Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts

Secretary of State certifies November Election

Thursday, December 7, 2023

OLYMPIA — Secretary of State Steve Hobbs certified results from Washington’s Nov. 7 General Election Wednesday afternoon.

More than 1.725 million Washingtonians participated in the General Election, a 36.4% turnout of the state’s 4.829 million registered voters. 

Issues on voters’ ballots included local ballot propositions, city and county elected officials, and school and fire district positions.

This was the first General Election in more than 50 years without a statewide issue or race to be decided by all of Washington’s voters.

"It’s important that voters participate in these odd-year elections that give us the opportunity to focus on important local races and ballot proposals,” Secretary Hobbs explained. 
“While it can be a challenge to get voters’ attention for these local races, who you elect to lead your community affects your day-to-day life, and the ballot proposals on odd-year ballots decide important questions about funding and governance in communities across Washington.”

Washington’s next scheduled elections come early in the new year. Some jurisdictions will hold a special election Feb. 13, 2024, and the state’s Presidential Primary will take place March 12.

“I look forward to the opportunity to get more eligible voters registered and participating during the upcoming year,” Secretary Hobbs said. “Each year’s elections are important, and I hope that the attention on state and national offices in the 2024 election cycle leads to sustained civic involvement for many years to come.”

Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees a number of areas within state government, including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. 

The office also manages the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administers the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.


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LFP Mayor’s Corner – Reflection

Thursday, November 30, 2023

LFP Mayor Jeff Johnson
With this being my last Mayor’s Corner message to the LFP community, I would like to use it to say what an honor it has been to serve as your Mayor the last eight years and as a city council member for four years before that.
 
Over the last 12 years, we have accomplished a lot, including the following:
  • We weathered the COVID-19 pandemic and maintained balanced budgets throughout the economic downturn
  • Moved to hybrid city council and advisory body meetings, expanding public access to the legislative process
  • Moved the culvert replacement plan forward by completing the culvert on NE 178th Street and preparing the next replacement at NE 185th Street
  • Built a picnic shelter at Pfingst Animal Acres Park
  • Purchased the Lake Front Park property and began the public planning process
  • Held Coffee with the Mayor events
  • Welcomed a new Municipal Judge
  • Held the annual Picnic in the Park event each year and the popular Battle of the Bands
  • Created the Climate Action Committee
  • Said goodbye to some long-term staff who retired, and welcomed new hires

If I had to pick the one thing I am most proud of during my tenure as mayor, it is the city’s purchase of the Lake Front Park property. Once complete, our community will have free waterfront access to Lake Washington. Our name is Lake Forest Park, after all.

If I had to pick the biggest ongoing challenge to the city, it would be finding funding to maintain and update our public amenities like parks and sidewalks. 

When presented with a proposition on the November 2021 ballot to help fund sidewalks, parks, and multimodal connections, voters said no. Without the community’s support for funding of these types of improvements throughout the city, future city leaders will be faced with tough choices when developing budgets— how to maintain the current levels of service and improve and maintain infrastructure in the face of inflation and staffing limitations. 

If park and sidewalk development and maintenance is truly a desire of the community, the community will need to support funding options.

I would like to thank all the city staff members for their hard work and dedication to the LFP community. I always enjoyed seeing you at council meetings, events, and around city hall.

Lake Forest Park is a great place to live and work and it has been an honor to serve as an elected official during these past 12 years.

Happy holidays to you and yours, and may the new year bring blessings to all.

--Mayor Johnson


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WA Ferries awarded $4.8M in federal funds to extend lifespan of six aging vessels

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

M/V Issaquah. Photo courtesy WSDOT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 29, 2023, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Patty Murray (D-WA), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that Washington State Ferries (WSF) has received $4.8 million in federal funding to refurbish passenger areas on six aging boats in its ferry fleet.

The grant will pay for upgrades on all six of WSF’s Issaquah Class Vessels, originally constructed between 1979 and 1982 and currently serve travelers in Fauntleroy, Vashon, Southworth, Mukilteo, Clinton, Anacortes, and the San Juan Islands. 

Funds came from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) 2023 Ferry Programs Grants. The Washington State Department of Transportation is providing an additional $960,000 for the project.

“Our ferry system is a critical part of our transportation network and ridership is growing. With this money, Washington State Ferries will extend the useful life of six vessels by five to ten years, which will help improve service reliability throughout the ferry system,” Sen. Cantwell said.

 
M/V Chelan. Photo courtesy wikimedia commons

Sen. Murray said, 
“Here in Washington state, ferries are really important to our daily lives and commutes— so we need the federal government to make a serious investment in this mode of transportation.  
“These critical refurbishments made possible with the funding we’re announcing today will allow these vessels to serve passengers more comfortably and for years to come. 
"As Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I’m working hard to secure additional federal resources for our ferries, and to make sure that our nation’s largest ferry fleet— right here in Washington state— can continue to serve our communities well.”

This project will extend the useful life of the vessels and improve passenger amenities, allowing for more space between passengers in high-occupancy areas, and making cleaning easier for WSF staff. The benefits will be primarily felt by the increasing number of walk-on riders in the nation’s largest ferry system.

Each of the six ships can carry 90-124 vehicles and 1,200 passengers per trip. The vessels receiving upgrades are:
  • MV Issaquah (1979)
  • MV Kittitas (1980): Serving Fauntleroy/Southworth/Vashon
  • MV Kitsap (1980) : Serving Mukilteo/Clinton
  • MV Cathlamet (1981): Serving Fauntleroy/Southworth/Vashon
  • MV Chelan (1981) : Serving Anacortes/San Juan Islands
  • MV Sealth (1982)

In FY2022, only 43% of the 21 WSF vessels met the target for State of Good Repair. Additionally, the accumulating maintenance backlog has resulted in pervasive service disruptions. From July 2019 to June 2023, each of the six vessels was out of operation in shipyards for an average of 3.12 months each year. 

