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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.

Tom Robbins at Elliott Bay

News   May 8, 2009 at 3:30 pm BookNerd

Tom Robbins has written a children’s book. About beer. The opening page of this cute, permabound volume has a Les LePere illustration of a child watching TV. On the TV: “Daddy’s Beer Presents Daddy Time Football.”

Obviously, it’s a book for adults, but it’s written to a child reader: “Have you ever wondered why your daddy likes beer so much?” begins the opening chapter, which first appeared in the Seattle P-I. 

Robbins will be reading from the book on Thursday, May 21 at Elliott Bay. The reading is free, but requires tickets, which you can pick up at Elliott Bay tomorrow, May 9, starting at 9:30 a.m. Limit: two per person.


  • Tony

    I would expect someone named “Booknerd” to at least know how to spell the name of the city’s most famous book purveyor.

    It’s Elliott Bay.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Blame that one on her editor, me.
    I wrote the headline.
    You’ll notice that in the post, BookNerd spelled Elliott Bay correctly.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Blame that one on her editor, me.
    I wrote the headline.
    You’ll notice that in the post, BookNerd spelled Elliott Bay correctly.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Blame that one on her editor, me.
    I wrote the headline.
    You’ll notice that in the post, BookNerd spelled Elliott Bay correctly.

  • Tony

    I would expect someone named “Booknerd” to at least know how to spell the name of the city's most famous book purveyor.

    It's Elliott Bay.