The paper will unveil a new design, logo and lineup of columns and features when it hits stands this week, LA Observed reports. Changes include: Content from Wonkette, a biweekly Neal Pollack column on sports, the return of editor Rebecca Schoenkopf's Commie Girl column, and a weekly news-in-review column from recently departed editor Steve Lowery. The redesign was overseen by new art director Paul Takizawa (formerly of LA Weekly), and CityBeat is throwing a celebratory party this Friday.
Steve Lowery, who reported as the new editor of Los Angeles CityBeat last Monday, resigned late last week. Publisher Charles Gerencser accepted his resignation today and named Rebecca Schoenkopf acting editor. "It's purely personal," Lowery tells LA Observed. "When I got there, it became immediately apparent that I just didn't have it in me ... my body and my soul were telling me, hey bud, maybe it's time." In an email to AAN News, Gerencser says Schoenkopf, who had just begun her tenure as the paper's arts editor last week, "is very passionate about creating a must-have; must-read newsweekly. I am looking forward to working with her on our effort to re-launch CityBeat with the June 12th edition." LA Observed is reporting the retooled paper will have "more of a magazine sensibility."
The paper's founding editor Steve Appleford has been replaced with alt-weekly veteran Steve Lowery, who'll begin his new gig Monday. Lowery comes to CityBeat from the District Weekly, where he was senior editor. He's also been a senior and interim editor at OC Weekly, and a staffer at New Times L.A. He'll reunite at CityBeat with former OC Weekly staffer and "Commie Girl" columnist Rebecca Schoenkopf, who has been named the paper's new arts editor.
Former L.A. Weekly news editor Alan Mittelstaedt joined Los Angeles CityBeat yesterday as news editor, replacing Dean Kuipers, who moved to the Los Angeles Times. A little further down the coast, Rich Kane, who left OC Weekly in 2005 and ended up as editor of Inland Empire Weekly (a paper started by ex-OC Weekly staffer Jeremy Zachary that was later acquired by LA CityBeat-parent Southland Publishing), returns to the Weekly Aug. 2 as its new managing editor. Replacing Kane at Inland Empire is Charles Mindenhall, a former L.A. Weekly staffer.
Los Angeles CityBeat's Michael Collins won Print Journalist of the Year, while L.A. Weekly took two similar honors: Nikke Finke was named Entertainment Journalist of the Year and John Curry was named Designer of the Year. The Weekly's Jonathan Gold added to his growing trophy rack with a first-place win in the Entertainment Reviews/Criticism/Column category for his "Counter Intelligence" food reviews, while his colleague Libby Molyneaux won first in the Headline category. CityBeat's Anthony Miller placed first in the Entertainment Feature category, OC Weekly's Scott Moxley took home first in the Investigative Series category for "The New Crips," and Advice Goddess Amy Alkon won a first-place award for Headlines. L.A. Weekly also won a first-place award for Special Section, with "Who We Are: LA People 2006." OC Weekly's Gustavo Arellano received the President's Award. Winners were announced this weekend.
Dean Kuipers' Burning Rainbow Farm: How a Stoner Utopia Went Up in Smoke was selected as one of the 20 most notable books about Michigan from 300 nominees. Published in June 2006, the book examines the lives of Michigan marijuana activists Tom Crosslin and Rolland Rohm, who were shot and killed by the FBI and state police during a standoff at their 34-acre campground in the fall of 2001. Kuipers, a Michigan native, tells the Dowagiac Daily News that national interest in his book remains strong, and a movie deal could be in the cards.
During the height of the Cold War, UCLA and the U.S. Veteran's Administration dumped radioactive waste underneath a field where kids now play and Brentwood residents walk their dogs, reporter Michael Collins revealed in articles published May 18 and May 25 in CityBeat. Relenting to community concerns that were rekindled by the CityBeat articles, the federal government announced this week that it will test both sites, reports the Los Angeles Times.
