iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 3h

I think everything George Saunders says here applies, in modified form, to journalists as well. Yes, there's a robotic "ideal" of AP-style, view-from-nowhere writing, but that's not what journalists—who have the unique gift of our own experiences and judgment and perspectives—should be aspiring to.

on.substack.com

Model Behavior: George Saunders

“Of course, if AI can cure cancer, bravo. I’m all for it. But even with cancer cured, death will still arrive somehow.”

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 3h

I certainly hope and expect that any mainstream press who jump on this story after I broke it two weeks ago on Bluesky, then wrote about iti again on PubliCola yesterday, will credit PubliCola's reporting, in which I also noted that I found it odd that no other media picked up on this.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 6h

In San Francisco, Lurie's RV ban—on which Dan Strauss' similar proposed ban in Seattle appears to be modeled—hasn't gotten people into shelter, but it has pushed them outside city limits, often after losing their RVs and becoming unsheltered. Is this what "success" will look like here?

missionlocal.org

S.F. cracked down on RV dwellers. A year later, many have left the city altogether.

Data shows that a year after San Francisco's RV ban, 1/3 of RV dwellers using city aid have moved outside city limits.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 23h

Exclusive: Seattle Cop Used Chinese AI Smart Glasses to Film Inside SPD Facilities, Create Video for Social Media Ad After the company posted the video, SPD sent out a new directive on smart glasses and put the officer on administrative leave. The Office of Police Accountability is investigating.

publicola.com

Seattle Cop Used Chinese AI Smart Glasses to Film Inside SPD Facilities, Creating Video for Social Media Ad - PubliCola

By Erica C. Barnett A Seattle Police Department officer, Adam Sun, is on administrative leave after using a pair of…

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

For Seattle residents who just spent months listening to grocery giants and their council allies claim algorithmic price-setting improves affordability for low-income people (lol), this book is timely. I'm buying it to learn more about this widespread scheme to put more money in owners' pockets.

gougedbook.com

Gouged

Gouged Book by Linsday Owens

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

This morning's Seattle council meeting on the Office of Housing budget, which is relying more heavily on payroll tax funding than in previous years, has been interesting so far in one respect: The difference in how lefty and centrist council members talk about the buildings OH funds.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The mainstream press continues to say the biggest issue with Bite of Seattle comms was the lack of a press conference for TV and print. In fact, SPD put no information out on social media—where most people get breaking news—at any point that night, after one alarming 6:30pm post on X.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The Seattle Times has chosen to ignore overwhelming written contemporaneous evidence and take a comment from a police chief as gospel in order to blame Mayor Katie Wilson for SPD's failure to put out any information after the Bite of Seattle shooting. Different day, same obsession.

seattletimes.com

After debacle that followed Bite of Seattle mass shooting, city must set a new course | Editorial

As the city begins its search for a new police chief, it must be held accountable for promised improvements in order to attract the best potential candidates.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

No other mayor has ever gone through a "public process" before deciding to hire their own chief and let the old one go—an absolutely absurd demand—and it isn't "performative" to do a community process before hiring a police chief. it's standard. mynorthwest.com/kiro-opinion...

mynorthwest.com

Gee calls Wilson's hiring process for city's next chief 'performative': 'You didn't need that collective voice when letting a chief go' - MyNorthwest.com

The City of Seattle hosted the first of three public sessions where candidates for the next chief of police have a chance to respond to community feedback.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

wow I guess I'm the last to learn that the Olympian (whose name is based on Olympia, WA) is a weird clickbait aggregator now

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Reposted by Erica C. Barnett

Brak Obama 🇺🇸🇨🇦 @justbangs.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Erica once again bringing fantastic reporting on the Seattle SC. Read through this and never have Imposter Syndrome again.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The Office of Economic Development rounded out today's budget discussions at the Seattle Council. Their budget is basically stable except a reduction in one-time spending on one-time projects.

