1) PubliCola thinks the Northwest Film Forum is one of the most valuable arts spots in Seattle—it brings top-notch classic and indie films to town every week and offers seminars and classes for film lovers and doers all year. NWFF's $70,000 budget crisis this summer was a potentially devastating blow to both the organization and the city.



We were surprised (and let down) that media outlets in town didn't give the Film Forum a closeup, ask the tough questions, find out what happened—and ask if there's a plan to get things rolling again.

We decided to shift our focus from politics for a second and do the reporting ourselves.

Read PubliCola reporter Chris Kissel's story on NWFF, which we originally published yesterday morning.

Kissel interviewed executive director Lyall Bush, NWFF staffers, board members, former staffers, volunteers, and financial supporters. He reports, among other things, that a major warning may have been ignored.

2) Low-income housing activist John Fox, founder of the Seattle Displacement Coalition, sent out an angry email to supporters yesterday complaining that mayoral candidate Joe Mallahan canceled a meeting with him through a staffer, who informed him that Mallahan “would NOT be available between now and the election in 28 days,” according to Fox’s email.

The email continues:

“In my 32 years of setting up meetings with candidates, we have never been so completely blown off. … after promising us an 'open door' (saying this at our first meeting with him 3 months ago) he has already closed the door on us even before the final election. Nickels at least [waited] `till afterwards.”

McGinn apparently did meet with the Displacement Coalition; we’ve emailed Fox to find out whether Mallahan’s staff gave any reason for the cancellation.

3) In some cities, the planning commission has an actual advisory role.

In Seattle, the planning commission is reduced to pleading their case during the city council’s public comments period, where they have two minutes or less to speak their mind.

That’s too bad, because sometimes they have some really smart ideas that don’t lend themselves to 30-second sound bites. Witness the letter the entire Planning Commission sent to City Council planning committee chair Sally Clark yesterday afternoon, arguing, essentially, that the council would be silly to pile more new restrictions on homeowners who want to build backyard cottages. (The council is considering legislation that would allow detached cottage housing throughout Seattle; currently, it’s legal only in Southeast Seattle).

The commission argues against several changes to the legislation being considered by the council that would restrict cottage.

First, the planning commission argues against reducing the maximum height of cottages to 21 feet, which would “restrict the ability to provide a usable bedroom in the second level unit.”

Second, they argue it doesn’t make sense to simultaneously keep minimum parking requirements in most area while restricting the height of cottages. Finally, they argue against “prescriptive and onerous regulations on design” elements such as where windows can be located.

4. Yesterday was a hot news day at PubliCola.

A quick recap:

•Erica broke the story that Port Commissioner John Creighton had a temporary restraining order taken out against him by an ex-girlfriend—in part because of a slew of over-the-top, angry, and X-rated texts Creighton allegedly sent, according to the woman's restraining order petition.

•A group of demonstrators  showed up at the Seattle Times headquarters yesterday to protest the paper's perceived liberal bias for not covering an ethics complaint a citizen filed against Democratic King County Executive candidate Dow Constantine's campaign. (PubliCola covered the woman's complaint last month.)

P.S. Late in the day yesterday, the Public Disclosure Commission told PubliCola they have decided to "investigate" the allegations, which involve supposed coordination between the Constantine campaign and an anti-Susan Hutchison independent expenditure. (Coordination between candidate campaigns and independent expenditures is against state ethics rules.)

•Finally, Erica was also first to report on a lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court that seeks to stop the waterfront tunnel project on the grounds that the state-required environmental impact study has not been completed.

This morning's Morning Fizz is brought to you by Washington Conservation Voters.