West Seattle, Washington
22 Friday
(Seattle Police photo)
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed three felony charges against the man arrested last Thursday for firing a gun at Camp Second Chance, the tiny-home encampment in southeast West Seattle. 73-year-old Steven N. Phillips is charged with second-degree assault, unlawful gun possession, and unlawful firearm discharge. The charging documents say he was not allowed to possess a gun because of convictions including attempted residential burglary in 2009. He has older charges in three other states going back to 1975. The charges recap what was previously alleged – that Phillips started firing from his unit around 12:30 pm, about six shots. That’s according to the staff member who went to check on him; he allegedly then fired two rounds toward her, though neither she nor anyone else was injured. A friend of the suspect who lives at CSC told staffers that Phillips is a veteran with PTSD; she said he would not harm anybody and was “only going through an episode of his paranoia.” The SWAT team responded and, police say, Phillips fired another two rounds after their arrival. They talked him into surrendering and got a search warrant for his tiny house, where they found a 9mm gun, shell casings, a magazine with eight bullets, and two boxes of ammunition. Phillips’ bail is set at $400,000.
(Patterns on smoke-tree leaves, photographed by Suzanne Krom)
Here’s today’s list of what’s happening, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where you can always look ahead, and where you’ll find even more events than we spotlight in the list):
FOOD/CLOTHING DRIVE CONTINUES, WITH EXTENDED DROPOFF: Third day of the dropoff drive at West Seattle High School (3000 California SW) to benefit students and families served by the Care Center, until 4 pm inside the school or 4-5 pm today outside the “historical entrance” on the school’s north side.
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Meet at 47th/Fauntleroy at 10 am. Details in our calendar listing.
TODDLER READING TIME AT PAPER BOAT: 10:30 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).
SOUTHWEST ARTIST SHOWCASE: Final days to see what community artists are showing at the Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), open today noon to 8 pm; you can visit to see the display any time.
HOMEWORK HELP: 4-7:30 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), volunteers are there to help K-12 students with their homework.
SANISLO ELEMENTARY MEETING: As announced at school-board director Gina Topp‘s meeting last Sunday, a community-organized meeting is planned for the proposed-for-closure school’s community at 5 pm today on the school playground. Translators for Vietnamese, Spanish, and Somali. (1812 SW Myrtle)
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Fix it, don’t toss it! Weekly event, free (donations appreciated), 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).
HEALING THROUGH CREATIVITY: Second week for a 14-week online group following “The Artist’s Way” meets starting tonight, 6 pm – info in our calendar listing.
TRIVIA x 4: Four trivia options tonight: At 6 pm, Locust Cider (2820 Alki SW) offers trivia … Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 7:30 pm … Quiz Night begins at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … and at 8:30 pm, trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW).
FREE GROUP RUN: All runners, all levels, are welcome to join the weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) group run – meet at the shop by 6:15 pm.
SCHOOL LEVIES INFO MEETING: 6:30 pm online meeting with info about next February’s proposed Seattle Public Schools levies. Connection and call-in details are here.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)
MUSIC BINGO X 2: One night, two games! Play at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm … At Three 9 Lounge (39th/Oregon), you can play MINGO music bingo, hosted by Mingo Maniac, at 7:30 pm Wednesdays.
KUNDALINI YOGA AND GONG BATH: 7 pm with Inner Alchemy at Move2Center (3618 SW Alaska), $35; ticket link is in our calendar listing.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: Your turn in the spotlight! 7:30 pm signups for West Seattle’s longest-running open mic. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
Planning an open house, reading, tour, fundraiser, sale, discussion, show, meeting, presentation, etc., that’s open to the community? Please send us info so we can add it to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
9 AM: A group of orcas that had been heading southbound off Brace Point has just turned around and is now northbound in the Fauntleroy ferry lanes, reports Kersti Muul. She says there are at least eight at last count. Let us know if you see them!
9:04 AM: Kersti says a second group is northbound off Lowman Beach.
3:33 PM: That’s one of half a dozen photos commenter Svenry has posted below – this was J-Pod again. … We also just received these photos from Robin Sinner, shooting from the Alki Point vicinity:
The Chief Sealth International High School PTSA has a reminder this morning:
Last chance to get your tickets for Soaring with Sealth, the Chief Sealth IHS Annual Fundraising Dinner and Auction. We’re raising money to support the PTSA, Performing Arts, and Athletics. Please join us for an evening of fun at the Brockey Center on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 5:30 pm. Get your tickets at this link by October 31st.
