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City budget crunch: Dept. of Neighborhoods seeks support
September 13, 2010 1:41 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Two weeks from today – 2 pm September 27th – Mayor McGinn will unveil what is by all accounts expected to be a bleak budget – cuts at many turns. When the summer “midyear” budget ax loomed, you heard a lot of pleas from parks and libraries workers and patrons. But we haven’t heard much from the Department of Neighborhoods. Among programs including the popular P-Patches, it runs two Neighborhood Service Centers in West Seattle, where you can do everything from pay a city bill to borrow a wagon full of paint to get rid of graffiti – and a lot more. The Delridge District Coordinator, Ron Angeles (photo right, with graffiti-paintout equipment last April), has just shared this with his mailing list, headed “DON and I Need Your Support”:

Dear Friends
Today is the time to take action! Please urge the Mayor and City Council to minimize reductions to the budget for the Department of Neighborhoods.

As the 2011/2012 biennial budget is being created, the Mayor and City Council are facing a $67 million budget shortfall. Cuts ranging from 9-15% are anticipated for most City Departments.

Community building and civic participation are at the heart of the mission of the Department of Neighborhoods. In difficult economic times it is more critical than ever that we have programs and services, such as the Neighborhood Matching Fund, P-Patch, Neighborhood District Coordinators, and Neighborhood Service Centers that bring people together to look out for and support each other.

Please think about the value of the programs with DON and the impact they have on the city and your neighborhood and share your experiences with the Mayor and City Council. For example, if you’ve been part of a Neighborhood Matching Fund project describe how it has changed your neighborhood, brought people together and created relationships as well as leveraging the City’s investment in itself. The same story can be told for your experience with a P-Patch community garden or your interaction with a Neighborhood District Coordinator. Let the Mayor and City Council know that you value citizen engagement, community building and the resulting strong connected communities. Working together these services and programs bring efficiencies to government, provide proactive solutions to problems and bring together groups in the community. For many, the Department of Neighborhoods is the face of City government and the liaison to other parts of the city.

Now is the time for you to speak up on behalf of the Department of Neighborhoods as the Mayor’s budget is being formulated. He will announce his budget on September 27th. We’re hoping you will join us in supporting the vital work being done by DON by contacting the Mayor and City Council now through letters, phone calls, or meetings. Also, public hearings will be held on September 29, October 13 and October 26. The hearings are an opportunity to offer public comments of no more than two minutes and a chance to voice your priorities and concerns. For more information about the City budget process and upcoming public hearings, please see:
http://www.seattle.gov/council/newsdetail.asp?ID=11035&Dept=28

We recognize that all Departments will have to help meet the budget deficit and are not suggesting that the Department of Neighborhoods is untouchable. However, we are suggesting that the Department offers essential services and that reasonable reductions be made with minimal impact on the public. Thank you.

(Ron’s counterpart at the Neighborhood Service Center in The Junction is Stan Lock. They are often the unsung heroes of many events, programs, and citizen-assistance actions large and small.) As we reported here last week, one of the City Council’s budget hearings will be here in West Seattle, at South Seattle Community College on October 13th.

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Update: 34th District Democrats endorse Joe Fitzgibbon
September 8, 2010 7:53 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   34th District State House 2 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

ORIGINAL 7:53 PM REPORT: We’re at the 34th District Democrats‘ meeting in Fauntleroy, where it is standing-room only as the group gets ready to hear 34th District State House Position 2 candidates Joe Fitzgibbon and Mike Heavey make their respective cases for the group’s endorsement, with the general election just eight weeks away. They were the top two vote-getters, in that order, in a primary race that also included Marcee Stone – whom the 34th DDs had endorsed – and independent “Mac” McElroy.

8:08 PM UPDATE: The 34th District Democrats’ membership first voted to endorse these positions: No on I-1053, No on I-1100, No on I-1105, No on I-1107, Yes for the Seattle Schools Levy, in a “block” vote. That is a followup to endorsements that carry over from earlier in the year. And after hearing from King County Executive Dow Constantine, they also voted to endorse Yes on King County Proposition 1 – the sales-tax increase (two cents on $10) to raise $60 million to stave off some county budget cuts (including services, he pointed out, that are available to everyone in King County, not just the unincorporated areas). “We have to protect these services if we are to have a decent community in which to live,” he implored.

8:11 PM UPDATE: They are now considering the Fitzgibbon-Heavey race. Both are here, though neither spoke to the group before the vote.

