Primary Election Night

Thanks to a Stranger production error, the housing levy was passing on election night. Indeed, despite the fact that our editorial pages recommended a "nay" vote on the ill-conceived levy last week, our handy "Cheet Sheet" mistakenly placed a check in the "yea" box. Since people use quickie cheat sheets more than they actually read editorials, the levy seemed to be lucking out.

As we went to press Tuesday night, here's what was happening in other closely watched local Democratic primary races: Zack Hudgins was advancing in the 11th District state house representative position number one race, Eric Pettigrew was advancing in the 37th house representative position number two race, and Adam Kline was winning the District 37 senate race over Dawn Mason.


Poster-Free Fremont

Before the Radio Nationals gig at Chop Suey last week, band member Richard Davidson put up dozens of bright yellow posters all over town, from Capitol Hill to Ballard. But he ran into some trouble in Fremont, where a fiftysomething vigilante property owner trailed Davidson and methodically took down every sign. Davidson confronted the man. (The guy explained that he thought posters made the neighborhood look "trashy," and he wasn't picking on Davidson's band; he was ripping down all sorts of posters.)

"He's pronouncing himself god of the telephone poles," Davidson says. AMY JENNIGES


Mayor and Chief Scrap SPD Gang Unit

Last week, Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske and Mayor Greg Nickels made a surprising announcement: They're disbanding the SPD gang unit. The 29 members of the unit will be reshuffled around the department.

"You've completely rendered [gang detectives] ineffectual," says police guild president Ken Saucier. AMY JENNIGES


Movie Lobby

Social service providers aren't the only folks nervously awaiting the upcoming city budget process. Filmmakers like John Forsen, executive director of Seattle production company MagicHour Films, are also sweating it. The Seattle Film & Video Office and its director, Donna James, are on the mayor's chopping block. Mayor Nickels is proposing folding the Film & Video Office into a new department that would de-emphasize film--an industry that's flagging locally--and promote the local music industry ["No Filming," In Other News, Josh Feit, Sept 5].

"We want her position to stay," says Forsen, who's been lobbying the music community and the council to keep James' Film & Video Office in tact. JOSH FEIT

More IN OTHER NEWS on p. 15