Mourning the passing of City Pages (Minneapolis, St. Paul: crime, neighborhoods, closing)

[Cida]

So many papers now closing down all over the country.


“We Didn’t Know What We Had Until It Was Gone.”
Like other threatened papers, City Pages fought off the Grim Reaper for a long time.
But it was still, as one of the many online tributes put it, “gleefully and repeatedly poking its fist into the snoot of power.” It was irreverent, impudent, insolent, and uncowed by authority in all forms. Like its peers around the country, it had a voice both fearless and fun, a mix more notable at a time when much of our news is filled with either toxic venom or smarmy gravitas.
https://www.motherjones.com/media/20...ika-bauerlein/

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by Cida

So many papers now closing down all over the country.


“We Didn’t Know What We Had Until It Was Gone.”
Like other threatened papers, City Pages fought off the Grim Reaper for a long time.
But it was still, as one of the many online tributes put it, “gleefully and repeatedly poking its fist into the snoot of power.” It was irreverent, impudent, insolent, and uncowed by authority in all forms. Like its peers around the country, it had a voice both fearless and fun, a mix more notable at a time when much of our news is filled with either toxic venom or smarmy gravitas.
https://www.motherjones.com/media/20...ika-bauerlein/

City Pages was great. I just realized that all the old content is available at Hennepin County Libraries and I was able to track down my favorite article, from the May 8, 2002 issue written by G.R. Anderson Jr. and is titled “ On The Corner - Overwhelmed activists, embattled police, and perplexed politicians brace for a long, hot summer in South Minneapolis.” It’s still a great read today. Highly recommended.

For anyone who thinks crime is bad in the city now by reading that article you will quickly realize that things are pretty tame compared to the tail end of the crack era.

[rodolfocostarica]

Wow City Pages gone? I got that one free every week i think it came out and given out at many many locations around the twin cities.


Great paper with lots of news stories and excellent section on things to do. Dont live there anymore but for 30 years for me was great. RIP City Pages.

[mingna]

City Pages, along with the Twin Cities Reader, were great sources for finding out about local events, restaurants, and, before the internet era, provided interesting reading in the personals section.

The charming 1982 movie The Personals was based on a personals add in the The Twin Cities Reader. It nicely showcased many TC sites, and realistically portrayed a slice of life during that time. Knew some folks who shared similar 1980s experiences in looking for love in their personals section.

[WoodburyWoody]

Four of the former editors of City Pages are launching a new news site this month:

https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota...hes-this-month

[knke0204]

City Pages died a slow death and failed to evolve in the internet era. Hopefully the new rendition realizes it's predecessors short comings

[bostonguy1960]

Sad "news."

In Boston, we lost the Boston Phoenix alt entertainment weekly just a few years ago. Their tall red newsboxes were a popular site on city sidewalks. I think the Providence and Portland versions folded shortly thereafter.

Yep, it had those personals, but in a separate pull out (no pun intended?) section in later years. I responded to one and got a letter back with photo but I wasn't interested.

Boston still has The Dig, a free slimmed-down alternative rag at newsboxes and some ice cream shops, maybe every two weeks. I don't think it's that popular. It may have been publishing even when The Phoenix was for a brief time, can't remember, but it's a newer publication. And, we lost the free Improper Bostonian biweekly magazine freebie two years ago.

We still have several free weekly papers in the neighborhoods -- for now -- but much slimmer nowadays. Even Bay Windows (lgbt, very few pages now vs. its heyday) and The Boston Banner (black community) plus one or two Chinese papers.

Even though I don't read all of them, it's comforting after all these years to still see them in print in newsboxes or shops. I'm 61, but I don't expect younger folks to care.

Anybody know which other cities still have a free printed alternative entertainment paper?

[lookingaround12345]

I loved the personal ads. I will always have fond memories of placing my ads there every week. Some of you might know me as Diaper play guy White Bear Lake. Good times.

[mingna]

Originally Posted by lookingaround12345

I loved the personal ads. I will always have fond memories of placing my ads there every week. Some of you might know me as Diaper play guy White Bear Lake. Good times.

Well, well, well… small world - hello again Diaper! (Hehe, just kidding!) But who knows, we may have walked through the same spaces since I briefly lived in N. St. Paul.

I was too young to participate in the personals, but was witness to several folk’s experiences with it in both the TCR and CP. It was fun pouring out the mountain of response letters with attached Polaroids and reading them. Best experienced while listening to “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” of course. Namesake drink optional. One even met their current spouse there. Good times, indeed.

[snebarekim]

Originally Posted by lookingaround12345

I loved the personal ads. I will always have fond memories of placing my ads there every week. Some of you might know me as Diaper play guy White Bear Lake. Good times.

Ewwwww.......

Were you not also a state senator for a bit?


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jXoPbn2gnM...ken1%252B2.jpg