8:38 PM UPDATE: That endorsement goes to Fitzgibbon, 96 to 31. He is thanking the group for its support (iPhone photo added above – Fitzgibbon standing, 34th DDs chair Tim Nuse seated). We interviewed each candidate on video after the vote (clips added 10:59 pm):

9:14 PM UPDATE: The meeting is adjourned, after two more endorsement votes – in two municipal court races, after the first ballot didn’t result in either candidate getting a 60 percent majority per group rules, the second ballot resulted in dual endorsements, both in Edsonya Charles vs. Ed McKenna and in Karen Donohue vs. Mike Hurtado. The group also passed a resolution supporting Streets for All, on the urging of past and current City Council candidate Dorsol Plants of Highland Park – that calls for the city to allot $30 million a year to improvements such as sidewalks.

POSTSCRIPT: Other notes – 34th DDs chair Tim Nuse condemned the anti-Muslim climate that has led to Koran-burning events and the New York City mosque controversy, saying “This has got to stop” … Knowing that its legislative seats are all going to Democrats, 34th leaders urged support for D’s elsewhere in the region who are in tight races, most notably incumbent State Sen. Claudia Kauffman … The 34th State House #2 race is one of two for “open” seats on the West Seattle ballot; the other is King County Council District 8, where Councilmember Jan Drago was appointed to hold the seat this year but is not running for election – top primary votegetter State Sen. Joe McDermott, already endorsed by the group, was at tonight’s meeting, as was a representative of his opponent Diana Toledo‘s campaign; Jerry Toledo told us she wanted to be at the 34th DDs’ meeting but had been asked to be at the Discovery Park news conference about last week’s fatal shooting of a Native American carver … In addition to McDermott/County Council, the list of previously endorsed candidates/measures was presented as this: Sen. Patty Murray, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, State Rep. Sharon Nelson for State Senate, State Rep. Eileen Cody, Yes on 1098, Yes on 52, No on 1082, Charlie Wiggins for State Supreme Court, Steve Rosen for Municipal Court, William Gregory for Municipal Court, Michael Spearman for Court of Appeals.

SIDE NOTE: Just noticed this analysis of the Fitzgibbon-Heavey primary voting – with a map – done by a political consulting firm (linked by PubliCola) – in West Seattle, there was a clear east-west divide.

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City budget hearings announced, including one in West Seattle
September 8, 2010 4:09 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

City leaders have given indications at every turn that more painful budget cuts are unavoidable next year – so this fall’s public hearings may be the most important ones ever. The schedule just arrived via e-mail, and one is in West Seattle – here’s the full list:

Balancing our city’s budget in tough times requires a great deal of direction, constructive input from citizens, and the careful ordering of priorities. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your voice heard. Please join us on:

Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 5:30 p.m.
Sign-in start at 5:00 p.m.
Location: Northgate Community Center Gym, 10510 5th Ave NE

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 5:30 p.m
Sign-in start at 5:00 p.m.
South Seattle Community College, The Brockey Center, 6000 16th Ave SW

Tuesday, October 26 at 5:30 p.m.
Sign-in start at 5:00 p.m.
Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave

Mayor McGinn is scheduled to present his budget proposal two days before the hearings begin – 2 pm September 27th. For the rest of the budget timeline, including other reviews, presentations, and votes, check the city’s budget-process webpage.

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Election 2010: Endorsement(s) ahead for 34th District Democrats
September 7, 2010 2:03 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   34th District State House 2 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Just eight weeks till the general election, and of course voting will start a lot sooner, because of the mail-in system. West Seattle ballots will include two races for major seats with no incumbents in the running, and tomorrow night, the 34th District Democrats are scheduled to decide who to endorse in one of those races. They’ve already endorsed State Sen. Joe McDermott for King County Council Position 8 (he and Diana Toledo are the candidates in the nonpartisan race), but their original endorsee in the 34th District State House Position 2 race, Marcee Stone, didn’t make it to the general, so they have to decide between Joe Fitzgibbon of Burien and Mike Heavey of West Seattle. While Heavey took himself out of the running for the pre-primary endorsement, he tells WSB today that he does plan to seek the 34th DDs’ endorsement tomorrow night. The meeting’s at 7 pm tomorrow (Wednesday), The Hall at Fauntleroy; the agenda says other endorsements TBD might be discussed as well.

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Primary Election 2010: Final results are in
September 1, 2010 1:10 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   34th District State House 2 | King Co. Council District 8 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

We brought you the first round of King County’s primary election results back on August 17, and today comes official word that the county’s results have been finalized. (We confirmed this with County communications specialist Katie Gilliam.)

