Former Dallas Observer columnist Laura Miller has been the city's mayor since 2002. CBS 11 News reports that she has decided not to run again next year because she would like to spend more time with her family. That is good news for other candidates, such as Zac Crain -- also an erstwhile Observer writer.
While attending the AAN Convention two weeks ago, Creative Loafing's Laura Fries made regular blog posts about her experiences in the city of Little Rock. Arkansas Times posted a few of her pictures and a link to her coverage, but its readers were offended by Fries' failure to be impressed by the barbeque and her assertion that "Little Rock’s downtown ... consists of one street." "God have mercy on this idiot woman," one of the most generous commenters wrote. Fries then posted the meanest comments back on her own blog, under the title "HHHooo-wee! Little Rock bites back!"
Webmaster Aaron Karp and Online Editor Laura Fries turned their Loafing successes and failures into advice on the "Mostly ITP" podcast April 20. Their tips included making podcasts listenable (use segments, include interaction between two or more people, and have a pre-set structure), including advertising in podcasts and blogs (make sure it is inobtrusive and relevant to the audience) and the next big thing (social networking). The show is available for download here.
The Denver alt-weekly writer won a 2004 medal in the nondaily newspaper category for her story “Nowhere Boy,” which chronicles the struggle of an adoptive family to obtain mental health services for their severely emotionally troubled son. The article "touches on funding of the mental-health system, high-risk adoption and the various mental disorders and conditions linked to fetal alcohol syndrome. It’s a compelling subject done nicely," the judges commented. The awards are sponsored by the Casey Journalism Center on Children and Families.
Laura Miller, firebrand ex-Dallas Observer columnist, wins the runoff mayoral election in the Big D. "She is intelligent, articulate and dedicated to her goals," says The Dallas Morning News in an editorial. "And the fact that she is a former investigative reporter is certain to attract national attention."
Populist firebrand and former Dallas Observer columnist Laura Miller received 48.8 percent of the vote in yesterday's mayoral election in Dallas, and now faces a runoff against Tom Dunning, a well-connected businessman. Miller's campaign stressed a return to basics: fixing potholes, building parks and improving the police department.
