Two months ago, we reported on the city’s consideration of a system to automatically detect gunfire – and one vendor’s suggestion that it be purchased and placed in part of West Seattle, as well as two other “hot spots” in the city. (Here’s the story, which included the map you see above.) At the time, it was just a presentation – but now, Mayor McGinn says he is going to propose almost $1 million for a system – brand not specified, so far – in his budget plan for next year. Read the city announcement (which includes other public-safety-budget proposals) here.
The King County Sheriff‘s race is a countywide vote, so when your ballot arrives next month, in advance of the November 6th election, you’ll have to choose between current Sheriff Steve Strachan – appointed when Sue Rahr resigned for a new job – and challenger John Urquhart. Their first joint appearance in this area was tonight in White Center, during the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council‘s quarterly Public Safety Forum, and it was an energetic hour-plus faceoff – all on video above. (That’s NHUAC’s Richard Miller introducing them, with Sheriff Strachan speaking first.)
After an intense round of public comment – which ended with heckling from people who wanted it extended – the City Council voted unanimously today to pass emergency rules targeting a particular form of so-called “tall skinny house” development. Here’s the news release:
The Seattle City Council today approved legislation that puts interim controls in place on small lot development in Seattle.
While the City has generally been supportive of urban infill development, some single family development approved under current lot size exceptions, has resulted in structures that are out of character with surrounding conditions and inconsistent with the policy intent for infill development. Interim measures were adopted today to allow adequate time for analysis and discussion of permanent standards.
Even before marijuana legalization goes to voters in our state via Initiative 502 on the November 6th ballot, the City of Seattle is pursuing new rules regarding where marijuana could be grown, processed, and dispensed in the city. They’ve published the proposal and are taking comments through October 1st. Read on for a news release explaining the proposal:Read More
We’re now less than two months away from the November election – less than a month and a half from the arrival of ballots and the start of voting. One of the marquee local races is for King County Sheriff. Steve Strachan, appointed to the job after Sue Rahr left earlier this year, is on the ballot along with John Urquhart, who as a KCSO sergeant was the department’s longtime media spokesperson till leaving a year ago. Both candidates will be featured during an event in White Center next Thursday – the quarterly public-safety forum presented by the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council. Everyone’s invited, wherever you live, and we haven’t heard yet about any West Seattle forum planned with this nonpartisan race, so we’re mentioning this one here – 7 pm Thursday (September 13th), North Highline Fire District headquarters, 1243 SW 112th.
We’ve mentioned previously that the 34th District, including West Seattle, has a sizable contingent in Charlotte for the ongoing Democratic National Convention. If you are following convention news, we just heard from Karen Chilcutt of the West Seattle Democratic Women, who shares the news that two of them are publishing updates to the WSDW site, Dr. Lisa Plymate and Ann Martin. You can read their updates and behind-the-scenes observations here.
Just after updating the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar with word that Skylark Café had tech troubles canceling Thursday night’s Democratic National Convention watch party, we got word of a new location – Howie Martin says the party’s been moved. New location: Heartland Café (4210 SW Admiral Way), 5-8:30 pm Thursday (September 6), with President Obama‘s acceptance speech expected between 6:30-7:30 pm. (As reported here over the weekend, our area has a sizable delegation at the convention.)
On September 24th, Mayor McGinn will announce his budget proposal for next year. Today, he announced that the revenue picture isn’t quite as bleak as it had looked – of interest given the development boom here in West Seattle, apartment construction is mentioned as one factor. Here’s the city news release with the full announcement:Read More
(TUESDAY UPDATE: There’s a Thursday briefing at City Hall – agenda here)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Right after the Seattle City Council returns from its summer break post-Labor Day, a new set of rules will be proposed and is likely to generate intense debate.
It’s a proposal to change city rules to cap fees charged for “involuntary towing from private property” – also known as “private impounds” – announced a month ago by Mayor McGinn and Councilmember Nick Licata.