The top two finishers in each race advance to the November 2 general election, which means Joe Fitzgibbon and Mike Heavey for 34th District House Rep #2, and  Joe McDermott and Diana Toledo for King County Council District 8.  

For the local race results, the only official change from primary night’s results is that Joe Fitzgibbon has inched ahead of Mike Heavey, by an oh-so-slim margin (we reported on August 20 that this shift was starting to happen).

Local results: 

34TH DISTRICT STATE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION 2
(Rep. Sharon Nelson isn’t running for re-election – she’s unopposed for State Senate in LD #34)
Fitzgibbon first 34%, Heavey second 32%,  McElroy third 18%, Stone fourth 14%

(Note: Early returns on primary night had showed Heavey at 34% and Fitzgibbon at 33%)

KING COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 8 (nonpartisan)
(Councilmember Jan Drago isn’t running for the seat to which she was appointed early this year)
McDermott first 60%, Toledo second 19%, McEvoy third 13%, Fahey fourth 7%

In another LD #34 race of note, Eileen Cody captured 81% of the vote against 18% for Ray Carter.

Full results are here.

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Election 2010: Sen. Patty Murray campaigns in West Seattle
August 24, 2010 3:00 pm
|      47 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

U.S. Senator Patty Murray has just made a quick stop in West Seattle as part of a whirlwind campaign tour of local veterans’ facilities. She spoke briefly at American Legion Post 160 in The Triangle, accompanied by a group of veterans who say they’re supporting her because of her advocacy for their issues, particularly health care through the Veterans’ Administration. Sen. Murray will face Republican challenger Dino Rossi in November; in the primary-election tally so far, Murray has 46 percent of the vote, Rossi 33 percent, topping a field of 15 contenders.

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Mayor’s jobs plan: ‘New and existing policies,’ and monitoring
August 24, 2010 1:08 pm
|    Comments Off on Mayor’s jobs plan: ‘New and existing policies,’ and monitoring
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

As previewed here yesterday, Mayor McGinn has gone public with what he calls the Seattle Jobs Plan. There’s a full writeup on his website. In addition to investment and infrastructure, the plan also promises to “monitor and report semi-annually on five key economic indicators: business income, job growth, business start-ups, performance of local K-12 and postsecondary education systems, and distribution of income.” The plan itself is linked here. ADDED 3:11 PM: Seattle Channel-provided video of the mayor’s announcement.

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How to create more jobs? Mayor McGinn to introduce his plan
August 23, 2010 11:31 am
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Just out of the WSB inbox, a media advisory for Mayor McGinn‘s announcement of the “Seattle Jobs Plan” tomorrow morning. The announcement explains:

The Seattle Jobs Plan articulates a strategy for next generation economic development to help create a sustainable economy with shared prosperity. It is a framework of policies, programs and investments to create quality jobs, protect the environment and ensure that taxpayers get true value from the city of Seattle’s public investments.

The news conference is being held at Cascade Designs, and along with its co-founder John Burroughs, the mayor will be joined, according to the advisory, by Seattle Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Jill Wakefield, former president of West Seattle’s South Seattle Community College.

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Primary Election 2010: New #1 in 34th District House #2 race
August 20, 2010 12:10 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   34th District State House 2 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

checkbox.jpgA change at the top in the 34th District State House Representative Position 2 results, after the latest vote count made public by King County Elections: Now Joe Fitzgibbon is ahead of Mike Heavey, by 186 votes out of more than 22,000 counted in this race so far. Again, the finishing order won’t change what happens next – both Fitzgibbon and Heavey are going to the general election, since it’s extremely unlikely that the 3,000-plus-vote gap between them and #3 Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy would completely close – but for politics-watchers, it’s interesting to keep an eye on the daily updates until the election is certified at month’s end. No change in the King County Council District 8 race, which has gaps big enough that none are likely – it’ll be Joe McDermott vs. Diana Toledo in November.