Without refurbishment, vessels will continue to deteriorate, and service disruptions will become even more commonplace. The project will extend the useful life of these aging vessels – which comprise 28.5% of the entire WSF fleet – for another five to 10 years.

By the end of 2025, these six ships will have a combined preservation backlog of over $88 million, with only $28.9 million available for preservation. With such severe fiscal constraints, preservation funding has been necessarily directed toward only the most urgent needs to keep vessels operational, in the absence of significant funding allocated for passenger amenities.

In January, Sen. Cantwell and Sen. Murray announced that Washington State Ferries would receive three grants from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) totaling $11.6 million, including a grant to electrify the Mukilteo-Clinton route. 

Sen. Cantwell and Senator Murray played an instrumental role in securing $25 million to replace the 60-year-old Lummi Island ferry with a state-of-the-art electric hybrid vessel through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program first established by Senator Murray.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sen. Cantwell has consistently championed investments in the State of Washington’s transportation systems and has helped secure federal funding for important infrastructure and transit expansion projects throughout the state. 

In August, Sen. Cantwell announced a $44.6 million grant to help convert three Washington State Ferries to hybrid-electric propulsion systems, along with a $100 million contract with shipbuilder Vigor.

Sen. Murray has long fought to increase funding for in our nation’s ferry systems and this year, as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she secured $20 million for the Passenger Ferry Grant Program— a $5 million increase over last year’s funding level— in the draft Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill for Fiscal Year 2024 that overwhelmingly passed the Senate in November. 

In last year’s spending package, Senator Murray successfully fought to increase investments for the Passenger Ferry Grant Program, as well as a minimum of $5 million set aside for low or zero-emission ferries. 

Senator Murray also helped secure record funding for ferries in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law she helped pass as Assistant Majority Leader; the legislation included $2.3 billion for ferry boats and terminal infrastructure, including $250 million over five years for low or zero emission ferries and more than $17 billion for port and waterway infrastructure.

Sens. Cantwell and Murray have long been strong supporters of robust increases to competitive transit grant programs such as the Capital Investment Grant Program, the Low or No Emission (Low-No) Grant Program, the Bus and Bus Facilities Grant Program, and the Passenger Ferry Grant Program.


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Elections certified: Major turnovers in local races

l-r Tom French, next Mayor of Lake Forest Park; Annette Ademasu, newest member of Shoreline City Council; Jon Culver elected to Kenmore City Council

King county has certified the results of the November 2023 general election, as has Snohomish county.

Locally, our elections were remarkable for the long-term, well-known incumbents who were defeated by challengers.
  • LFP Mayor Jeff Johnson defeated by Tom French
  • Shoreline Councilmember Doris McConnell defeated by Annette Ademasu
  • Kenmore Councilmember David Baker defeated by Jon Culver
Mike Rosen, next Mayor of Edmonds
Susanna Johnson, Snohomish County Sheriff
Snohomish County incumbents had not been in office as long, perhaps 3-4 years.
  • Edmonds Mayor Mike Nelson defeated by Mike Rosen
  • Snohomish county sheriff Adam Fortney defeated by Susanna Johnson
Local races were notable for the number of incumbents who had no challengers. Effectively, they were reelected the moment that candidate filing closed.

As always, local races were also notable for the number of people who did not vote, i.e. "undervotes."

King County ballot returns
There are some good reasons for people who are registered but do not vote. People move out of the state and don't think to notify elections. People who are infirm, or ill. People who don't think they know enough about issues or candidates to make a choice.

People who figure the incumbent will win and doesn't need their vote. 

People who are so stressed and busy that the whole thing just got away from them. People who fill out their ballots early, put them on the desk and bury them in a stack of paper (you know who you are).

That leaves a lot of people that I have no excuses for.

Having said that, the turnout was better this year in some areas. The City of Kenmore had 40% turnout, which isn't bad compared to Shoreline's 34% - but Kenmore still had a council race that was decided by 70 votes.

Lake Forest Park has bragging rights with a 48% ballot return.

City of Kenmore - 15,656 registered -  6,289 ballots  40.17%
City of Lake Forest Park -  10,352 registered - 4,954 ballots  48.26%
City of Seattle -  480,980 registered - 220,938 ballots  45.93% (numbers from Prop 1)
City of Shoreline - 39,313 registered  - 13,326 ballots 33.90%

In Snohomish County, 
  • Total Ballots Cast: 185,738 
  • Registered Voters: 512,546
  • Overall Turnout: 36.24%
Town of Woodway - 1045 registered voters - 499 ballots  47.75%

--Diane Hettrick


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Election results to date: November 21, 2023 - Kenmore council candidates are 70 votes apart

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

By Diane Hettrick

A reminder that you can register with King County Elections for notifications that your ballot was received, and was counted. At the same time, you can sign up for alerts and reminders.

Here is the sign in page to get started: Fill in 3 of the 4 fields on this form and Submit.

Latest results as of November 21. Only one race, Kenmore council Pos #5, is possibly in play.

Kenmore city council - Challenger Jon Culver is now 70 votes ahead of incumbent David Baker.

Pos 5:
  • Jon Culver        3,088
  • David Baker     3,018
I have seen close races but not since paper ballots has one been this close.

I checked in with King County Elections a couple of days ago to see how close a race has to be to trigger an automatic recount and referenced the Kenmore council race.

According to Communications Officer Halei Watkins "Mandatory recounts are triggered at certification - November 28 for this election. The thresholds vary a bit between statewide contests and all other contests. 

