November 2012

It was a good night for Democrats in Washington. The screams were deafening.

At the Westin Hotel Grand Ballroom, where the Washington State Democrats hosted their election night watch party, hundreds of enthusiastic citizens packed out the large venue. For many, the results seemed almost unbelievable.

President Barack Obama was officially re-elected. Democrat Jay Inslee pulled ahead in the gubernatorial race and is expected to win. Democrat Bob Ferguson beat out Republican Reagan Dunn in the bloody Attorney General race. Democrat Peter Goldmark put a whooping on Republican Clint Didier, whose credential was largely being a former NFL player, in the race for Public Land Commissionner. Democrat Suzan DelBene sprinted ahead of Republican John Koster in the race for the 1st Congressional District. And incumbent U.S. Congress Representatives Maria Cantwell and Jim McDermott handily won their re-election.

"There was a trend: everyone of those numbers began with five. And with the Republicans, everyone of those numbers began with a 4," said Dwight Pelz, chair of the Washington State Democrats. "And as Clinton said, math matters."

The Umpqua Bank that opened on NW Market St last December has been on my “future column” list since I learned they hosted a Salsa dance and a poetry reading. My general interest is always piqued by what seems like unlikely partnerships. I wanted to see if their purported non-traditional approach to banking went any deeper than marketing ploy.

My visit to Umpqua Bank began in a straightforward fashion, though not every bank immediately offers you their own blend of coffee (or tea). The gentlemen behind the counter resembled tellers, albeit in what they call a “store” versus a bank. On departing an hour later I presented an idea for what could truly set them apart in the banking world, and perhaps even fill a community need.

I met Candace Cothran at a Ballard Chamber meeting a few weeks back. Her nametag read Store Manager. I thanked her for the burlap sack of scented pine cones left on Ballard doorsteps before the holidays last year and said I’d been intrigued by their hosting a poetry reading last April. “Have you been in?” she asked. “We need to get you in.”

UPDATE: 5:45 PM, Nov. 7

Throughout the evening of Nov. 6 and into the rest of the week we’ll be watching election returns and posting the latest results here. Any measures or candidates not covered here can also be found at the King County Elections website.

BALLOT MEASURES
*Descriptions on measures from King County Elections

Seattle
General Obligation Bonds - $290,000,000 (Alaskan Way Seawall)

The City Council of the City of Seattle, Washington, passed Ordinance No. 123922, concerning funding for the Alaskan Way seawall and associated infrastructure.

This proposition would address public safety risks and seismic hazards by authorizing the City to incur costs related to the design, construction, renovation, improvement and replacement of the Alaskan Way seawall and associated public facilities and infrastructure, including City-owned waterfront piers; issue no more than $290,000,000 of general obligation bonds maturing within 30 years; and levy annual excess property taxes to repay the bonds, all as provided in Ordinance No. 123922.

Approved
Votes: 172,230

Vote margins are holding steady as annexation to Burien is being soundly rejected by North Highline voters while Normandy Park voters are overwhelmingly approving raising their property tax rate to $1.60 per $1,000 of assessed value in updated Saturday night, Nov. 10 results.

King County Elections is reporting 1,766 (35.18 percent) yes votes for annexation and 3,54 (64.82 percent) no votes.

For Normandy Park Proposition 1, there were 2,371 (65.84 percent) yes votes and 1,230 (34.16 percent) no votes.

Election results will be updated by 4:30 p.m. each weekday until the election is certified on Nov. 27.

The construction of a new set of playground equipment at Roxhill Park in West Seattle began as an echo of efforts that had come before. Community powered since the park was established in 1955 a parks levy provided the money but it was the responsibility of volunteers and local business working with Seattle Parks to make it a reality.

Dozens of volunteers showed up and with the help of local organizations brought their skills and dedication to the task. Some had experience but many just brought their enthusiasm and learned how to use power tools, to build a playground for kids that will last. Some kept working late into the night in early November. The result is a castle themed play area with multiple levels, designed by the same company, Leathers and Associates, that created the the playground gear in 1995.

