The very nature of our work as scrappy truth tellers is such that we are often in the line of fire from politicians, restaurants, developers, and the like. But every now and then we publish an issue that doesn’t get anyone’s back up, yet is still compelling reading for informed locals interested in celebrating our city and the people who make it fascinating. Such was the case with our fourth annual People Issue (Dec. 9).

“It feels great to be recognized by the place that you do it for!” local celeb and rapper Lightshow, who graced last week’s cover, wrote on Instagram. “#ThePeopleIssue OUT NOW! Go get one before I steal them all to show to my mother!” Or as author Matthew FitzSimmons tweeted, “A nice reminder that DC is much more than the elected potpourri inflicted on us by the states.” Along with Darrow Montgomery’s unforgettable portrait of punk drag queen Donna Slash, Andrea Swalec tweeted, “Who ever said D.C. was boring? Loving the @wcp People Issue.” Others were more poetic. “Some of these personal stories brought me close to tears and also left me feeling hopeful about the future,” wrote BBC producer Bill McKenna. 

Meanwhile, if there was any doubt about Nats sideline reporter Dan Kolko’s deep and abiding hold on fans, doubt is no more. “Woooooot! Love having you as part of the Nats family @masnKolko! This was a fun read,” Jen Underwood tweeted. And from Tracy Tran: “So, do we officially call @masnKolko The Most Interesting Man in D.C.?” Quoting Kolko, Angie Wanner tweeted, “‘You definitely want to feel like you have a bond with the fan base.’ You definitely have that! Great to see you in this list!”

Finally, there was a virtual outpouring of support for our announcement that Jeffrey Anderson will be joining City Paper as our new Loose Lips reporter beginning Jan. 3. Among the many comments one came from Pixnmopix: “Great choice. Jeffrey Anderson is a gutsy and smart journalist. … All papers need this kind of writer. A reason to pick up a City Paper!”  —Liz Garrigan