The actual package of proposed rules itself was not made public at the time of that announcement. In fact it was not finished and published until a few days ago (when we checked last month, a Licata staffer told WSB they were “tweaking it before we formally introduce it”). It’s now on the city website – see all the specifics here. The key points include:
A. Towing service fee: The maximum hourly fee that tow companies may charge for towing service for private impounds shall be no more $209 for the first hour and $130.60 for the second and subsequent hours for tows conducted with a Class A, D, or E tow truck. …
4. The hourly fee must be applied to the resulting net time and, after the first hour, must be rounded to the nearest fifteen minutes. …
B. Uncompleted tow fee: Tow companies may charge no more than the maximum hourly towing service fee specified in subsection 6.214.220.A for an uncompleted tow. Beginning with the first hour, no more than one quarter of the hourly fee may be charged for each fifteen minutes of towing service work performed. Reimbursement for time spent on an uncompleted tow can only be computed from the time of dispatch to the time the car is released to the vehicle operator.
C. Storage fee: The maximum storage fee that tow companies may charge for storing a private impound vehicle shall be no more than $15.50 for each 12-hour increment. …
D. After hours release fee: The maximum fee that a tow company may charge to release a privately impounded vehicle outside of normal business hours may not exceed $100. …
If it passes and does what the mayor and councilmember suggest it would, it might prevent future cases like that of a West Seattle woman who told WSB she lost her car three times – first and second times to a car thief, then, finally, to a towing/impound bill she couldn’t afford.
The photo of the Washington spot on the Democratic National Convention venue’s floor in Charlotte, NC, was shared by 34th District Democrats vice chair Marcee Stone. She notes that she is one of 10 members of the 34th Dems who are at the convention – along with Zack Barker, Karl de Jong, Robert Fuentes, Ann Martin, Dr. Lisa Plymate, and Chris Porter, plus two who Stone says are on committees, State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon and Lorin Walker. (Added: Rep. Fitzgibbon says another local Democrat is there, Lorena Gonzalez.) Dr. Plymate preceded this with a visit to the Republican National Convention as part of a bus tour with Doctors For America, which is going to both conventions to advocate for health-care affordability, as Jerry Large of The Seattle Times (WSB partner) wrote last week. (DfA is also going to the DNC.) The convention is scheduled to be livestreamed here. (RNC highlights are online here.)
After a community resource fair and youth performance, the mayor has just taken the microphone. We’ll be updating live.
6:41 PM: “We’re starting to see things turn around in the city, economically,” he begins, adding that he believes the city has recovered “more than half” the 35,000 jobs believed to have been lost in recent years. Current Seattle unemployment is estimated at 6.5 percent, he says, while noting that’s “still historically high.” He recalls a time when the “biggest challenge” was to manage growth – and then things went downhill. He says he’s “worked hard to have a city government responsive to people and their needs.” (If that sounds a little like campaigning … we should note, his first term ends next year, though we don’t believe he’s announced whether he plans to run for a second one.) He runs through some of the budget-cutting measures he says have been taken by the city in the past few years, including a quick allusion to community-center cuts – which have affected the facility in which this event is being held; it was a full-fledged community center, and now it is a teen center, also co-housing a Neighborhood Service Center. “We have to focus on good, sustainable economic growth that everybody can share,” he summarizes – “… and focus on our strengths.”
REST OF THE AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE, PLUS VIDEO OF THE ENTIRE EVENT, AFTER THE JUMP:Read More
Something you think Mayor McGinn needs to know about West Seattle? Something you want to ask or say about the way his administration’s been doing things the past almost-three years? Something you want him to hear, even if you don’t think anything will be done about it? Tuesday night is your next chance, with his Town Hall at Southwest Teen Life Center, and getting a message to the mayor is only part of what it’s about. City department heads are usually on hand, and he might refer your problem/idea on the spot. Plus, you can come early and meet cool West Seattle neighbors who are with organizations such as West Seattle Be Prepared, Sustainable West Seattle, Nature Consortium, West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network, West Seattle Food Bank, several neighborhood councils … Talk with them at the Community Information Fair 5:30-6:30 pm, watch a special performance of the Samoan Siva dance La’u Hani by The West Side Polynesian Club till 6:40, and then it’s Q/A time with the mayor. SW TLC is next to SW Pool, 2801 SW Thistle. See you there.
