Man Pistol Whipped, Woman Sexually Assaulted During Home Invasion
An update on this event has been published with a sketch of the suspect. The update can be found here.
Press Release: A man was pistol whipped and his girlfriend sexually assaulted during a home invasion robbery that occurred overnight in the Top Hat area of King County.
Last night around 8:40 deputies responded to a report of a home invasion robbery in the 10800 block of 6 Ave S. When deputies arrived they contacted a 23 year old man who said when he got home he saw two men near his apartment. He said the men pulled handguns and forced him into his apartment.
Once inside the apartment the suspects ordered the victim and his 23 year old girlfriend, who was home with her young son, to get on the ground. One of the suspects pistol whipped the male on the back of the head. One of the suspects sexually assaulted the female at gunpoint while the other suspect ransacked the house. (more…)
Executive Constantine on defeat of proposed annexations in North Highline and West Hill
Press Release: Next Step is up to Residents
“We acknowledge the decision of the residents of the North Highline and West Hill communities to remain in unincorporated King County for the immediate future.
“King County will continue to do its best to provide services to these areas within the resources available. The mandate of the state Growth Management Act remains unchanged– that urban areas should be in cities, which are in a better position to provide urban-level services.
“It’s going to be up to the residents of these urban unincorporated areas and their adjacent cities to decide if and when an annexation vote will come up again. It is certainly in the interest of the cities to act before the sales tax relief provided by the state expires in 2015.
“I want to thank the Mayor, the City Council, and the staff of the cities of Renton and Burien for their work and cooperation throughout this lengthy process.
“In the meantime, King County’s Community Service Area staff will continue to provide support and access to unincorporated area residents and organizations.”
Burien city manager thanks NHUAC for support of annexation, strikes at naysayer arguments
The following article was published in partnership with the Highline Times and was written by Ty Swenson.
In the last North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting on Nov. 1 before final ballots are cast to approve or decline annexation to Burien, City Manager Mike Martin thanked the NHUAC for their support of annexation and responded to claims being made by those against the measure.
“I wanted to acknowledge all the work that has gone into this campaign and as you know, I wouldn’t be standing here unless our council supported this, and I really applaud you for fighting the good fight,” Martin said to the NHUAC board.
“I really applaud you folks for staying to the high ground and this is a very important policy decision and as a public servant, I very much regret some of the information that is out there that some people are using to make their decision.”
Before going into anti-annexation claims, Martin said the city is internally preparing for annexation in the event that it passes, including an “extensive task list” of transition talks with King County. He said Burien hopes to move quickly with a yes vote, and annexation could be implemented by April of 2013. (more…)
White Center Business Owners Support Annexation by Burien
The following letter was sent to Burien Daily by a group of White Center businesses owners who support the annexation of unincorporated King County by Burien.
Letter to the Editor: As responsible White Center business owners, we support annexation to Burien. Burien does not have a problem with vandalism, open alcohol, drug dealing, or prostitution in its commercial district, and we think that’s a good idea for White Center, too. Burien is in better fiscal shape than 90% of Washington cities and wants to maintain our public library and parks rather than having them closed or fall into disrepair with the county. Burien wants to maintain the uniqueness of White Center and give us an active voice in shaping the future together, including economic development and zoning.
These are real benefits for local families and businesses – not a scheme by a fiscally irresponsible city or the offer of a low bidder as portrayed in a recent Seattle Times Op-Ed piece by Mark Ufkes, president of the White Center Chamber of Commerce, and Don Malo, president of Independent White Center (IWC) PAC. To quell the concerns of those anxious about the soundness of Burien’s fiscal calculations, our state legislators have even pledged to endorse legislation for a safety net for the annexation if and when one is ever needed. In reality, White Center is not independent now – its services and future are dictated by King County policies and we share one county representative with 200,000 others. With Burien, we will have 7 representatives and much better coordinated services. (more…)
Letter to the Editor: Debi Wagner Opposing Annexation
The following letter was sent to Burien Daily by Burien resident, Debi Wagner.
Neighbors and Voters of Area Y/North Highline/White Center there is no law that requires us to annex to a city. No one in King County or in Washington State government claims that such a law exists. Additionally, the King County Library Board has never stated that the White Center and Boulevard Libraries will be closed if we don’t annex to Burien. Both of these libraries are currently in the City of Burien and are not part of this annexation vote.
Independent White Center PAC is registered with Washington State and is a group of concerned citizens from Area Y/North Highline/White Center, Seattle and Burien. We are not just a few wealthy land owners in North Highline; we are many of your friends and neighbors. When surveyed, most Area Y residents/we stated that we wanted to remain independent and not annexed to any city. (more…)
Seattle Met Publishes Article Documenting “White Center’s Annexation Fight”
Seattle Met, the monthly magazine first published in 2006, recently released an online article analyzing the current situation in the unincorporated portion of the Highline area which is currently voting on whether or not to annexed by Burien on November 6th.
The article interviewed a number of White Center business owners, Burien’s City Manager, Mike Martin, the President of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council (NHUAC), Barbara Dobkin, and White Center Chamber of Commerce, Mark Ufkes. Each of the interviewed had different reasons for supporting or opposing the annexation. (more…)
Letter to the Editor: Pat LaMoine “I am against Annexation”
The following letter was sent to Burien Daily by unincorporated King County resident Pat LaMoine on October 25, 2012.
Hi I’m Pat LeMoine and I am against being annexed by the city of Burien.
What helped solidify my opinion are the dozen or so newly annexed Burien residents of Area X that I have talked to. I have heard complaints ranging from higher taxes, no improvements in services, to a city hall hostile to its own citizens. A recent favorite of mine was walking into a local beauty salon to let the owner know about changes she will have to make to her signage under Burien Municipal Code if annexed. As the owner gazed in perplexed astonishment I notice a waiting customer whose eyes began to light with fire “YOU DO NOT WANT TO JOIN BURIEN!” She exclaimed then with blood boiling she went on to talk about all the taxes http://www.burienwa.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1118 that she now has to pay as a result of being annexed to Burien. She reminded me of Kathy Parker who under oath testified before the Boundary Review Board on 1/9/12 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9zn2lOyJpg (51 minutes in) and presented the board with a petition signed by 2000 residents of the newly annexed Area X who where so unhappy that they wanted to leave Burien. Keep in mind that only 1,380 voted for annexation from a population of over 14,000. At that same meeting I estimate 80% of the audience where residents of Burien warning the rest of us not to join. (more…)
Vote Yes on Burien Annexation of Unincorporated King County
The following letter was sent to Burien Daily by the Northing Highline Unincorporated Area Council (NHUAC).
The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council (NHUAC) urges a YES vote for annexation of “Area Y” to Burien (Proposition 1 at the end of your ballot). Our support is based in large part on the positive impact of Burien’s 2010 annexation of our neighbors to the south. Roads have been paved, long neglected parks have been improved, and the people have been given a voice and a say in their future.
A Burien annexation will ensure that the White Center and Boulevard Park Libraries will not be moved out of the communities they currently serve. Without Burien’s advocacy these essential community resources would have already been lost, but without annexation, according to the King County Library Board, they will be closed.
A few individuals who own significant amounts of land in North Highline and have advocated for years for a Seattle annexation, now want you to believe that we can remain unincorporated or “independent”. Neither is true. At NHUAC’s October 4 Annexation Forum, State Senator Sharon Nelson, and Karen Freeman, from King County Executive Dow Constantine’s Office, made it clear that the State Growth Management Act and King County Policies, require us to be part of a city. In addition, King County’s fiscal crisis will continue to result in drastic cuts to our services. (more…)