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Reposted by Erica C. Barnett

mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Overtime as 1/7 of city wages:

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Council is running up against one of many things they funded in last year's budget with one-time funds—a local "district fund" for every council member to spend in their district. That won't get additional funding in this year's budget because it was paid for with one-time funds.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I'm posting live highlights here from the ongoing, day-long city council budget meetings, while also working many extra hours to bring you new, daily stories on the budget and more. This work is funded ENTIRELY by readers, so please consider becoming a supporter! publicola.com/support/

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

At this morning's Seattle council budget meeting, Maritza Rivera is complaining that the city's 116-member encampment sweeps team isn't GROWING in the mayor's proposed budget, inaccurately claiming the city is "taking money away from that to put that toward homelessness shelter."

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

gosh I dunno maybe naming an event explicitly designed to deliver women to men "Slutcon" is a tell that "rationalism" and AI "safety" (in scare quotes because I don't buy the industry's self-important claims about world-ending capabilities) isn't an environment or industry that's safe for women

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Reposted by Erica C. Barnett

Joan of Snark @joanofsnark.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Some of the best local reporting for Seattle folks, definitely take a look and support if you can if you're local

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

A lot of the NYT's political fashion analysis is harmless (if UTTERLY unnecessary and often thuddingly obvious), but suggesting that Melania thinks of herself as "an executive in a giant corporation" because she wears ridiculous pantsuits with foot-wide bows is straight-up dumb.

nytimes.com

At State Dinner for China’s Leader, Melania Trump Wears the Pants

And possibly makes history while doing so.

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Reposted by Erica C. Barnett

Marc Auerbach @pugetopia.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Support Erica and Publicola!

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

New Washington state point-in-time count data shows that homelessness grew everywhere last year, including in Pierce and Snohomish Counties (adjacent to Seattle's King County)...which is so weird because I was told all the homeless people come to Seattle for the easy living and free drugs??

deptofcommerce.app.box.com

Box

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Reposted by Erica C. Barnett

Steve D. @crazystevied.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

A solid investment in local reporting. I highly recommend it!

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I've been posting all day (except when on the radio or calls) about a public safety budget meeting at the Seattle City Council that was truly an all-timer on the batshit scale. I'll have a longer post after I breathe into this bag for a while. Meanwhile, please support my work covering City Hall!

publicola.com

Support PubliCola - PubliCola

PubliCola is 100% reader-powered! If you like the work we’re doing here, and would like to support PubliCola financially, please…

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins is claiming that proposed cuts to overtime in Katie Wilson's budget will immediately reduce public safety around the city. "It's gonna mean longer response times," he said. Here's a story I wrote last year about SFD officers' excessive and costly use of OT.

publicola.com

Nearly 200 Firefighters Made More than $200,000 Last Year, Amassing Thousands of Hours of Overtime - PubliCola

By Erica C. Barnett Last year, 180 Seattle Fire Department employees—almost one in five—made more than $200,000, doubling or tripling…

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Seattle elected officials have asserted confidently that Axon, née Taser, will never even consider violating people's civil rights and that their systems are impervious to the federal government—unlike Flock, which is uniquely worse. Broadly, people nationwide dislike police surveillance cameras.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

This is the thing—despite all the bellicose posturing from the city council about the urgent need to spend tens of millions on new police and police surveillance cameras in more places, they still have to identify what services they would cut, from departments already taking cuts, to add more to SPD

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The council is now having its afternoon public safety budget meeting, and Maritza Rivera is once again incorrectly saying Mayor Katie Wilson doesn't understand what "focused deterrence" is.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Can't get over the fact that Councilmembers Maritza Rivera and Rob Saka said it was "embarrassing" and unacceptable that the Seatte Police Department uses phone and business camera footage to investigate crimes.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I'm back watching this morning's public safety council budget meeting, and back to posting about this absolutely batshit meeting. Maritza Rivera claimed, falsely, that focused deterrence is not in the budget. It is.