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Primary Election 2010: Newest results just published
August 18, 2010 4:33 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   34th District State House 2 | King Co. Council District 8 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

checkbox.jpgKing County Elections got 95,000 more ballots in the mail today – the highest single-day delivery, which they say is unusual because that usually happens Election Day – and expected to include at least 40,000 in the second run of primary results. Those results were just made public – see them here. The order hasn’t changed in our area’s biggest race, 34th District State Representative Position 2, but Mike Heavey‘s margin over second-place Joe Fitzgibbon narrowed to 21 votes. Complete look at that race, after the jump:Read More

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Primary Election 2010: Heavey, Fitzgibbon leading 34th Pos. 2; McDermott, Toledo leading County Council
August 17, 2010 8:19 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   34th District State House 2 | King Co. Council District 8 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(Scroll down for updates – now that numbers are in, we’re off visiting campaign parties)

(King County Elections photo from their HQ, cars lined up to drop off ballots by 8 pm)
The first and only results that King County is making public tonight have just come out. In our area’s two major races – each with four candidates going for an open seat, and the top two advancing to November once ALL the votes are counted and the election is certified:

34TH DISTRICT STATE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE, POSITION 2
(Rep. Sharon Nelson isn’t running for re-election – she’s unopposed for State Senate)
Heavey first 34%, Fitzgibbon second 33%, McElroy third 19%, Stone fourth 14%

Full results here

KING COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 8 (nonpartisan)
(Councilmember Jan Drago isn’t running for the seat to which she was appointed early this year)
McDermott first 59%, Toledo second 20%, McEvoy third 13%, Fahey fourth 7%

Full results here

All King County results are linked here. We’ll add other highlights of interest shortly, and we’ll be adding candidate reaction as we get it. Meantime, if you still haven’t voted – it’s not too late – you can mail it till midnight at Riverton Heights (near Sea-Tac; see our earlier story).

COVERAGE BEYOND THE NUMBERS

(Tim Fahey being interviewed by Q13’s Parella Lewis, with Mac McElroy looking on outside his pub)
8:41 PM: We were at Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy‘s party at his Triangle Pub in White Center when the results came in – with at least four other members of the media sighted. Now we’ve moved on to Fauntleroy, to Mike Heavey‘s campaign party, a gathering of family and friends (iPhone photo at right, as the candidate posed with varying combinations of people from both those groups). Both locations so far have been full of good cheer, despite the varying results. McElroy’s party also was visited by two other candidates – Ray Carter, the “reluctant Republican” challenging Democratic Rep. Eileen Cody, and Tim Fahey, who is currently fourth of 4 in the King County Council race. We are moving on to other locations shortly. Just interviewed Heavey, who foresees the general-election campaign, apparently against Fitzgibbon, as “a battle for the ages” – with voters being asked to choose “what kind of Democrat” they support. 10:16 PM: We’ve also caught up with Joe Fitzgibbon, whose supporters were celebrating at Heartland Café in the Admiral District:

Video from the frontrunners, coming up. And again, tonight’s vote is nowhere near final – King County Elections will release vote totals daily, until the final results are out on September 1st – two weeks away. ADDED 12:25 AM: Quick comments on video from Heavey, Fitzgibbon and McElroy:

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Primary Election 2010: How/where to get your ballot in on time
August 17, 2010 5:39 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

checkbox.jpgProcrastinating voters, don’t despair – there really is a way to vote **UP TILL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT**. We have just confirmed with the Riverton Heights branch of the U.S. Postal Service – near Sea-Tac Airport – that you can mail something there up until midnight, and it’ll be postmarked today – the King County Elections Department says your ballot DOES count as long as it’s postmarked (by) August 17th. Here’s more on the branch, including a map. Otherwise, the West Seattle USPS branches at Westwood and The Junction are about to close; the county dropboxes downtown and in Tukwila will ONLY accept ballots till 8 straight up. After that, you’re out of luck. Meantime, as for results: The county plans first results tonight around 8:15 pm – we’ll publish/link them here and bring you candidate reaction.

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Primary Election Day 2010 in West Seattle: The Fauntleroy scene
August 17, 2010 9:56 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   34th District State House 2 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Polling places may be history but one Election Day tradition lives on … signwaving at busy intersections. We checked out 35th/Fauntleroy and the Fauntleroy overpass to get a Primary Morning overview, and, in addition to State Sen./King County Council candidate Joe McDermott, we found three candidates in the election’s most-watched race, with a sign-waver on behalf of the fourth:

At left, that’s Marcee Stone at 35th/Fauntleroy – while on another corner at the intersection, Mike Heavey had a costumed campaigning companion:

(Why a lion, you ask? It was a little loud for conversation along the bridge entrance, but we’ve got a message out to inquire.) Then to the north, on the Fauntleroy pedestrian overpass, Joe Fitzgibbon swiveled for a smile while maintaining the wave:

The overpass also held a signwaver on behalf of Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy:

If you’re a candidate and plan to sign-wave during the pm commute – let us know – we’ll likely be back out on patrol. Meantime, MAIL YOUR BALLOT (procrastinators that we are, we are heading to the Post Office right now ourselves)! Infolinks, including the online voters’ guide, are here. (Advertising disclosure: The Heavey, McElroy, and Stone campaigns are running paid political ads on WSB.)