"Here’s what they are for local candidates:
  • For all candidate races and statewide ballot measures:  Mandatory machine recount must be less than 2,000 votes AND also less than 1/2 of 1% of the total number of votes cast for both candidates
  • For all other candidate races:  Mandatory hand recount must be less than 150 votes AND also less than 1/4 of 1% of the total number of votes cast for both candidates
"There are no mandatory recounts for local ballot measures.
 
"It’s important to note the ‘AND’ in the threshold as it’s typically the percentage portion that knocks contests out of mandatory recount range. 
  • Looking at the Kenmore City Council Pos. 5 race, there are 6,094 votes cast for both candidates. The difference of 72 votes puts it a little over 1% of the total votes cast for both candidates, meaning it would not require a mandatory recount if we certified today."

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Trolls disrupting public meetings at Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, Shoreline

Saturday, November 18, 2023

Donovan Reeves on unsplash.com
Trolls are disrupting local public meetings.

In Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, Everett, and Shoreline, unknown persons have logged in to the online public comment section of city council meetings and used the opportunity to spew what is being described as "hate-filled, racist, oppressive speech."

All the cities posted similar statements.

This was Shoreline's comment: 

We were recently targeted as well. Before the meeting, the City Clerk was aware of recent similar incidents occurring at City of Kenmore and King County meetings and was on the alert for a possible disruption. 

While the City recognizes that freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our democracy and respects diverse opinions, a council meeting is not an open public forum. 

We will not tolerate the use of public meetings for hateful, racist, and oppressive comments that are disruptive to the conduct of city business. Upon hearing the comments, the Mayor promptly asked the City Clerk to mute the individual and the Clerk immediately removed their permission to talk in the online platform.

Since people can create any screen name they want, it is hard to know ahead of time who the people are who are providing public comment. 

The best we can do is be prepared for the unexpected. We will continue to be vigilant during meetings and step in immediately upon hearing hateful, racists, disruptive language.

Interestingly, Snohomish county is not experiencing the same attacks. Edmonds had an attack in 2020 during public interviews of candidates for police chief, but nothing recent. Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood have not experienced recent attacks.

--Diane Hettrick


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Snohomish County’s new sheriff seeks a reset for her department

Friday, November 17, 2023

In Snohomish county, the sheriff is an elected position. In King county the sheriff is appointed by the county executive with approval from the county council.
Susanna Johnson, newly elected Snohomish county Sheriff
Photo courtesy Johnson campaign

By Jerry Cornfield, Washington State Standard

From an early age, Susanna Johnson wanted to be a cop. At 22, she got her dream job with the sheriff’s department in Washington’s third most populous county.

In a few weeks, Johnson will become the new Snohomish County sheriff, capping three decades of wearing a badge, nearly all of it for the law enforcement agency where she got her start.

Johnson will be the first woman to hold the office, an accomplishment made possible by voters in the Nov. 7 election. She had received 51.5% of the vote in her duel with Sheriff Adam Fortney as of Tuesday’s tally.

“I certainly feel very honored for this opportunity, and excited to come take all the tools that I’ve learned over the years and bring them back to the sheriff’s office,” said Johnson who spent the past two years with the Bothell Police Department.

The 56-year-old Lake Stevens resident didn’t make gender a campaign issue.

“I wanted to be elected on my own merit, or not, versus some marker of being the first woman,” she said. “It certainly is an incredible opportunity. I recognize that it can help bring additional attention to the need of adding more women to the law enforcement profession.”

Voters chose her to replace Fortney whose four-year term has been marred by turbulence generated by the pandemic as well as his leadership.

Johnson and Fortney know each other well, having each worked in the department for more than two decades. She left in January 2020 – the month he was sworn in – with misgivings about his approach to protecting the safety of the county’s 850,000 residents.

Those concerns would carry over into her campaign. She made a case that Fortney’s manner and methods had undermined confidence in a badge “that must symbolize public trust.” Five former Snohomish County sheriffs endorsed her as did former congressman and King County sheriff Dave Reichert, the voter pamphlet shows.

“Since the murder of George Floyd, there’s been this national reckoning of law enforcement as a profession that the community has a higher expectation of accountability and trust and transparency,” she said in an interview Monday.

“People care, they care about the issues of public safety and public trust,” she said. “If the community had had those things, I think he could have had their support regardless of whether or not people see him more as a Republican than a Democrat.” 
‘People feel less safe’

Johnson is a woman of unmatched integrity and “a doer” who will step in to get jobs done without seeking accolades. She’s also a big fan of Disneyland.

In the interview, she sketched out the blueprint for her first 100 days.

Hiring staff looms as the biggest challenge with more than a hundred vacancies throughout the department, she said.

Employees “are exhausted” so she intends to step up recruitment and retention. Getting the department accredited again by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs will be important.

“If you’re out there looking for a cop job right now, you know, you’re probably going to pick an accredited law enforcement agency because the professional standards are better,” she said.

Another key is developing a “robust communication plan” emphasizing the department’s purpose is to safeguard and serve the community with integrity and respect, she said.

In contrast to Fortney, who stirred controversy at times with his social media posts, Johnson won’t have a Facebook page but she said the department will. “It’s not about how many followers I would have, it’s about the community that we serve.”

Addressing crime, including the fentanyl epidemic, with new strategies is a second focus.

She pledged to put greater reliance on data when deciding where to deploy resources and solidify partnerships with other law enforcement agencies. Johnson also plans to push for greater collaboration with human services providers. In her view, those ties will lead to a reduction in calls for service.

“People feel less safe than they did just four years ago. And there’s lots of reasons for it,” she said.

