West Seattle, Washington
01 Monday
8:09 PM: Here are first results for the big city levy on tonight’s ballot – the Families, Education, Preschool, Promise levy, a combination and expansion of two expiring levies:
Yes – 164,083 – 68.5%
No – 75,299 – 31.5%
10:26 PM: Mayor Jenny Durkan has thanked voters for supporting the plan; here’s her statement. In part, the levy passage fulfills a commitment she made in West Seattle on her second day in office (WSB coverage here) – promising to expand what has been the 13th Year Promise program, one year of “free” tuition at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) for graduates from some Seattle public high schools.
(WSB photo, November 2017 at South Seattle College)
And as we wrote this, we learned the mayor will be back at SSC tomorrow morning – with Seattle Colleges Chancellor Shouan Pan and Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Denise Juneau – to celebrate the levy’s passage. We’ll be there.
Four statewide initiatives on tonight’s ballot – each is linked to its results page on the Secretary of State website, and the results are coming in:
INITIATIVE 1631 (pollution)
INITIATIVE 1634 (prohibiting some beverage/food taxation)
INITIATIVE 1639 (guns)
INITIATIVE 940 (policing)
5:21 PM: That’s the view from West Seattle as Election Day gives way to Election Night. Before the first local/state returns come in after 8 pm, we’ll have some running coverage of the final hours of voting … and campaigning.
We start with the lone local open seat on the ballot. Above, supporters of 34th District State Senate candidate Joe Nguyen were sign-waving on the Andover overpass before sunset; this morning, candidate Shannon Braddock‘s supporters, including (below left) Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon and County Executive Dow Constantine, were sign-waving a bit further west, at 35th/Fauntleroy:
As noted in our morning highlight list, the candidates are due at Election Night parties in a few hours. Meantime, you have a bit over two and a half hours to vote – here’s the info you need if you haven’t done that yet; we’ll be off to check the scene at the ballot dropboxes in a bit.
6:29 PM: First, a stop at Sound & Fog, which has long been planning an election-night watching event:
Proprietor Justin is projecting election coverage onto one of his shop’s walls, and as our photo shows, more than a few patrons have their own screens. You can stop in any time before 9 pm. Next, we hopped over to the new King County Elections ballot dropbox in The Junction:
An elections staffer who’s here to help said they’ve been getting a steady stream in the past hour or so. There are two special 5-minute parking spots in the lot (behind KeyBank on the south side of SW Alaska west of California) for voters, though some are hopping out of their cars on SW Alaska instead. You can drop your ballot in a county box until 8 pm (here’s the full countywide list – we’re headed next to West Seattle’s other dropbox, in High Point).
6:54 PM: At High Point with a little over an hour to go:
Here, a sheriff’s deputy as well as KC Elections workers. And portable lighting, which we noticed during an afternoon stop:
This box is next to the library (3411 SW Raymond) parking lot but you can also pull up curbside on eastbound Raymond. The full list of dropboxes countywide is here. After the voting ends at 8 pm, the county is expected to release its first and only round of election-night results around 8:15 pm, and we will have separate stories on those.
7:55 PM: Just awaiting the returns. One more ballot-box photo from about an hour ago:
The crew at High Point really wanted to be sure everyone was aware of the time!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“You have all officially made it through two levels of screening.”
That was the welcome last night for Sound Transit‘s West Seattle-Ballard light rail Stakeholder Advisory Group members at their last scheduled meeting of the year.
The big headline from this meeting: The first look at three “end-to-end” route possibilities drafted by ST staff. Until now, potential routing/station locations have been discussed segment by segment. The three were crafted from feedback in the first two levels of screening, which are recapped in the meeting’s full slide deck (PDF). ST’s Cathal Ridge went through that recap last night, noting major concerns voiced during that phase – including, for West Seattle, an interest in ensuring the Delridge station is a good transfer point between bus and light rail, that a location south of Andover be considered for it, and also that the Junction station be oriented north-south, possibly on 42nd or 44th. Here’s the list of what the three are being called for now, followed by maps and highlights of each:
It’s Election Day! So we’re starting the highlights for today/tonight with the election-related list:
(Photo courtesy Taproot School, whose students were out by the Fauntleroy ferry dock)
VOTE! If you haven’t done it yet, here’s the info you need – where, when, how.
