Evan Smith: California copies Washington primary again

Sunday, August 22, 2010


By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

As voters in Shoreline, Lake Forest Park and the rest of Washington used the top-two primary for the second time to choose legislative and Congressional candidates, our State got a partner.

California voters adopted a top-two primary when they voted in that state's June primary.

It was the second time California has copied Washington.

In 1996, California adopted a blanket primary like the system Washington had used for six decades.

That made California the third state — after Washington and Alaska — in which a primary voter wasn’t limited to one party’s ballot.

California’s adopting the blanket primary led to a lawsuit that resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in 2000 that the blanket primary was unconstitutional -- not only in California but also in Washington.

California then went back to its party-registration system.

In Washington, then-Gov. Gary Locke's veto of a top-two primary gave us the private-choice or pick-a-party primary borrowed from Montana. Idaho, Illinois, Wisconsin and four other states, but Washington voters rebelled and chose the top-two system.

The political parties sued, claiming that the system deprived them of control over their party names. When the U.S. Supreme Court approved the system in 2008, it gave a nod to the parties’ argument saying that the courts could be open to complaints about how the system is applied. That’s what led to candidates' running with party preferences rather than party affiliations.

California will attack the party-name problem differently. Candidates won’t have any party-identification listed on the ballot, but California will keep the party-registration system it has had for generations; so a candidate’s party identification will be public record. That will eliminate the situation we saw in the 32nd District, where Republican Precinct Committee Officer Stan Lippman ran for state representative with a Democratic Party preference.

Still, California’s parties certainly will find other grounds for a suit.

Washington’s top-two primary is already headed back to court with a claim that Washington’s system confuses voters because it includes one non-top-two section — for precinct committee officer.

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Letter to the Editor: A final thought on Prop 1

To the Editor:

Well, the election is over. The voters have spoken and LFP Proposition 1 has been soundly defeated. It is time to move on, but there is one thing we should all keep in mind.

No matter how you felt about Prop 1, we must remember that this was brought before the voters by dedicated City Council members who firmly believed that this was in the best interest of our community. This was not a whim of "Big Government" to raise our taxes and grow even bigger. It was instead, a carefully thought out plan to preserve the level of services our community now enjoys.

But, as I have said, the voters have spoken. These same elected officials that have been strongly criticized will come back to the next council meeting, roll up their sleeves, and do what must be done to balance the budget and continue their service to our community. It remains to be seen what the true effects of this election will be, but somehow, I think we will all be a bit poorer as a result.

George Piano
Lake Forest Park

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Shoreline Firefighters respond to cardiac arrest call on Shoreline parade route


By Melanie Granfors
It was a festive Saturday morning... a short time before the Celebrate Shoreline Parade was scheduled to proceed south on 15th NE from 180th St. As families gathered along the parade route, a 70 year old woman collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. She and her husband had just arrived on the parade route, and were on the sidewalk waiting to watch their grandchild march in the parade.

A Shoreline Police officer at the scene summoned Firefighters and Paramedics who responded from nearby Fire Station 63. They began CPR with dozens of parade onlookers witnessing the call.

Firefighters also administered shocks to the patient’s heart via defibrillator and were able to revive and stabilize her before transporting -- lights and sirens -- along the parade route. Onlookers cheered as the Medic 65 left the scene.

At last report, the patient was recovering in the cardiac critical care unit at Northwest Hospital.

Paramedics credited quick action by the police officer at the scene and parade officials for having solid security and communication measures in place even before the parade began.

Shoreline Firefighters say this was a classic example of how a speedy call to 9-1-1 and early CPR and defibrillation is crucial when someone goes into cardiac arrest. It is the reason CPR and use of the automated external defibrillator (AED) are taught to the public. In this case, even a few minutes delay would have had a far less desirable outcome.

The parade proceeded as scheduled.



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Last chance to nominate your favorite non-profit

Readers of the ShorelineAreaNews have until Tuesday August 31 to nominate their favorite 501(c)3 non-profit for a $2,500 award from State Senator Darlene Fairley.

The money is from her campaign fund, which she no longer needs as she is retiring from the state senate at the end of her term in January 2011. Legally, she can do any of three things with the money: give it back to the donors, give it to a political organization, or give it to a 501(c)3.