‘I hope he’ll stay’

In many ways, the election was a referendum on Fortney’s tenure in the job he won in 2019 by unseating the then-sheriff, Ty Trenary. Fortney captured 55.4% of the vote and won by nearly 20,000 votes in a race that didn’t seem that close.

A 28-year department veteran, Fortney worked the graveyard shift as a patrol sergeant and served as president of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, before ascending to sheriff. His approach to public safety honed from years of working the streets endeared him with voters and earned him loyalty among the rank-and-file.

Decisions to rehire deputies fired by Trenary – following investigations Johnson signed off on – incited controversy. So too did his public criticism of the stay-at-home mandate Gov. Jay Inslee issued early in the pandemic. Fortney’s critics mounted a recall but failed to get enough signatures to make the ballot.

Fortney embraced his actions in a post-election Facebook post viewed by many as his concession.

“I believe I have remained authentic to who I am as a person and I carried that with me to the Office of Sheriff. I did not change who I am as a person due to changing political winds or tides,” he wrote.

Johnson and Fortney have not spoken or communicated by email since the election.

“At some point, I’m going to try to meet with him. Maybe after the holiday. I would like to find out what sort of things I’ll need to know for the next chapter,” she said. “I don’t know if he’ll meet with me but I will reach out.”

Differences aside, she said she wants him to stay on with the department.

“I believe he will stay and serve as a patrol sergeant,” she said. “I think he enjoyed that job and my hope is that he will stay.”

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Election results Day 6 Tuesday - time to verify that your ballot was counted

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

By Diane Hettrick

King county elections released the sixth day of results at 3:46pm on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

Just a handful of new results were posted, which means that Elections has processed the ballots from the drop boxes and is now reporting ballots that straggle in through the mail and the ballots that need verification as they are "cured".

This would be a very good time to verify that your ballot was processed. The most typical delay comes from how your signature compares to what they have on file.

They will try to reach you but it's best to be proactive.

It is a simple process. Fill in 3 of the 4 fields on this form and Submit.

Latest results. Only one race, Kenmore council Pos #5, appears to be in play.

Shoreline Council Pos 4:
  • Doris McConnell, incumbent 5,646 votes
  • √ Annette Ademasu, challenger 7,000 votes

Lake Forest Park

Mayor:
  • √ Tom French, former Deputy Mayor 3,147
  • Jeff Johnson, current Mayor 1,687

Council Pos 6:
  • √ Paula Goode 2,515
  • Stephanie Angelis 2,251

Kenmore city council

Pos 5:
  • Jon Culver 3,075
  • incumbent David Baker 3,006
Pos 7:
  • √ Challenger Nathan Loutsis 3,148
  • incumbent Corina Phfeil 2,904

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Election results Day 5 update 11-13-2023

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

By Diane Hettrick

King county elections released the fifth day of results at 3:30pm on Monday, November 13, 2023. Results will be released every weekday until November 28.

Shoreline has 39,313 Registered Voters. 13,217 ballots have been counted to date which is 34%

Shoreline Council Pos 4:
  • Doris McConnell, incumbent 5,638 votes
  • Annette Ademasu, challenger 6,967 votes

Lake Forest Park has 10,352 registered voters. 4909 ballots have been counted so far, which is 47%.

Mayor:
  • Tom French, former Deputy Mayor 3,132
  • Jeff Johnson, current Mayor 1,673 
Council Pos 6:

For this open seat, Goode has been ahead from the beginning
  • Paula Goode 2,507
  • Stephanie Angelis 2,228

Kenmore city council - 15,656 registered voters. 6,241 ballots have been counted - 40%

Pos 1: 
  • √  Incumbent Melanie O'Cain 3,616 
  • challenger Kara Macias 2,469
Pos 3: In the only open seat
  • √  Valerie Sasson 3,370  
  • Josh Kurchinka 2,675
Pos 5: A 60 vote lead for the challenger
  • challenger Jon Culver 3,062 
  • long-time incumbent and former mayor David Baker 3,002
Pos 7: The challenger still leads
  • Challenger Nathan Loutsis 3,142 
  • incumbent Corina Phfeil 2,892

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Senator Murray commemorates Veterans Day at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery Veterans Day ceremony

Sunday, November 12, 2023

Sen. Murray at Evergreen Washelli
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

On Veterans' Day, November 11, 2023, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee and a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, delivered remarks at the Evergreen Washelli Cemetery Veterans Day Ceremony in Seattle.

The daughter of a World War II veteran and the first woman to both chair and serve on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Murray has long focused on ensuring Congress lives up to its obligations to our veterans.

“My dad wasn’t one to call attention to his service—he didn’t do it for attention after all. Like so many others, he did it for his country. He did it to keep our nation safe. That’s something I think about often, because it’s something I see all the time in so many of the incredible veterans I meet,” Murray said at the ceremony today. 
“And it’s why Veterans Day is so personal, so precious, to me—because I know folks like my Dad so often don’t ask for the recognition they deserve, or the help they need—and they shouldn’t have to! That’s why we, as a nation, have to make sure that we never take our veterans for granted, and that we never let our debts to them go unpaid.”

As a voice for Washington state’s veterans in the Senate, Senator Murray has consistently fought to make sure our country fulfills its promise to our veterans and their families. While Chair of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Murray oversaw the initial implementation of the Caregiver Support Program, and successfully pushed to expand the program in the years since. 

Murray wrote the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, which was signed into law by President Obama and brought about major changes to lower unemployment among veterans and help transitioning servicemembers and veterans find good jobs. 