WATCH PARTIES: Want to watch the national (and then local/regional) results? Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW) welcomes you, 4-10 pm; Sound and Fog (4735 40th SW) welcomes you, 5-9 pm.
CANDIDATES’ PARTIES: Want to hang out with the 34th District State Senate candidate of your choice? Shannon Braddock and supporters will be in West Seattle, at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW); Joe Nguyen and supporters will be in White Center, at Drunky’s Two Shoes BBQ (9655 16th SW).
Now, a few non-election highlights:
SANISLO ELEMENTARY PTA: 6 pm meeting in the school library. All welcome! Door prizes! (1812 SW Myrtle)
WESTWOOD-ROXHILL-ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY COALITION: 6:15 pm at Southwest Library, or arrive early! The agenda:
6 pm: Light refreshments/Room setup
6:15 pm: Community Introductions
Lt Steve Strand – SPD: Crime stats, discussion of Community Concerns
Community Announcements
WWRHAH’s focus & goals for 2019?
Community Speakers for 2019?
Open Floor for other items
(9010 35th SW)
STATE SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS: As previewed here last night, the West Seattle High School girls’ soccer team is playing in the state championships! They’re visiting Gig Harbor High School at 7 pm. (14105 Purdy Dr. NW, Gig Harbor)
MEDITATE! If you need to re-center after the national results, and/or can’t stand the suspense waiting for state/local results, check out Tuesday night meditation at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 7 pm. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
As noted, we’re working on this year’s West Seattle Holiday Guide, with the first big weekend of the season just days away, including several bazaars. One December event, however, is still looking for vendors. The announcement:
We’re looking for vendors of any type to join us for a Holiday Bazaar hosted by The Community School of West Seattle, Saturday, December 1st from 12-4 pm.
If interested, please email office@cswsplay.org for more information and to nab a spot!
CSWS is at 22nd/Roxbury.
P.S. While we work on the Holiday Guide, here are all the holiday listings that are already in our regular calendar (more added last night and more to come)
Snow season is here, as the live WSDOT camera from Stevens Pass verifies. West Seattle High School students want to make sure they can make a “ski bus” happen this winter, so they asked if we would post this to reach more parents:
West Seattle High School parents! We will be joining other high schools this year in finally running a Friday night ski bus! The bus will run for 6 weeks starting Jan 11th. We will be holding an informational meeting in the WSHS library this coming Thursday, Nov 8th, from 6:30-8(ish). We’re a bit behind on the bandwagon, as other schools have already closed registration. If you have any interest, please attend the meeting, as there’s so much to pass along & we’ll need to fast-track registration! This is offered through a non-profit organization & scholarships are available.
If you can not attend the meeting & have any questions, please contact Dany Tomlinson at fridaynightskibus@gmail.com or go to skimohan.com & search for West Seattle
Let it snow!!
Direct link is here.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:59 AM: Good morning! No traffic incidents or transit alerts so far in or from West Seattle.
Haven’t voted yet? You’re far from alone. Here are three things you might find helpful to know about last-minute … last-day! .. voting:
BY U.S. POSTAL SERVICE MAIL: We asked USPS regional spokesperson Ernie Swanson what voters need to know about :
If ballots are put into the mail early Tuesday (preferably by noon) they should get that day’s postmark. (Also), voters need to pay attention to the times on collection boxes for pick-ups. Ballots can be handed across the counter at postal retail units.
We drove up to the outdoor boxes at both West Seattle post offices to check the last pickup times. Junction (4410 California SW): 5 pm. Westwood Village (2721 SW Trenton): 6 pm.
BY KING COUNTY ELECTIONS DROPBOX: Remember, West Seattle has two now, and they’re ready for your ballot until 8 pm Tuesday. Sharp! They’re in The Junction (south side of SW Alaska between California and 44th) and in High Point (south side of SW Raymond, east of 35th, next to the library). Both have specially designated very-short-term parking for ballot dropoff. If you’re in south West Seattle, the dropbox on the east side of the White Center Library (1409 SW 107th) might be closer. If you are taking your ballot to work off-peninsula and want to know where to drop it off at lunchtime or at some other point before 8 pm, here’s the full countywide list.
CAN’T FIND YOUR BALLOT OR DIDN’T GET ONE? Here’s how to fix that!
