New Mags from former New Timesers

Several former Miami New Times writers later this month plan to launch an online city magazine.

"We have been working on this in different ways since the day before I [left] New Times [in 2003]," says former music editor Celeste Delgado. She and former staff writer Rebecca Wakefield -- now a columnist at the SunPost -- have created five Websites -- Category305.com, Culturesurge.com, Urbansquall.com, Everynightlife.com, Nextexitmiami.com — that will report on news, nightlife and the arts.

Wakefield is editor-in-chief of the new effort; Delgado is publisher. They are starting out with four full-time employees, she says, including two advertising people. Collaborators include Juan Rodriguez and Anne Tschida, who are also former New Times staffers.

Delgado is financing the venture with proceeds from refinancing her home. "We owe this to the housing boom," she says. "My house tripled in value."

The group is kicking off September 25 with a performance piece by Octavio Campos, "Development Interrupted" at 700 Biscayne Blvd. It will include, says Delgado, "a duet with a bulldozer."-Chuck Strouse