The founders of the Missoula Independent are back together again. Eric Johnson has been hired as editor of Coast Weekly in Monterey, Calif., and his cohort Erik Cushman was promoted from vice president and director of operations to publisher. Founder Bradley Zeve will concentrate on community relations and grassroots social projects.

Continue ReadingEric and Erik Reunited at Coast Weekly

The results are in for the 2001 Alternative Newsweekly Awards, and Gambit Weekly is this year's big winner with nine prize-winning entries. Meanwhile, Texas Observer Editor Nate Blakeslee collected the most awards-booty among individual contenders, with winning entries in three separate categories. But hold the champagne corks for a couple of weeks: The order of finish won't be announced until July 12, during the annual awards lunch in New Orleans.

Continue ReadingAlternative Newsweekly Awards Announced

Peter Noel says he was kicked out of the Hip-Hop Summit, an event Def Jam founder Russell Simmons helped organize at the New York Hilton. Noel tells the Daily News' Mitchell Fink that he was barred from the meeting because Simmons didn't want him there. "When Russell found out I was a part of (a media panel on mainstream press hip-hop coverage) he went off." Simmons says nothing could be further from the truth.

Continue ReadingVoice Scribe Barred from Hip-Hop Summit