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GUEST: Rebecca Schoenkopf, aka “Commie Girl,” former columnist with the OC Weekly

Rebecca Schoenkopf, known to readers of the OC Weekly as the columnist, “Commie Girl,” is the latest staff person to resign from the local alternative newspaper. Scheonkopf, whose column was awarded in the best political category by the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies last year, authored her final column in the current edition of the OC Weekly. The departure of Commie Girl is the most recent since the OC Weekly came under the ownership last year of the New Times publishing chain or the Village Voice Media as it is now known. Will Swaim, the founding editor of the OC Weekly, resigned late last month citing irreconcilable philosophical differences with the new owners. Swaim was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying that the new ownership wanted to “have standardization across all 18 markets,” where they have newspapers. Some suspect that the move towards standardization would mean the cutting of many local columnists and writers in favor of nationally syndicated ones.

For more information, visit www.commiegircollective.com.