P.S. Election Night parties will be part of our daily highlight list Tuesday morning – if your establishment or organization is having something public, please let us know ASAP!
We photographed the West Seattle High School girls’ soccer team at Hiawatha tonight right after a practice session with more at stake than usual – tomorrow (Tuesday), they travel south to face Gig Harbor High School in the opening round of the state 3A tournament! Team captains Emma Foulk and Ally Veenhuizen talked with WSB’s Patrick Sand:
If you can get to Gig Harbor, the team could use all the cheering they can get as they face the tournament’s #1 seed. Game time for head coach Todd Veenhuizen‘s Wildcats is 7 pm at Roy Anderson Field, 14105 Purdy Dr. NW in Gig Harbor (map).
We received e-mail asking us to look into the status of a situation north of The Junction that’s been the topic of a discussion in the WSB Forums and was also the subject of a letter sent home to Holy Rosary School families – a man reported to be harassing/threatening people in the area. We asked Southwest Precinct operations commander Lt. Steve Strand for an update. He says police are well aware of the situation and that the man “suffers from mental health issues and has family that lives close by.” Long ago, he was “trespassed” – ordered to stay away from, or face charges – from the school and church property, but he “was recently out there yelling profanities and causing fear in the area. The school took precautions and warned the students, parents, and staff about the situation.” Last week, the man was arrested for criminal trespass. He was referred to the Crisis Solutions Center, Lt. Strand says, but, he adds, the man “walked away prior to treatment. He has not been seen back in the area. We went out to the school earlier today and they have not seen or heard from him.”
Usually we point lost/found non-pet listings to their own special WSB section – but we’ll showcase the occasional unusual lost/found item on the front page, like this one. Erin from Brace Point e-mailed: “We lost a buoy and wondering if you could post this picture … contact 206-932-0326 if someone finds it.”
The Experimac store in north Morgan Junction, local franchise of a national chain, has closed after a year and a half. The note on the door announcing the shutdown says customers with warranties should contact the warranty company directly. (Thanks to the folks next door at West Seattle Coworking [WSB sponsor] for the tip.)
While the City Council has been reviewing, and proposing changes to, the mayor’s budget plan, we’ve noted some West Seattle possibilities. Wednesday, we’ll know which if any of them made it into the council’s “balancing package” to be presented by Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, who’s leading the budget process this year. West Seattle/South Park Councilmember Lisa Herbold provided progress reports in her newest weekly update.
(Colman Pool, photographed last year by Long Bach Nguyen)
Among them are 10 she labels as District 1 priorities that were introduced last week, including a few we’ve mentioned here – such as 35th SW paving, the Highland Park Way/Holden roundabout, and extra operating days for Colman Pool (now proposed as 4 extra weekends). If you feel strongly about any of these proposals – or anything else that’s under consideration in the budget (or that you feel should be) – now’s a good time to send feedback via council@seattle.gov. The budget changes in the next week-plus will be fast and furious, with a final vote the Monday before Thanksgiving.
Just got word from Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail that orcas are in the area again – last reported passing Bainbridge Island’s Eagle Harbor, southbound. She’ll be at Constellation Park south of Alki Point if you are looking for expert guidance in looking for them from shore.
(WSB photo from 2015 Grand Parade)
Got a kid, kindergartener through 8th grader, who might be interested in what it’s like to be on a cheer squad? Get a preview with the upcoming West Seattle High School Mini Cheer Camp! Today is your optimal day to register – the announcement explains why:
The WSHS Cheerleaders will be holding a Mini Cheer Camp Saturday, November 17, 2018 in the West Seattle High School Gym from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.
K-8th grade kids will have a great time learning fun cheers and making crafts with the Westside cheerleaders. Campers will receive a T-shirt and official team hair bow, picture of themselves with the cheerleaders, AND will perform as an honorary West Seattle Cheerleader at an upcoming home basketball game!
8th Graders Welcomed. Get help for our 2019-2020 Try-Outs
The cost of this camp is $60. Registration paperwork and payment are due by November 5, 2018 to be guaranteed a T-shirt the day of camp. Space is limited, so register early to ensure your spot.
Contact Nadine Nguyen at wshsminicheercamp@gmail.com (for registration/questions).
