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Bright Lights, Jobless City
News Flash: The all-ages Vera Project got a new space this week--Theatre Off Jackson, in the International District.
Shows might start in February. Megan Seling's look at Vera's one-year anniversary ["The Kids Are Alright," pg. 33] does not mention the new space because this good news came in after our music section's deadline.
Stranger Personals
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Seattle Weekly lost two longtime employees last week when ace news reporter James Bush quit, and ad director Jill Mogen resigned. Bush and Mogen's exits are part of a recent string of departures over at the troubled weekly. In the last year or so, publisher Alisa Cromer, associate editor David Massengill, arts and culture editor Richard Martin, associate art director Stewart Williams, and clubs and bands promoter Kerri Harrop have moved on to greener pastures.
In a bit of damage control, Weekly news editor George Howland Jr. made the rounds at city hall earlier this week, assuring everyone that Bush's departure isn't a sign of any larger problems with the news department. PAT KEARNEY
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The Northwest Labor and Employment Law Office (LELO), a community-based workers rights organization representing Local Union 46, might sue the Port of Seattle. The problem, according to LELO, is that the Port's closed meetings violate Washington state law. LELO is spooked, for example, that "closed-door" meetings led to the loss of at least 35 union jobs when the Port sold publicly owned container cranes to private companies.
However, the Port says its meetings aren't closed. "The Port conducts all our meetings in compliance with the state's Open Meetings Act," said Port spokesperson Mick Shultz. BRYAN BINGOLD
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A tough ad market and the lingering effects of the 1999 newspaper strike are forcing the Seattle Times and P-I to cut circulation by over 5,000 papers, says Times publisher Frank Blethen. In the January 23 issue of trade journal Editor & Publisher, Blethen said that beginning in February, the Times' daily circulation will drop by 474 papers, the P-I's by 3,401, and the combined Sunday paper by 5,599. The reduction is needed to save about $1 million as the papers head into a tough economic year, Blethen said. PAT KEARNEY
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A Seattle Parks and Recreation plan for additional field lights and late-night athletic use of city playfields is driving some field neighbors insane. Seattle Residents for Fair Field Lighting (SRFFL) says the Parks Department isn't listening to their concerns of late-night noise and glare.
Athletic-field advocates involved in the field lighting issue disagree. "I'm not sure exactly what would satisfy [the neighbors], but the argument that their voices haven't been heard is mistaken," says Adam Waltzer, youth coordinator for Ultimate Frisbee group DiscNW. AMY JENNIGES
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