The work took four days to assemble the pieces though the park won't be complete until January when the adjacent skatepark is also scheduled to be complete. That work is being done by Grindline Skateparks.

Seattle Police are investigating West Seattleite Jeremy Peck’s death as a homicide, and have added his case information to their Catch a Killer website dedicated to unsolved homicides in the city.

SPD Det. Renee Witt confirmed the case is now considered a homicide.

The change was announced on Nov. 6. Prior to the announcement, Peck’s death was classified as a suspicious death by Seattle Police. He disappeared after a night out with friends on Dec. 24, 2010 in West Seattle, and his body was discovered on the shores of Bainbridge Island on Jan. 19, 2011.

According to the Catch a Killer website, “The Seattle Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit initially began investigating Peck’s disappearance, but as detectives learned more about Peck’s death, they turned the case over to the Homicide Unit.”

In a follow-up conversation, SPD declined to release any additional information that led to a transfer to the homicide unit.

UPDATE 6:40pm Wednesday Nov. 7

BALLOT MEASURES
*Descriptions on measures from King County Elections

Seattle
General Obligation Bonds - $290,000,000 (Alaskan Way Seawall)

The City Council of the City of Seattle, Washington, passed Ordinance No. 123922, concerning funding for the Alaskan Way seawall and associated infrastructure.

This proposition would address public safety risks and seismic hazards by authorizing the City to incur costs related to the design, construction, renovation, improvement and replacement of the Alaskan Way seawall and associated public facilities and infrastructure, including City-owned waterfront piers; issue no more than $290,000,000 of general obligation bonds maturing within 30 years; and levy annual excess property taxes to repay the bonds, all as provided in Ordinance No. 123922.

Approved
Votes 152,234 Percent 76.9
Rejected
Votes 45,726 Percent 23.09

King County
Proposed Annexation to the City of Burien
Shall that area of unincorporated King County known as the North Highline Area “Y” Annexation Area as legally described in City of Burien Resolution No. 330 be annexed to the City of Burien?

For annexation

You thought Ballard Bridge lane closures were done with. You thought wrong.

The northbound, right lane on Ballad Bridge will be closed starting tomorrow, Nov. 7th, to Friday, Nov. 9, and Nov. 13-14. It will be closed 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

Drivers should expect congestion, especially following bridge openings for marine traffic.

Pedestrians need not worry. Walkways will remain open.

The closure is for crews to install fiber optic cable.

Plan accordingly.

Update for Nov. 29
The King County Sheriff's Office is still looking for witnesses in a Nov. 6 incident where a 56-year-old Burien woman was found on S.W. 152nd St. around 5:30 p.m. with a life-threatening head injury.

According to Sgt. Cindi West with KCSO, "The woman was transported the night of the accident to Harborview in critical condition. She remains in Harborview and has been upgraded to serious condition."

West said the woman has been unable to talk to detectives about what happened at this point.

If you have information please call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206)296-3311 Reference case #12-258013

Here is more background information from KCSO:

On Monday, November 6th around 5:30 PM police responded to a 911 call at SW152nd St near 4 Ave SW to a report of a woman lying in the roadway bleeding from the head. Burien Police arrived and started CPR on the woman when they found she was not breathing.

Have a really big yacht you've been meaning to take out on a spin in the next couple of weeks? Might have to think again.

The large lock at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks will close to all marine traffic from 9 a.m., Nov. 6 to 5 p.m., Nov. 20 for their annual maintenence.

To serve most peoples' purposes -- barring a Death Star-sized yacht, of course -- the small lock will still be available to vessels less than 115 in length and 26 feet in width throughout the maintenence period.

The BNSF Railway will also make structural upgrades to the Ballard railroad bridge, which crosses the Ship Canal west of the Locks. This means that high mast vessels will not be able to pass the bridge during its maintentence. The railway closure will be from 7 a.m., Nov. 7 to 5 p.m., Nov. 18.

For more information and further updates, visit the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks' official website.

Follow Ballard News-Tribune on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ballardnewstrib

And Twitter at https://twitter.com/ballardnewstrib