The Washington Examiner announced Tuesday that it would cease its daily print publication in June to become a website and weekly magazine focusing on national politics.
The paper will eliminate its local coverage of the D.C. area, as well as its entertainment and sports sections. In all, this will translate to 87 people getting laid off across the board, with an eventual 20 new hires to help with the weekly magazine.
The last daily print edition will be published June 14. The first issue of the weekly is expected June 20.
In a letter to staffers, Ryan McKibbin -- president of Denver-based Clarity Media Group Inc, the company that owns the Examiner as well as publications like The Weekly Standard -- wrote that the new print publication will be “delivered to 45,000 key influencers throughout Washington D.C. and to legislative and executive offices in state capitals across the nation.”
Read his full memo to Examiner staffers over at City Paper.
IN OTHER NEWS:
* The Maryland Senate voted to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana Tuesday. Under the new legislation, anyone caught with up to 10 grams would receive a citation and $100 fine instead of being arrested. (News4)
* The National GOP wants Virginia to hold primaries, not conventions, in order to invite greater participation. (Washington Examiner)
* The D.C. Council's David Catania asked fellow councilmember Tommy Wells if he wears Spanx for Men... and Wells didn’t exactly say no. (News4)
* A potentially fatal flaw in Virginia’s transportation plan: the assumption that the federal government will approve an enforcement mechanism for applying state sales taxes to Internet purchases. This assumption could cost nearly $841 million by 2018. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
* A bipartisan Fairfax County commission said that in order to avoid the long lines that occurred on Election Day 2012, the county needs more poll workers, better technology, better training and better polling locations. (Washington Post)
* A D.C. Council committee will take up a bill today that would force big retailers like Walmart to pay workers a minimum wage of $11.75 an hour -- $3 more than the District-wide minimum wage. (Washington City Paper)
* A bill to prohibit double jeopardy in prosecution was defeated on third reading in the Maryland House of Delegates because of the potential implications the bill could have in helping criminals acquitted on a technicality. (Maryland Reporter)
* Democrats slam Cuccinelli for linking the fight against abortion to slavery. (AP)
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