You may have also noticed the new tag line under our cover logo. What do we mean by "independent journalism"? To me, it's the kind of journalism that reports to nobody except our readers.

Of course, you have other kinds of journalism. Like, say, the kind where sources are pressured into paying big bucks to avoid getting slammed.

Yes, just when I thought reporter scandals couldn't get any worse, here comes Philly native Jared Paul Stern and "Page Six Payola."

My fucking God.

In case you've been living under a gay Mummer's backpiece for a week, Stern is the New York Post gossip columnist who's been accused of shaking down billionaire Ronald W. Burkle for $200,000. In exchange, Stern allegedly promised that no negative items about Burkle would appear in the Page Six column. That's right: a sweet six-figure payoff for not doing any reporting.

Now we've pulled some crazy shit here at the CP over 25 years, but no one ever thought about supplementing our revenue in quite that way before.

Tom Knudsen, where's the love? Can't we get, like, 10 percent off our gas bill or something?

Now, let's turn from an (allegedly) criminal journalist to journalists who are being treated like criminals.

A month ago, I wrote about the plight of Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi ["A Bad Situazione," March 16, 2006], who wrote a book about an Italian serial killer and were subsequently interrogated by Italian police. Why? Preston and Spezi's book, Dolci Colline Di Sangue, is very critical of the police. As a result, Preston was all but forced to leave Italy.

And now his co-author is in more danger than ever.

Last Friday, the Italian police arrested Spezi. There was no warrant, says Spezi's wife, and he was denied a lawyer. The charges: slander, defamation, disturbing the public order and obstructing a criminal investigation. According to one report, Spezi is also being charged with an unsolved murder that occurred 31 years ago. "An utterly absurd charge," writes Preston, in an e-mail to the media. "It is no coincidence that this arrest comes just twelve days before the release of our book."

Preston is now hoping that the media will come to Spezi's aid. "Italians care a great deal what Americans think," he writes. "I have seen early press reports in Italy and much of it is filled with dismay at this treatment of one of Italy' most respected journalists. This is not 'business as usual' in Italy and it can be reversed, if we make a big enough noise."

Mainstream papers have spilled gallons of ink on Jared Paul Stern. If only Spezi's situation could receive the same kind of attention.

I'm happy to report that City Paper has snagged eight Keystone Press Awards, including three first-place honors. Our multiple stories about the city's beleaguered EMS units ["Emergency Breakdown"] took top honors in both investigative reporting and newsbeat reporting. Mike Regan walked away with a first-place photo story award for his "Lancaster Avenue" essay, and a second-place sports photo award. Doron Taussig tied for second in the business/consumer story category, and Bruce Schimmel nabbed a second place nod for "Loose Canon." And the whole dang staff took second place in the special project category for last year's Summer Book Quarterly, though much of the credit goes to A&E editor Lori Hill. Congrats to all.

And in our 25th year comes … Sudoku.

I'll be honest. I fear Sudoku. I think anything that compels people to obsess over numbers is part of some alien plot to create a "hive mind" and enslave the human race. One day, all of the little Sudoku-doers will drop their pencils. Their pupils will be gone. Their eyes will be milky white. And they'll lumber after us, hungry for spinal fluid …

But until then, why not give readers what they want? On page 82 you'll find "Psycho Sudoku," created by the same folks who bring you the "Jonesin'" crossword.

Enjoy. And see you in the Hive Mind.