Erica C. Barnett
@ericacbarnett.bsky.social
Seattle-based reporter, cofounder (with @joshfeit.bsky.social) and editor of PubliCola.com, and author of Quitter: A Memoir of Drinking, Relapse, and Recovery
She/her, Latina, Texan
She/her, Latina, Texan
Pinned
PubliCola content note: I'm out of town so posting will be minimal, but I should have some stuff for y'all later in the week. xo ECB
PubliCola content note: I'm out of town so posting will be minimal, but I should have some stuff for y'all later in the week. xo ECB
February 2, 2026 at 5:33 PM
PubliCola content note: I'm out of town so posting will be minimal, but I should have some stuff for y'all later in the week. xo ECB
With a Year of Zoning Changes Ahead, Mayor Wilson Can Still Put an Urbanist Stamp on the "One Seattle Plan"
publicola.com/2026/02/02/w...
publicola.com/2026/02/02/w...
With a Year of Zoning Changes Ahead, Mayor Wilson Can Still Put an Urbanist Stamp on the "One Seattle Plan" - PubliCola
By Erica C. Barnett The city’s Office of Planning and Community Development rolled out legislation this week that will implement…
publicola.com
February 2, 2026 at 5:13 PM
With a Year of Zoning Changes Ahead, Mayor Wilson Can Still Put an Urbanist Stamp on the "One Seattle Plan"
publicola.com/2026/02/02/w...
publicola.com/2026/02/02/w...
I pay for news, including the Seattle Times; I also get news from outlets that are free due to different funding models (to support us, click below!). The Seattle Times' sneering hostility to the latter is circa-1999 elitist thinking; they don't think outlets like PubliCola are "real" news.
Support - PubliCola
If you like the work we’re doing here, and would like to support PubliCola financially, please consider becoming a monthly…
www.publicola.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:21 PM
I pay for news, including the Seattle Times; I also get news from outlets that are free due to different funding models (to support us, click below!). The Seattle Times' sneering hostility to the latter is circa-1999 elitist thinking; they don't think outlets like PubliCola are "real" news.
Dinosaur mentality: "Local newspapers provide more essential local news coverage than all other types of outlet combined." The real issue is the Times' paywall; all Dudley's "alternatives" are essentially subsidies for newspaper subscriptions, while news vouchers would fund paywall-free outlets.
February 1, 2026 at 9:16 PM
Dinosaur mentality: "Local newspapers provide more essential local news coverage than all other types of outlet combined." The real issue is the Times' paywall; all Dudley's "alternatives" are essentially subsidies for newspaper subscriptions, while news vouchers would fund paywall-free outlets.
Seattle Times' Brier Dudley: A tax to pay for journalism is a bad idea.
Also Dudley: A tax to pay for journalism is vital and necessary.
The only difference? One would help independent outlets like PubliCola. The other would help legacy media like the Times.
www.seattletimes.com/opinion/news...
Also Dudley: A tax to pay for journalism is vital and necessary.
The only difference? One would help independent outlets like PubliCola. The other would help legacy media like the Times.
www.seattletimes.com/opinion/news...
Uncertain progress in WA journalism support
A journalism jobs bill in Washington's Legislature is finally showing signs of progress but there are other challenges looming for the local news industry.
www.seattletimes.com
February 1, 2026 at 6:53 PM
Seattle Times' Brier Dudley: A tax to pay for journalism is a bad idea.
Also Dudley: A tax to pay for journalism is vital and necessary.
The only difference? One would help independent outlets like PubliCola. The other would help legacy media like the Times.
www.seattletimes.com/opinion/news...
Also Dudley: A tax to pay for journalism is vital and necessary.
The only difference? One would help independent outlets like PubliCola. The other would help legacy media like the Times.
www.seattletimes.com/opinion/news...
This Week on PubliCola: CARE Team Struggles Under Cop Contract Restrictions, SPD Loses In Court, County Prosecutors Post Lurid Photos, and More
publicola.com/2026/01/31/t...
publicola.com/2026/01/31/t...
This Week on PubliCola: January 31, 2026 - PubliCola
CARE Team Struggles Under Cop Contract Restrictions, SPD Loses In Court, County Prosecutors Post Lurid Photos, and More By Erica…
publicola.com
January 31, 2026 at 10:57 PM
This Week on PubliCola: CARE Team Struggles Under Cop Contract Restrictions, SPD Loses In Court, County Prosecutors Post Lurid Photos, and More
publicola.com/2026/01/31/t...
publicola.com/2026/01/31/t...
went on the SPD Facebook page and this was the top comment on a post about what SPD says they're doing to protect people from ICE. Fawning Trump fangirl (and former local TV person) Brandi, who lives 30 miles from Seattle, thinks SPD should be helping ICE, not protecting those of us who live here
January 31, 2026 at 5:35 PM
went on the SPD Facebook page and this was the top comment on a post about what SPD says they're doing to protect people from ICE. Fawning Trump fangirl (and former local TV person) Brandi, who lives 30 miles from Seattle, thinks SPD should be helping ICE, not protecting those of us who live here
Now, The Pitt could turn this around (and if they do, good for them!), but my guess is that if they put him in peril, it will be for some liver-related reason or obscure risk than the routine, everyday death from withdrawal.
