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Another devaluation of the Seattle Times Co.

Last week was tough for the folks at the Seattle Times Co. The flagship Seattle Times carried through on a plan to cut the paper's staff of 1,845 by about 7 percent, or 125 employees. Meanwhile, in a federal securities filing last Friday, May 9, Sacramento-based McClatchy Co., which owns 49.5 percent of the Times Co. voting stock, disclosed it is continuing to devalue its stake in the company.

Another mayoral spokesperson departs for the same nonprofit

Martin McOmber, senior communications and policy advisor for Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, will leave city employment on Wednesday, April 30, to join Casey Family Programs as communications director. McOmber will feel right at home at Casey, because the managing director of communications there, Marianne Bichsel, was herself spokesperson for the mayor before joining the foundation in Seattle last fall.

Alex Fryer, communications advisor at the Office of Sustainability and Environment, will fill in until the mayor names a new comm director — though the official City Hall announcement today sure makes it sound like the job is Fryer's to lose.

Can Conlin shape up the City Council?

Columnist Joni Balter of The Seattle Times has a good riff going in her attacks on Seattle City Council president Richard Conlin. She thinks Conlin is turning Seattle into "one giant kibbutz. Pesticide-free, of course." The latest to get her goat: Conlin's initiative to strengthen Seattle's food system, with all kinds of measures to promote healthy eating, healthy farmers, healthy attitudes.

The high legal cost of practicing journalism

The demise of newspapers is a very bad thing, and anyone who thinks the Internet will quickly step up to fill the void is delusional. It's hard, for example, to envision even an influential national blog mustering the resources to uncover what The New York Times reports today about retired generals who serve as expert commentators on TV:

Hidden behind that appearance of objectivity, though, is a Pentagon information apparatus that has used those analysts in a campaign to generate favorable news coverage of the administration's wartime performance, an examination by The New York Times has found.

Music critic Melinda Bargreen takes buyout at The Seattle Times

After 31 years as classical music critic at The Seattle Times, Melinda Bargreen has decided to take a buyout offer. She may return, after some months, as a freelance music critic, and says she'll continue to write book reviews at the paper. Bargreen has been a reliably enthusiastic critic, particularly of the Symphony, Opera, and Seattle Chamber Music Society performances. A pianist, she also provided extensive and informed coverage of concert pianists. She has many close friends in music, extending back to her days at the University of Washington School of Music. Here's the letter she sent around to friends and colleagues:

Getting the spiritual scoop

The Dalai Lama receives a Congressional Gold Medal in 2007 from President Bush while Sen. Robert Byrd and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi look on. (White House) Coverage of the Dalai Lama's visit suggests a way Seattle newspapers can get out of their funk: try boosting our spirit.

Kudos to journalists and Cantwell, caution to Lama lovers and trolley lines

Crosscut readers no doubt by now are ready to cry "uncle" regarding our absorption with The Seattle Times' financial problems and the perilous state of our city's daily newspapers.

Growing up without newspapers

Crosscut Focus: Red Ink by the Barrel. Sixth of a series: The youngest member of the Crosscut editorial team weighs in.

Why the Sonics should go away

Brave is the mortal who takes on Art Thiel, the Post-Intelligencer's ace sports columnist. Advocates for a Legislative fix for Husky stadium still think Thiel's withering column about that request sank the idea in a day. (Thiel dislikes the commercialization of college sports and has become the scourge of Huskies.) And now, he's arguing to defy the Oklahoma Sonics group until the last lawsuit dies. "Just say no," contends Big Art.

How to turn around The Seattle Times

Crosscut Focus: Red Ink by the Barrel. Fifth of a series: Alumni of the newspaper offer their thoughts on what could be done to ensure survival of an important civic institution. Updated 2008-04-11 at 09:06

A surprise amid newspaper gloom: more younger readers

Crosscut Focus: Red Ink by the Barrel. Fourth in a series: The Internet is destroying the economic model that sustained the newspaper industry for generations, but it is also bringing to newspaper Web sites younger readers.

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Mossback » Crosscut Focus: People vs. Puget Sound.

Puget Sound on Prozac

Pretty as it is, our signature waterway is a chemical dump for everything from oil to sewage — and even anti-depressants. You may be surprised (and disgusted) by what turns up there.

57 states — and the Soviet of Washington?

A Seattle software exec makes sure that the buffalo don't roam

Arts Beat »

An Eastside community where craftsmanship defines the homes

It began in 1908, when a local group called the Beaux Arts Society bought 50 acres of land on the shore of Lake Washington, creating a thriving memorial to the arts and crafts movement of the day.

Melinda Bargreen: Goodbye to the Seattle Times music critic post

Columbus Symphony, deadlocked with musicians, shuts down

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Business / Technology »

The Port of Seattle approves an Eastside trail deal

The 42-mile corridor is moving into public ownership, to be used for a hiking and biking trail, a freight line, and possibly for commuter transit.

Port Townsend is exploring ways to resume fast passenger ferry service to Seattle

Top-rated Seattle radio station: public KUOW-FM

Politics / Government »

Q&A with the new director of Washington State Ferries

Says David Moseley: "I’ve been to every ferry-served community with the exception of one, and I’m going there later this month. I’ve ridden every route except two. That kind of personal connection to the people that we serve and the people who ride our ferry boats is a change from what had been occurring."

Bob Barr, former GOP congressman from Georgia, says he's running for president as a Libertarian

Responding to her readers: Carolyn McConnell on paid family leave

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Sports »

The Mariners are scouting Ken Griffey Jr.

So reports beat writer John Hickey. An assistant to Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi was at Shea Stadium over the weekend to watch the Reds play the Mets.

Perhaps Oklahoma City would also be interested in a baseball team

Grandmother, mother, and daughter — on the same soccer team

Travel »

Q&A with the new director of Washington State Ferries

Says David Moseley: "I’ve been to every ferry-served community with the exception of one, and I’m going there later this month. I’ve ridden every route except two. That kind of personal connection to the people that we serve and the people who ride our ferry boats is a change from what had been occurring."

Mount Rainier's Paradise Inn is ready to reopen after years of renovation

Northwest Airlines plans to compete on the Seattle-to-Beijing route

Flip Side » Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton will you please go now!

Flip Side: With apologies to Dr. Seuss and Maureen Dowd.

An alternative reality show

John Moe: Sorry, Seattle, I'm moving away

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