Story Libraries
Features
Not all Village Voice Media stories involve intensive document searches or freedom-of-information requests. Some of our best efforts come from hanging out with fascinating people -- and telling tales that are simply a joy to read. They may not fit neatly into contest categories, but in their own way they require just as much work as the finest investigative masterpieces. We delight in publishing superior feature stories alongside our hard-news hits. Here are a few of our best:
- St. Louis
Jun 9, 2011
Knockout King
Kids call it a game. Cops call it murder.
By John Tucker - Broward/Palm Beach
Jul 8, 2010
Death Rides a Horse
When multimillionaire polo mogul John Goodman ran down a man on a dark road and left him to drown, he left behind many questions. Chief among them: Would he ever be made to pay for his crime?
By Lisa Rab - New York
Jun 1, 2010
"The Hot Banker"
Debrahlee Lorenzana claimed her bosses fired her for being too good-looking. Then she took them to court.
By Elizabeth Dwoskin - Miami
Apr 22, 2010
The Rise and Fall of a Hip-Hop King
Hip-hop beatmaker Scott Storch lived the American dream, raking in millions as one of music's hottest creative properties. Then he proceeded right to the American nightmare, blowing large portions of it on girlfriends like Paris Hilton--and in the process, thoroughly peeving his mother back in Florida.
By Gus Garcia-Roberts - Minneapolis
May 13, 2009
"Catcher in the Raw"
This poignant profile told the tale of Minnesota Twins backup catcher Mike Redmond, a roughhewn character who could have stepped directly from the baseball classic Bull Durham, and who understood better than anybody that his mere existence in the major leagues was a minor miracle.
By David Hansen - Orange County
May 22, 2008
Oranges in the Sunset
When San Juan Capistrano boots Ignacio Lujano out of his orange grove, Orange County's citrus era will be over.
By Gustavo Arellano - San Francisco
May 21, 2008
"Snitch"
Deanna Johnson, a resident of the most notorious public housing project in San Francisco, made the painful decision to testify against a murderer in order to save her son. She learned that in the 'hood, the truth comes with a steep price. This story won first-place for long-form news story in the 2009 AltWeekly Awards.
By Ashley Harrell - Seattle
May 7, 2008
"I'm (Not) With Busey"
What happens when the famous person you happen to look like is a bit of a trainwreck? Ask Jeff Swanson, a Seattle man lucky enough--or unlucky enough--to have been born Gary Busey's doppelganger.
By Aimee Curl - Broward/Palm Beach
Apr 3, 2008
Spring Break is Still Awesome!
Try as it might, Ft. Lauderdale can't shake its depraved and decadent seasonal partiers.
By Michael J. Mooney - Denver
Mar 20, 2008
"The Good Soldier"
Iraq War veteran Andrew Pogany had the ignominious distinction of being the first American soldier officially charged with cowardice since 1968. But, as Warner explained, when it messed with Pogany, the Army messed with the wrong coward. This story won first-place for feature writing in the 2009 AltWeekly Awards.
By Joel Warner - Houston
Feb 2, 2008
"Barack Obama and Me"
Think the Democratic sensation is a blank slate? Not if you knew him back when. And our reporter did, having worked on the South Side of Chicago before Obama was famous, before he was a U.S. Senator--and before he no longer screamed at journalists.
By Todd Spivak - Minneapolis
Nov 28, 2007
Mall Rat
Our reporter's assignment: Spend a week living inside the Mall of America, the ultimate monument to American consumerism, and see if you live to tell the tale.
By Matt Snyders - Denver
Aug 16, 2007
"The Caged Life"
Its official name is U.S. Penitentiary Administrative Maximum, but it's better known as ADX, the super-high-security prison where the federal government keeps its roughest customers. You have to work hard to get into ADX--almost as hard as a reporter has to work to get information about the place. In this story, Prendergast managed to pry open the bars and provide readers with a fascinating--and chilling--look at life inside the biggest big house of them all.
By Alan Prendergast - Dallas
Jul 26, 2007
"El Tren de la Muerte"
To get to El Norte, hop a freight--and pray you make it alive.
By Megan Feldman - New York
Jun 12, 2007
"A Neo-Nazi Field Trip to the Met"
Our undercover reporter gives skinheads culture shock in New York City.
By Maria Luisa Tucker - Cleveland
Jun 6, 2007
"What Would Journey Do?"
Welcome to a place where Eighties hair bands still roam--and rule--the earth
By Joe Tone - Houston
May 10, 2007
"Doug Supernaw"
Tracking the decline and spectacular fall of a country music superstar.
