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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.

Empire Way Resurrected!

News   September 15, 2009 at 4:54 pm Erica C. Barnett

Mayoral candidate Mike McGinn sent out a press release this afternoon announcing a press conference tomorrow at the Columbia City light rail station.

The only problem? He identified the station as being at “Empire Way S and S Edmunds St.” Empire Way hasn’t existed since 1983, when the city renamed the street to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.

As the Weekly notes, that’s one peril of having an all-volunteer campaign staff.


  • Louis

    Nice to be reminded that McGinn is so familiar with South Seattle.

  • Louis

    Nice to be reminded that McGinn is so familiar with South Seattle.

  • Carlos

    What a douche!

  • kurisu

    ECB, as far as I can see from the P-I and the weekly, you’re the only reporter who didn’t point out that

    1. They issued a correction

    2. MLK is still marked Empire Way in Google Maps.

    A high-paid out-of-town communications consultant would have been just as likely to make that mistake as a volunteer, no?

  • kurisu

    ECB, as far as I can see from the P-I and the weekly, you’re the only reporter who didn’t point out that

    1. They issued a correction

    2. MLK is still marked Empire Way in Google Maps.

    A high-paid out-of-town communications consultant would have been just as likely to make that mistake as a volunteer, no?

  • Mikos

    Hey! So he has an old map. You try bicycling that far south. It’s a haul from the north end — even with the electric assist.

  • Mikos

    Hey! So he has an old map. You try bicycling that far south. It’s a haul from the north end — even with the electric assist.

  • Good Grief

    That’s what happens whn you rely on friggin’ Google instead of local knowledge. Bing and Yahoo Maps seem to have it right. Christ, he didn’t even move to Seattle until after it was re-named…

    Interesting that the tunnel and the “largest tax increase in history” have been relegated to the “more on transportation” page (and even then they are barely there) and have disappeared completely from:
    http://mcginnformayor.com/issues/

  • Good Grief

    That’s what happens whn you rely on friggin’ Google instead of local knowledge. Bing and Yahoo Maps seem to have it right. Christ, he didn’t even move to Seattle until after it was re-named…

    Interesting that the tunnel and the “largest tax increase in history” have been relegated to the “more on transportation” page (and even then they are barely there) and have disappeared completely from:
    http://mcginnformayor.com/issues/

  • Max Jacobowitz

    @4
    No excuse. Both times I’ve seen McGinn he showed up by automobile.

  • Max Jacobowitz

    @4
    No excuse. Both times I’ve seen McGinn he showed up by automobile.

  • busdrivermike

    Well, after today’s Seattle Times article on his wish to get rid of all cars in Seattle, he has locked up about 10,000 votes from bicyclists.

    Everybody else just found a reason to not elect him.

    Adios Mike.

  • busdrivermike

    Well, after today’s Seattle Times article on his wish to get rid of all cars in Seattle, he has locked up about 10,000 votes from bicyclists.

    Everybody else just found a reason to not elect him.

    Adios Mike.

  • http://joshuadf.blogspot.com/ Joshua Daniel Franklin
  • http://joshuadf.blogspot.com Joshua Daniel Franklin
  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr. Baker

    I have no idea why anybody would point to somebody else to be at fault for THEIR own words. A press release is from the McGinn campaign, does he write any of it and does he read and approve ALL of it, or not.

    His name is on it, it is his mistake.

    Btw, tunnel, or surface, the answer should be both to absorb Seattle’s portion of population growth in King County over the next 40 years.

  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr. Baker

    I have no idea why anybody would point to somebody else to be at fault for THEIR own words. A press release is from the McGinn campaign, does he write any of it and does he read and approve ALL of it, or not.

    His name is on it, it is his mistake.

    Btw, tunnel, or surface, the answer should be both to absorb Seattle’s portion of population growth in King County over the next 40 years.

  • Seamus O

    Come on. This is Columbia City–the one place in the south end you’d expect even white people from the north should to know about!

    A telling gaffe, just as Mallahan’s website with “Southlake Union” told a different story. At least you knew those clowns were hired guns from way, way out of town.

    Perhaps Publicola could throw a “welcome to Seattle” party for McGinn and Mallahan’s staffs.

  • Seamus O

    Come on. This is Columbia City–the one place in the south end you’d expect even white people from the north should to know about!

    A telling gaffe, just as Mallahan’s website with “Southlake Union” told a different story. At least you knew those clowns were hired guns from way, way out of town.

    Perhaps Publicola could throw a “welcome to Seattle” party for McGinn and Mallahan’s staffs.

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com/ Gomez

    Insert ‘ZOMG McGINN IS A RACIST!!11′ joke here.

    As for the Google Maps thing… no, not really. Google Maps always calls it MLK Way when I access it.

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com Gomez

    Insert ‘ZOMG McGINN IS A RACIST!!11′ joke here.

    As for the Google Maps thing… no, not really. Google Maps always calls it MLK Way when I access it.

  • joshuadf

    @11, actually I’m staring right at the Google map right now. It has MLK Way S, Empire Way S, and SR-900 all on the road. OMG, it’s a state highway! Ivan, does that mean that the state will build an elevated freeway there whether Seattle likes it or not?

  • joshuadf

    @11, actually I’m staring right at the Google map right now. It has MLK Way S, Empire Way S, and SR-900 all on the road. OMG, it’s a state highway! Ivan, does that mean that the state will build an elevated freeway there whether Seattle likes it or not?

  • ivan

    @ 12:

    Ha ha.

  • ivan

    @ 12:

    Ha ha.

  • Oh

    @12 They’ll build an elevated highway if Paul Allen wants one.

    And Erica, why are you quoting the Weekly and not The Stranger? Do you have issues with your former employer?

  • Oh

    @12 They’ll build an elevated highway if Paul Allen wants one.

    And Erica, why are you quoting the Weekly and not The Stranger? Do you have issues with your former employer?

  • SLB

    This isn’t news, it’s an honest mistake; let it go.

  • SLB

    This isn’t news, it’s an honest mistake; let it go.

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com/ Gomez

    12. Interesting. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen it. Did someone get a buddy at Google to put that in for them? ;P

  • http://gomezticator.livejournal.com Gomez

    12. Interesting. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen it. Did someone get a buddy at Google to put that in for them? ;P

  • J.R.

    @14: The Weekly is also Erica’s former employer.

  • J.R.

    @14: The Weekly is also Erica’s former employer.

  • Carlos

    What a douche!