In a special LA Weekly investigation, Sara Cantania examines the cases of 10 L.A. County death-row inmates who might be spared by the U.S. Supreme Court's abolition of the ultimate punishment for the mentally retarded. In half of the cases, the killers had accomplices who cut deals and told stories to avoid death sentences of their own. Now, many years later, the question lingers: Who was telling the truth?
Who are the best writers out there? Which are the best magazines? In a candid exchange on the AAN editorial listserv, alt-weekly editors share views on who the best writers in America are, and who are some of the worst, with a smattering of fiction, foreigners, and dead writers. Grab your pen: Here’s an alt-weekly summer reading list.
A Charlotte charter school has obtained a gag order against Creative Loafing Charlotte, prohibiting it from publishing individual student grades and test scores. The rift between Creative Loafing and Crossroads Charter School started after the publication published test scores obtained from former teachers showing that grades may have been overlooked or changed to allow students to graduate. Individual student names were not published. "We're talking about the absolute bedrock core of the First Amendment -- the right of the newspaper to print factually truthful information that the newspaper came to lawfully," said Creative Loafing attorney John Hasty, who filed Friday to overturn the temporary restraining order.
Batimore City Paper Editor Andy Markowitz and his wife, Barbara Frye, plan to travel and perhaps work in Europe for the next few years. Markowitz has served on the AAN Editorial Committee since 1999 and is the most prolific contributor to the aan.org editorial discussion group. Arts Editor Lee Gardner will move into the editor’s chair upon Markowitz’ departure.
