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On February 18, Seattle City Council Member Judy Nicastro passed legislation strengthening the city's renters' assistance rules by setting up a city account to advance low-income tenants the displacement dough that landlords are required to pay out upon issuing sudden-vacate notices. The current system, Nicastro says, left ousted tenants at the landlords' mercy. By making the city accountable for the cash (upped by Nicastro from $2,000 to $2,800, by the way), delinquent landlords will face a more powerful collection agency: the city. JOSH FEIT

More Layoffs at Seattle Weekly

In a slow-motion purge at the Seattle Weekly, on each of the last three Fridays the paper's management has let one employee go. First to go was the staff photographer who will be replaced with freelancers. Next was associate editor Christopher Frizzelle, who wrote about books, and last Friday, webmaster Paul Fontana got the ax. Thanks to budget issues, one or more further dismissals are expected. SANDEEP KAUSHIK

Licata Bombarded with Angry E-Mails

Liberal Seattle City Council Member Nick Licata, who recently passed legislation barring city officials and cops from inquiring into people's immigration status, made a February 10 national Fox News appearance to stick up for the ordinance.

Almost immediately, right-wing viewers across the country e-mailed the show about Licata. Calling him stupid, dangerous, and a naive wimp, the Fox News fans blamed Licata for future terrorist attacks. "People like me have already lost friends to terrorists, partly because of reckless, irresponsible, illogical, and foolish political office holders like you?" one viewer wrote. One Vietnam vet from Atlanta, Georgia, even threatened Licata: "If I ever run into you on the street, it will be all that I can do to keep from ramming your sneering crooked smile down your ugly throat with my fist.... If I were you, I'd glance over my shoulder frequently from now on." AMY JENNIGES

Sad & Groovy

One of Seattle's grooviest music institutions is closing it's doors. And I do mean groovy. Bedazzled Discs, the 47th Street and University Way CD and record shop, specialized in '66 garage-mess faves like rare Pretty Things re-releases. After 12 years of business, Bedazzled will close shop on February 28. The store is currently having a third-off sale.

Meanwhile, Sit & Spin--the low-key, teen-friendly pizza and rock club on Fourth Avenue in Belltown--will stop doing live events after March 5. NANCY DREW