Thanks to Eddie for the photo – local artist Desmond Hansen is creating a mural at Canna Culture, which is about to celebrate its grand opening at 5435 California SW. Canna Culture is sibling to Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor), originally located in that storefront; when we reported on Canna WS’s move across the street to 5440 California SW, we noted that proprietor Maryam Mirnateghi planned to reopen the original storefront with cannabis-related merchandise, and now it’s ready to go. Here’s the announcement of Saturday’s grand opening:
Canna West Seattle – a retail cannabis store that serves cannabis enthusiasts, newcomers, tourists, and those seeking the benefits of CBD – is celebrating the grand opening of its Canna Culture shop, located across the street from its retail cannabis store, at 5435 California Avenue SW.
The ‘Founding Celebration’ takes place on Saturday, November 10, from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. The event is open to the public and features food from local vendors, a live painting session, complimentary tarot card readings, high-end cannabis culture prizes, product demonstrations, CBD education, and the opportunity to be part of the Canna community.
“I’m a longtime West Seattle resident and this community means so much to me,” says Canna West Seattle owner Maryam Mirnateghi. “My vision here was simple. I wanted to create a brand synonymous with trust, which is why we are extending it to include our lifestyle boutique, Canna Culture. It is also why we are always hyper-focused on hiring, nurturing and educating a powerful team that can properly advise all of our customers.”
Canna West Seattle was recently recognized by Dope Magazine for owning the state of Washington’s ‘Best Cannabis Store Staff’, ‘Best Male Budtender,’ Amir Nazem, and ‘Best Female Budtender,’ Ariana Ramirez. The Canna Culture shop is designed to provide supplemental cannabis-related products to cannabis users. Items like topical creams, natural cosmetics, wellness supplements, hemp clothing, candles, date night accoutrements are destined to pique the interest of seasoned cannabis users and newcomers alike. Canna Culture will also feature high-quality glass and artwork crafted by local makers and artisans.
Who is invited to the celebration? Anyone (21+) in Seattle looking for an eventful and educational afternoon hosted by the award-winning staff from Canna West Seattle, and sponsored by Zeeks Pizza.
The “live painting” mentioned in the announcement will include Hansen completing the mural, weather permitting, as well as, we’re told, “Chris Kelleher (one of our staff members– that also happens to be a well-known live artist) doing a live painting … this will be a more detailed canvas painting that will be featured in the shop.”
(Sunday evening sunset photo by Eugene Lee)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE: If you can donate blood, the Bloodmobile is at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) today, 10:30 am-4:30 pm by the clock tower. More info here. (6000 16th SW)
LIBRARY LAB – CODING WITH COLOR: Stop by the Delridge Library 4-7 pm for this activity! “Program an Ozobot Bit by drawing lines and color segments. Make your own maze or game and put the Ozobot to work!” (5423 Delridge Way SW)
OPEN HOUSE AT A CHILD BECOMES PRESCHOOL: 6:30-8 pm, come find out more about A Child Becomes (WSB sponsor):
Drop by at any time during the Open House to visit our classrooms, talk with our teachers and the school’s director. We can answer your questions about our curriculum and our admissions process. Children are welcome!
Educating preschoolers in three classrooms:
Caterpillar: ages 2 ½ – 3
Butterfly: ages 3 – 4
Sunbeam: ages 4 – 5Enter our school from behind the Admiral UCC church and through the play yard.
(4320 SW Hill)
WEST SEATTLE QUILTERS: 7 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle, all welcome to come talk about quilting and join in community projects. (4217 SW Oregon)
(Sunday evening sunset photo by David Hutchinson)
LOOK AHEAD … via our complete calendar, which is updated often, so if you have something to add, westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Even though we’re just two months into this school year, it’ll be time for decisions soon about next school year. For eighth-graders and their families looking ahead to high school next year, here’s an invitation:
This Thursday night (November 8th), 6:30-8 pm, Chief Sealth International High School invites prospective students and their families to visit. This “showcase” night is a chance to meet the staff and learn about the programs. The school’s at 2600 SW Thistle.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:06 AM: Good morning. No incidents or transit alerts so far in/from West Seattle.
After six months of campaigning, our area’s hottest race has less than two days to go. We caught up today with both candidates for the open 34th District State Senate seat.
