Baltimore City Paper's "Murder Ink" feature details every homicide in the city, including the whens and wheres of each. Boston's Weekly Dig publishes a "Perp Walk" that reports on crime with a comic flair. Editor & Publisher examines "the revival of the police blotter by youth- oriented and alternative papers" and the way "these papers are redefining the very style of the blotter."

If your paper is interested in hosting the annual confab in 2007*, now's the time to raise your hand. The AAN Board of Directors will begin considering proposals for 2007* at its next meeting, so if you think your city and staff have what it takes to keep 500+ jaded AAN conventioneers happy for three or four days during the summer -- or if you would like to know more about what's involved in hosting the convention -- contact Richard Karpel at the AAN office (rkarpel@aan.org or 202/289-8484) by mid-September. (Correction, July 15, 2005: This item originally stated incorrectly that AAN was seeking a host for the 2006 convention. The 2006 convention will be held June 15-17 in Little Rock and will be hosted by Arkansas Times.)