At the Worcester's Stars dance benefit for Centro Las Americas held Saturday night, Allen Fletcher won the cha-cha category, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports. Fletcher beat out Police Sgt. Miguel Lopez and Worcester County Food Bank executive director Jean McMurray. The benefit, which took its format from the TV show Dancing With The Stars, paired local celebs with dance instructors, and gave the team a few weeks to get ready for the competition.
Michael Warshaw, who was editor for five years, announced yesterday that he's leaving to become editor of Globe West, the Boston Globe's twice-weekly suburban paper, according to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. "He's great," Worcester Magazine publisher Allen Fletcher says. "He's a real pro who knows the city and has been a solid part of our team for a while."
Diane Lieberman, who was most recently publisher of AAN member Worcester Magazine, will manage the online publications HPCwire and GRIDtoday and work on new product development for Tabor, according to a press release. Allen Fletcher, principal owner of Worcester Magazine's parent company, moved back into the publisher's chair earlier this month after the company sold its three business magazines.
Worcester Publishing Ltd. is selling its three business magazines to a new company that will be headed by two of its senior managers, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported last month. The new Worcester Publishing, whose sole publication will be AAN member Worcester Magazine, will also move offices. "I'm just sort of simplifying my life a little bit," says Allen W. Fletcher, principal owner of the company. "This enables me to focus on a single publication." The sale is due to close on March 31, and the financial terms were not disclosed.
Last week's cover story by Worcester's alt-weekly addressed the practical complications of a new state law allowing over-the-counter sales of hypodermic needles to reduce the spread of HIV among intravenous-drug users. Ten AIDS activists who thought the cover "sensationalized" the issue took it upon themselves to change it, applying Photoshopped stickers to 2,000 copies in order to alter the meaning of a subhed. Then they called the local daily to publicize the stunt. Worcester Magazine Editor Michael Warshaw didn't take offense: “This is exactly the kind of ruckus we’re looking for," he told the Boston Phoenix.
Co-associate publishers at Worcester Magazine are taking the pressure off owner-publisher Allen Fletcher as the parent company grows. Kathleen Real and Betsy Abeles-Kravitz, both seasoned alt-pub editors, continue to work with former publisher Peter Stanton, who’s now the parent company’s COO.