A longtime champion of federal investments in veterans’ housing, Murray successfully helped to restart the HUD-VASH program in 2008 and has consistently fought to fund the program since; including helping to secure $50 million in additional HUD-VASH vouchers in last year’s government funding bill.

Senator Murray helped pass the PACT Act into law last year, which expanded health care benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxics in the line of duty. 

She takes her oversight role seriously, and is fighting to ensure VA is living up to its promise to provide high-quality care for veterans, including holding VA accountable for fixing the botched rollout of its Electronic Health Record (EHR) Modernization program. 

The NorthWest Junior Pipe Band played for the ceremonies
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Murray is pushing to pass her EHR Program RESET Act, which would restructure, enhance, and improve the new EHR program while increasing oversight — and she leads many other bills that would improve quality of life and care for veterans, including the bipartisan Expanding Veterans’ Options for Long Term Care Act and Helping Heroes Act, legislation to help veterans start their families by expanding access to fertility services, and the BUILD for Veterans Act, which would modernize and streamline the delivery of VA medical facilities and other infrastructure projects.

Senator Murray has also led Congress in establishing child care centers at VA facilities and military bases, and since 2019, she has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for new military child care center construction that has increased vital access to child care across all services. 

Senator Murray originally authored the VA child care pilot program in 2008 as part of her Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act in order to assist parents in need of child care during medical appointments at VA facilities. and she has consistently fought to fund the program and establish permanent reauthorization.

Earlier this month, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the Fiscal Year 2024 funding bill for military construction, the VA, and related agencies that Senator Murray wrote as Chair of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee. 

The legislation provides more than $582 million for specific Washington state veterans and military construction projects across Washington state and, among other national priorities, would increase funding for women veterans’ health care, veterans’ homelessness prevention, and veterans’ mental health —specifically to expand suicide prevention efforts — as well as boost funding to fully implement the VA Caregivers program and expand the national child care pilot program at VA that Senator Murray launched.

“We have to make sure we live up to the promise we made our veterans, and to the American ideals they fought for.

“So to all of the veterans here today, and their families—thank you for your service, thank you for your sacrifice.

“And know, I am working every day in the United States Senate to get you and your family the support you need. I am working every day to build the future you deserve. I am working every day to strengthen our democracy and the nation you fought to protect.

“I know that you would never stop fighting for our country, and I am going to make sure your country never stops fighting for you.”

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Veterans' Day 2023

Saturday, November 11, 2023

A message from the White House: A Proclamation on Veterans Day, 2023

This Veterans Day, we honor the generations of women and men who have served and sacrificed — not for a person, a place, or a President — but for an idea unlike any other: the idea of the United States of America. For nearly 250 years, our veterans have defended the values that make us strong so that our Nation could stand as a citadel of liberty, a beacon of freedom, and a wellspring of possibilities. 

Today, I am thinking of all our Nation’s veterans, who put their lives on the line to protect our democracy, values, and freedom around the world. 

We honor our wounded warriors, so many of whom the First Lady and I have met over the years, who are bound by a common sense of duty, courage, and optimism, and we remember those who are still missing in action or prisoners of war and renew my pledge to bring them home. Our military families, caregivers, and survivors also answer the call to serve. I remember so clearly the pride I felt in our son Beau during his service in Iraq as well as those mornings I saw the First Lady saying a prayer for his safe return. Our veterans and their families give so much to our Nation, and we owe them a debt we can never fully repay.

As a Nation, we have many obligations, but we only have one truly sacred obligation: to prepare and equip the brave women and men we send into harm’s way and to care for them and their loved ones when they return home. 

Since the beginning of my Administration, we have worked to make good on that promise, passing nearly 30 bipartisan laws to support our veterans and service members and their families, caregivers, and survivors. That includes the PACT Act — the most significant effort in our Nation’s history to help millions of veterans exposed to toxic substances during their military service. Since I signed the PACT Act into law last year, more than 478,000 veterans and survivors are already receiving benefits — ensuring that veterans exposed to burn pits and other harmful substances and their loved ones get access to the care and support they need. 

My Administration is also committed to ending veteran suicide and homelessness and ensuring that our veterans have the resources they need to live full lives and thrive in their communities. 

We released a national strategy to reduce military and veteran suicide by improving lethal means safety and enhancing crisis care as well as by addressing the economic, legal, and mental health issues that impact veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs is also funding community-led suicide prevention programs, which help connect veterans and their families to needed services. Every veteran deserves a roof over their head, which is why we have taken bold actions to end veteran homelessness, permanently housing more than 40,000 veterans last year and investing $1 billion to provide supportive services to help homeless and at-risk veterans and their families. 

My Budget also proposes tripling the number of rental-assistance vouchers for extremely low-income veterans to prevent homelessness. Further, we have taken steps to improve the economic security of veterans and their families by expanding job training programs for transitioning veterans and their spouses and issuing rules to protect them from predatory educational institutions. We are also working to ensure every veteran has access to the benefits and services they have earned.

Earlier this year, I signed an Executive Order directing more than 50 actions to improve access to child care and long-term care for Americans, including military and veteran families, and to support family caregivers, especially those who care for our veterans. 

Recognizing the talents and contributions of veteran and military spouses, caregivers, and survivors to our workforce, I signed an Executive Order establishing the most comprehensive set of administrative actions in our Nation’s history to support their economic security — increasing training and employment opportunities for military spouses in the workforce throughout the transition to veteran spouses status and encouraging all Federal agencies to do more to retain military and veteran spouses through flexible policies. 

The First Lady’s Joining Forces initiative is further supporting military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors by improving economic opportunities and expanding resources to promote health and well-being for this community.

As we mark the 50th anniversary of an all-volunteer force and the 75th anniversary of the full integration of women in the Armed Forces and the desegregation of the troops, my Administration reaffirms our commitment to supporting everyone who serves in our Armed Forces. 