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On the run again: Council bid #2 for Highland Park’s Dorsol Plants
August 15, 2010 5:53 pm
|    Comments Off on On the run again: Council bid #2 for Highland Park’s Dorsol Plants
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Just two days left to vote in the primary election.

But one West Seattleite who’s running for office isn’t on your ballot.

Even before the 2010 election season has kicked into high gear, former Highland Park Action Committee chair Dorsol Plants has declared his intention for 2011.

He turned a lot of heads with his City Council Position 4 run in 2009 (that’s when we snapped the photo at right) – almost 18,000 people voted for him in the primary (third place, so David Bloom made it to the general election ultimately won by Sally Bagshaw) — and cites a still-burning city need for change, so he’s trying again.

He hasn’t had a big campaign kickoff, but word’s gotten around.

Read More

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Election 2010: Washington Bus in West Seattle to get out the vote
August 14, 2010 6:57 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(Photos by Evan Miglorie)
Get any get-out-the-vote doorbellers at your house/apartment today? Here’s one group that set out from Delridge Community Center this morning – volunteers from the Washington Bus, which is trying to encourage younger voters to participate more in the political process. They rallied before hitting the streets:

Stacy and Tunny are the leaders of this year’s Washington Bus fellows – a political-organizing summer camp of sorts (explained here):

After several hours of GOTV’ing throughout the 34th Legislative District – including White Center and Burien – the group planned an afterparty at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Meantime – voted yet? Don’t let your ballot just sit there on top of the TV console (or kitchen table, or wherever) till it’s late. 80 percent of ballots aren’t in as of last night, says King County! If you need more voting info – it’s all linked here.

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34th District Democrats: Campaigning; more transportation talk
August 11, 2010 11:56 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

The most impassioned campaign speech at tonight’s 34th District Democrats meeting came from a semi-surprise visitor – and he wasn’t even speaking on his own behalf, though he’s on the ballot for next Tuesday’s primary. Our clip includes most of what U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott had to say, mostly on behalf of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, and why McDermott believes this may be the most important election of his lifetime. Also campaigning, State Sen. Joe McDermott (no relation), making one more pre-primary pitch for his King County Council District 8 campaign (vs. three opponents). And there was a mini-fundraiser for Reps. Eileen Cody (running for re-election against Republican Ray Carter) and Sharon Nelson (running unopposed for State Senate) before the meeting. But the hottest race on the ballot – 34th District State House, Position 2 (for which the 34th DDs have endorsed Marcee Stone, one of 4 candidates) – did not come up at all, and we didn’t spot any of the candidates in attendance. That may be a different story this Friday, when the group throws its annual fundraiser Garden Party at West Seattle Nursery – Chris Porter, who’s heading the effort, got up to talk about it twice. But the heart of the evening’s program was a panel on transportation – from current projects, to future possibilities – with a trio of panelists, including WS-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, chair of the council’s Transportation Committee. In addition to the Spokane Street Viaduct offramp-opening announcement we published as a separate bulletin earlier, they talked tolls, taxes, transit, and more – read on:Read More

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Transportation talk tops 34th District Democrats’ agenda tonight
August 11, 2010 7:02 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Tonight’s marquee event in West Seattle – the 34th District Democrats‘ monthly gathering (7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy). And a timely topic, too – transportation, from the Alaskan Way Viaduct to the city’s future vision (which could include more taxes to pay for improvements). Here’s the full agenda, which includes West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, chair of the council’s Transportation Committee. (You’re also bound to hear an update on the 34th DDs’ biggest annual event, the Garden Party dinner/auction, coming up this Friday.)

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Election 2010: Last day to register to vote; 8 days left to vote
August 9, 2010 1:29 pm
|    Comments Off on Election 2010: Last day to register to vote; 8 days left to vote
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Quick reminder this afternoon: If you are not currently registered to vote in the state of Washington, you still have a few hours left to register if you want to vote in the August 17th primary. The King County Elections page explains where to go – you have to do it in person before they close at 4:30. Meantime, Election Day is one week from tomorrow. You have till that day – Tuesday, August 17 – to mail your ballot or drop it off at one of the two remaining dropboxes; more info here. (As of Friday night, the county says, about 10 percent of all voters had returned their ballots.)