SEPTEMBER 4TH UPDATE: Skylark’s projector isn’t working – so this has been moved to the Heartland Café in the Admiral District.
ORIGINAL AUGUST 31ST REPORT: The night of the 2008 general election, the biggest public Election Night watch party in town was at Skylark Café and Club in North Delridge. For this year’s election season, Skylark also will be the site of a watch party the night President Obama accepts his party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention. Skylark proprietor Jessie SK tells WSB the event, organized by local campaign reps, is set for 5-8:30 pm Thursday, September 6th. (According to the event’s outline, the president’s speech is expected between 6:30 and 7:30 pm.)
P.S. If any local venue is planning a similar party for this week’s Republican convention, please let us know.
FIRST REPORT, 1:34 PM: That’s Husky Deli owner Jack Miller with visiting U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, there right now – as previewed here on Wednesday – to talk about the tax-cut-extension bill that’s cleared the Senate but not the U.S. House. We’ll add video later of what Sen. Murray, Miller, and others at the news conference had to say. (In case you are wondering, no, this is not a campaign visit – Sen. Murray won a new six-year term two years ago.)
ADDED 2:25 PM: Video of the event in its entirety (only 16 minutes):
Miller introduced Sen. Murray by talking about his 80-year-old family business and its 40 or so employees, and the challenges of competing against “big stores,” as well as the importance of tax breaks. Sen. Murray said that taxes will go up unless Senate Bill 3412 is passed to extend current tax cuts. In addition to those who you will see speaking in the video – Merryweather Books owner Mary Clark follows Sen. Murray – other local business reps were on hand:
There were lighthearted moments too: The senator drew laughter by noting she was happy to be at Husky Deli even though she’s a Cougar. And before she left, she of course had some of the famous Husky ice cream:
In the background of that photo, by the way, you might recognize another Junction business proprietor – Jody Hall, owner of the Cupcake Royale stores here and around the city.
Just in – U.S. Senator Patty Murray will be at Husky Deli in The Junction tomorrow afternoon to “join with local business owners to support extending tax cuts for middle class families,” according to a media advisory we just received. The advisory adds, “Senator Murray will be joined by local small business owners and middle-class families who will urge the House of Representatives to pass this bill so middle-class families and small-business owners can get the tax certainty they deserve.” The business owners listed in the news advisory include Husky owner Jack Miller and Merryweather (formerly Leisure) Books owner Mary Clark; the event is scheduled for 1:15 pm. You can read the text of the bill in question, S. 3412, here. This will be Sen. Murray’s third West Seattle visit in less than a year; she was here three months ago to speak during Civics Week at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor), also the site of her October 2011 visit with fellow Sen. Maria Cantwell to discuss job training.
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
Today, you’ll find volunteers from the 34th District Democrats in a booth at the Delridge Day festival – just hours after the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the Garden Party. Last night, partygoers basked in evening sunshine at West Seattle Nursery, with the theme “All-American Barbecue,” and with this area’s highest-ranking politician serving as auctioneer/emcee:
With King County Executive Dow Constantine, that’s the 34th DDs’ chair Tim Nuse at left, and the ubiquitous reminders that this is a presidential election year. The event’s theme even inspired some costuming – Chris Porter was in the red-white-and-blue spirit:
More of WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams‘ scenes from the Garden Party, ahead:
We’re spotlighting outdoor events even more than usual these next few days, since it’s usually cooler outside in the evening than in a non-air-conditioned house/apartment, so here’s another one: Friday night is the annual Garden Party/Auction for our area’s largest political organization, the 34th District Democrats. This year’s auctioneer is King County Executive Dow Constantine; the auction will include donated items from a Napa getaway to condos in Spain to airline tickets. He’s not the only local political leader you’ll see – prime-time for ear bending while you mingle. The Haggis Brothers – featured at The Mount last Friday – are the musical guests. The food theme this year is “All-American BBQ” – from The Swinery. It all happens at West Seattle Nursery, 6 pm Friday; more info here.