We have taken steps to ensure that the more than 918,000 women veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs health care have equitable access to benefits and health services, in part by expanding access to reproductive health care. 

We have worked to proactively review the military records of veterans discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and to modernize the process of upgrading discharges to help all veterans access their earned benefits. 

We will continue to support our LGBTQI+ veterans and veterans of color who have made innumerable contributions to our Nation and have truly made our military stronger, tougher, and more capable.

This Veterans Day, may we honor the incredible faith that our veterans hold, not just in our country but in all of us. They are the solid-steel backbone of our Nation, and we must endeavor to continue being worthy of their sacrifices by working toward a more perfect Union and protecting the freedoms that they have fought to defend.

In respect and recognition of the contributions our veterans and their families, caregivers, and survivors have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world, the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor our Nation’s veterans.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2023, as Veterans Day. I encourage all Americans to recognize the valor, courage, and sacrifice of these patriots through appropriate ceremonies and private prayers and by observing two minutes of silence for our Nation’s veterans. I also call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States of America and to participate in patriotic activities in their communities.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.
 
                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.


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Election results 4th day Friday November 10, 2023

By Diane Hettrick

King county elections released the fourth day of results at 4:30pm on Friday, November 10, 2023. The next set of results will be released on Monday.

The farther we get into the vote counting, the less chance there is for dramatic changes. This election looks like it's following the pattern of low voter turnout in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. Kenmore, on the other hand, is currently running an eye-popping return rate of 40%.

Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, and Kenmore all have upset elections, turning out a long-term Shoreline councilmember and the Lake Forest Park mayor, while Kenmore looks to oust two incumbent councilmembers. 

A reminder that Lake Forest Park is the only city that directly elects its mayor. In Shoreline and LFP, the new council elects a mayor.

Shoreline Council Pos 4:
  • Doris McConnell, incumbent 5,576 votes
  • Annette Ademasu, challenger 6,899 votes

Lake Forest Park

Mayor:
  • Tom French, former Deputy Mayor 3,109
  • Jeff Johnson, current Mayor 1,658
Council Pos 6:

For this open seat, Goode has been ahead the entire week but it's still too close to call.
  • Paula Goode 2,493
  • Stephanie Angelis 2,207

Kenmore city council

Pos 1: 
  • Incumbent Melanie O'Cain 3562 
  • challenger Kara Macias 2426
Pos 3: In the only open seat
  • Valerie Sasson 3319  
  • Josh Kurchinka 2631
Pos 5: Still a nail-biter, 
  • challenger Jon Culver 3012 
  • long-time incumbent and former mayor David Baker 2957
Pos 7: 
  • Challenger Nathan Loutsis 3087 
  • incumbent Corina Phfeil 2845


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Sylvia Gil will join the Shoreline School Board

Thursday, November 9, 2023

Sylvia Gil
By Diane Hettrick

Sylvia Gil will join the Shoreline School Board after besting Hazim Ghanim by 4600 votes on just the third day of ballot counting.

Ghanim and Gil were winners of the primary, which saw the third contender drop out of the race and endorse Ghanim.

All were contending for a seat which was open after one term incumbent Dr. Rebeca Rivera did not file for re-election.

Ghanim would have been the only male on the board.

The district still faces financial challenges, caused primarily by a drop in revenue with pandemic enrollment declines.

The current board considered budget cuts to sports and music programs which created a massive public backlash with hundreds of students and parents attending board meetings to protest.


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Election results: Day 3 November 9, 2023

By Diane Hettrick

King county elections released the third day of results at 4pm on Thursday, November 9, 2023.

The races we are still watching:

Shoreline Council Pos 4:
It appears there will be a new member of the city council. Annette Ademasu has a commanding lead over long-time incumbent Doris McConnell.
  • Doris McConnell, incumbent 4,308 votes
  • Annette Ademasu, challenger 5,009 votes

Lake Forest Park

Mayor:
Johnson made gains in the latest count but French made even more.
  • Tom French 2,181
  • Jeff Johnson 1,098
Council Pos 6:
Goode continues her lead over Angelis for an open seat on the council
  • Paula Goode 1,748
  • Stephanie Angelis 1,500
Kenmore city council
  • Pos 1: Incumbent Melanie O'Cain is a thousand votes ahead of challenger Kara Macias
  • Pos 3: In the only open seat, Valerie Sasson is ahead of Josh Kurchinka by 600 votes
  • Pos 5: in a nail-biter, challenger Jon Culver has pulled ahead of long-time incumbent David Baker by 66 votes
  • Pos 7: Challenger Nathan Loutsis now leads incumbent Corina Phfeil by 249 votes

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Congress: Cantwell, Hickenlooper bill to clean up space junk passes Senate unanimously

Space debris. Photo courtesy University of Washington
ORBITS Act would support technologies to clear the nearly 1 million pieces of dangerous orbital debris that endanger astronauts and satellites

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On October 31, 2023, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Orbital Sustainability (ORBITS) Act, a bipartisan bill to establish a first-of-its-kind demonstration program to reduce the amount of space junk in orbit. 

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, joined Sen. John Hickenlooper in introducing the bill in February and it passed the Committee in July. It now heads to the House.

“Nearly one million pieces of space junk pass over our heads every day,” Sen. Cantwell said. 
“The ORBITS Act will jumpstart the technology development needed to remove the most dangerous space junk before it knocks out a scientific satellite, threatens a NASA mission, or falls to the ground and hurts someone.”

