We are at The Hall of Fauntleroy along with a HUGE crowd. The buzz started as soon as the 34th District Democrats announced that U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott would join their scheduled forum on health-care reform, during the regular monthly meeting. Outside the hall and inside, we’ve seen sign-holding demonstrators touting various positions in the debate – from “single payer” to “government stay out.” So far, it’s been peaceful although spirited – including a loud ovation for Rep. McDermott as he walked in (some boos, but they were all but drowned out). We will post updates as this happens. Not only is this “standing room only,” it’s “sitting on the floor” room only. Dr. Lisa Plymate is introducing the Congressmember now. Follow our Twitter feed for in-a-flash photos and updates too.

7:25 PM UPDATE: Rep. McDermott is speaking. He says, “This is a war … a war over whether the American people can have health security and economic security.” He says the opponents are the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, and he says their profits are the reason why. Many people here in the hall are murmuring “Yes!” as he speaks, something like a rollicking evangelical church service. He says he believes a bill with a “good public option” will emerge from the House of Representatives (he supports what’s known as “single payer”). Now he’s taking questions.

7:43 PM UPDATE: Still lively but not too much tension. Rep. McDermott has blamed insurance and pharmaceutical companies for “the opposition you’re seeing around the country,” and one man in the back yelled THAT’S A LIE! He also said that the House may not abide by the “deals made in the White House” with those industries. One woman asked, “What can we do to get single-payer back on the table?” and McDermott said, “I wish I had a good answer for that.”

7:56 PM: Rep. McDermott is done speaking. Now a rep from Washington Public Campaigns is speaking about publicly financed campaigns. Some of the crowd is dispersing now that McDermott’s portion of the health-care discussion is over (we can hear much discussion happening out in the hall and spilling out onto the sidewalk outside the hall). McDermott says he’ll have an “open meeting” in the area in September. The public-campaign advocate is tying health-care reform to campaign-financing reform, saying publicly financed candidates can “stand up” to the pharmaceutical and insurance industries.

*The meeting continues – we will only update if anything major happens – otherwise, watch for our full writeup later.

Two updates this afternoon in the ongoing controversy over whether the homeless encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville” will be allowed to stay on Port of Seattle land at Terminal 107 Park in West Seattle: First, a spokesperson for the encampment sent this short announcement:

The port has withdrawn request to show just cause for eviction of Nickelsville residents. Hearing tomorrow before King County Superior Court Judge Kallas is cancelled. Nickelsville looks forward to meeting with the port this week. Date and time pending.

Second, the port has issued its own, longer statement, posted on its website and republished here in full:

On July 23rd, the Nickelsville encampment moved onto the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 107 public park without permission. Port staff members believe that legally, the Port of Seattle has neither the authority to provide housing nor the ability to donate property for the encampment.

“We understand the difficult situation that many of the Nickelsville members are in, and share the concern of many in our community about the serious problem of homelessness,” said Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani. “But the port must consider not just our legal authority and our responsibility to create jobs and economic growth for the region, but the needs and wants of other residents in the region who live adjacent to and use port parks and facilities every day.”

Yoshitani has asked Washington State Auditor Brian Sonntag, Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna and Washington State Speaker of the House Frank Chopp to clarify the port’s legal authority to donate the property for housing. Yoshitani hopes the request for legal clarification can be expedited.

In a separate action, the port has withdrawn the motion for unlawful detainer filed before King County Superior Court. The motion was scheduled to be heard on August 13th. However, the port reserves the right to proceed with the Notice of Trespass given to the encampment on July 24th, and Yoshitani has instructed staff members to continue working toward the previously stated August 21st deadline for the encampment to leave port property.

“By withdrawing this motion and seeking additional legal clarity, the port continues to try to work through this issue collaboratively,” Yoshitani noted. “I also encourage Nickelsville members and community advocates to maximize efforts to identify a more appropriate site for the encampment.”

Tomorrow marks three weeks since the encampment moved from another West Seattle location, 2nd SW/Highland Park Way, state land where it had been set up for a month, following almost nine months at various locations elsewhere in the city.

We promised nightly reminders; here’s a quick one. Next Tuesday’s primary is the first major election since King County went all-mail – so you need to mail or drop off your ballot by 8 pm that night (August 18th). Election authorities project a fairly low participation rate, but there’s no reason it HAS TO turn out that way – there are major issues/races to be decided, from Seattle Referendum 1 (deciding whether to approve the disposable-shopping-bag fee the City Council approved last year) to narrowing down big fields to two “finalists” in races including Seattle Mayor and King County Executive. You don’t actually have to mail your ballot – you can also put it in one of the 24/7 drop boxes around the county, including the Delridge Neighborhood Service Center (5405 Delridge Way; map) and the King County Library‘s White Center branch (11220 16th SW; map). The first results will be out shortly after 8 pm Election Night.