Name your favorite non-profit organization and explain why you think they should have the money. The organization can be anywhere in the world and it is all right if you are affiliated with the organization.

Senator Fairley wants to be very clear that this is completely subjective. She is the only judge and will be making her decision based on your comments when you nominate the organization.

This is not a poll or a vote and her decision will not be based on how many times an organization is nominated.

Nominations will be accepted until the end of August. Send your email to Tips@ShorelineAreaNews.com, sign your name, city of residence, and contact information.

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Tibet Fest 2010 - a glimpse of Shangrila at Seattle Center, August 28-29

Shoreline resident Tashi Namgyal is the immediate past president of the Washington State Tibetan Association and shares this annual event with us.  Seattle Center's Center House, August 28-29, 10 am to 5 pm, free admission.  Performance, Films, Circle Dance, Sand Mandala, Tibetan Bazaar, foods, photo exhibitions.

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Road Closure: North 185th Street

N 185th St between Aurora and Midvale Ave N will be partially closed during the day and fully closed at night between Monday, August 23 and Friday, August 27. Closure is needed so the City of Shoreline's Aurora Corridor Project contractor can complete excavation, grading and paving at this location.

Read more about the closure and the Aurora Corridor Project.

Shoreline Public Works Director Mark Relph issued this statement late last week:

“We are entering a significant phase of the Aurora project with a closure and reconstruction of 185th, east of Aurora. This temporary closure begins Monday morning. As you will note below, we have made a significant effort to notify the surrounding businesses and property owners, including one-on-one notifications with a detailed flyer. Our notifications have included the adjacent properties to Aurora as well as properties east of Aurora all the way to Ashworth, plus some properties on Stone.

“In short, there will be one westbound lane open during the day with both directions closed at night. This approach is necessary since we are raising the grade by nearly three feet. We hope to get the work completed and lanes open in both directions by the end of the day Friday.”

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Tour the Kruckeberg Oaks on Saturday, August 28

Saturday, August 21, 2010

With more than 40 different species of oaks on site, the Kruckeberg Garden is a fantastic place to learn about this diverse plant family. Learn which oaks might do well in different areas of your garden and how to identify and care for them. Fee: $10. Call Shoreline Parks Department, 206-801-2600 to register for the Kruckeberg Oaks Tour on August 28 from 11 am to 1 pm.

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SCC Fall sports return with high hopes in 2010

By Douglas W. Palmer, SCC Athletic Director

The fall sports at Shoreline Community College kicked off their 2010 training camps Monday, August 16, with opening team meetings and practices. The women’s volleyball team, the women’s soccer team and the men’s soccer team returned to campus with high hopes for 2010.

Photo by Wilson Tsoi
The women’s soccer team, after winning four straight NWAACC Northern Region Championships between 2005 and 2008, finished second last season to Whatcom Community College. The Lady Dolphins, under long time coach Mark Szabo, hope to return to the top of the region and make another appearance at the NWAACC Final Four, as the team did in 2007 and 2008, finishing 3rd in both trips to the championship. SCC was 8-5-4 in 2009, 7-3-3 in the Northern Region. SCC beat Olympic College in the NWAACC playoffs, but lost in the quarterfinals to Walla Walla CC, the eventual NWAACC Women’s Champion.

Photo by Wilson Tsoi
The SCC men’s soccer team finished second in the Northern Region as well and hopes to better that position in 2010 and win a first round playoff game. The SCC men’s squad lost to Highline Community College last year at home in the first round of the playoffs. The Dolphins were 7-9-1 overall last year, 6-6-1 in the Northern region.

Photo by Wilson Tsoi
The volleyball team returned to the NWAACC Championship last season for the first time in four years and hopes to build on that success with an even better season in 2010. The Lady Dolphins were 11-19 overall last season, playing a tough non-region schedule, but finished 6-6 in the region and fourth place in the division. SCC lost two straight matches at the NWAACC Championship, but beat the NWAACC Champions, the Community College of Spokane, twice during the regular season, to prove their worth as a playoff contending team.

The volleyball team opens their season with a home match against Northwest Indian College on September 1 at 7 pm in the SCC Gym. 

