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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.

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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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Also on your November ballot: County sales-tax-hike proposal
July 19, 2010 6:05 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Add to your list of November ballot measures a King County proposal to raise the sales tax by two-tenths of one percent – that’s 2 extra cents on 10 dollars spent. The County Council says it’s now up to voters – raise the sales tax, or face cuts in criminal-justice services. Read on for their official announcement, to which we’ll be adding the county and city – cities get a share of the $ – reactions that are rolling into the inbox:Read More

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Race for the 34th: Candidate conversation – Marcee Stone
July 19, 2010 3:01 pm
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   34th District State House 2 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(EDITOR’S NOTE: With a week and a half till ballots are mailed for the August 17th primary, we’ve been taking a closer look at the candidates in two contested local races. Today, we conclude a weeklong series of stories about WSB conversations with the four contenders for 34th District State House, Position 2. Previously: Our report on Joe Fitzgibbon ran here); our report on Mike Heavey was here; and our Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy interview here.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

She has the official Democratic Party nomination and the endorsement of the 34th District Democrats.

Marcee Stone also has something that Democratic legislative candidates in the 34th District (map) don’t usually have: Same-party challengers.

According to King County’s online election records, this is the first time in a decade that any 34th District legislative race has had more than one Democrat (in 2000, 2 Democrats challenged Dow Constantine in his winning State Senate campaign). But then again, it’s been pointed out, this is the first open seat in almost two decades. And until the “Top Two” primary system was implemented two years ago, there was no chance for two members of the same party to make it to general election.

Stone, a 57-year-old West Seattle resident, says it “means a lot” to voters when they hear she’s “the official Democratic candidate” – and when they hear about her “deep roots in the community.”

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Mayor, City Council president visiting Delridge soon
July 19, 2010 11:41 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Two reminders: City Council President Richard Conlin is one of the guests scheduled for this week’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting, 7 pm Wednesday at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center; and Mayor Mike McGinn will be touring Delridge on August 7th. Neighborhood District Coordinator Ron Angeles has just announced new information about the mayoral tour – it’ll leave from the office where he’s based, Delridge Neighborhood Service Center (by the library), at 10 am on that day (a Saturday). Planned stops on the walking tour include Brandon Natural Area, Greg Davis Park, Cottage Grove Commons, and Delridge P-Patch – you’re welcome to meet the group and come along.

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Not registered to vote? Today’s the deadline for most
July 19, 2010 9:04 am
|    Comments Off on Not registered to vote? Today’s the deadline for most
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Finishing up our next story about the August 17th primary, we’re reminded that today’s the deadline for most voter registration in King County, if you want to vote in this election – details here.

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Race for the 34th: Candidate conversation – “Mac” McElroy
July 15, 2010 9:59 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   34th District State House 2 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(EDITOR’S NOTE: With less than two weeks till ballots are mailed for the August 17th primary, we’re taking a closer look daily at the candidates in two contested local races. This week, we are bringing you stories about WSB conversations with the four contenders for 34th District State House, Position 2. We began Tuesday with Joe Fitzgibbon (story here); continued Wednesday with Mike Heavey (story here); tonight, Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy.)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“Do something different,” exhorts the white lettering on the back of Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy‘s campaign uniform, a black T-shirt.

After all, he did something different.

For one, the 46-year-old entrepreneur filed to run as an “independent” in the heavily Democratic 34th Legislative District (map), running against three D’s.

For two, instead of more classic campaign activities, he’s focused on one that’s led us to bump into him multiple times each week for the past few months: He’s been attending neighborhood council and association meetings around the district.

When it came time to sit down and do an official interview for our series of candidate conversations, though, we wound up on his turf – Mac’s Triangle Pub, feet from the West Seattle/White Center line.

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34th District Democrats: Initiative 1098 briefing, and more
July 15, 2010 8:07 am
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

checkbox.jpgFrom last night’s 34th District Democrats meeting in Fauntleroy: The main event was a presentation in support of higher-earners-income-tax initiative I-1098, which the group already has endorsed; meantime, they took stands on two other ballot measures – read on for the details:Read More

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Race for the 34th: Candidate conversation – Mike Heavey
July 14, 2010 8:22 am
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   34th District State House 2 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(EDITOR’S NOTE: With two weeks till ballots are mailed for the August 17th primary, we’re taking a closer look daily at the candidates in two contested local races. This week, we are bringing you stories about WSB conversations with the four contenders for 34th District State House, Position 2. We began Tuesday with Joe Fitzgibbon (story here); today, Mike Heavey.)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

When a candidate takes his/her turn speaking at a political group’s endorsement meeting, you might liken it to a baseball slugger stepping to the plate, ready to hit one out of the park.

