Alcatraz Island tour guide Dan Cooke has been fired by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (GGNPC) in the wake of the alt-weekly's article that quoted him complaining about a sewage spill, the Guardian reports. Cooke has filed an administrative complaint with the U.S. Dept. of Labor against the GGNPC and the National Park Service, claiming he should be protected as a whistleblower. Members of the state assembly are also investigating the firing, according to the Guardian.

Continue ReadingWhistleblower Who Talked to San Francisco Bay Guardian Axed

The publisher of AAN members San Diego CityBeat, Los Angeles CityBeat, ValleyBeat and Pasadena Weekly announced today that Los Angeles New City Monthly will debut in June. The magazine will "celebrate the intellectual and cultural 'renaissance' of LA's Eastside" and will largely be distributed via direct mail, according to a Southland press release. Nikki Bazar, who previously freelanced for Pasadena Weekly, will be editor. The design and production will be handled by the art and production team at CityBeat and ValleyBeat.

Continue ReadingSouthland Publishing Adds a Glossy Monthly to the Mix

The alt-weekly's request for documents regarding violations at a private psychiatric facility was set back yesterday, Boise Weekly reports. Late last year, the newspaper and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare started looking into allegations against Intermountain Hospital and requested the relevant documents under the Idaho Open Records Act. Shortly thereafter, the facility won a temporary restraining order from District Judge Joel Horton that sealed all the records, which was upheld yesterday by Judge Michael McLaughlin. Publisher Sally Freeman says the paper is not yet sure if it will appeal the decision.

Continue ReadingBoise Weekly Loses Open Records Decision

Ted B. Kissell will take over as editor-in-chief of the Santa Ana alt-weekly on April 2, Village Voice Media announced today. Kissell, previously a staff writer at Miami New Times and an associate editor at New Times Broward-Palm Beach, was most recently senior editor at the daily Ventura County Star. Kissell won't be the only new face in the OC Weekly office: VVM says Jose Santos will start his tenure as art director on April 2, Dave Segal's first day as music editor is March 26, and Luke Y. Thompson, the paper's "newest staff writer," started last week.

Continue ReadingOC Weekly Names New Editor