So, just one day to go. The venue, Brockey Center, is at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor).
6:03 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Wednesday, October 30th, four days to go until Daylight Saving Time ends (early next Sunday, we “fall back” one hour, into Standard Time).
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Rainy and breezy today, high in the low 50s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:51 am, while sunset will be at 5:54 pm.
(An encore of the Monday sunset, photographed by Jeff Johnson)
ROAD WORK
*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project continues; half of the bridge remains closed, with one lane each way on the open side. Fairmount Avenue remains closed under the bridge.
*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project also continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon.
TRANSIT
Washington State Ferries today – Regular 2-boat service on the Triangle Route this morning; check here for last-minute changes.
Metro buses today – Regular schedule.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:
Low Bridge – Looking west:
1st Avenue South Bridge:
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
10:30 PM: Police have blocked Beach Drive in both directions near Canada [map] because of a standoff with a suspect believed to be in crisis. Avoid the area.
11:04 PM: They’ve just taken the man into custody. We still haven’t heard what led to this, but will follow up.
11:18 PM: Police just told dispatch they’re reopening Beach Drive both ways.
ADDED WEDNESDAY MORNING: Here’s the summary we just obtained from police:
On 10/29/24 at approximately 2110 hours [SPD responded] to reports of a domestic violence disturbance in the area of 62nd Av SW and Alki Av SW. Upon arriving on scene, I was not able to locate victim and (we) learned … the victim left the scene for safety concerns. The victim was contacted a short time later and was met at their residence.
The victim felt threatened by the suspect and the suspect threatened self-harm. Officers established probable cause to arrest the suspect.
Patrol officers attempted to contact the suspect several times inside a residence and eventually made contact. The Sgt was able to talk the suspect into exiting the home and he was taken into custody without incident at approximately 2303 hours.
The suspect was arrested for Investigation of Burglary-DV and booked into King County Jail.
Tomorrow, the City Council‘s budget chair, Councilmember Dan Strauss, officially presents his “balancing package” – changes to the mayor’s budget – but the document went public tonight. We just finished reading through the 60-page document, and here are some West Seattle sightings:
DUWAMISH HEAD PARALLEL PARKING – Residents near Duwamish Head have long been agitating to get the angle parking at the viewpoint changed to parallel. And a proposal by District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka that made it into the “balancing package” would do it. Cost: $175,000. As we’ve reported before, SDOT has been somewhat resistant to the idea.
DELRIDGE/HOLLY ACCESS – Long before he ran for council, Saka raised concerns about the hardened median near the Refugee and Immigrant Families Center preschool near Delridge and Holly (as first reported by South Seattle Emerald). The “balancing package includes $2 million for “transit and roadway improvements on Delridge” in that area.
TURF FOR FAIRMOUNT PARK: Another Saka proposal, $1.5 million to convert the “baseball infield at Fairmount Park” to turf. (You might recall he ran a survey last month about turf-conversion sentiment earlier this year.)
Two other Saka proposals in the “balancing package” caught our eye:
RV STORAGE PROGRAM: Saka proposal to help RV residents transitioning to housing, Cost – $1.5 million.
FOOD DESERTS: Saka proposal requesting a report on city strategies to “attract food retailers to food deserts.”
So what’s next? Formal presentation tomorrow at 9:30 am, including overview info to contextualize the entire budget (preview that here). Then another round of comments and reviews, including the second and final major public hearing on the budget at 5 pm November 12. Here are other ways to comment.
Two election notes tonight, with one week to go until Election Day:
BALLOT-RETURN UPDATE: Have you sent your ballot in yet? Twelve percent more of Seattle’s voters have since we last mentioned it – 35.4 percent of ballots have been received. We’re even beating that here in the 34th Legislative District (which also includes Vashon and Maury Islands and White Center) – 36.5 percent of ballots are in, 56 percent of those by dropbox, 43 percent by USPS mail. Here again is the list of dropbox locations, with four in West Seattle.
HAVING AN ELECTION-NIGHT WATCH PARTY? With one week until voting ends and counting begins, it’s time to ask the big question: Who’s having a public watch party? Are community members welcome? What time? Several readers have asked, and we want to know for coverage-planning purposes, too. You can reply in a comment below, and/or email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
If you’re making your plan for Thursday night, add Henry‘s house! His mom Heather tells us why:
My 11-year-old son Henry is obsessed with Halloween, and has built an elaborate haunted house in our back yard.