When Mike Heavey spoke to the 34th District Democrats the night they decided who to endorse in the 34th District State House Position 2 primary, his speech – which startled some people to the point of audible gasps – was more like an announcement he wasn’t taking a swing in this particular stadium: He said he wouldn’t seek the endorsement, facing two rivals who were “known quantities” in that arena.

By name alone, Heavey, a 30-year-old West Seattle resident, is hardly unknown. His father is a former state senator and current King County Superior Court Judge. He has been working for King County Councilmember Jan Drago in recent months, representing and/or assisting her at high-profile events dealing with current top-of-mind issues like the South Park Bridge.

But when we talked about that notable night during our recent conversation at a coffee shop in White Center, he had no regrets about withdrawing from that particular endorsement process. Instead, he told a family story or two about triumph despite the absence of a certain endorsement or two.

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Mayor unveiling ‘Nightlife Initiative’ tonight – read it now
July 13, 2010 5:15 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Tonight, Mayor McGinn will officially announce what’s being called the Seattle Nightlife Initiative. According to advance word from the mayor’s office, it has eight key points:

1. Code compliance enforcement
2. Flexible liquor service hours
3. Noise ordinance enforcement
4. Security training requirements
5. Precinct community outreach
6. Professional development
7. Late-night transportation alternatives
8. Targeting public nuisances

In advance of the announcement, the mayor’s office has put the details online – read them here. And the city plans to take comments through mid-September, including via an online survey you can access here.

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Race for the 34th: Candidate conversation – Joe Fitzgibbon
July 13, 2010 5:40 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   34th District State House 2 | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(EDITOR’S NOTE: With two weeks till ballots are mailed for the August 17th primary, we’re taking a closer look daily at the candidates in two contested local races. This week, we are bringing you stories about WSB conversations with the four contenders for 34th District State House, Position 2. We begin with Joe Fitzgibbon.)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Joe Fitzgibbon is running for the State House of Representatives seat that his recent boss, Rep. Sharon Nelson, is leaving to seek a State Senate spot, and he has her endorsement.

Sound like a shoo-in? Nope. This year, for the first time in 18 years, the 34th District (map) has an open seat and a spirited race, with Fitzgibbon running against two other Democrats – one of whom has the official party nomination and district endorsement – plus an Independent.

So what’s Fitzgibbon, a 23-year-old Burien resident, doing to set himself apart in the race to succeed Rep. Nelson in State House Position 2?

First, as we sat down in a White Center coffee shop to talk for an hour (the same time we allotted each candidate conversation), we asked what he had been up to earlier that day.

Another media interview, a news release about endorsements, and the “daily grind of doorbelling and taking phone calls,” Fitzgibbon replied. As of this past weekend, when we talked with him at West Seattle Summer Fest (photo below), he estimated he had knocked on about 5,000 doors – more than half the 9,000 he hopes to hit before the August 17 primary.

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Todd Shipyards joins call for feds to reconsider NOAA move
July 8, 2010 12:14 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Under the hottest-day-of-the-year-so-far sun, in Herrings House Park on the Duwamish River shore, the citywide media came to West Seattle to see a ceremonial letter-signing by Mayor Mike McGinn, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, City Councilmembers Jean Godden and Nick Licata, Harbor Island-based Todd Pacific Shipyards‘ Adm. (retired) John Lockwood, and King County Labor Council‘s Dave Freiboth. The letter (read it here) asks Commerce Secretary (and ex-Washington governor) Gary Locke to reopen the process that resulted in NOAA moving ships from Seattle to Newport, Oregon. Adm. Lockwood had the most fiery rhetoric – calling the move “bureaucratic arrogance” among other things:

The shortest speech – Councilmember Godden, who chairs the council’s Budget Committee, kept it to 30 seconds, ending with a vow:

A little cold water was thrown on the proceedings when a reporter told the mayor during Q/A that he’d just received a statement from Commerce reiterating they have no intention of reopening the process, but the mayor reiterated in turn that “it’s not over.” More shortly; the reason they chose Herrings House is that Federal Center South, right across the Duwamish, is considered to be a prime spot if NOAA did reconsider and stay in Seattle. (added) Here’s the official news release about the event.

