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.

x close
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.

Noon Fizz: Rep. Timm Ormsby Gets “Legislator of the Year.”

Politics, This Washington   March 10, 2010 at 12:17 pm Josh Feit

Spokane’s liberal rep, Rep. Timm Ormsby (D-3) was voted “Legislator of the Year” on a ballot of Democratic House legislative aides.

Seattle Rep. Sharon Nelson (D-34) won the honors last year. And indeed, she had a big session getting payday lending regulations passed.

Rep. Ormsby’s big bill this session? The hazardous substance tax we’ve been obsessing over.

One thing that Rep. Ormsby and Rep. Nelson have in common? They’re both key members of the Blue-Green Alliance, a group of 16 liberal legislators in the House who have teamed up to push this year’s budget negotiations to the left.

Of course, the honor isn’t soley about politics. Ormsby is well known among Democratic staffers as a humble Rep. who has deep respect for the work legislative aides do everyday.


  • http://twitter.com/fattailed fattailed

    Surprised to see that my taste in Legislators runs in parallel to that of leg. aides. Nelson & Ormsby are two of the best ones out there — good to know they're good eggs as well.

    BTW, though I see you spelled it correctly, you failed to ask the key question: what's up with the extra M, Timm?

  • Andrew Austin

    I think generally speaking legislative aids are more progressive as a whole than the House Democratic Caucus. As a former LA I know many of the folks down there are young, ambitious, smart and progressives. Often times some of the most progressive staff members work for conservative Democratic members. So it makes sense that progressive members often win this award, McCoy, Nelson, Ormsby.