After a devastating drop in advertising sales in January, the first-quarter of 2002 is beginning to look better at the two major alt-weekly advertising networks. AWN’s Executive Director Mark Hanzlik projects a first-quarter sales decline of 37 percent, up from a more than 70 percent drop in January. Ruxton President and COO Michele Laven has also has seen a slight rebound.
Four Utah news organizations, including Salt Lake City Weekly, have sued Gov. Mike Leavitt alleging he is illegally destroying official e-mails. The governor routinely destroys his e-mails after three days. City Weekly Managing Editor Christopher Smart tells E&P the demand that Leavitt save official records is "common sense and reasonable. ... It's clear we don't seek to know about his personal communications."
Wounded Phoenix police officer Franklin Brown Jr. received his department's Medal of Valor and was selected as one of the nation's "Top Cops" by the National Association of Police Organizations. But when the awards were handed out last October, Brown was conspicuous by his absence. His own department had asked that the award be put on hold, while it investigated whether Brown had faked an attack by “unknown assailants” and actually shot himself. Today, the police department isn't saying much about Brown, but in an exclusive interview with Paul Rubin, staff writer for Phoenix New Times, Brown is saying plenty. The result: a fascinating look at a mystery in the Arizona desert.
Former Metro Pulse Editor Coury Turczyn announces plans to start a new Web-based archive of alt-weekly writing, to be called PopCult. Meanwhile, Sweeping Features announces its closing and with it the demise of the syndicated “doubleCross” puzzle. Meanwhile, Featurewell picks up Mother Jones.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune profiles brothers Tom and Mark Bartel, now operating competing publications, AAN-member City Pages (Twin Cities) and a new monthly, the Rake. Mark Bartel, publisher of City Pages, now seems secure out from the shadow of his older brother, reports Jon Tevlin. Tom Bartel and his wife and partner Kris Henning, are in their element spinning a new publication into existence.
The Portland Tribune reports that the three novelists who judged Willamette Week's annual short story contest are hopping mad. The Trib's Phil Stanford says WW's Arts & Culture Editor Caryn B. Brooks disregarded the judges' decision and picked the story she preferred. The African-American author of "Floozy," the short story the judges picked, tells Stanford it's "cultural preference."
The benefit compilation "Wish You Were Here: Love Songs For New York" was produced in the aftermath of Sept. 11. As the Voice's promo puts it, the paper "put out an emergency call begging punks, ravers, rappers, no-wavers, new agers, headbangers, reggae toasters, rai rebels, riot grrrls, emo eggheads, urban hillbillies, suburban folkies, and soulquarians for love songs devoted to New York City." Robert Christgau reviews the results and warns you to watch what you say when you talk about his paper.
A major international espionage saga is unfolding across the United States. It's been hush-hush so far, largely because the implications could be a major embarrassment for the government. The spy story is even more touchy because it isn't Saddam, Fidel, Osama or even what passes nowadays for the KGB spying on America -- but our "friend" in the war against "evil," Israel. Creative Loafing last week obtained a copy of the 60-page Drug Enforcement Agency report that provides the basis of the allegations, and CL's John Sugg writes the story in his Fishwrapper column.