By John Nova Lomax - St. Louis
May 9, 2007
"Using Their Noodle"
Ever catch a 50-pound catfish with your bare hands? He has. So has his dad. And his granddad. And his aunts.
By Malcolm Gay - St. Louis
Apr 25, 2007
"Chinatown Confidential"
Neither rain nor sleet nor language barriers could stop our persevering correspondent from savoring the cuisine of Chinese masterchef Meng Lei.
By Randall Roberts - New York
Apr 17, 2007
"New York's Most Obnoxious Lawyer"
And that's saying something.
By Sean Gardiner - Minneapolis
Mar 28, 2007
"The Boogeyman Drops the Gloves"
If there's blood on the ice, chances are Derek Boogaard had something to do with it.
By Kevin Hoffman - Cleveland
Mar 14, 2007
"Amish Girls Gone Wild"
Down on the farm, when they let loose, they really let loose.
By Denise Grollmus - St. Louis
Jan 24, 2007
"Monster Next Door?"
For years Michael Devlin was invisible. Then he became Public Enemy No. 1.
By Malcolm Gay - Seattle
Dec 13, 2006
"The Cosby Effect"
The modern hipster's dilemma: Is it cool to wear a Cosby sweater?
By Mike Seely - St. Louis
Oct 4, 2006
"Twist of Fate"
One of the NHL's all-time greatest fighters didn't stop scrapping once he left the ice.
By Ben Westhoff - Dallas
Sep 7, 2006
"Cruising With the Whore Cop"
He finds humor and light in the darkest of places.
By Jesse Hyde - St. Louis
Oct 5, 2005
"Dirty Ernie"
The last of the redhot ballpark organists talks dirty and apologizes for nothing.
By Chad Garrison - Phoenix
Sep 15, 2005
"The Vagina Dialogues"
Welcome to the new lesbian chic, where being "bi-curious" is only the beginning.
By Sarah Fenske - St. Louis
Aug 31, 2005
"Ozark Orgy"
Steer your vessel to Party Cove, a sordid stretch of Missouri shoreline where you can find heaven on a pontoon boat.
By Chad Garrison - Phoenix
Aug 25, 2005
"Hardball"
In the super-competitive world of youth baseball, the only thing more dangerous than a purpose pitch is a father's runaway ego.
By Robert Nelson - Cleveland
Aug 10, 2005
"Grimm Fairy Tale"
An Ohio cop helped change a rape law to protect victims. The same law sent him to prison.
By Denise Grollmus - San Francisco
Aug 3, 2005
"A Very Special Concert"
The sweet, sad tale of Huey Lewis's relationship with the developmentally disabled.
By Katy St. Clair - Miami
Jun 9, 2005
"Super Booze Me"
The sobering tale of one man's week-long binge in the world of alcohol distribution.
By Kirk Nielsen - Phoenix
Jun 9, 2005
"Baby Man"
He never grew up, but Peter Pan he ain't.
By Joe Watson - Cleveland
Jun 8, 2005
"Suicide Bridge"
Welcome to Akron, where bodies fall from the sky.
By Denise Grollmus - St. Louis
Jun 8, 2005
"Behold the 40"
Much beloved and much maligned, the 40-ounce beer powers on.
By Mike Seely - East Bay
May 25, 2005
"Friendly Fire"
How a cop gets shot by his brother officers: One small mistake at a time.
By Justin Berton - Dallas
May 19, 2005
"Generation Rx"
Adrift in a sea of pharmaceuticals, it's easy for a kid to drown.
By Glenna Whitley - Phoenix
May 19, 2005
"Big Cheese"
The dirtiest mouth in the nation's lounge revival belongs to a nice Jewish boy from Phoenix.
By Jimmy Magahern - Houston
May 12, 2005
"Got a Light?"
Hey, anti-smoking zealots: up your butts.
By Keith Plocek - San Francisco
May 4, 2005
"Darth Vega to the Rescue"
It takes a villain to defeat the dark forces of the new economy.
By Tommy Craggs - Broward/Palm Beach
Apr 14, 2005
"Misery and Clemency"
A thousand highway miles, ten days, nine baseball teams and a funeral.
By Sam Eifling - Dallas
Apr 14, 2005
"Raiders of the Lost Toilet Factory"
The thrill of breaking and entering never quite goes away.
By Rick Kennedy - Cleveland
Apr 13, 2005
"Ghost in the House"
Sometimes there really is a body in the haunted mansion.
By James Renner - St. Louis
Apr 13, 2005
"I Punched Saddam in the Mouth"
Meet Samir, the St. Louis auto mechanic who pulled Saddam Hussein from his spider hole.
By Chad Garrison
