AAN News
Former Alt-Weekly Reporter Heads to Prison Earlynew
Lacey Phillabaum, a former staff writer for The Source Weekly and C-Ville Weekly, entered a federal detention center in January, six months before she will be sentenced for her role in torching a $4 million University of Washington horticulture facility, the Hook reports. Phillabaum pleaded guilty to three counts of arson in October, and faces three to five years in prison. "She's really eager to put this behind her," says friend James Johnson. The Hook also reports that friends of Phillabaum have set up an informative website about her in part "to counter the radical left-wing blogs that have accused her of being a snitch."
The Hook |
03-08-2007 10:49 am |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial, Lacey Phillabaum
Update: Subject of Nashville Scene Investigation to be Firednew
Robert Chavez's 90-day suspension from his post as president of the Tennessee Hispanic Chamber of Commerce "will become a permanent termination" at the next meeting of the chamber's board, the Scene reports. Chavez was suspended just two weeks ago, following a Scene article detailing his "nefarious business activities and poor chamber leadership." The Nashville alt-weekly also reports that Chavez has lost his attorney, Delain L. Deatherage, who had represented him since at least November.
Nashville Scene |
03-08-2007 7:59 am |
Industry News
OC Weekly Continues to Remake Mastheadnew
The Stranger reports that Dave Segal, who has been with the Seattle alt-weekly since 2004, was hired yesterday as music editor of OC Weekly. Segal replaces Chris Ziegler, who left the Village Voice Media paper last month. The Southland alt-weekly also hired freelance film reviewer Luke Y. Thompson as a staff writer, according to Thompson's own blog. And OC Weekly's former feature editor and "Commie Girl" columnist Rebecca Schoenkopf writes that the paper recently lost managing editor Ellen Griley and staff writer Dave Wielenga. She broke the news in the comments section of the Boston Phoenix's recent story on VVM.
The Stranger | LYT's Weblog |
03-07-2007 12:08 pm |
Industry News
David Blum Says He Never Had VVM's Confidence as Voice Editornew
"My job as editor in chief of The Village Voice was not all spent putting out the newspaper, but also keeping people happy thousands of miles away," Blum tells the New York Observer. Blum says he received frequent calls and e-mails from VVM headquarters about running the paper. An unnamed Voice staffer tells the Observer it wasn't clear the j-school adjunct was "comfortable in the editor role," noting he was more at ease with recent hires from Columbia Univ. than with longtime Voice staffers.
The New York Observer |
03-07-2007 11:49 am |
Industry News
Willamette Week Story Leads to Pulitzer-Winning Reporter's Suspensionnew
Last week, the Portland alt-weekly revealed that The Oregonian's Tom Hallman Jr. was parking for free in a spot owned by a felon he once profiled. This week, Willamette Week reports that Hallman has been suspended for two weeks without pay, must undergo ethics training, cannot represent the Oregonian in public forums, and has been demoted from his current enterprise beat to a still-to-be-determined assignment.
Willamette Week |
03-07-2007 10:20 am |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial, Willamette Week
Santa Fe Reporter Garners a 'Laurel' from Columbia Journalism Review
Writing in this month's CJR, Gloria Cooper gives kudos to the alt-weekly for its "long-running series on the state of the health care system in New Mexico" that led to the termination of Wexford Health Sources' contract with the New Mexico Department of Corrections. The Reporter's series highlighted repeated abuses and systemic failures by the for-profit company formerly in charge of inmate care.
AAN News |
03-07-2007 9:17 am |
Industry News
Bay Guardian and Civil Rights Groups Seek Records on Immigration Raidsnew
The San Francisco alt-weekly joined the ACLU and the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights in filing a Freedom of Information Act request for government records on the arrests of more than 800 illegal immigrants in Northern California, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The groups are trying to corroborate "abusive practices reported extensively in the press" including illegal searches and abusive treatment, according to an ACLU press release. "If the federal government is going to spend taxpayers' dollars on a very questionable enforcement action, the public has the right to know the details of how it was implemented," says Bay Guardian Editor Tim Redmond.
San Jose Mercury News |
03-07-2007 9:05 am |
Industry News
Ruling Overturned; K.C. Papers Get Green Light to Publishnew
On Tuesday, the Missouri Court of Appeals overturned Judge Kelly Moorehouse's decision last week to bar The Pitch and The Kansas City Star from publishing stories based on a confidential letter written by the attorney for Kansas City Board of Public Utilities. Following the reversal, the Pitch reposted its original story based on the document, which addressed the utility's potential violations of federal pollution regulations.
The Pitch |
03-07-2007 8:07 am |
Legal News
Libel Suits Against Food Reviewers Aren't Often Successfulnew
The New York Times |
03-07-2007 6:17 pm |
Legal News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Blum's Comments on Race Not Behind Firingnew
Village Voice Media Executive Editor Michael Lacey says Blum was dismissed due to differences over "administrative style" and because he didn't get enough "news in the paper."
The Village Voice |
03-06-2007 2:04 pm |
Industry News
'One Less Minority' At Village Voicenew
The day after last week's staff meeting at which concerns about newsroom diversity were raised, Village Voice Media laid off minority writer Corina Zappia, according to the Huffington Post. Zappia, who worked for the internet division, says she hadn't had a negative performance review nor been given any sort of warning. She also notes that although she had spoken up at last week's staff meeting, there was no connection between that and her dismissal. The Huffington Post reports that a HR complaint relating to Zappia's discharge remains unresolved.
The Huffington Post |
03-06-2007 1:41 pm |
Industry News
Tony Ortega 'Won't Be Easily Replaced'new
Writing on the New Times Broward-Palm Beach's Daily Pulp blog, staff writer Bob Norman says "Ortega's announcement at a meeting yesterday left the staff under what I can I only describe as a funereal pall." He predicts Ortega "will sit in the editor's chair at the Voice for as long he wants to be there," because he has "the temperament to weather the shitstorm" and the "hard-earned trust" of Village Voice Media Executive Editor Mike Lacey.
New Times Broward-Palm Beach |
03-06-2007 11:40 am |
Industry News
Weekly Dig Editor Takes Post at Boston Magazinenew
Joe Keohane, who was recently replaced at the Dig by Michael Brodeur, is now a staff writer at Boston Magazine, WBZ-TV reports. Boston Magazine's parent company, Metrocorp, bought a majority interest in the Dig in 2004.
WBZ-TV |
03-06-2007 10:27 am |
Industry News
Editor Leaves Sacramento News & Reviewnew
Nancy Brands Ward, who had been with the California alt-weekly since September, left the paper last week, the Sacramento Bee reports. According to publisher Jeff vonKaenel, Melinda Welsh will again serve as interim editor, a post she held for 13 months before Brands Ward was hired.
Sacramento Bee |
03-06-2007 8:50 am |
Industry News
Isthmus Editor Hits East Coast on Book Tour
University of Wisconsin Press Press Release |
03-06-2007 11:00 am |
Press Releases
Tags: Editorial, Bill Lueders