“Space junk,” or orbital debris, currently poses a threat to human space exploration, scientific research missions, and emerging commercial space services. There are approximately 8,000 metric tons of space junk currently in orbit, including at least 900,000 individual pieces of debris that are potentially lethal to satellites. Because of the magnitude of the current debris, simply preventing more debris in the future is not enough.

Every year, there are cases of space junk falling to Earth. A car-sized object landed in Australia over the summer. In Washington state, a large piece of space junk crashed into a farmer’s property in March 2021. 

Washington state companies, including Seattle-based satellite servicer Starfish Space, have advocated for the acceleration of space debris removal efforts. Other companies in Washington state, like SpaceX, Amazon’s Kuiper Systems, and Stoke Space Technologies, are also looking for new ways to reduce debris from accumulating in space in the first place or have been threatened by debris.

The ORBITS Act would:
  • Direct the Department of Commerce Office of Space Commerce (OSC) to publish a list of debris that poses the greatest risk to orbiting spacecraft;
  • Establish a NASA program to demonstrate the removal of debris from orbit to accelerate the development of required technologies;
  • Encourage consistent orbital debris regulations by initiating a multi-agency update to existing orbital debris standards applicable to government systems; and
  • Require OSC, with the National Space Council and Federal Communications Commission, to encourage the development of practices for coordinating space traffic, which will help avoid collisions that create debris.

Read the bill text HERE.

Sen. Cantwell has been a champion for Washington state’s space industry and oversees NASA and the space industry as Chair of the Committee. 

Last year, Sen. Cantwell spearheaded the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, one of the largest five-year federal research and development investments in U.S. history. The law includes the new NASA Authorization, enshrining the NASA Artemis missions to the Moon and eventually Mars in U.S. law. The Artemis program has 42 suppliers in Washington state. 

In July, Sen. Cantwell hosted a Washington state space summit with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and talked about how the space industry has more than doubled in four years and supports more than 13,000 jobs, creating $4.6 billion in economic activity in the state. Read more on Washington state’s space economy and Sen. Cantwell’s actions here.


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Shoreline City Councilmember Laura Mork awarded Certificate of Municipal Leadership

Laura Mork, Shoreline City Council
Shoreline City Councilmember Laura Mork recently earned a Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities (AWC).

AWC’s Certificate of Municipal Leadership program recognizes city and town elected officials for accomplishing training in five core areas:
  1. Roles, responsibilities, and legal requirements
  2. Public sector resource management
  3. Community planning and development
  4. Effective local leadership
  5. Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Mork completed more than 30 hours of training to earn this distinction.

Mork was elected to City Council in 2021. Her term expires December 31, 2025. 

Prior to being elected to the City Council, Mork served on the Shoreline Planning Commission from 2013 to 2021. There she worked on many community issues, including affordable housing, spaces for neighborhood businesses, and new construction around our two light rail stations. 

Her contributions helped the City earn an award for its Deep Green Incentive Program for sustainable construction projects and obtain Salmon-Safe certification for City programs that promote habitat protection. 

She was also appointed to the Ronald Wastewater District Board in 2017 and elected to that position in 2019, where she served until the 2021 assumption by the City. Laura brings a wide range of experience to the City Council from her career as a chemical engineer, facilities manager, and as a professionally certified project manager.

Mork’s external committee assignments include the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration; the National League of Cities Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee; and the Sound Cities Association’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee.

AWC serves its members through advocacy, education, and services. Founded in 1933, AWC is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation that represents Washington's 281 cities and towns before the state legislature, the state executive branch, and with regulatory agencies. 

AWC also provides training, data and publications, and programs such as the AWC Employee Benefit Trust, AWC Risk Management Service Agency, AWC Workers’ Comp Retro, AWC Drug and Alcohol Consortium, and AWC GIS Consortium. 


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Election results: Day 2 November 8, 2023

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

By Diane Hettrick

King county elections released the second day results at 4pm on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. 

Their work was delayed when an envelope containing what turned out to be fentanyl was delivered to the offices and the area was evacuated for three hours.

The Spokane, Pierce, and Skagit county elections offices also received envelopes with fentanyl.

Narrowing in on the races not clearly decided in the first count, we have:

Shoreline Council Pos 4:
Challenger Ademasu continues a narrow lead over incumbent McConnell.
  • Doris McConnell, incumbent 3,581 votes
  • Annette Ademasu, challenger 3,956 votes

Lake Forest Park
  • Mayor:
Tom French appears well on his way toward being the next Mayor of Lake Forest Park. He has twice the number of votes as incumbent Jeff Johnson, representing 68% of the vote.
  • Tom French 1,979
  • Jeff Johnson 980
  • Council Pos 6:
Goode continues her lead over Angelis for an open seat on the council
  • Paula Goode 1583
  • Stephanie Angelis 1344

Kenmore city council
  • Pos 1: Incumbent Melanie O'Cain continued to lead challenger Kara Macias
  • Pos 3: In the only open seat, Valerie Sasson is pulling ahead of Josh Kurchinka
  • Pos 5: Long-time incumbent David Baker maintains his narrow lead over challenger Jon Culver
  • Pos 7: Challenger Nathan Loutsis slightly increased his lead over incumbent Corina Phfeil by 168 votes

Special district elections

Shoreline Fire Department
√ Commissioner Pos 1: Barb Sullivan, incumbent, has 64% of the vote

Northshore Utility District
√ Commissioner Pos 3:Bruce Gardiner, incumbent, 65% of the vote


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Election results: first count November 7, 2023

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

By Diane Hettrick

King county elections released the first results at 8:15pm on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. 20% of the ballots have been counted.

