' performance and said, "'Wow, I wish I was in a rock 'n' roll band.' And we're sittin' there watchin' them thinkin', 'Wow, we wish we were big star actors.'"

Continue ReadingSouthside Johnny on ‘Between the Lines’

"It would be overstating it to say [it] forced the sale, but it certainly encouraged it," a former owner of the Chicago Reader tells Michael Miner. The suit in question was filed by co-founder and 19.1 percent stockholder Tom Rehwaldt against the remaining owners, and it charged that they had "taken steps to depress the value of the stock" in anticipation of a sale or merger for less than fair value, all with the purpose of pushing Rehwaldt out of the ownership picture, a charge one former owner called "completely bogus." This lawsuit, filed in December 2006, was the second that Rehwaldt filed against the other owners -- a 1988 suit came after he was fired from his position as operations director and alleged oppression, waste, and mismanagement. It was settled in 1991. "It was one of the things that made the future look bleak," a former owner says of the lawsuit. "At a time when we were supposed to be turning the company around, we'd be spending our money on legal fees. ... The sale was one of the things that would make it all go away and get [Rehwaldt] out of our lives forever."

Continue ReadingDid a Lawsuit Help Force the Chicago Reader Sale?