Seattle's loss will not be in the big national stories, but rather in the local items that help generate participation in a city's civic life — changes in land use codes, city budgets, and that type of unsexy news.

Some local blogs (Capitol Hill (http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/), Phinneywood (http://www.phinneywood.com/), Ballard (http://www.myballard.com/)) are already trying to fill the gap. The Stranger has the staff and the clout to move into the gap, but for me, it would take some effort to build up its credibility (a few too many Borat-like features have left me suspicious). Crosscut (http://crosscut.com/) might also help fill the gap, but the bulk of their current coverage is pretty stodgy.