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Mayor visits Delridge tomorrow, and you’re invited to the tour
August 6, 2010 12:40 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

For the second consecutive Saturday, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn will visit West Seattle tomorrow – not for an event this time (he was here last Saturday to help celebrate the Camp Long Lodge reopening), but to find out more about our area, specifically the Delridge neighborhood. His tour guide: Ron Angeles, Delridge Neighborhood District Coordinator for the Department of Neighborhoods and longtime West Seattleite; the tour starts at Ron’s HQ, the Neighborhood Services Center in the same building as the Delridge Library (5405 Delridge Way), 10 am tomorrow, and will end about an hour and a quarter later at the Delridge P-Patch – all welcome – one of the first stops will be the Clean Greens produce-sales stand alongside Super 24, which is open 10 am-6 pm every Friday and Saturday this summer.

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2010 primary election: Ballots arriving; candidates talking
July 29, 2010 4:04 pm
|    Comments Off on 2010 primary election: Ballots arriving; candidates talking
 |   34th District State House 2 | King Co. Council District 8 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

checkbox.jpgTwo days after King County Elections announced the August 17 primary ballots were in the mail, they’re arriving (ours just showed up). The big decisions for West Seattle (and neighboring communities) are in two open races with four candidates each, which the primary results will narrow to two for November: 34th District State House Position 2 (WSB coverage archive with “candidate conversation” stories here) and King County Council District 8 (WSB coverage archive here; watch for “candidate conversation” stories in the next week). Two candidate forums are coming up – tomorrow on Vashon Island, the candidates from both races are expected at Courthouse Square (see the end of this article) for a forum to focus on the State House race 7-8 pm and the County Council race 8-9 pm; then next Thursday, August 5th, the Seattle League of Women Voters presents a candidates’ forum downtown, with the County Council race (and those vying for two Supreme Court seats). Back to voting: August 17th is the deadline to postmark your ballot; the county has a list of voter resources on this webpage.

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Riding with Rasmussen: Road opinions, sprinklers, tunnel talk …
July 21, 2010 3:17 pm
|      24 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(EDITOR’S NOTE: We mentioned earlier that we had assigned a reporter to ride along on Councilmember Tom Rasmussen‘s open-invite bike commute today. Here’s his story, with photos along the way)

Story and photos by Johnathon Fitzpatrick
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Seattle Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, an eight-year West Seattleite, has invited the public to bike-commute in with him all week as part of Mayor McGinn‘s Walk-Bike-Ride initiative. He has been writing online about his experiences; this morning at 7 am, he stood at Weather Watch Park with his Univega (rain bike) waiting for traveling companions.

A low fog clung to the shoreline across the sound as a ferry horn bellowed and seagulls picked their way across the early-morning low tide along Beach Drive. A group of four cyclists rode along with Rasmussen in the slightly chilly morning he considered to be more like October weather. “I sure hope summer’s not done,” he muses.

There’s a brief moment of awkwardness as the group navigates around a trash truck and yet another as a cyclist shouts “on your left! ON YOUR LEFT… (Expletive)!” Yet these are minor annoyances as Rasmussen plays tour guide and discusses transportation issues.

(The story continues, with more photos too)Read More

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Bicycling to work, day 3: City councilmember gets an earful
July 21, 2010 10:18 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen just wrote about Day 3 of bicycling to work (as part of the Walk/Bike/Ride Challenge) – 2 people showed up to join him (as did reporter Johnathon Fitzpatrick, a transportation bicyclist we’d assigned to cover this morning’s ride). Rasmussen writes that as they pedaled along, somebody swore at them – NOT a driver! Read about it here (and look for Johnathon’s story on WSB later). P.S. The councilmember won’t be riding tomorrow, but will on Friday, and you’re welcome again that day to join him, meeting up at 7 am at Weather Watch Park (4035 Beach Drive SW).

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Walk/Bike/Ride: Councilmember Rasmussen’s bike-week update
July 20, 2010 2:18 pm
|    Comments Off on Walk/Bike/Ride: Councilmember Rasmussen’s bike-week update
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

On Sunday, West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen issued an open invitation to you to join him bicycling to work from Beach Drive’s Weather Watch Park any morning this week (7 am) as part of the Walk/Bike/Ride Challenge. So what happened the first two mornings? Read his vividly written update here. (P.S. Rasmussen really isn’t a biker-come-lately. We have pictorial proof including this February story, when he biked up to Pigeon Point to look into the development-detour dilemma that caused consternation back then.)

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