The Weekly recently donated to its graphic design skills to the Animal Protection Society of Durham (APS) in an effort that ended up raising money for the organization. The APS let folks bid on the chance to have their pets featured in public service ads designed by Weekly production manager Nathan Golub, and the bids brought $2,200 to the group. The completed ads will be sent to all of the local print media outlets, as well as news websites.

Continue ReadingIndependent Weekly Helps Local Animal Protection Group Raise Money

The Independent Weekly won seven total awards this year from the North Carolina Press Association, including the Hugh Morton Photographer of the Year, the highest honor given in the photography category. That award for non-daily photographers went to the paper's D.L. Anderson for the second year in a row, with the judges praising him for having "an eye for the unique, a great sense of composition, a technical touch and a natural knack." The Indy also placed first in the Online Breaking News, Best Video, General Excellence Website and Criticism categories. Mountain XPress took home two awards, including a first place win for Best Multimedia Project, and Creative Loafing (Charlotte) received one award.

Continue ReadingThree North Carolina AAN Members Nab State Press Awards

"Just about every print publication in America is in hunker-down mode nowadays, trying to hang on and ride out the recession," News & Observer music critic David Menconi writes. "It takes real courage to launch anything bold and expensive in an environment like this, and The Independent Weekly is launching something that's plenty ambitious this fall: a music festival featuring around 120 bands playing in 10 venues around downtown Raleigh." The festival, dubbed Hopscotch, is scheduled for Sept. 9-11. Look for an official launch of the festival's website, some preliminary band announcements and the beginning of ticket sales in mid-February.

Continue ReadingThe Independent Weekly Launching Three-Day Music Festival This Fall