News

In Other News...

Kollin Min, the attorney and former aide to Representative Frank Chopp (D-43) who's vying to kick Judy Nicastro off her city council seat, raised a jaw-dropping $20,000 at his campaign kickoff on May 14. Min's coming-out party, held at the International District's House of Hong, drew at least 350 faithful, including Chopp, housing industry reps, and Seattle Housing Authority Deputy Director Al Levine. (Levine wouldn't say whether he supported Min, but reportedly donated $40.) The lucrative kickoff only bolsters Min's image as a formidable challenger to Nicastro. ERICA C. BARNETT

Commission's Beef

On March 28, the Washington State Beef Commission, the Washington Dairy Products Commission, and Midway Meats filed a complaint against KIRO TV. The complaint, filed with the Washington News Council, contends that a four-part KIRO undercover investigation into the sale and processing of "downer" cows--cows the reports claimed were too sick to stand--were "factually inaccurate" as well as "incomplete, misleading, sensationalized, biased, inflammatory and unfair."

The series aired on October 31 and November 1, 2002, and the News Council, an independent organization that adjudicates disputes between the public and the news media, has scheduled a June 14 hearing. SANDEEP KAUSHIK

Quote of the Week

At a Town Hall rally on May 14, Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, apparently well-briefed by aides, advocated "funding extension of the monorail, which I approve very much." And you wondered why The Stranger has been giving Dean so much ink. SANDEEP KAUSHIK

High Point Housing

At a May 19 city council committee meeting about West Seattle's High Point housing project--slated to undergo a HOPE VI renovation, which will replace low-income housing with a mixed-income housing community--committee chair Richard McIver read an e-mail from Seattle Displacement Coalition housing advocate John Fox. "We urge you to insist on a real 100 percent replacement housing plan," Fox's note said. Fox's group is concerned that low-income housing will be lost, and he urged the council to delay a rezone until the Seattle Housing Authority offers up replacement plan details.

Tom Phillips, SHA's High Point redevelopment manager, rebutted Fox saying SHA is committed to full replacement.

McIver introduced an amendment that will hold SHA to its full replacement promises. "We all want to see that there's an enforceable agreement," McIver said. The amendment passed, and the rezone agreement will move on to the whole council. AMY JENNIGES