Now we know why all those OC Weekly resignations have been coming so fast. Several of the departed are joining former Weekly editor Will
Swaim in a new Long Beach alt-weekly called The District. "Long Beach is the largest North American city without an independent newsweekly," Swaim told the Orange County Business Journal. "And it’s a city with everything—pioneering musicians, visionary artists, world-class restaurants and the kind of political climate only an investigative reporter could truly appreciate." One of the new staffers is Steve Lowery, who stepped down last week as interim editor of the OC Weekly. Reports are that Ellen Griley, Dave Wielenga and Theo Douglas are also working with the new paper, which launches next month. (* Noted: Most if not all previously worked at the Press-Telegram.)

Speaking of alt-weekly refugees: Seeing lots of bus ads and billboards around town for Jay Levin's Real Talk LA, and I think I glimpsed some skywriting promos for the magazine over the Westside today.