The bare-knuckled battle between Seattle Weekly and The Stranger in the land of Starbucks is laid bare by Seattle Post-Intelligencer writer John Marshall. He looks into whether two alt-weeklies can survive in a city the size of Seattle and whether the Stranger's "performance-art" journalistic style can knock out the more upscale, serious Weekly.
The "flambeau carriers" of New Orleans' Mardi Gras provide one of the most intriguing symbols of Carnival in the Big Easy. Groups of bandana-masked men carry torches in the night parades, dancing and twirling these sticks of flame as onlookers toss money. Gambit Weekly's Katy Reckdahl wanted to know more about these revelers under fire, and she walked alongside the parade route one night to find out about a craft steeped in tradition.
After only four months, the St. Petersburg Times reports the upstart St. Pete Weekly has ceased publication. Publisher Dean Capone tells the Times he's not given up and is seeking new financing to start again. Meanwhile, the daily reports staffers haven't been paid and that one has filed a claim for nearly $5,000.
