Focus: “Community News. Evolved.”; neighborhood news for Mt. Greenwood, Beverly and Morgan Park; news, opinion, calendar, forums, chat rooms

Started: March 2007

Staff: Michael Fielding, editor, journalism degree and background; Steve Delmont, publisher, formerly in print publishing; solicitation for contributed content and blogs

Funding: advertising; site is associated with Romeii LLC, of Wisconsin

Site: southwestobserver.com

From About:

The Observer is a new community newspaper without the paper. Every day we’ll post news items pertinent to you and your community.And every day we’ll ask you to participate. Got a gripe? Air it in the forums. Planning a block party? Start a blog and keep everyone up to date. Register with us, and you can comment on the stories we post, or you can comment on the posts of your neighbors.

Sample stories: “Keller to stay put, Mt. Greenwood school to expand”; “Community alert for attempted kidnapping”; “Obama’s bookstore book signing this Saturday”; “Keller meeting for parents only”

Focus: “Your Definitive Neighborhood Guide to North Center, Lincoln Square and Ravenswood Manor”; information categories include News, Restaurants, Neighborhoods, 1,000 Words, Events, Submissions

Started: Jan. 20, 2010

Staff: writers/editors/founders Patrick Boylan and Mike Fourcher; solicitations for contributed content

Funding: advertising

Site: centersquareledger.com

From About:

The Center Square Ledger is a news publication focusing exclusively on Chicago’s Lincoln Square, North Center and Ravenswood Manor neighborhoods. It’s published by two guys, Mike and Patrick, from the neighborhood with deep Chicago roots. We launched this publication because we believed that our communities have a great deal going on – we want to tell those stories.

We also believe that many of the stories going on in our communities need to be told by you. Perhaps there’s something going on in your neighborhood you’d like to tell. Maybe you want to write the story yourself in the Ledger.

Sample stories: “Lincoln Square Chamber membership elects 3 members to board; Membership tiers now based on benefit use, not employee size”; “Early voting in Lincoln Square and Northcenter short of 2008 pace”; “Our Lady of Lourdes undertakes cause of immigration reform”; “Local carpenter invents water barrel platform; get pressure and use out of your barrel”

Media mentions: Chicagotalks write-up: “Center Square Ledger offers news from Francisco to Addison”

Focus: original reporting, blogging on progressive issues in state and metro politics; issues include fair taxation, health care, environment, election reform; site categories include “blogs” “columns” and “features”; multi-media components; blogroll/links to legacy media sites serving Chicago and state, national news sites, blogs (i.e. Huffington Post)

Started: March 2008

Staff: paid, full-time staff (number not available); accepts occasional freelance contributions

Funding: solely sponsored by SEIU Illinois, an LLC; looking for other progressive group sponsorship

Site: progressillinois.com

From About

On a daily basis, our full-time writing staff narrates the news from across the state. Our frequent blog posts provide readers with relevant context and remind them what is at stake in the ongoing political and policy debates. But rather than simply follow the news cycle, Progress Illinois also contributes original reporting and research in the form of feature articles that explore local issues and policy debates. Furthermore, by regularly publishing guest columns we promote a wide range of progressive voices – from members of Congress to local activists.

Stories: “A State-based Public Option?”; “Currie, Mendoza, And Delgado Sign Petition In Support Of Public Option”; “On the United Deal, Don’t Forget that other $15 million”

Focus: City, neighborhood news; local events, lifestyle, sports, politics; “an antidote to all those sites infatuated with the coasts” ; lots of aggregated news content; big blogroll

Started: 2003

Employees/Writers: Founder and editor Andrew Huff; 9 other sections editors; about 30 writer-contributors

Funding: Advertising

Site: gapersblock.com

Gapers Block is a Chicago-centric web publication providing information on news and events around town. It is written by and for Chicagoans and those who love the city — its mission is to get you to slow down and check out all the cool things around you.

Sample stories/posts: “Reflections of a Pop duo: TTTTotally Dudes explain it all” (Q&A with two music DJs); links to “Mourners warned of thefts at cemetaries,” “Daley: We’ll sign Olympics financial guarantee” at legacy media site; active area arts and entertainment bulletin board