The men’s soccer team opens at home as well, with Tacoma Community College on September 4 at 1 pm at the SCC Soccer Field. 

The Lady Dolphin Soccer team opens on the road against Bellevue College on September 7, in Salem, Oregon, at the NWAACC Crossover Tournament at Chemeketa Community College. SCC women’s soccer opens at home on September 17 against defending NWAACC Champion, Walla Walla CC at 2 pm at the SCC Soccer Field.

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Scenes from the Shoreline Parade, August 21, 2010

Marchers in the 2010 Celebrate Shoreline Parade enjoyed the weather, the walk, the camaraderie, and the chance to promote their organizations. Photographer Steven H. Robinson captured these shots.





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Letter to the Editor: LFP Citizens spoke volumes

To the Editor:

The Citizens of Lake Forest Park have spoken volumes by voting to reject Proposition 1 overwhelmingly, 78.6% to 21.4%.

The fact that the measure is failing by such a large margin represents a “Vote of No Confidence” in the Mayor, senior members of the Administration, and the City Council except Councilmember Wright who consistently opposed this measure."

We learned first hand during this campaign that the Citizens of Lake Forest Park want, more than ever, to participate in governing their City in the future.

The City conducted a survey in 2007 to determine what is important to the people who live in Lake Forest Park. Here are the top 4:

* Safety and Security
* Infrastructure Maintenance
* Preservation of the Environment in the face of development
* Parks and Recreation

Members of the City Council must now roll up their sleeves and adjust the cost of government and its programs to match Lake Forest Park’s primarily residential tax base while preserving what is important to our citizens. This problem cannot be solved by a knee jerk 10% across the board cut as proposed by the Mayor.

Stephen P. Plusch, Chair
No LFP Levy Lid Lift Committee

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Ivy Out at Grace Cole Park Saturday, August 28


 
The Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation is holding an Ivy OUT work party at Grace Cole Nature park on Saturday, August 28 from 10 am to 2 pm.

Bring your favorite tools (loppers, pruners, gloves, etc.), however the work on Ivy is largely done with the hands. Dress for the weather. Workers will be primarily on high ground.

Lunch will be provided by the Lake Forest Park Garden Club. Snacks and beverages will be provided too. Bring a refillable water bottle to reduce waste.

The park is located at 30th Ave NE and NE 165th Street. Go south on 28th from NE 178th in Lake Forest Park and drive about 1/2 mile until just before the road turns. You'll see Grace Cole Nature Park on your right.

Great progress is being made to eliminate the Ivy from Grace Cole Nature Park at these large work parties which are a collaborative effort between the Stewardship Foundation and the Friends of the Cedar River Watershed.

The September work party is scheduled for Friday, September 24, 10 am to 2 pm, with lunch, possibly at a new site.

Call Mamie if you have questions: 206-364-4410.

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Help weed the Interurban Trail


CoN weeds the Interurban.  Photo by Bob Allen.

The Shoreline Council of Neighborhoods (CON) extends an invitation to all Shoreline residents and businesses to join them for a weeding session on the Interurban Trail between the two signature bridges (Aurora Avenue North at North 150th)on Saturday, August 28, from 10 am to noon. Park just north of Denny's. Bring tools marked with your name and a desire to make Shoreline beautiful.

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Tweedy & Popp Ace Hardware marks three years in Richmond Beach

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Tweedy & Popp Ace Hardware is celebrating the third anniversary of the opening of its branch store in the QFC center on Richmond Beach Road and 8th Ave NW on Saturday and Sunday, August 28-29, with a sidewalk sale, free hot dogs and sodas from 11 am to 2 pm each day, and goodies for the kids. All are invited.

Tweedy & Popp, established in 1920 in the Wallingford neighborhood, is the oldest continuously operating hardware chain in the Seattle area, according to store owners.

“We are a neighborhood store,” said Brian Siler, the Richmond Beach store’s manager. “We pride ourselves in our personal service, fast service, great selection, and a very short walk from the parking lot, no offense to any of our bigger brothers in the business,” he said.

Store policy, according to Siler, is to greet customers when they enter the store with a “can we help you find something.” “That way,” Siler said, “we can often save them steps and time, since many people visit us for the purpose of finding a particular item.”