We’ll be reminding you daily from here on out to get your ballot in the mail – we need the reminder too, as diehard oldschool in-person voters who are being dragged kicking and shrieking into the all-mail-voting age. Our favorite VOTE! reminders today come from Hella Bus, a site for the youngest voters, who they’re imploring to prove certain stats wrong. Meanwhile, the county King County Elections Department is publishing nightly 8 pm updates on how many ballots it’s received back — tonight’s update says they’ve received just under 8% so far: See the count here. (It’s broken out in various ways including cities and county-council districts; among the latter, the one including West Seattle – District 8 – has the second-highest percentage of ballots mailed back so far, 9.2%, second only to the 9.4% of District 6 (metro Eastside). If you would prefer to drop off your ballot rather than mail it, there are two nearby drop boxes, both available 24/7 till the voting cutoff time, 8 pm August 18th — the Delridge Neighborhood Service Center (5405 Delridge Way; map) and the King County Library‘s White Center branch (11220 16th SW; map) – here’s the full list of dropboxes countywide. Once you’ve dropped off or sent your ballot, keep checking here to make sure it’s been received. And if you’re still deciding how to vote – we’ve profiled many of the candidates and have a few more stories to run, plus a last look at the mayoral hopefuls; see what we’ve published so far, and watch for upcoming stories, by checking the WSB Politics coverage category (on the CATEGORIES list toward the bottom of the sidebar, where you’ll also find RSS links for each category, if you prefer to get your news via RSS). You should have received a voters’ pamphlet by mail as well as your ballot(s); if you want to find the guides online, here’s the city guide; the county/port guide links are here.

The spokesperson for the homeless encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville” — ensconced at Terminal 107 Park in West Seattle (July 24 photo at left by Christopher Boffoli) for two weeks now, after a month and a half at another WS site — sent out a media update last night with several new developments. Key among them: What they say is a new tactic, authorities serving what they describe as “eviction papers” to individual campers, ordering them to appear in King County Superior Court. Read on for the full update:Read More

It’s the hottest topic in coast-to-coast politics at the moment – will our health-care system change? Are the proposed changes for the better or for the worse? Our area’s biggest political organization, the 34th District Democrats, will take on health-care reform at next Wednesday’s meeting (7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy), headlined by Seattle’s U.S. House Rep. Jim McDermott (who is a physician as well as a politician). The forum also will include Lisa Plymate, M.D., who’s active not only with the 34th DDs but also with Doctors for America. See who else is on the roster (and what else is on the agenda) by going to the 34th DDs’ website at 34dems.org — where you’ll also find information about their big annual fundraiser one week from tonight, the Garden Party.

Planning to vote early, now that ballots are arriving for the biggest election King County’s ever conducted entirely by mail (which is how they’ll all be done from now on)? If you’d like to see and hear the candidates in key races, the county-produced Video Voters’ Guide has King County Executive candidates here ; and Seattle city races (plus bag-fee Referendum 1) here.

Ballots have started arriving for the August 18 primary. WSB continues offering close-up looks at — asking the same 3 West Seattle-specific questions — candidates in races including the three Seattle City Council contests you’ll find on the primary ballot. Previous stories are in the WSB Politics archive.

By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

City Council Position 4 candidate Thomas Tobin lives on Capitol Hill, where he was born, grew up and plans to stay. He said he rarely has a chance to visit West Seattle, but when he does, Alki Beach is his favorite place.

“My grandma used to love to go to Spud’s,” he said.

This is Tobin’s second time running for city council. In 1997 he was in the race with Richard Conlin, who is now city council president.

Tobin is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and a small business owner providing Internet service. “Being from here, I have watched the city deteriorate,” he said.

Read More

King County has mailed the ballots for the August 18 primary. WSB continues offering close-up looks at — asking the same 3 West Seattle-specific questions — candidates in races including the three Seattle City Council contests you’ll find on the primary ballot. Previous stories are in the WSB Politics archive.

By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Mike O’Brien’s background is in finance and economics; his passion is the outdoors and protecting the earth.