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Reposted by Erica C. Barnett

David Kroman @kromandavid.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Debora Juarez, 2020: "When I hear people say there's just a few bad apples on the police force I adamantly disagree with that. It's just not a healthy tree. We need to plant a new tree, we have to completely re-imagine, re-vision what community policing is." www.kuow.org/podcast/news...

kuow.org

Bad apples? Seattle Police 'not a healthy tree' says city council member

Chants of "defund S-P-D" have become a common message at protests in Seattle, and for the first time the idea is getting serious attention from the city council.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

In this morning's budget meeting, Councilmember Bob Kettle fulminated angrily that the budget should fund an additional 150 police officers a year, without saying how. He also stated confidently that hiring bonuses work to increase lateral hiring, which is not what a study by the city found.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

It is, btw, entirely a product of Wilson Derangement Syndrome that we are still talking about why a press conference in July didn't happen sooner than it did. If you rely on mainstream press for your news, you'll think this is all that's happening (that and rampant murder sprees across Seattle ofc)

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Oh my god. Didn't realize that Rob Saka had an amendment to Dan Strauss' bill aimed at banning RV residency over time that was aimed at preventing a new "market" among homeless people for "Mercedes Benz Sprinter-type motor homes." www.cargurus.com/Cars/l-Used-...

cargurus.com

Used Mercedes-Benz Sprinter for Sale near Seattle, WA - CarGurus

Browse the best September 2026 deals on Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vehicles for sale in Seattle, WA. Save $14,495 right now on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter on CarGurus.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Now listening to Tuesday's Seattle council discussion of Dan Strauss' set of bills that would effectively ban RVs throughout Seattle and require the city's existing homeless RV residents to get permits and follow "all laws" or lose them. The bill would also require people to "accept" shelter.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I was shocked (though I shouldn't have been) to learn, upon listening to Tuesday's public safety committee meeting today, that SPD chief Sayles explicitly said former chief Barnes delayed the Bite of Seattle press conference to be briefed, given that every headline said it was Mayor Wilson.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Mayor Wilson Rolls Out Small-C Conservative Budget that Addresses City's Structural Deficit The proposal makes real cuts to close a $175 million gap—and reflects the conflict between campaign ambitions and a budget deficit that has gone unaddressed for years.

publicola.com

Mayor Wilson Rolls Out Small-C Conservative Budget that Addresses City's Structural Deficit - PubliCola

The proposal makes real cuts to close a $175 million gap—and reflects the conflict between campaign ambitions and a budget…

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

One of the big debates over Seattle mayor Katie Wilson's budget will be police department funding. Her budget reduces civilian staffing by 24 (the number added under Harrell in 2025) while funding 66 net officers likely to be hired next year while keeping overall staffing otherwise unchanged.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I've now read the entire city budget (between falling asleep on a flight back to Japan) and I'm watching this morning's city council budget meeting, where Dan Strauss is claiming Mayor Wilson "cut" the police department (her proposal vastly expands it) as well as Fire (it doesn't.)

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I know you basically can't libel a public figure, but this show (which also libeled me about some of my factual coverage related to Mayor Wilson) is coming pretty close with their absolutely obsessive hatred of the mayor. I've never seen anything quite like it.

mynorthwest.com

'The mayor's office is allergic to the truth': Gee fires back after SPD report points directly at Wilson over Bite of Seattle delay - MyNorthwest.com

Nearly two months of finger-pointing over the Bite of Seattle shooting news conference delay ended Tuesday with a simple answer.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Just reading up on the city budget (been on vacation). There are a number of strange errors and misconstruals in the Seattle Times' coverage, including a reference ot "Seattle's income tax" (we don't have one) and spending outpacing revenue in a worsening economy (that's not what caused the deficit)

seattletimes.com

Seattle mayor tries to ‘right the ship’ in her first city budget

The city has faced consistently bleak revenue projections for years, and, as was the case last year, city spending continued to outpace revenue this year.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Hey Seattle friends! Just popping in here to say I am returning from vacation tomorrow and will be writing about Katie Wilson's (austerity?) city budget and other local news that's happening this week when I return, so look for new PubliCola content on Thursday and/or Friday.

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Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

One mantra I've had for many years as local websites that purport to cover the news come and go is "Everybody thinks it's easy." New "AI-powered" sites that chew up legislative agendas and actual writers' work and spit out terrible "writing" are just the latest version of the same old thing.

geekwire.com

Former Seattle City Council president launches AI-powered site to track and report on City Hall

Former Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson has launched CivicTide, a website that tracks City Council legislation, publishes policy briefs and opinion pieces, and gives readers tools to contact...

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