The Stranger

These two items from the latest issue of Seattle's The Stranger alternative weekly show why there is still hope for our local media

Dept. of Dopes

Cleveland Congressman Dennis Kucinich brought his lu-lu long-shot bid for the Democratic presidential nomination to Seattle on Saturday, July 19. Kucinich, best known for advocating a Department of Peace, drew a Seattle Weekly crowd of aging hippie peaceniks and baby-boom New Agers to a U-District church. The audience eagerly chanted "The market has failed" at Kucinich's behest. In a terrible setback for Seattle, some 700 people attended. SANDEEP KAUSHIK

Heh. Nice work, Sandeep.

Meanwhile, news editor Josh Feit comments on the latest political scandal to rock Seattle -- a few of the city council members who are up for re-election accepted large campaign contributions from a strip-club owner. Feit makes an interesting observation and offers a refreshing solution you won't hear from the fuddy-duddy dailies

But the accounts have failed to mention why [strip club owner] Colacurcio and his colleagues, in addition to wanting the immediate benefits of expanding his Lake City Way lot, would see fit to send so much money [council member] Nicastro's way. (The contributions represent 13 percent of Nicastro's $144,000 campaign cache.) Here's a theory: Nicastro has repeatedly extended Seattle's vague (and illegal?) ban on new strip clubs. In that time, Colacurcio has donated $5,450 to city hall--one time kicking in his cash just four days prior to the council vote on the ban. Preventing new strip clubs from opening in Seattle is obviously a boon for Colacurcio. (There are currently just four strip clubs in Seattle with only three owners.) Colacurcio wasn't available for a comment.

Neither Nicastro nor the city staffer who oversees the strip club "moratorium"--which is purportedly awaiting the results of a study that hasn't materialized in fifteen years--could explain the ban. In fact, when asked about it, the staffer referred me to Nicastro and Nicastro referred me to the staffer. Nicastro eventually acknowledged that the ban should go, but said she didn't feel compelled to lift it. Huh?

Feit's solution: Build more strip clubs. Yes, sometimes it really is that simple.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at July 24, 2003 04:55 PM