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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.

Rent Party

News   July 1, 2009 at 11:39 am Erica C. Barnett

As we reported in Morning Fizz a week ago, the state’s only tenant organizing group, the Tenants Union, is in trouble. Unless they can raise $25,000 by July 16, the 32-year-old organization—which advocates for renters’ rights, organizes people who live in publicly subsidized housing, and runs a hotline for tenants—will have to dissolve this summer.

Supporters of the Tenants Union are hosting a Raise the Rent Party—featuring karaoke and “cheap, stiff” “Tenantinis”—next Sunday, July 5 to help the TU survive. Party details after the jump. And if you can’t make it but want to help, you can contribute to the Tenants Union on their web site.

Location: 7915 9th Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98106

When: Sunday, July 5, 4:00PM


  • http://twitter.com/fattailed Fat-tailed

    Thanks for the follow-up… I worry that this is likely to just be among the first of many critical social justice nonprofits to fail in the next couple years, as hits to foundation endowments combine with hits to government budgets and declining appetites for private donations to eviscerate the nonprofit infrastructure we rely on. Inside news on many many orgs is very bad, from legal services to social services to community organizing. Harsh & scary times.

  • http://twitter.com/fattailed Fat-tailed

    Thanks for the follow-up… I worry that this is likely to just be among the first of many critical social justice nonprofits to fail in the next couple years, as hits to foundation endowments combine with hits to government budgets and declining appetites for private donations to eviscerate the nonprofit infrastructure we rely on. Inside news on many many orgs is very bad, from legal services to social services to community organizing. Harsh & scary times.