Adam Ebbin directed donations from "a clandestine group of wealthy, gay political donors" to defeat anti-gay politicians in Virginia in 2005, TIME reports in a story examining the group, known as "the Cabinet." AAN's former marketing director is the only openly gay member of Virginia's general assembly. Ebbin is also a former employee of the Washington City Paper, where he worked during the 90's with John Cloud, the author of TIME's story.

Continue ReadingFormer AAN Employee Wields Political Power via a ‘Gay Mafia’

In the second installment of this year's "How I Got That Story" series, the Independent Weekly's Adam Sobsey talks to Rich Knight about how he got his start as a book reviewer, his playwriting career, and the differences between his work for daily newspapers and alt-weeklies. "I often have more space in the Indy than I do when I write theater reviews for The News & Observer," Sobsey says, "so there's an opportunity for me to say more about what I'm reviewing, either specifically or more broadly."

Continue ReadingHow I Got That Story: Adam Sobsey

On Sept. 1, Jackson Free Press Reporter Adam Lynch broke the story that Mayor Frank Melton (pictured) "and a team of young men partially demolish[ed] a duplex" on Aug. 26 in a so-called "drug raid." The weekly stayed on top of the story, reporting important details on its Web site as they happened. Melton was indicted Friday on numerous felony charges related to the Aug. 26 incident, including burglary, malicious mischief, and causing a minor to commit a felony. Melton was also charged with three counts of illegally carrying a gun.

Continue ReadingJackson Mayor Is Indicted — And a JFP Story Started It All

On Sept. 1, Jackson Free Press Reporter Adam Lynch broke the news that Mayor Frank Melton and "a team of young men" had broken into a private home, apparently believing it to be a crackhouse, and sledgehammered the contents. Since then, a number of other press outlets have picked up the story, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood's office has begun an investigation into the incident, and this morning, City Councilman Ben Allen announced that he would call for a Council-led investigation Friday if professional investigators have not yet finished.

Continue ReadingAfter Jackson Free Press Story, City Council Investigates Mayor