You’re invited to our Haunted House! We will have a Spooky Porch with candy for littles, and Henry has really gone all out this year (with the help of his dad) to build a very scary Haunted House in the back yard, with very kind input from Chris, who hosts Meeds Manor, around the corner – come to both! We are on the corner of 47th & Hanford. For kids 10 or older – no snakes or spiders, but plenty of other scary stuff – and it will take 5 minutes (or less) to go through it. We welcome donations to the West Seattle Food Bank, and it’s free to enter. On Halloween, 6-9 PM!
We still have decoration pics to show tonight, too – stand by!
One of our newer WSB sponsors, The Downtown School, is having its next fall open house this Saturday. New sponsors get to tell you about themselves – here’s what The Downtown School wants you to know:
“I had never considered private school before and I feel like I hit the lottery for having found this school for my kids.” – Current parent
Founded in 2018 by Lakeside School, The Downtown School is an independent high school located near Seattle Center — one that is unlike any other in Seattle. With a maximum enrollment of 160 and a tuition half that of most local independent schools, The Downtown School offers students an applied education that empowers them to thrive at the intersection of academic rigor and learning with purpose. With the city as our campus, every day is an opportunity for students to explore their independence, to learn, and to lead. Whether visiting the U.S. District Court for their history class, building miniature theater sets for their English class, or directing one of our many student-led clubs, students at The Downtown School are innovative problem solvers, courageous and empathetic leaders, and curious thinkers.
This is not a one-size-fits-all education.
The central focus of The Downtown School is the academic experience. Our students are scholars. They think critically, ask questions, innovate, and iterate. Our curriculum promotes inquiry because we believe that grappling with complex problems teaches students to navigate life’s ambiguities and challenges from multiple perspectives. During the day, students take three 75-minute classes with two 45-minute community periods for advisory, clubs, assembly, and lunch. With an ending time of 2:15 p.m., The Downtown School allows our students the flexibility after school to pursue club, select, and public-school sports; music; sailing; dance; service work; volunteering; and robotics. Many of our students perform at the national level in these extracurricular pursuits.
Graduates from The Downtown School have pursued a range of paths after high school. Our graduates have been accepted into over 180 colleges and universities around the world, and alumni leave The Downtown School with a sense of agency, the courage to ask big questions, and the independence to explore the world freely and with confidence.
The Downtown School is at 160 John St., Seattle, 98109, reachable by phone at 206-717-2849, or by email at admissions@downtownschoolseattle.org. Saturday’s open house is 9 am-11 am.
Photo courtesy of Peter & Patra Mueller
Chalk up another hard-earned 2A Metro League sports championship for Chief Sealth IHS this year, as the girls’ soccer squad topped Franklin 2-1 last night at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex, to claim the league title.
The team is coached by Michael Rillo, who is in his 6th year at Sealth, and is pictured above along with the team’s seven seniors, who were honored for Senior Night.
Sealth moved to 9-3-4 for the season, and hosts Sultan next Monday, November 4, at 5 pm at SWAC.
Though the rain hasn’t brought the salmon into Fauntleroy Creek yet, they’ve been seen in Longfellow Creek. The photo above is from John McIntyre, who reports, “Salmon have returned to Longfellow Creek. You can see them at the bridge by West Seattle Fitness if you look south below the large fallen tree trunk that crosses the creek.” That’s the Yancy Street creek overlook, Bonus photo from Longfellow Creek, Manuel Valdes spotted this Great Blue Heron – possibly mulling meal plans:
Two items in West Seattle Crime Watch:
GRINNING MAIL THIEVES: Reader report via email:
(They) broke mailboxes today at 12:49 AM, 35th & Webster; we just had mail stolen two weeks ago, different vandal.
No report # yet.
PARK ATTACK: SPD reports an arrest in an attack in Lincoln Park early Sunday. A suspect was booked for investigation of robbery. The victim said she was walking in the park at about 12:29 am Sunday when someone “walked up and struck her in the head,” then grabbed her blanket, pillow, and mat, and fled. Police found both the suspect and the victim’s stolen items. The suspect was booked into jail.