The 41-year-old Fremont resident is running for Seattle City Council Position 8 with the hope that he can use his experience as the former chief financial officer of a Seattle law firm to help the city create more housing, better transportation, and develop policies that will make Seattle vibrant economically and environmentally.

“I’m a numbers guy, I’m not a political beast by nature,” he said.

That started to change about nine years ago when O’Brien got involved with the Sierra Club.

Read More

King County mails ballots for the August 18 primary tomorrow. WSB is offering close-up looks — asking the same 3 West Seattle-specific questions — at candidates in races including the three Seattle City Council contests you’ll find on the primary ballot. Previous stories are in the WSB Politics archive.

By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

If you like lone-wolf councilmember Nick Licata, you might love David Bloom, one of 5 candidates for Position 4, which Jan Drago is leaving to run for mayor.

The progressive community activist — who has advocated on behalf of affordable housing, the homeless and other social issues for 30 years — would add a second vote to stop the Mercer Street revision and instead direct money to neighborhood projects.

He’d let the city’s plans for a streetcar network and the deep-bored tunnel fall by the wayside. He’s also against plans for a new city jail.

Read More

King County mails ballots for the August 18 primary this week. WSB is offering close-up looks — asking the same few West Seattle-specific questions — at candidates in races including the three Seattle City Council contests you’ll find on the primary ballot. Previous stories are in the WSB Politics archive.

By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

With a sweeping general knowledge of Seattle issues and a good grasp on some of the specifics, it is hard to believe that Dorsol Plants has only lived in the city two years — not to mention that he also is a combat veteran and has led a neighborhood association, all before his 25th birthday.

Plants lives in West Seattle’s Highland Park neighborhood, where he served as chair of the Highland Park Action Committee before resigning to focus on his council campaign. He grew up in West Virginia and served five years in the U.S. Army before landing in Seattle in 2007 and jumping right in as a community volunteer.

He quickly became involved in domestic-violence-protection programs and neighborhood issues. He was elected a Precinct Committee Officer for the 34th District Democrats, who gave a dual endorsement to Plants and Sally Bagshaw in the Position 4 race.

Read More

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

There were moments of humor and moments of tension as 14 of the 16 candidates running for four Seattle City Council seats fanned out across several tables at center stage in the ArtsWest theater this evening.

(iPhone shot courtesy Chas Redmond – taken before Nick Licata arrived)
First – it’s become clear that for many West Seattleites, transportation is the hottest issue of all. That was one of the first questions to the candidates – listen to this audio clip as they take up to 1 minute each to discuss it (the first voice is Council President Richard Conlin, the others are each identified in turn):

Now, as for what else was said – read on:Read More

From left, candidate Sally Bagshaw, Admiral resident Dennis Ross, and candidates David Ginsberg and David Miller are among those on hand for the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce-presented City Council candidates’ forum at ArtsWest in The Junction – starting shortly (but feel free to drop in “late” – it’s in the theater, and there’ll likely be seats left). We’ll be publishing in-progress updates via Twitter at @wsblive and will add a wrapup here later. 6:58 PM UPDATE: The forum just concluded on time. By the time it was over, 14 candidates had participated – Nick Licata showed up about half an hour after it started. Lots of lively banter and questions/answers about serious neighborhood issues. Will write up the wrapup as soon as we can.

(Evening sunshine along Beach Drive, photo by Chas Redmond)
BEFORE you go for your evening walk – one place to cool off in the early evening heat (temperatures peak around 5-6 pm!): ArtsWest in The Junction, where, tonight between 5-7 pm, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s City Council Candidates’ Forum takes the stage. You don’t have to be there right at 5 – the first half-hour is for mingling and/or one-on-one questions/answers – then the forum starts around 5:30. Candidates who are confirmed so far include West Seattleites David Ginsberg (Position 2) and Dorsol Plants (Position 4) as well as Sally Bagshaw and David Bloom (Position 4), Marty Kaplan (Position 6), David Miller, Mike O’Brien, Robert Rosencrantz, Jordan Royer and Rusty Williams (Position 8). #4 and #8 are the spots where the incumbents aren’t running again, so the primary vote (August 18, but it’s all by mail and your ballot will arrive by the end of next week) is particularly huge. CR Douglas moderates, no admission charge, and since it’s done by 7ish there’s still time to go enjoy the beach, a walk, whatever. ADDED 3:35 PM: One more name on the confirmation list – City Council President Richard Conlin, who’s being challenged by Ginsberg for Pos. 2.

