August 2020

Burien cancels three popular events, converts two more to virtual due to pandemic

In compliance with Washington State’s “Safe Start” plan, the following 2020 events have been canceled or converted into virtual events in the City of Burien:

  • Arts-a-Glow (virtual event – details to be announced)
  • Día de los Muertos (virtual event – details to be announced)
  • Boulevard Park Block Party (canceled)
  • B-Fit Challenge and Walk for Women (canceled)
  • B-Town Fiesta (canceled)

The City of Burien and Discover Burien are looking for ways to transform these events into at-home celebrations or virtual events. The Día de los Muertos celebration and Arts-A-Glow event are being restructured to include art displays and activities community members can participate in at home. Discover Burien has launched a series of drive-in movies on private property throughout Burien.

Category

Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best resigns after 28 years with the department

After working for the Seattle Police Department for 28 years Carmen Best announced she will resign effective Sept. 2. This follows the historic vote by the Seattle City Council on Monday. She was the first Black police chief in the city's history. She became chief of police on Aug. 13, 2018.

Here's the the text of the letter she wrote to her department:

"To the Women and Men of the Seattle Police Department –    

"I wanted to notify you that I will be retiring from the Seattle Police Department, effective September 2nd, 2020. I wanted you to hear this from me, but some media have reached this conclusion on their own.   

"This was a difficult decision for me, but when it’s time, it’s time.  

"I want to thank Mayor Durkan for her continuous support through good times and tough times.

Category

Seattle City Council votes to cut Police budget; Creates new department of Community Safety

In a widely expected move the Seattle City Council last week approved a series of legislative amendments aimed at cutting the police department budget, including eliminating funding for 100 officers through layoffs and attrition. The vote did not take place until after 5pm after a lengthy day of debate in a 7-1 vote with only Kashama Sawant voting no, based on her belief that the legislation did not go far enough.

The legislation reflects $3 million in cuts for Seattle police this year. Monies being reallocated include funds going to community services. A new department of community safety and violence prevention will be created.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best previously spoke out against the budget changes. Even though both Best and Durkan identified $76 million in cuts to the 2021 budget. For the 2020 budget, they've identified $20 million which can be cut an amount reflecting 10% of the remaining budget. 

Category

Economic forecast highlights continued City revenue declining through 2021; $337 million less 
Revenue projections now estimate additional unfunded budget shortfall of $26 million for 2020

information from the City of Seattle

The City Budget Office today released their latest economic forecasts and revenue projections for Seattle, which showed an additional reduction to the 2020 General Fund revenue by $26.0 million (-2.1%) relative to the June forecast and is now projecting a total 2020 General Fund revenues of $1.19 billion, down from the adopted 2020 budget of $1.5 billion.

Category

Registration now open for National Nordic Museum’s Virtual Nordic Genealogy Conference
Participants can delve into family history online

information from the National Nordic Museum

The National Nordic Museum's Virtual Nordic Genealogy Conference opens in September. The first genealogy conference ever offered by the Museum, it provides resources about family history and lineage to a wide global audience with internationally-renowned experts. Participants can choose from variety of live broadcasts and pre-recorded courses designed to be taken at their own pace. Registration is now open at nordicmuseum.org/genealogyconference.

“Almost from the beginning, the Museum has provided resources to those interested in Nordic genealogy,” said Executive Director and CEO Eric Nelson.

Category

LETTER: I appreciate you

To the editor:

   I always enjoy your editorial columns (and those written by Tim, as well).  But reading yours today, August 6th, as I'm watching MSNBC about the latest stupid antics of Mr. Trump, what you wrote was particularly enjoyable -- "you have the right to be stupid.  That may not be fixable".   SO TRUE, of so many of our government's so-called leaders, and their followers. However, that stupidity is indirectly causing deaths of too many innocent US citizens and DOES need to be fixed!

Thanks for calling it like it is!  I appreciate you!

Best regards,

Barbara Reamer  (70-year Burien resident)

Burien Actors Theatre Board Member

Category

Beaten, pepper sprayed, arrested

By Jean Godden

Reporting -- the only job I ever wanted growing up -- is suddenly a hazardous occupation. While authoritarian regimes like Putin's Russia have long targeted journalists, labeling them "foreign agents," jailing them, disappearing them and allegedly killing them. But until now reporters and photographers -- protected under the First Amendment -- were free to do their jobs in this country.

Suddenly things have changed. The sad fact is that, day by day, the job of reporting is growing more dangerous. Reporters are being beaten, teargassed, pepper sprayed and arrested by police in numbers never before documented in the United States.

Category

Ken's View: You pay the tab,  many others ride free

By Ken Robinson

Managing Editor

Wednesday I was social distancing at a friend’s place, enjoying afternoon sun on his deck. The subject of car tabs came up.

He owns a retail business. People from many parts of the county  shop at his store and he is grateful for the business. But he is also aware that some of his customers live in areas where they are not subject to the Regional Transit Authority tax that is collected in Snohomish, King and Pierce  Counties to pay for the cost of light rail to connect those cities in those counties.

There are, he said, marginal areas of each county where residents are not subject to the tax. Yet they are joining the traffic stream on local freeways each day to go work, to shop, to travel for leisure. And avoiding the enormous uncharge for tabs for their vehicle.

Category