January 31, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Now, The Pitt could turn this around (and if they do, good for them!), but my guess is that if they put him in peril, it will be for some liver-related reason or obscure risk than the routine, everyday death from withdrawal.
Instead, we get the stereotypical cheerful alcoholic with an intriguing job history that was presumably cut short by drinking—a story worth telling, but often told, unlike the less palatable-to-advertisers one about the daily threat of death many alcoholics face if they don't get a drink.
January 31, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Instead, we get the stereotypical cheerful alcoholic with an intriguing job history that was presumably cut short by drinking—a story worth telling, but often told, unlike the less palatable-to-advertisers one about the daily threat of death many alcoholics face if they don't get a drink.
So far, the show has missed an opportunity to show people what late-stage alcoholism is actually like, and that alcohol is one of the only drugs where withdrawal itself can actually kill you (as opposed to feeling unbearable and as if you're going to die).
January 31, 2026 at 5:13 PM
So far, the show has missed an opportunity to show people what late-stage alcoholism is actually like, and that alcohol is one of the only drugs where withdrawal itself can actually kill you (as opposed to feeling unbearable and as if you're going to die).
At the very least, he'd need an IV drip/"banana bag" with electrolytes to help with dehydration; he'd also likely need a sedative to offset the intense stimulation that comes when a very heavy drinker suddenly stops drinking for an extended period.
January 31, 2026 at 5:13 PM
At the very least, he'd need an IV drip/"banana bag" with electrolytes to help with dehydration; he'd also likely need a sedative to offset the intense stimulation that comes when a very heavy drinker suddenly stops drinking for an extended period.
Someone like Louis would have needed a drink hours ago to avoid the onset of withdrawal, which includes symptoms like elevated heart rate, sweating, shakes, involuntary twitching, and nausea. Over time, these can escalate to seizures, hallucinations, and death.
January 31, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Someone like Louis would have needed a drink hours ago to avoid the onset of withdrawal, which includes symptoms like elevated heart rate, sweating, shakes, involuntary twitching, and nausea. Over time, these can escalate to seizures, hallucinations, and death.
Niche complaint about The Pitt: The portrayal of Louis, the jolly alcoholic who's been in the ER for, let's say, 6 hours (4 hours in a bed plus 2 waiting), misses an opportunity to show what the reality of that situation would be for a real-life late-stage alcoholic.
January 31, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Niche complaint about The Pitt: The portrayal of Louis, the jolly alcoholic who's been in the ER for, let's say, 6 hours (4 hours in a bed plus 2 waiting), misses an opportunity to show what the reality of that situation would be for a real-life late-stage alcoholic.
The fragile head of the cop union may think the police department answers to no one, but "do your job, even when it's ICE who's breaking the law" is not a work condition subject to bargaining. (Content note, rightwing website)
seattlered.com/jason-rantz/...
seattlered.com/jason-rantz/...
SPOG president blasts mayor's plan to track ice
SPOG president Mike Solan criticizes Mayor Katie Wilson's plan requiring officers to track and document ICE immigration enforcement activity.
seattlered.com
January 31, 2026 at 1:01 AM
The fragile head of the cop union may think the police department answers to no one, but "do your job, even when it's ICE who's breaking the law" is not a work condition subject to bargaining. (Content note, rightwing website)
seattlered.com/jason-rantz/...
seattlered.com/jason-rantz/...
New Drug Sensors Lead to Restroom Closures at Four Seattle Library Branches
Although fentanyl vapor contains little or no fentanyl, "staff have reported feeling sick" from fumes, a library spokesperson says.
publicola.com/2026/01/30/n...
Although fentanyl vapor contains little or no fentanyl, "staff have reported feeling sick" from fumes, a library spokesperson says.
publicola.com/2026/01/30/n...
New Drug Sensors Lead to Restroom Closures at Four Seattle Library Branches - PubliCola
By Erica C. Barnett If you need to use the restrooms at the Lake City, Ballard, Capitol Hill, or International…
publicola.com
January 31, 2026 at 12:01 AM
New Drug Sensors Lead to Restroom Closures at Four Seattle Library Branches
Although fentanyl vapor contains little or no fentanyl, "staff have reported feeling sick" from fumes, a library spokesperson says.
publicola.com/2026/01/30/n...
Although fentanyl vapor contains little or no fentanyl, "staff have reported feeling sick" from fumes, a library spokesperson says.
publicola.com/2026/01/30/n...
Police Launching "Neighborhood Resource Centers," Starting in Magnuson Park
The new centers will "maximize police visibility and citizen contact" in the neighborhood where officers shot and killed Charleena Lyles in 2017.
publicola.com/2026/01/30/p...
The new centers will "maximize police visibility and citizen contact" in the neighborhood where officers shot and killed Charleena Lyles in 2017.
publicola.com/2026/01/30/p...