“Part of the challenge,” said Siler, “is when a customer has a ‘fix-it’ issue, and we all have to ‘think like McGiver’ to come up with a workable solution. We get to feel like heros several times a day.”

If the Richmond Beach Ace Hardware store sees its main mission as customer service, many of the Richmond Beach store’s local customers apparently agree. Last month, the Shoreline chapter of the Rotary Club honored the store with its “Business of the Month” award for its “outstanding customer service,” just in time for the store’s third anniversary celebration.

The store does sharpening of household and garden tools, makes keys, cuts glass, and performs a host of other personalized services for its customers. “We like to make things work,” the store manager said.

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SCC Parent-Child Center endorsed as eco-healthy child care facility


The Parent-Child Center at Shoreline Community College has been endorsed as an Eco-Healthy Child Care Center by the Oregon Environmental Council. This endorsement verifies the college's commitment to provide a healthy, safe and green child care setting for children, families and staff.

The Eco-Healthy project was a collaboration between the Shoreline Community College Parent-Child Center and the college’s Center for Service-Learning. A team of five students helped to lead the center through the process of becoming an endorsed facility. The process was based on complying with a checklist of eco-healthy best practices.

Eco-Healthy Child Care is a national program of the Children's Environmental Network created by the Oregon Environmental Council. Their website has great tips for "healthier children and a happier earth."  

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Evan Smith: LFP has highest voter turnout in King County


By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

Lake Forest Park’s Proposition 1 brought out so many voters that the City had the highest primary election voter turnout in King County.

The City has a turnout as of Friday afternoon of more than 54 percent, compared to 37 percent countywide and 41 percent for the King County portion of the 32nd Legislative District – Lake Forest Park, Shoreline, Kenmore and the Finn Hill area near Kirkland.

Lake Forest Park is the only city, school district, special-purpose district or legislative district in the County with a turnout higher than 50 percent.

Friday afternoon returns include ballots that the County elections office received by Wednesday.

Officials now expect the final countywide turnout to fall short of the 45 percent they had predicted.

The Friday count showed the LFP tax-levy lid lift to be losing by a slightly smaller margin than in earlier counts, with slightly more than 78 percent voting “no.”

County officials plan to update the count Monday at 4:30 p.m.

Friday count:

YES                  1,091   21.89%
NO                    3,892   78.11%
Total                  4,983  
Undervotes            72
Total Ballots      5,055  100.00%

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Letter to the Editor: Proposition 1 Lake Forest Park


To the Editor:

The defeat of Proposition 1 in Lake Forest Park is notable for several reasons. Last April the Mayor and city council planned to put a property tax raise initiative on the ballot during the August primary. This initiative would have increased your property tax rate by 38.6% in 2011. The Wall Street Journal ran an article remarking on this huge tax increase. This came about from fiscal ineffectiveness of this administration and their unwillingness to create a realistic budget for these financial times. This could have cost some of our elderly citizens and young families their homes. Early this year a number of citizens approached the council to request that the initiative be delayed from the proposed August primary until the November general election to ensure the broadest participation. The council refused this request. A group of citizens came together to work to defeat this initiative. They educated themselves about the issue and took it to the community with a series of meetings, coffees and printed material all carefully researched to represent the facts. The community responded overwhelmingly and almost 80% of our citizens voted against the initiative. . Our elected officials have not represented the community or done what is best for the people who elected them. This is most disappointing. The most important aspect of this campaign is that the citizens came together and formed a group to protect the community and effect change when our elected officials did not do what they were elected to do. It also proves that the citizens action in a community can bring about successful change and have a huge impact on their government.

Linda Holman
Lake Forest Park

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Helicopter evacuation drills

Friday, August 20, 2010

AirliftNW lands at Shorewood HS
Shoreline Fire conducted a training session with Airlift Northwest and Guardian One, coordinating helicopter landings for transport of accident victims to trauma centers. The designated landing area in Shoreline is the playing field at the south end of Shorewood High School, located at 175th and Fremont Ave N.

The fire department worked with Airlift Northwest for several days and with King County Sheriff's Guardian One helicopter.

Shoreline Fire vehicles.

Drills and training sessions such as these make sure that everything goes smoothly for an actual emergency, when every minute counts.  The sessions were held during the week of August 16 - 20.

