Apparently the Seattle Times brain trust hates movies with "sex" in the title. Despite the international opprobrium heaped on its recent advertising ban for the unrated Spanish film Sex and Lucia, ["Sex and Seattle," Sandeep Kaushik, Aug 22], Seattle Times ad honchos are now refusing ads for Sex with Strangers, an unrated documentary about swingers that opened last week at the Varsity. The Times did not return a call for comment, though previously a company spokeswoman said the paper judges film advertising on a case-by-case basis.

(The Seattle Times and Seattle Post-Intelligencer share advertising operations and are reportedly the country's only papers banning ads for this movie.) SANDEEP KAUSHIK

Jam Packed

With no executive director or board president, JAMPAC, the local music-industry advocacy group, is in limbo these days. It's also in debt.

According to its last report to the city's elections office, JAMPAC spent about $26,700 bashing Mark Sidran during the 2001 elections, and still owes at least $8,500.

"Right now the priority is retiring our debts," says JAMPAC board member--and former Nirvana star--Krist Novoselic. Novoselic estimates the group is $20,000 in debt. (Beyond election costs, JAMPAC owes the city $8,451 from its unsuccessful federal suit against the Teen Dance Ordinance, not to mention payment to its own lawyer from the case.)

Meanwhile, Novoselic says he's not sure if JAMPAC will hire a new executive director to replace Angel Combs, who left last spring.

Novoselic says JAMPAC is still committed to its status as a political action committee. JOSH FEIT

Steve's News to Change Ownership

Steve Dunnington, owner of Steve's News, is selling his two well-stocked magazine stores to a local couple. The new owners plan to take over the Capitol Hill and Fremont locations next month, and pledge to keep magazine fanatics happy--while adding other items (like perhaps comic books).

Dunnington, 52, says the stores are making a profit, but--citing his "old-fogeyness"--he just doesn't have the energy to constantly reevaluate his niche-magazine repertoire.

Dunnington, who opened the Broadway location 15 years ago, says the expiration of his long-term lease at that spot made it the perfect time to move on. JOSH FEIT