Fall showers bring thoughts of spring flowers – and vegetable plants. Last year, the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle provided about 200 packs of seeds at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, to both schools and individual gardeners. Another round is planned next year, but first, the club is requesting your feedback:
Kiwanis will again offer free vegetable and flower seeds in 2025. Teachers and parents can help Kiwanis select the type and number of seeds to order by completing the survey here.
Kiwanis offers the Seed Project to boost family fun and joy, and to provide an educational experience with a hands-on activity! As the seeds grow into plants they can be transplanted to your garden.
Please add your contact information (particularly your email address), so that we can let you know when seeds will be available at the Farmers’ Market in the Spring of 2025. If you have any questions, please contact us via email:
Denis Sapiro, President, Kiwanis Club West Seattle
sapirokiwanis@gmail.comPlease complete the Google form before December 10, 2024
(Aspen tree’s ‘wise eye,’ photographed by Rosalie Miller)
Highlights for today/tonight, mostly from our Event Calendar, where you can get a preview days, weeks, even months ahead
FOOD/CLOTHING DRIVE: Second day of the dropoff drive at West Seattle High School (3000 California SW) to benefit students and families served by the Care Center, until 4 pm.
SOUTHWEST ARTIST SHOWCASE: Southwest Library (9010 35th SW) is open noon-8 pm today – drop in any time to see what’s on display for this year’s Southwest Artist Showcase.
POSTCARDS4DEMOCRACY: Long-distance advocacy via handwritten postcards sent to voters in other states, with just one week to go until Election Day – drop in 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), all welcome.
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Lunch meeting at noon at West Seattle Golf Course (4470 35th SW), Program: “Nancy Ward of the World Justice Project, focused on “action to advance the rule of law.”
CHESS CLUB: Tuesdays 1:30-3 pm, at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon). All levels welcome. (Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.)
HIGH-SCHOOL SOCCER: One home post-season girls-soccer match – West Seattle vs. Seattle Academy at Delridge Playfield (4501 Delridge Way SW), 3:30 pm.
DROP-IN WINE TASTING: 5-7 pm Tuesdays at Walter’s Wine Shop (4811 California SW) – $10 fee, $5 off with bottle purchases.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration on the corners at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t bring your own.
SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm tonight, play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
FREE TRACK RUN: All runners welcome! Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for this free weekly run at 6:15 pm.
MORBIDLY CURIOUS BOOK CLUB: The West Seattle group is reading “Goodbye Hello” by Adam Berry this month; you can buy it at Pegasus Books in The Junction. The meeting is 7 pm tonight at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW), upper bar area.
HOPE LUTHERAN KINDERGARTEN INFO NIGHT: 6:30 pm at Hope Lutheran School (42nd/Oregon).
‘TALES FROM THE HEARTH’: 6:30 pm online with Toastmasters 832 sharing “spooky tales, heartwarming stories, and festive fun as we celebrate the magic of fall together!” Our calendar listing explains how to RSVP for the link.
OPEN CHOIR REHEARSAL: As previewed here, the Boeing Employees Choir (which is actually open to all) is having an open rehearsal at 6:30 pm at American Legion Post 160 (3618 SW Alaska).
MAKE POTTERY: Weekly 6:30-9 pm “girls’ night” at pottery studio The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW), sign up in advance to work on your project(s).
BINGO AT THE SKYLARK: Play – free! Tuesday nights bring Belle of the Balls Bingo hosted by Cookie Couture, 7 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRIVIA X 4: Four trivia options for Tuesday – The Beer Junction (4711 California SW) has Sporcle Pub Quiz with David at 7 and 8 pm … 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free and hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia; 7 pm at Zeeks Pizza West Seattle (6459 California SW), hosted by Geeks Who Drink; 7:10 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).
Planning an event? Tell your West Seattle neighbors via our event calendar – just email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Chief Sealth IHS teacher Andy Tuller is a faculty adviser to the school’s new bike club, which is looking for donations:
(Photo courtesy Andy Tuller)
Bike Club’s purpose is to promote a love for cycling, foster a sense of community, and encourage healthy, active lifestyles among students. Our club provides a welcoming environment for all bike enthusiasts, from beginners to experienced riders, to connect, share knowledge, and embark on exciting cycling adventures. We are seeking donations from the West Seattle community of used bikes. We will be working in conjunction with a local bike non-profit to teach students to repair bikes. Students who participate in the club and who demonstrate proficiency in safe urban-riding skills can earn a bike to keep. If there are any West Seattle residents who have a bike that they no longer need, we request that they donate it to the club, and we will ensure that it finds a new home with a deserving student. West Seattlites can reach me at artuller@seattleschools.org and I can arrange a time to come pick up their donation. Thank you!
