One of our favorite local websites celebrates a milestone today, as Center Square Journal finally gets around to marking its first anniversary, which it passed in January. Founder/Publisher Mike Fourcher and Editor Samantha Abernethy (both former Chicagoist staffers, we're proud to say) have really taken the ball and filled a void for local journalism for the Lincoln Square, Ravenswood Manor and Northcenter neighborhoods that hasn't been seen since the halcyon days of the Leader community newspapers. Fourcher's vision has since expanded with the August launch of Roscoe View Journal, covering news in Roscoe Village and West Lakeview. more ›

If you've ever found yourself at a cocktail party (or in a voting booth) with your head spinning over the names and connections of the veritable cornucopia of candidates that come up for (re)election periodically, independent political consultant (and former Chicagoist politics writer) Mike Fourcher and local public interest attorney Jay Paul Deratany have just the solution: CloutWiki. more ›