Photos by Steven H. Robinson

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Don’t have transportation? Ride the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Shuttle.


Need to buy groceries? Run an errand? Go to the doctor? The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Shuttle is a FREE door-to-door van service! Seniors and anyone with disabilities or special needs can ride. The two vans are lift-equipped for people who have difficulty using stairs or use a mobility aid, such as a wheelchair or scooter.

The program is officially referred to as the Hyde Shuttles, in honor of Lillian May Hyde who left a bequest to help start this program several years ago.

Call 206-727-6262 to book your ride – no forms to fill out. The Shuttle runs Monday - Friday from 8 am - 4 pm and serves the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park area.

If you would like to become a volunteer driver, Senior Services would like to talk to you. Senior Services provides free training and lots of support for its volunteers. To learn more contact Senior Services Transportation Program Recruitment & Outreach Coordinator Melissa Triblehorn at 206-748-7588.

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Shoreline City Council Recap for July and August 2010

On Tuesday, August 3, Shoreline residents came together to celebrate community participating in over 29 events for National Night Out. It was an opportunity for neighbors to come together, share information and support each other. 

City Council members, along with City, Police and Fire staff, visited events to introduce themselves and help answer questions.

The Council is currently on recess. 
Its next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 7.

Below is a recap of the Shoreline City Council’s work for the months of July and August:

Proclamations
  • National Night Out Against Crime
  • Celebrate Shoreline
Studied
  • Proposed amendments to the Development Code
  • Proposed levy lid lift ballot measure
  • Implementation Options for Southeast Neighborhoods Subarea Plan
  • Continued Discussion of the Transportation Master Plan: Concurrency and Funding
  • Continued discussion of Transportation Master Plan: sidewalk maintenance and design issues; and bicycle policies
Presentations
  • Shoreline Historical Museum Annual Report
  • Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council Annual Report
Public Hearing
  • Proposed Use of 2011-12 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds; and adoption of the Proposed Funding Allocations
Action Taken
  • Adopted amendments to the Development Code
  • Adopted Sunset Park and Boeing Creek Master Plans
  • Authorized City Manager to Execute and Agreement for Vehicle Repair and Maintenance Services with the City of Mountlake Terrace
  • Authorized City Manager to Enter into an Agreement for 2010 Emergency Management Performance Grant Funds
  • Adopted Resolution No. 307 Placing a Property Tax Levy Lid Lift on the November 2, 2010, General Election Ballot
  • Amended Council Rules of Procedure Changing Scheduled Time for Regular Public Meetings of City Council to 7:00 pm.
  • Approved Neighborhood Mini-Grant Funding for Richmond Beach Community Association
  • Appointed Pro/Con Committee members in charge of drafting pro/con statements for voters’ pamphlet for Shoreline Proposition No. 1
  • Adopted Ordinance No. 582 sun-setting the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC)
  • Provided direction to Planning Commission and staff on Long-Range Planning Work Program

For more information on the items outlined above and to obtain the most updated agenda for City Council meetings, go here.  For information about the City of Shoreline in general, go here.

-Eric Bratton, City Manager's Office
 

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Evan Smith: Correct results for 32nd Legislative District as of Friday


By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

When I reported on Thursday on the 32nd District legislative contest among Democrat Cindy Ryu, Republican Art Coday and Democrat Doris McConnell, I listed the same totals for Ryu and Coday.

Here is the 32nd District vote count updated through Friday afternoon,

The Friday vote count includes King County ballots that arrived through Wednesday and Snohomish County ballots received through Friday afternoon.

The King County ballots include those from Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and the Finn Hill area near Kirkland. Snohomish County votes come from Woodway, south Edmonds and unincorporated Esperance.

Both counties plan to issue updated returns Monday afternoon.