Got a question, complaint, compliment, concern, to share with Mayor Mike McGinn and/or city staff? You have another chance coming up on August 28th, two weeks from tomorrow, at Southwest Teen Life Center (2801 SW Thistle). It’s following the usual format – a “community information fair” with local organizations and institutions tabling 5:30-6:30 pm, then a youth performance TBA at 6:30 pm, and Q/A with the mayor and staff from 6:40 till about 8 pm. His last one here was in May at the Senior Center of West Seattle (WSB coverage here). And in March, he had one at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (WSB coverage here).
The 34th District Democrats are now officially on the record as against the proposed SODO arena.
That’s the result of a resolution approved following an hour and a half-long forum in which three supporters and three opponents participated.
Many stressed this wasn’t an anti-bring-back-the-Sonics vote, but rather a vote reflecting serious concerns about the location, as have been voiced by organizations including the Port of Seattle and the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce (here’s their July 25th letter).
As is customary on Election Night these days, there’s one round of results – the major races are on this page of The Seattle Times (WSB partner)’s website. For the two ballot measures voted on in this area, both are ahead so far – Seattle Prop 1, for library funding, 62 percent yes, and King County Prop. 1, youth/family justice center funding, 53 percent yes. (Both need only a simple majority to pass.)
The most prominent West Seattle candidate in the primary, former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, may not make it to the general-election runoff for secretary of state – he’s in third, with Kim Wyman leading at 39 percent, Kathleen Drew at 22 percent, and Nickels at 16 percent. In the Seattle-area Congressional District 7 race, incumbent Rep. Jim McDermott has 70 percent of the vote, with Ron Bemis next at 16 percent, and Andrew Hughes at 6 percent (the top two advance to November). In the statewide governor race, Democrat Jay Inslee is at 47 percent, Republican Rob McKenna at 43 percent. To get results directly from the county website, go here.
Haven’t voted yet? Technically today’s election is the primary – but two major ballot measures, and the judicial races (as explained here), will be settled today, so don’t just let the day slide by without having your say. The ballot-dropoff van – which is drive-up/ride-up/walk-up – will be set up along the West Seattle Stadium driveway till 8 tonight. Or, if you’re mailing your ballot, make sure it’ll be postmarked today. Last-minute research? Here’s the official pamphlet.
West Seattle hasn’t had a ballot-dropoff box since 2009, but the county is trying something new this election season by bringing a ballot-dropoff van here. We first mentioned the plan a month ago, and today was the first of four days you can use it to vote without a postage stamp. Richard, Kaleigh, and Ted staffed the van near the entrance to the West Seattle Stadium parking lot starting at 10 am today; they’re there till 5 pm, then the van’s back 10-5 tomorrow, 10-5 Monday, and 7 am-8 pm on Tuesday (which is Election Day, and therefore your deadline to get the ballot to a dropoff spot or a mailbox).
Next Tuesday is Primary Election Day – which means you have to get your ballot in the mail by Tuesday night. But you can save the money for a stamp, and be sure you’ve delivered it directly to King County Elections, by using the “ballot dropoff van” that will be stationed in West Seattle tomorrow, Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday. We first reported the plan in early July, and it’s time now for a reminder. You can drop your ballot(s) off at the van at West Seattle Stadium (turn east off 35th just south of Avalon) 10 am-5 pm tomorrow, Saturday, and Monday, or 7 am-8 pm on Tuesday. Lots more election info on the county website. Remember that while this is technically a primary election, there are some issues and races that will be decided in this vote – including county Prop 1 (for a new juvenile/family justice center) and city Prop 1, the library levy.
We’re now less than two months away from the 
The photo of the Washington spot on the 
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