Shannon Braddock and supporters gathered at Grand Central Bakery in Burien at midday before setting out for more door-to-door campaigning. Among her volunteers – her dad Dennis Braddock:
We asked Braddock for her final pitch, in a minute or less, on why an undecided voter should choose her for the job:
A few hours later, Joe Nguyen and supporters gathered at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) in West Seattle:
Joining him in campaign canvassing today, 7th Congressional District U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal:
(She too is on Tuesday’s ballot, running for re-election vs. Republican Craig Keller.) And we also asked Nguyen for his final pitch:
You can browse our West Seattle Politics archive for past coverage, dating back to April, when both announced their candidacy for the 34th Legislative District State Senate seat from which Sen. Sharon Nelson is retiring. Nguyen and Braddock, both West Seattle residents, were the top two finishers in the August primary field of 11. The district includes White Center and other parts of unincorporated North Highline as well as Vashon and Maury Islands and part of Burien. 8 pm Tuesday (November 6th) is when the voting ends and the counting begins; here’s how to get your ballot in.
Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
POSSIBLE GUNFIRE: Police were investigating reports of possible gunfire off Harbor Avenue SW this past hour. The twist this time, per radio communication: It might be offshore. One texter, meantime, tells us they heard it in the Harbor/Fairmount area. No resolution to this yet, so far as we’ve heard, but we’re mentioning it in case you were wondering.
ADMIRAL-AREA PROWLER/PEEPER: Just received via e-mail from an Admiral-area resident:
We caught a man peeping in our dining room windows around 1 pm this afternoon. Our house is very close to our neighbors, he was bold to walk in such close quarters. Description: Caucasian male, 30s-40s, app. 6′ 2″, large beard, wearing a fluorescent yellow work jacket, driving a Ford F-350 truck. Police were called (and they had another call on the same man from the same neighborhood), police report filed and photo shared with SPD. Photo of truck below, hard to make out the plates, but it’s dark green or black with a unique rack on top.
We will add the police report # when we get it. (Update: It’s 18-413587.)
Was it the Seahawks? Was it the sunshine? Or was it the lack of controversy? Not much of a turnout today for the monthly Camp Second Chance Community Advisory Committee meeting, which as a result ran just half an hour. Three committee members – chair Willow Fulton, Cinda Stenger, Judi Carr – plus C2C site coordinator Eric Davis, and one newly assigned rep from the city Human Services Department, Nissa Limbach.
CAMP STATUS UPDATE: Davis provided the latest toplines:
-46 residents (down two from last month, and they could take in two more people, Davis said)
-Now up to 36 tiny houses, 8 more to be completed, “only 11 tents left” (the people in those tents will move into the tiny houses when they’re ready)
-Asked if anyone had moved into permanent housing this month, Davis said 1 person left recently to move back with family members with whom he had reconnected – otherwise, he said, case manager Richard Horne is frustrated by the shortage of affordable housing
SINCE THE CLEANUP: Both Fulton – an area resident – and Davis said that the recently cleared unsanctioned encampment on the east side of Myers Way does not appear to have returned, and area issues have lessened. Some illegal dumping, but “pretty quiet overall,” said Fulton. Carr noted that a vehicle “with a cooler on top of it” has been at the end of the driveway at Arrowhead Gardens (where she lives, and where the CAC meets) and she wonders if someone’s camping in it. Committee discussion ensued regarding reporting it if it’s been there longer than 72 hours.
ALKI UCC: Stenger says the on-site building of donation-funded tiny houses will be on hold once five current platforms/houses are done because they need someplace to safely build the rest that’s out of the rain. Got about 1,000 feet of space? Secure so tools and materials can be left there? Can you spare it for a month or two? Contact the church. One more note: The church plans a holiday concert December 16th, and proceeds will benefit C2C and the West Seattle Helpline.
ABOUT THE FUTURE: No members of the public for comment/questions, so we asked the city rep Limbach one: The second sanctioned year for the camp expires in less than half a year. So far, that’s the limit by city law. One other encampment whose second year expires in April has already been announced as destined for closure. When will the process of determining this camp’s future begin? Reply: The city is “discussing options” and also realizing that this site has shortcomings – the absence of water and sewer service, for example. But she said she’d look into where things stand.
NEXT MEETING: December 2nd, 2 pm, community room at Arrowhead Gardens (9200 2nd SW).
(Edited Monday morning to add name of city’s rep)
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