Police Launching "Neighborhood Resource Centers," Starting in Magnuson Park - PubliCola
By Erica C. Barnett The Seattle Police Department is setting up a permanent “Neighborhood Resource Center” at a Seattle Parks…
publicola.com
January 30, 2026 at 9:51 PM
Police Launching "Neighborhood Resource Centers," Starting in Magnuson Park
The new centers will "maximize police visibility and citizen contact" in the neighborhood where officers shot and killed Charleena Lyles in 2017.
publicola.com/2026/01/30/p...
The new centers will "maximize police visibility and citizen contact" in the neighborhood where officers shot and killed Charleena Lyles in 2017.
publicola.com/2026/01/30/p...
People who aren't good at PR consider being rude and dismissive a power play that's really gonna put me in my place and show how big they are. So I always have to remind myself that politicians come and go, even those who act like they're kings for life.
January 30, 2026 at 9:42 PM
People who aren't good at PR consider being rude and dismissive a power play that's really gonna put me in my place and show how big they are. So I always have to remind myself that politicians come and go, even those who act like they're kings for life.
Am finally getting some interesting stuff from a 10-month-old records request made to former mayor Bruce Harrell's office. Amusing to see cabinet members and comms folks moving heaven and earth to set up in-persons with sympathetic legacy media while giving me terse non-responses.
January 30, 2026 at 9:39 PM
Am finally getting some interesting stuff from a 10-month-old records request made to former mayor Bruce Harrell's office. Amusing to see cabinet members and comms folks moving heaven and earth to set up in-persons with sympathetic legacy media while giving me terse non-responses.
We don't advise "no more than two cigarettes a day" or "no more than four Twinkies a day" because those things, like alcohol, have known health risks. So why put a halo of health around drinking, which can also cause cancer and other health problems even at moderate levels?
January 30, 2026 at 4:47 PM
We don't advise "no more than two cigarettes a day" or "no more than four Twinkies a day" because those things, like alcohol, have known health risks. So why put a halo of health around drinking, which can also cause cancer and other health problems even at moderate levels?
As a non-drinker who used to consume an ocean of alcohol every day, it is wild to me that the US government continues (in a policy that essentially existed before the RFK era's vague "drink less" nonsense) to say that it's healthy to have two drinks every single day of your life.
For Men, How Much Alcohol Is Too Much?
www.nytimes.com
January 30, 2026 at 4:44 PM
As a non-drinker who used to consume an ocean of alcohol every day, it is wild to me that the US government continues (in a policy that essentially existed before the RFK era's vague "drink less" nonsense) to say that it's healthy to have two drinks every single day of your life.
It reminded me that mission-driven journalism still exists, that real journalism shares basic standards and methods (whatever the format) that distinguish it from social media noise and press release rewrites, and that those standards include accuracy and fairness, whatever our mission or biases.
January 30, 2026 at 6:02 AM
It reminded me that mission-driven journalism still exists, that real journalism shares basic standards and methods (whatever the format) that distinguish it from social media noise and press release rewrites, and that those standards include accuracy and fairness, whatever our mission or biases.
Had a great time talking about local journalism with @naomiishisaka.bsky.social, @hmwinter.bsky.social, and @florangelad.bsky.social at @townhallseattle.bsky.social tonight.
January 30, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Had a great time talking about local journalism with @naomiishisaka.bsky.social, @hmwinter.bsky.social, and @florangelad.bsky.social at @townhallseattle.bsky.social tonight.
More Big Changes at City Departments, Jamie Tompkins Has a Podcast, Mike Solan Thinks He's Cute
And much more in today's Afternoon Fizz!
publicola.com/2026/01/29/m...
And much more in today's Afternoon Fizz!
publicola.com/2026/01/29/m...
More Big Changes at City Departments, Jamie Tompkins Has a Podcast, Mike Solan Thinks He's Cute - PubliCola
1. Mike Solan, a police officer and the outgoing president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, insulted Community Assisted Response…
publicola.com
January 30, 2026 at 1:12 AM
More Big Changes at City Departments, Jamie Tompkins Has a Podcast, Mike Solan Thinks He's Cute
And much more in today's Afternoon Fizz!
publicola.com/2026/01/29/m...
And much more in today's Afternoon Fizz!
publicola.com/2026/01/29/m...
100% it does (in my experience and stories that I have heard from other women). Add to that ageism: You're too young to have the same value as more experienced men, then you're too old and either not worth listening to or not worth paying because surely you don't NEED money anymore.
January 29, 2026 at 8:40 PM
100% it does (in my experience and stories that I have heard from other women). Add to that ageism: You're too young to have the same value as more experienced men, then you're too old and either not worth listening to or not worth paying because surely you don't NEED money anymore.
Basically - and I'll add, this is a problem across panels broadly, particularly when some panelists are valued more highly than others, and no one ever knows unless they talk. "Negotiate" is tough advice when you have zero or very little information.
January 29, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Basically - and I'll add, this is a problem across panels broadly, particularly when some panelists are valued more highly than others, and no one ever knows unless they talk. "Negotiate" is tough advice when you have zero or very little information.