Friday 32nd Legislative District totals:

State Senate

Maralyn Chase (D)..... 14,483 votes, 47.70%
David Baker (R)..........12,117 votes. 39.91%
Patty Butler (D).............3,763 votes, 12.39%
TOTAL ----------------- 30,363 votes, 100.00%

State Representative. Position 1

Cindy Ryu (D)............ 12,770 votes, 42.25%
Art Coday (R)..............11,420 votes, 37.78%
Doris McConnell (D).....6,035 votes, 19.97%
TOTAL ----------------- 30,225 votes, 100.00%

State Representative, Position 2

Ruth Kagi (D)..............17,157 votes, 56.47 %
Gary Gagliardi (R).......10,859 votes, 35.74%
Stan Lippman (D)..........2,365 votes, 7.78 %
TOTAL ----------------- 30,381 votes, 100.00%

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Whisker City at the Farmers' Market on Sunday, August 22



For cat lovers, Whisker City will be on hand (paw?) with their Whiskers on Wheels adoption van at the LFP Farmers' Market this Sunday, August 22, from 11 am to 4 pm. 

They have many wonderful cats who need forever homes, and this is a perfect time to make room for one of them. 

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Evan Smith: Ryu expects Democrats to come together for general election

By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

Democratic State Representative candidate Cindy Ryu said Thursday that she expects 32nd District Democrats to come together to help her win the November general election.

Ryu, a former Shoreline City councilwoman and mayor, was the top vote getter in the Tuesday primary, getting 42 percent of the vote to 38 percent for Republican Art Coday, her general-election opponent, and 20 percent for Democrat Doris McConnell, a current Shoreline councilwoman.

The 32nd Legislative District includes Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and the Finn Hill area of unincorporated King County near Kirkland. In Snohomish County, it includes Woodway, south Edmonds and unincorporated Esperance.

King County’s countywide voter turnout was more than 32 percent Thursday, compared to the 45 percent that officials had projected. The Thursday King County count includes ballots that had arrived at the County elections office by Wednesday morning.

In Snohomish County, voter turnout was 29 percent, compared to an expected 41 percent. The count includes ballots that arrived at the County auditor’s office by Wednesday afternoon.

Ryu and Coday are running for the seat that Democrat Maralyn Chase is vacating to run for the State Senate.

“Our district cast over 61 percent of its votes for Democrats in this race, and we have a record of coming together after a primary to support the Democratic winner in the general election.” Ryu said. “Both of our sitting State representatives, Maralyn Chase and Ruth Kagi, have endorsed my campaign for State Representative Position 1, as have former holders of this position, Donn Charnley and Nancy Rust.”

She added, “As before the primary, we are going to continue talking to voters in every part of our community and listening to their concerns”

While Ryu mentioned support from Reps. Chase and Kagi and former Reps. Charnley and Rust, she didn’t mention State Sen. Darlene Fairley who endorsed McConnell in the primary. I was unable to reach Coday, Fairley or McConnell Friday evening.

The vote count as of Thursday afternoon:

Candidate (Party preference) Votes Percent
Art Coday (R)                                9,906 votes,   37.64%
Cindy Ryu (D)                              11,076 votes,   42.09%
Doris Fujioka McConnell (D)            5,335 votes,   20.27 %
Total Votes                                    26,317 votes, 100.00%

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The Odd Plant Show and Sale, cactus and succulents, August 28-29

Thursday, August 19, 2010


Wikimedia Commons. SCC.
What’s the point of cactus?  Come find out as the Cascade Cactus and Succulent Society has its annual sale of cacti and succulents, known as the The Odd Plant Show and Sales (TOPPS).  

The event will be held at Sky Nursery, 18528 Aurora Ave N, 206-546-4851, on Saturday and Sunday, August 28-29, from 9 am to 6 pm.

A variety of plants, including many unique varieties, will be on sale.  Growers and members of the Cascade Cactus and Succulent Society of Washington State will be available to answer questions about these interesting plants.

Wikimedia Commons. SCC.
The Cascade and Succulent Society of Washington State is an organization that meets generally once a month in the Douglas Classroom of the Urban Horticultural Center at the University of Washington.  Meetings consist of a review of a chosen cactus and succulent, and a program on a subject of interest.  Refreshments are served, and visitors are always welcomed.  

Wikimedia Commons. SCC.
 We encourage those who are interested in cactus and succulents to join, and yearly membership is a nominal amount which helps pay for expenses. Skill level is from basic through advanced knowledge.  

Meetings are usually on the third Sunday afternoon of the month at 2 pm.  The Society has an annual picnic, Christmas party, and schedules field trips to observe both cacti and succulents.