Primary Election Day is coming up on August 18; your ballot will arrive in less than two weeks. WSB is offering close-up looks — with West Seattle-specific questions — at hot races including the three Seattle City Council contests you’ll find on the primary ballot. So far in the past week, we’ve looked at three of the Position 8 candidates; now we’re jumping over to Position 4, the seat being given up by Jan Drago for her mayoral run, and starting with one of the 2 candidates dual-endorsed by the 34th District Democrats: Sally Bagshaw.

By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

City Council candidate Sally Bagshaw was at the Luna Park Café for breakfast Saturday, working on a plate of eggs, a fruit bowl and bottomless cups of decaf coffee.

Breakfast could be her only meal of the day as she dashes to neighborhood events, meetings, interviews and fundraisers.

“The single most exciting thing about this campaign is what I have learned,” she said.

That’s saying a lot coming from an attorney who earned her pilot’s license when she was 47 and recently returned from an adventure to Bora Bora aboard a 39-foot sailboat that she called “eight months of the hardest work I ever did.”

Read More

Today’s the deadline that the homeless encampment calling itself “Nickelsville” — on the eastern edge of West Seattle — had been given to vacate. They had said they didn’t plan to do so without a permanent site to which they could move. Now the state has just issued a news release suggesting they’ll be evicted if they don’t leave:

The Washington State Department of Transportation today posted
a 72-hour notice to residents of a south Seattle homeless encampment
that they need to vacate a nearly 4-acre state-owned property at 2nd
Avenue Northwest and West Marginal Way in Seattle.

The encampment moved onto the WSDOT-owned property June 6. For the past
six weeks, the state has worked closely with King County, the City of
Seattle and both the Church Council of Greater Seattle and the Lutheran
Public Policy office of Washington State to develop a long-term solution
for the members of the encampment.

Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary, negotiated a
two-week extension with the Church Council of Greater Seattle for the
camp to leave the site by July 20, which organizers failed to abide by.

The City of Seattle notified WSDOT Monday, July
20, that the state, by allowing the encampment to continue at the site,
is in violation of city health and safety codes. As a result of the
violation, the encampment can no longer stay on WSDOT property.

“The state negotiated an ample timeframe for a more permanent solution
for the residents of the encampment, and we even extended the deadline
to give church council leaders more time,” said Paula Hammond. “While we
are sensitive to the issues relative to homelessness in our state, WSDOT
is not equipped to manage homeless encampments. We are governed by state
law on the use of our property, as well as city zoning requirements.”

While an agreement on a more permanent encampment is being negotiated, a
local church has offered its property as a temporary place to stay while
a long-term solution is developed.

During the last six weeks, staff at DSHS has coordinated outreach
efforts, and has visited the encampment on several occasions to assist
food banks, and offer help with employment placement and health care.

The site has been posted for a 72-hour notice to vacate . Social services are on site to help members move. Washington
State Patrol will become involved after Thursday evening if people
insist on remaining on the site.

ADDED 10 PM: Here’s the Nickelsville spokesperson’s version of the latest development:

Per the State of Washington, Nickelsville has 3 days (72 hours) until they must vacate their current location.

Governor Gregoire’s Senior Adviser, Ron Judd, visited the Nickelsville encampment at approximately 7 pm tonight. At that time he provided written and posted notice from State Secretary of Transportation, Paula Hammond, which permits Nickelsville 72 hours until they must vacate the site.

2 hours prior, at approximately 5pm, the City of Seattle visited the site and posted a notice directed to The State of Washington. That notice said the site must be cleared by 5pm on Tuesday 7/21, but appears to be nullified per the recent visit by Judd.

Public calls and emails continue into Gregoire’s office asking for an extension while Nickelsville and its supporters actively search for a permanent site. Nickelsville’s residents express gratitude for the 3 days notice, but are committed to staying at the current location unless an adequate permanent site becomes available. They call on friends, supporters and the public to stand-by-them at this time.

With ballots going in the mail in less than two weeks, it’s time to start thinking hard about who you’re going to vote for in the primary election. Four Seattle City Council seats are on the ballot and we’re reminding you that candidates from all four are expected at the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce-sponsored candidates’ forum tomorrow, 5:30-7 pm at ArtsWest in The Junction, moderated by C.R. Douglas. We’re continuing our series of close-up reports too (find them in the WSB Politics archive and look for the next one late tonight), but there’s no substitute for seeing and hearing them in person to help clarify your decision. If you can come early, you’re welcome to mingle 5-5:30 pm and talk to candidates one-on-one.