Connecticut News Alternatives

I began to read what are called "alternative newspapers" years ago as a poor graduate student.  Okay, it was because they were free and I couldn't afford a subscription to "real" paper, but the locally-focused journalism to be found among the ads for strip clubs and escort services was always top notch.

The same holds true today for the Connecticut-based New Haven Independent, Connecticut Mirror, and CT News Junkie.  Each site focuses on local issues, events, and points of view with journalistic flair.   Surprisingly, all three sites manage to do this without advertising, relying on grants from foundations or the support of local readers.

The Independent is intensely focused on stories from within New Haven, or on how statewide issues affect New Haven.  Stories about gang violence, environmental activism, and community development fill the page, providing very human stories to be found in the city's varied neighborhoods.