Viva La Cola!

Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

People were afraid that blogging would change journalism. Instead, we believe journalism can change blogging. Twenty-first century journalism may look and feel different, and yes Erica isn't afraid to get cranky, but we're committed to making sure online news still delivers independent, reliable, even-keeled coverage. And most of all, we're committed to making sure the coverage sparks honest civic debate.

Bringing you cola for the people, PubliCola is named after Publius Valerius PubliCola, the alias for the authors of the Federalist Papers—the original bloggers.

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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Take Me to Your Leader

News   February 4, 2009 at 3:05 pm Josh Feit

Thanks to Chris Kissel for filing the reports from DC today. Not only is Kissel keeping us up to speed on the stimulus news, but he’s also been picking up the slack while I’ve been off chasing a tip about Gov. Chris Gregoire and sate Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Lisa Brown (D-3, Spokane), getting into a fight  about the budget .

“I wouldn’t characterize our meeting that way,”  Sen. Brown laughed when I told her I’d heard there’d been a tense exchange between the two and that Governor Gregoire left in a huff.  

Sen. Brown gave PubliCola an exclusive interview today to talk about the budget and her meeting with the governor; and answer my  questions about the MVET, her rumored gubernatorial ambitions,  I-937, and field this query: Given that the dramatic budget shortfall is a better check on the Democratic majority than any increase in GOP numbers could ever be, how are the Democrats going to make good on the Democratic agenda that Washington voters said they favored last November?

In short: How are Democrats  going to let voters know there’s still a Democratic majority in Olympia?”

senbrown

State Senate Majority Leader Sen. Lisa Brown (D-3, Spokane) meets with PubliCola.

I will post a full report on the interview tomorrow. Stay tuned. 

PS: I haven’t forgotten this morning’s promise that SportsNerd would debut today. Watch for it later this afternoon. Sorry for the delay. In the meantime check out Monday’s TechNerd about Amazon.com and yesterday’s FoodNerd  about maintaining your instant karma.   


  • Mark1

    Someone should remind Sen. Brown that when initiatives (such as I-960) are voted on and passed by the people, she should not attempt yet another one of her famous end-runs around it, whether she agrees with the peoples’ will or not. She thinks she will be Governor someday? I think not.

  • Mark1

    Someone should remind Sen. Brown that when initiatives (such as I-960) are voted on and passed by the people, she should not attempt yet another one of her famous end-runs around it, whether she agrees with the peoples’ will or not. She thinks she will be Governor someday? I think not.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Mark1,

    I edited the cursing and name calling out of your comment.

    It’s fine to criticize Brown, but please leave out the creepy stuff.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Mark1,

    I edited the cursing and name calling out of your comment.

    It’s fine to criticize Brown, but please leave out the creepy stuff.