have you ever checked out ePluribus Media (http://scoop.epluribusmedia.org/) They do some great stuff!

Also, take a look at the Daily Hampshire Gazette (http://www.gazettenet.com)–they have most of their stuff behind a paid wall nowadays, but the reporting is, for the most part, and for lack of a better term “hyperlocal.” We *always* know what’s going on, the day it goes on, why and when. and there’s usually follow-up by the same reporter. They’re perhaps the only paper in this region that’s actually *hiring* reporters. And, you know what, the people actually *like* that there are reporters writing the stories. The people just don’t have the time in their days to take on the task of journalism and shouldn’t be compelled to do it.