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.

Contribution of the Day

News   September 30, 2009 at 4:13 pm Erica C. Barnett

Linda Derschang, head of the mini-bar and restaurant empire that includes Linda’s, Oddfellows, and King’s Hardware, has donated $250 to Pete Holmes, who’s challenging City Attorney Tom Carr in November.

Derschang rarely gives money to political candidates—her last local contribution was to Tim Burgess, in 2007—so I called to ask her why she’s backing Holmes.

“I met Pete because he was a dad at the Northwest School, and that’s where [my daughter] went,” Derschang says. “I liked his energy and enthusiasm, and I wasn’t a Carr supporter. Even if Pete isn’t very experienced [as a prosecutor], I think energy and enthusiasm count for a lot.”

Music-industry folks are throwing a party at the Crocodile tonight to support Holmes, along with mayoral candidate Mike McGinn and King County Executive candidate Dow Constantine; more info available here.


  • hmmmm

    I would go to support Holmes and Dow, except I don’t support McGinn.

  • hmmmm

    I would go to support Holmes and Dow, except I don’t support McGinn.

  • That’s what she said

    So Linda’s behind those $10 bags of peanuts I buy in hotel rooms when I’m drunk.

  • That’s what she said

    So Linda’s behind those $10 bags of peanuts I buy in hotel rooms when I’m drunk.