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PrintChanges and recognition
Craig Rusnak. Photo by Tim Johnson.
I wouldn’t actually call it a redesign, but for the past year or so we’ve been tweaking the look of Columbus Monthly. We have started new features and moved some furniture, so to speak, while updating the graphics.
Perhaps the boldest shift so far is found in this issue. If you haven’t seen it yet, our contents section is a major departure from its previous incarnation. We’ve expanded from one to two pages to make our introduction more visually appealing. Also new are different looks for Letters, Calendar and, as you may have noticed while reading this, Upfront.
Some of the other recent changes include:
• Switching from saddle-stitch to perfect binding, giving the magazine a rectangular backbone.
• A different look for the teaser lines at the top of the covers for Columbus Monthly and Columbus Monthly Homes.
• Additions to City Journal: Wedding Album (every month), Eating Seasonally (April through December; watch for the 2011 debut next month) and Bargain Bits (shifted from the back of the book).
• New graphic elements for restaurant reviews.
• Condensed descriptions in Guide to Dining Out so we can include more restaurants.
• Adding three regular columnists: Jory Farr, Culturewise; Molly Willow, Around town; John Petric, Welcome to my world.
Credit for the fresh, crisp look goes to Craig Rusnak, our design director for the past year and a half, and his staff. In addition to the above references, Craig’s influence has been felt throughout the magazine, particularly with our showcase features.
Look for more changes to come.
In the middle of the media flurry over Ted Williams, the homeless man with the golden voice, associate editor Dave Ghose pitched a story idea: What about the homeless guys without golden voices? So, Dave and photographer Jeffry Konczal spent weeks finding panhandlers at busy intersections (harder than you might think). They listened to their stories and a few allowed Jeffry to take their photos. The sobering story without a happy ending starts on page 52.
We’ve received some exciting news. The City and Regional Magazine Association announced the finalists for its national awards competition. Columbus Monthly’s Columbus Bride, published twice a year, won a nomination for Ancillary Publication in its circulation category. Senior editor Jill Hawes is responsible for crafting this popular and superb magazine. Congratulations to Jill and the rest of the Bride team. Final results will be known in early May.
A writer I know recently wrote a story in Esquire about the joy he feels in tearing things apart while renovating his home (except he could do without all the dust). Perhaps you feel the same about taking a hammer to drywall. Or maybe you prefer to leave that kind of heavy lifting to your contractor. In either case, if you’re proud of the results of your house redo, enter the Columbus Monthly Homes renovation contest. Winners will be featured in the August issue of our Guide to Remodeling. Go to columbusmonthly.com for the details. Deadline is April 15.
A final note: We’re looking for singles to feature in “Single in the city” in the May issue. Send a short description and a photo or two to Taylor Swope at tswope@columbusmediaenterprises.com by March 18. See columbusmonthly.com for more details.
