Two men taken off death row: After sitting on death row for close to 20 years, Curtis McCarty was released on Friday, and the
Oklahoma Gazette was there. In a different course of events, the Nashville Scene
sadly reports on the execution of Philip Workman, despite evidence casting new doubt on his guilt.
The childless mothers: In a touching
Mother's Day piece, North Carolina's Independent Weekly puts a face on the mothers left behind in the wake of gun violence, with a striking photo essay, accompanied by short histories of their losses.
Guns, not roses: As the Virginia Tech shootings continue to reverberate through the nation, gun control is the talk of the town. C-Ville Weekly
reports on an executive order in Virginia that closed the gun loophole that allowed Seung-Hui Cho to purchase the guns used at Virginia Tech. Meanwhile, Style Weekly
notes that "the renewed debate about gun control highlights a new paradigm: The Democrats, it turns out, are packing heat."
Presidential prognostication: As the presidential campaign ratchets up, Ted Rall
writes in his "utterly reckless 2008 preview" that the "number threes" -- John Edwards and Mitt Romney -- are the real frontrunners.
9/11's bodies: It has been more than five years, but some families of 9/11 victims are still fighting to get their loved ones' remains out of a garbage dump.
The New York Press talks to the families and reports on their lawsuit.
Starving children with love and fear: The Phoenix New Times
reports on a vegan couple who were so concerned with childhood obesity and health food that they gave their children seizures, resulting in the death of one and the near-death of another.
Prosecuting fiction: Karen Fletcher writes fictional stories of sexual violence against children, and now she's been charged with violating federal anti-obscenity laws.
Pittsburgh City Paper notes that it's the first such case since 1973 dealing strictly with the written word and talks to many who wonder how far the government is willing to go to fight "indecency."
War stories: As has been the case for the past five years, the elephant in the newsroom is still war, and two noteworthy war-related reports were on the site this week.
Metro Times looks at the mercenary problem in Iraq, and
Shepherd Express examines the military's treatment of women.
Summer (movie) lovin': Do they have an official calendar that tells critics when the "summer movie" season begins? If so, it must have been this week, as
three alt-weeklies grace us with their Summer Movie Previews.
'New Moon' brings a 'Fond Farewell': A posthumous double-disc of early Elliott Smith recordings was released this month, and SF Weekly's Jennifer Maerz
dives headfirst -- not only into
New Moon, but into "memories from the prime years of a relationship that lasted more than a decade, with a boyfriend I was going to marry."
A half-century in TV, coming to an end: Bob Barker has hosted
The Price is Right for 35 years, but come June 6, the 17-time Emmy winner will remind viewers to help control the pet population for the final time. He
talks with LA Weekly about the future, the past and corded microphones.
From the archives: Jerry Falwell's War on the ACLU: Upon the opening of Falwell's Liberty University in 2004, the
Boston Phoenix noted his aim of training "conservative warriors" to fight "important battles against anti-religious zealots."
