The Mercury, which is distributed every week wrapped around the Las Vegas Review-Journal's entertainment section, had to ditch the entire 30,000-copy print run of its Aug. 3 issue because of an article that enraged African-American employees at its daily-paper parent, reports Las Vegas Weekly. Editor Geoff Schumacher defended the satirical article — which was headlined: “Sun City Anthem residents: 'What's next, blacks?'” — as "funny and not racist and fine to go. (But) having heard the concerns, I understand this could be taken in more than one way."
The Local Planet of Spokane, Wash., which was approved for AAN membership last month in New Orleans, is changing its name to The Local Planet Weekly. President and Co-Publisher Matthew Spaur credits Folio Weekly Publisher Sam Taylor for the suggestion: “He said it would add $100,000 to our value. I’m still waiting for the check,” Spaur jokes in a news release posted on the AAN Web site.
The New Yorker calls John Strausbaugh's new book an "entertaining polemic." (2nd item.) A collection of Strausbaugh's writings,"Rock 'Til You Drop" "take(s) aim at the aging rock establishment and its malignant effect on a once vibrant art form," says the venerable weekly.
Part 2 of Susan Goldsmith's series on LA's Mexican Mafia tells the "Greek Tragedy" story of Max Torvisco, a "nerdy kid" who grew up to become one of the underworld's most feared and sadistic capos. Using exclusive documents obtained from the FBI and Torvisco's testimony against other gang members, Goldsmith spent two months researching and writing the series for New Times Los Angeles..