The seminar on Saturday, August 21, is Japanese Maples.

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Facts about blood donations

When you sign up to donate blood - what happens to your blood?

According to Monette Anderson of the Puget Sound Blood Center, each pint of blood is separated into components (platelets, plasma and red blood cells) to save three lives.

From one person's donation of blood, PSBC can obtain red blood cells, which have a life span of 42 days, platelets, which have a life span of 2 days and plasma which has a life span of 1 year.

Only 5 percent of eligible donors actually give blood, despite the fact that 92 percent of us will need a blood transfusion if we live to the age of 72. 

PSBC strives to maintain a four day supply of each blood type and support over 70 clinics in western Washington. Blood goes to treatment for anyone who has been injured or is receiving treatment for trauma and burns, cancer, blood and immune diseases, surgery, heart disease or organ or marrow transplant.

During the summer months PSBC had added difficulty meeting the goal of 900 donors a day. Student donations are 30% of the donor base so with high schools and colleges out, as well as many on vacations, they see a significant decrease.

Hemophiliacs usually need platelets as well as transfusions of red blood cells. They are often given platelets to help their clotting factors.

The Bloodmobile will be accepting donations in Richmond Beach on Saturday, August 28, at the Shoreline Fire Training Facility, Richmond Beach Road.  Appointments can be made at www.psbc.org or by calling 800-398-7888. Mid-day times (2:00 to 3:00 p.m.) are especially encouraged. Walk-ups are welcome.More info: Tom Petersen, 206-546-4865.

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Overwhelming defeat of LFP Prop. 1 was a surprise even to opponents


By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

The margin of defeat for Lake Forest Park Proposition 1 was a surprise even to some of the levy-lid lift’s strongest opponents.

Former LFP Councilwoman Carolyn Armanini, who had worked against the proposal, told me Wednesday that she was surprised by the margin by which the proposal went down.

The percentage of “no” votes fell Thursday but still stood at 78.58 percent, with almost 80 percent of the votes counted.

Countywide voter turnout was more than 32 percent Thursday, compared to the 45 percent that officials had projected.

The Thursday count includes ballots that had arrived at the King County elections office by Wednesday morning.

“We had hoped to prevail, but truly were surprised by the initial numbers, Armanini said. “These results should send a strong message to those in city government about the expectations of the community.”
She added that the City should take the opportunity “to step back, review the priorities of Lake Forest Park residents, fund those, and determine where savings can be realized in those areas that aren't priorities and even make some reasonable adjustments in priority areas.”

LFP Mayor Dave Hutchinson said Thursday morning that the 10 percent budget cut he mentioned in a message to citizens Wednesday was just a first step toward closing the $700,000 budget gap the City will have next year without the money that the levy-lid lift would have provided.

While Hutchinson has asked each City department to list what it would cut with 10 percent less money, he said that he doesn’t expect the police department or the Municipal Court to suffer cuts of that level.

In fact, Hutchinson said, public safety would get the smallest budget cuts because citizens who responded to a survey last year had listed public safety as the top City priority.

He said he would present the information to the City Council, which will use the information in writing the City budget for the next two years.

Armanini responded that the statement of across-the-board cuts was a reflection of threats Hutchinson had made during the campaign to pass the proposal.

Asked about whether the City had asked for too much in the proposal, Hutchinson said that that City had simply asked for the money it would need to maintain the current level of service. Now, with the answer from this week’s election, it will figure out the best way to operate with less money.

Hutchinson added that he didn’t expect the City to go to the voters with another tax proposal in the foreseeable future.

He also said that the City couldn’t look to other sources of revenue because, as a residential community, it must depend almost entirely on property taxes.

Asked about whether the vote on the tax proposal was a reversal of last year’s City Council election that saw prominent tax opponents leave the Council, Hutchinson responded that the 2009 election had been about the people involved, not just the candidates’ stand on City taxes.

That vote count as of Thursday afternoon, with the next count scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Friday:

CITY OF LAKE FOREST PARK

Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: *
4,505
/
9,328
48.30%
City Of Lake Forest Park Proposition No. 1 Levy For Retention Of Basic Public Safety And Other Services


YES

953
21.42%

NO

3,497
78.58%


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