Many of the races are over - many positions with incumbents had no challengers. So let's run down the list:

√ Assessor: John Wilson - incumbent, no challenger 
√ Director of Elections: Julie Wise - incumbent, challenger's platform was that elections were tampered with
√ Judges: incumbents, no challengers
√ Port of Seattle Pos 2: Sam Cho - incumbent, no challenger
√ Port of Seattle Pos 5: Fred Fellerman, incumbent with 71% of the vote

√ Shoreline Council Pos 2: Keith Scully, incumbent, no challenger
√ Shoreline Council Pos 6: Betsy Robertson, incumbent, no challenger
- Shoreline Council Pos 4: 
  • Doris McConnell, incumbent 3,410 votes
  • Annette Ademasu, challenger 3,740 votes
Lake Forest Park has some interesting results for a first count. We'll see how it plays out over the next few days. With 24% of the ballots counted:
  • Mayor: Recently retired Deputy Mayor Tom French has a commanding lead over incumbent Jeff Johnson with 67% of the vote.
  • √  Council Pos 2: Incumbent Lorri Bodi did voters the courtesy of running a full campaign, even though she had no challengers.
  • √  Council Pos 4: This open seat has Ellyn Saunders with 2,034 votes to Nigel Keiffer's 371.
  • Council Pos 6: Paula Goode leads Stephanie Angelis by 191 votes.
Town of Woodway (Snohomish County): Three incumbent town councilmembers ran unopposed:
  • √  John Brock, James Willett, Elizabeth Mitchell
Kenmore has four city council seats on the ballot. Only one seat is open and all incumbents have challengers.
  • Pos 1: Incumbent Melanie O'Cain has 59% of the vote against challenger Kara Macias
  • Pos 3: In the only open seat, Valerie Sasson leads Josh Kurchinka by 288 votes
  • Pos 5: Long-time incumbent David Baker leads challenger Jon Culver by 115 votes
  • Pos 7: Challenger Nathan Loutsis leads incumbent Corina Phfeil by 168 votes
Special district elections

Northshore Fire Board of Commissioners (King County Fire Protection District 16)
  • √  Eric Adman, incumbent, no challengers
Shoreline Fire Department
  • Commissioner Pos 1: Barb Sullivan, incumbent, leads challenger Larry Hadland
  • √  Commissioner Position No. 4, David M. Harris, incumbent, no challengers
Lake Forest Park Water District 
  • √  Commissioner Pos No. 1: David A. Hammond, incumbent, no challengers
North City Water District
  • √  Commissioner Pos 1: Ronald F. (Ron) Ricker, incumbent, no challengers
Highlands Sewer District 
  • √  Commissioner Pos 1: L. David Hanower, incumbent, no challengers
Northshore Utility District
  • √ Commissioner Pos 1: Trudy C. Rolla, incumbent, no challengers
  • √  Commissioner Pos 5: Suzanne Greathouse, incumbent, no challengers
  • Commissioner Pos 3:
    • Bruce Gardiner, incumbent 64% of the vote
    • Steve Hamilton, challenger 34%

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Sen. Jesse Salomon toured the Shoreline ICHS clinic

Friday, November 3, 2023

(L-R) ICHS Clinic Manager Nga Vo, CEO Kelli Nomura, Sen. Jesse Salomon, Assistant Medical Director Dr. Kimo Hirayama at the Shoreline ICHS Clinic. Photo courtesy ICHS.

Sen. Jesse Salomon joined leaders on a tour of ICHS' Shoreline Medical and Dental Clinic last Friday.

WA Senator Salomon represents Washington's 32nd Legislative District, which includes Shoreline, Woodway, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and Northwest Seattle.

Clinic Manager Nga Vo gave Sen. Salomon a tour of the clinic
Photo courtesy ICHS

Clinic manager, Nga Vo, gave Sen. Salomon a tour through the clinic to see first-hand the services offered. 

As their newest clinic site, ICHS Shoreline provides integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, WIC, nutrition, and medication assisted treatment services for nearly 7,000 patients annually.

Sen. Salomon and ICHS CEO Kelli Nomura
Photo courtesy ICHS

After the tour, CEO Kelli Nomura and other ICHS leaders spoke with Sen. Salomon about important issues that affect patients and communities in the 'Northend' that they proudly serve.


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Shoreline City Council candidate statement: Betsy Robertson Pos #6

Betsy Robertson, Pos #6
Shoreline City Council
Betsy Robertson, incumbent, is running unopposed for Position #6 on the Shoreline City Council.
Serving on the Shoreline City Council has been one of the most important responsibilities of my life. Challenging and rewarding in (almost) equal measures. 

I want to thank the voters who elected me four years ago and the previous council members who appointed me prior to that. 

I ran as an advocate for our Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, and on that measure alone I am overwhelmingly proud of what we have accomplished together. I helmed the campaign to pass our Parks Bond in 2021 with the help of friends and fellow community leaders. 

This fall, the first of those projects began and by Summer of 2024, most should be complete. I look forward to walking and playing in the new spaces, loving and sharing them with you.
 
I am also proud of the direction Shoreline is heading, creating neighborhoods with amenities you can walk or bike to safely. We're working hard to create a community where everyone is welcome, invited to participate and appreciated for the diversity of thought and experience they bring. There will always be more work to do, but I remain one of the many public servants in our city committed to that goal.

And to everyone who has wondered why none of this is in the voters' pamphlet? I sincerely apologize. I have been teased six ways from Sunday by those who know me. Criticized by those who don't. I deserve it all. It certainly was not my intention. I missed the deadline. It's as simple as that. I got distracted by life and my day job - and missed it! BIG mistake.

Thank you for this opportunity to share a few thoughts - and however you vote, the most important thing is TO vote. Participation in the process is so important. Please return your ballot by Tuesday!


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