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West Seattleites in Burien parade – but wait! Santa Claus?
July 4, 2010 7:37 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   34th District State House 2 | West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

We’ve never covered the Burien 4th of July Parade before, but we heard about enough West Seattle participation that we headed down for a few photos. Before we get to the West Seattleites – we had to start this off with the guest appearance by Santa Claus. Who could be more appropriate on a rainy, chilly holiday, summer or not? Now, on with the West Seattleites. First, the much-acclaimed West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float and its entourage:

Then, the political participants – First, the 34th District Democrats (whose turf includes Burien, though the main monthly meetings are usually in WS):

Now, the candidates – in our candid shot from the staging area, that’s State Sen. Joe McDermott (who’s running for County Council) at left, a West Seattleite as is Marcee Stone (running for State House Pos. 2) next to him, and at right, Rep. Sharon Nelson (from Maury Island), who’s running unopposed for the Senate seat McDermott is leaving:

Also from the State House Position 2 race – West Seattleite Mike Heavey:

And Burien resident Joe Fitzgibbon:

We didn’t see the 4th candidate in the race, West Seattle entrepreneur Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy, there (if we missed him – our apologies!). We did see one of McDermott’s three County Council opponents, West Seattleite Diana Toledo — we had a photo of her marching, but her campaign just sent this one with Seafair Pirates right after the parade:

Toledo marched in the Admiral 4th of July Kids’ Parade earlier in the day. If we missed any of the other County Council candidates, Shawn McEvoy or Tim Fahey, again, forgive us. (P.S. With the August 17th election nearing, we start in-depth coverage Tuesday – we’ve sat down recently to talk with each of the four candidates in the House race, for starters, and you’ll see a story a day, Tuesday through Friday.) One more parade participant of West Seattle note:

That’s a RapidRide bus – of the variety we’ll supposedly see here in about two years. In case you want a better look, we’re checking to see if it’ll be part of the big West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade on July 24th. ADDED MONDAY MORNING: Thanks to Mark for sharing this photo of another West Seattleite in the parade:

Mark photographed West Seattleite Bruce Hart in wife Stacie’s new MINI Cooper, adding, “Bruce and Stacie are part of the Puget Sound MINI Motoring Club, which participated in the parade for the fourth straight year. The club annually escorts Burien Rotary Club dignitaries. Bruce also has a MINI, which was in the parade and being driven by a relative.”

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2 West Seattleites help raise rainbow flag atop the Space Needle
June 25, 2010 1:37 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle politics

(Photo by Aaron Last)
As Pride Weekend arrives in Seattle, the rainbow flag is flying over the Space Needle for the first time. And as you see in the photo above, two West Seattleites helped raise it. The photo is courtesy of one of them, State Sen. (and King County Council candidate) Joe McDermott (right) – that’s West Seattle resident and Seattle Storm owner (among many other high-profile roles) Anne Levinson just left of Sen. McDermott, with City Councilmember Sally Clark and State Rep. Jamie Pedersen. Sen. McDermott adds, “People are welcome to email me at Joe@JoeMcDermott.org if they want to walk with me in the Pride Parade at 11 am Sunday morning in Downtown Seattle!”

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4 businesses offer support to marijuana-initiative drive
June 23, 2010 3:01 am
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Time’s running out for initiatives to get enough signatures to make the statewide ballot. Those who support Initiative 1068 to decriminalize adult use of marijuana are trying one last big push to get more names: The new print edition of The Stranger, 80,000 copies, is supposed to have an I-1068 petition in each and every one. So organizers hope that each reader will sign, and gather some signatures, and drop off the petitions ASAP. They say 2 West Seattle and 2 White Center businesses have agreed to be dropoff spots for the petitions; click ahead for the locations and hours, as sent in organizers’ announcement:Read More

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