of

Of the five hopefuls, there are some familiar names: Three have previously applied for membership and one first-time applicant is a sister paper of a current AAN member. The status of six current member papers will also be reviewed this year.

Eight fellows have been chosen from about 350 applicants to attend the Academy for Alternative Journalism summer residency program at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. The Academy, which begins next Monday and runs through August, trains young journalists in long-form feature writing with the aim of recruiting them into the alternative press.

The former president's keynote remarks on running out of oil and our national energy strategy make an appearance in the new feature-length documentary Sprawling From Grace. The film, which was released on DVD last month, examines the transportation infrastructure and urban planning choices that have led to the current state of suburban sprawl and looks at possible ways forward. The film also features interviews with Michael Dukakis, Denver mayor John Hickenlooper and planning and environmental experts.

AAN is once again offering free registrations this year for members who send several staffers to the convention. With every three paid registrations from one newspaper, that paper will get one registration for free. There's no limit to the offer, so the more people sent, the more money saved.

"It's clear that the old days of relying solely on display and classified advertising are over," AAN executive director Richard Karpel says. "So this year's convention will feature a great deal of programming on new products and revenue streams, and new business strategies." Seizing opportunities and getting through the recession will also be big topics this year in Tucson.

Thursday, April 16 will unofficially be alt-weekly day at the Columbia Journalism School, with a panel discussion on the state of the alt-weekly industry followed by an informal reception.