6:00 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Tuesday, October 29th, five days to go until Daylight Saving Time ends (early next Sunday, we “fall back” one hour, into Standard Time).
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
More showers expected, high in the mid-50s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:49 am, while sunset will be at 5:55 pm.
(Monday sunset, photographed by Jeff Helman)
ROAD WORK
*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project continues; half of the bridge remains closed, with one lane each way on the open side. Fairmount Avenue remains closed under the bridge.
*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project also continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon.
TRANSIT
Washington State Ferries today – Regular 2-boat service on the Triangle Route this morning; check here for last-minute changes.
Metro buses today – Regular schedule.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:
Low Bridge – Looking west:
1st Avenue South Bridge:
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
More Halloween decorations to showcase: A “parade of pumpkins” is how Janelle Otterholt describes this annual display at (corrected) 52nd/Dakota on Genesee Hill – dozens and dozens of jack o’lanterns.
She declares this “a viewing destination during the day or at night (when the pumpkins are lit).” And of course, what a sight it will be on Halloween this Thursday! Thanks to everyone who has sent photos and video – see what we’ve already shown by scrolling through this coverage archive.
ADDED TUESDAY: Theresa Arbow-O’Connor sent this nighttime view:
Police and fire are at the scene of a crash at Orchard and Dumar. A texter tells us a pedestrian signal is knocked over and a car is on the sidewalk. Police say a suspected DUI driver is involved. No word of injuries.
(WSB photo, March 2022: HDC’s Brad Padden, STS’s Craig Haveson, Atelier Drome’s Michelle Linden)
Two and a half years after what, we noted, was the first apartment-groundbreaking ceremony in West Seattle since 2014, Harbor Flats – immediately north of the bridge, at 3417 Harbor SW – is leasing, The joint venture by Housing Diversity Corporation and STS Construction Services (WSB sponsor) has its Temporary Certificate of Occupancy from the city. The development team says that’s “a significant milestone.”
(Photo courtesy Housing Diversity Corporation)
Harbor Flats has 115 units, and 15 are already leased. The unit-type mix is 91 one-bedrooms, 24 two-bedrooms. They’re meant to be “affordable to renters earning 64% – 105% of area median income,” according to the project team. The building has 56 offstreet parking spaces, including two for disabled people; as construction got under way, the team described a “puzzle parking” system. They say street improvements are the only construction components yet to be completed. You can take a look inside here.
P.S. The same team behind Harbor Flats is currently building Keystone at 9201 Delridge Way SW.
Story and photos by Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
If you’ve been to C&P Coffee (WSB sponsor) on a recent Tuesday or Saturday and found people hunched over piles of postcards, or perhaps tried to buy postcard stamps at the post office only to find them out, you’ve likely encountered Postcards 4 Democracy.
Writing postcards encouraging voters to participate in elections has existed for decades and became a regular event in West Seattle when, in 2017, organizers Kathryn Rawle and Naomi Rue began gathering local volunteers together at coffee shops with postcards, stamps, addresses, and messages to voters.
Kathy was a postcard writer in her previous home states of Massachusetts and Hawaii, and when she moved to West Seattle, she began writing again. As postcarding gained momentum nationwide, she knew she’d need more writers. She joined with Naomi to host writing parties to get others involved. These spun off into other writing parties, and the idea for regular, weekly public meetings for others to drop in on, emerged. Coffee shops provided the perfect gathering spaces, and C&P Coffee has been hosting Postcards 4 Democracy for nearly six years. C&P Owner Pete Moores says he wants to support people who care about the political process. “It’s good for the community, it’s good for business, and it’s good for the country.”
Even when the pandemic shut down the public gathering spaces, people continued to write from home or over Zoom. It was a way to connect with community, and engage in politics on a personal level, particularly for local and down-ballot races.
This engagement is made possible by numerous online resources that provide volunteers with local or national campaign information, addresses of lapsed voters, and vetted messaging to add to their own stamped postcards. Aside from the requirements for clear handwriting and sticking to the script, volunteers are allowed to get crafty and artistic with their cards, so long as the message is still clear.
Does it work? According to Kathy Rawle, studies have been conducted showing that lapsed voters who received postcards reminding them to re-enroll, did so at a higher rate than those who didn’t. It’s also demonstrated by the increasing numbers of candidates reaching out to postcarding organizations, asking for volunteers to write for them.
The community is responding. Before the pandemic, groups of 20-25 people were showing up to writing events. In recent weeks, groups of 50-60 people have been turning out to write at the regular postcard meetings. Ask writers why they participate, and you get a common answer, “It feels so good to be doing something.” Kim Lamont has been a Postcards 4 Democracy writer since its beginning. She says, “The people are supportive and encouraging and I like doing what I can. I appreciate the other writers and I love the conversation.”
Organizer Naomi Rue adds, “I like getting people involved with what happens in our future. We can inform, educate and create community while writing postcards.”
The final postcarding event for the November 5th election will take place tomorrow (Tuesday, October 29th) at C&P Coffee (5612 California SW) from 10:30 am-12:00 pm. Jonathan Rawle (husband of organizer Kathy) notes they will focus on campaigns with shorter mailing windows to ensure the postcards arrive on time.
Kathy Rawle says, “There is a recognition of how powerful yet fragile democracy is and we need to be a part of it. Come write postcards and when people are elected, contact them, let them know what’s important to you. Come to a group like ours, talk. Engage, engage, engage.”
A party celebrating the hard work of all the participants will be at C&P on Election Day, November 5th, from 10:30 am-12:00 pm.
For more information about Postcards 4 Democracy and other resources, check out their website at www.Postcards4Democracy.org.
(WSB file photo – West Seattle’s newest ballot box, at Morgan Junction Park)
In light of the ballot-dropbox arson attack in Southwest Washington, a commenter asked how dropboxes are protected here. We took that question to Halei Watkins, spokesperson for King County Elections:
The news out of Southwest Washington about the fire at their drop box has been so sad. It’s heartbreaking to see those ballots burnt and the box damaged.
I am glad to report we have not seen similar attempts on our drop boxes here in King County. So far, it’s been smooth sailing out at drop boxes in our neck of the woods.
Every official ballot drop box here in King County is emptied at least once a day, including on weekends. Now that we’re so close to Election Day, our pick-ups become more frequent so we’ll have eyes on the boxes even more frequently. Our ballot collection teams go out in teams of two and fully inspect each box. Those folks can take photos and enter notes and are trained to report anything suspicious to both supervisors and law enforcement.
Our drop boxes are equipped with fire stops to help put out anything that could cause burning. They’re constructed of quarter-inch thick steel and bolted into concrete, have no pry points, multiple locking mechanisms, and are equipped with tamper evident seals. On Election Day, we’ll have both staff and security out at drop boxes across the county to answer questions for voters and be on hand in case a need arises.
We work closely with law enforcement, from our local police departments to the FBI, and our local law enforcement partners are on high alert for anything suspicious when it comes to voting, whether that’s potential intimidation or some other concerning action at a drop box or Vote Center.
If a voter ever feels intimidated at a drop box, or ever encounters something that looks suspicious or out of place, they should call 911. We train our staff, at the advice of law enforcement, to call 911 immediately if there is something suspicious or potentially dangerous in any way. Staff and voter safety are our top priority.
Dropboxes will be open until exactly 8 pm on Election Night, Tuesday, November 5; West Seattle has four – here’s where to find them.
The new tenant for the former Alki Starbucks space has uncloaked. Jonathan Stebbins says he’s opening Alki Coffee Co. there – and a Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream scoop shop, too. He’s hoping to open in April – in time for the next beach season – and doing lots of remodeling right now. The new proprietor (a West Seattle resident) says, “My hope is to create a welcoming space that serves the neighborhood and honors the sense of community that makes West Seattle so special.” Roughly 2/3 coffee, 1/3 ice cream is how the space will be split, he tells WSB. Starbucks closed in the space back in August, after a quarter-century. Also of note – West Seattle had a Ben and Jerry’s in The Junction more than 20 years ago, under different ownership; Stebbins is a franchisee on the Eastside, where he has a Zeeks Pizza location too. More details on the Alki Coffee plan when we get them!
P.S. We asked the all-important question for an independent coffee shop – who’s your roaster? Answer: “We are partnering with Local Goods Orcas Roast. We will be working with Rob Kirby over there to create a couple blends specific to Alki Coffee Co.”
| 28 COMMENTS