White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Here’s an alert from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office:

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is aware of a scam call going to Western Washington residents regarding criminal cases and demanding money be transferred immediately.

These calls are a scam and they are targeting people who have no involvement in a crime. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is not calling demanding money from people involved in prostitution cases or any type of cases. Our office has never done that, and will not.

If you are charged with a crime, the way you will find out is through a formal summons or a warrant. Both must be handled in person.

Here’s the outline of one of the previous scam calls:

-The caller identifies themself as King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg and says the call recipient is being prosecuted for contacting someone underage.

-The number being faked is 206-477-1200.

-The call recipient is told to send a MoneyGram for $890 in order for the charges to be dropped. Do not wire money to this person. Our office will never call and demand money in exchange for charges being dropped.

Similar scams happened back in July and mid-August.

If you receive what you believe to be a bogus call from someone pretending to be from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, here are steps you can take. This information comes from our Economic Crimes Unit, which handles felony fraud cases such as this.

-Don’t panic. This threat is not legitimate. Even if you take no action you will not be charged with a crime.

-Write down any information you can gather about the call. This may include the time you received it, what number showed on your called ID and any statements made by the fraudulent caller. While a recording of the conversation may be helpful to law enforcement, in Washington it is illegal to record someone without first telling them the conversation will be recorded. So, if you decide to record the call, give them notice, turn on the recorder, and then repeat your notice.

-Contact your local law enforcement to report the attempted fraud. The non-emergency number for the Seattle Police Department, for example, is 206-625-5011 and you also can make a report online. Save the documentation regarding the report after you’ve filed it.

-If the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has actually charged you with a crime, separate from these scam calls, notify your attorney.

If you have questions or want to verify that a communication you received actually came from us, the phone number for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is 206-477-1200 and our email is Prosecuting.Attorney@kingcounty.gov. We are happy to help you.

First, the pounding rain, and mid-50s temperatures … now, the falling snow, and the mercury’s in the 30s! The photo is by Alex (thank you!). Forecasters say the snow won’t last too much longer, though, so appreciate it while we’re seeing it. Tomorrow is still expected to be mostly sunny, followed by a much colder night, maybe into the 20s.

2:59 PM: For the second week in a row, White Center has a new place to eat. This time, Boombox Bar – in the former Swallow space, 9608 16th SW – is open for business, offering takeout through 9 pm tonight. You can see the Boombox menu here. It’s been a month and a half since we first mentioned Boombox was on the way.

6:03 PM: Because of this afternoon’s weather, we talked to the Boombox crew by phone rather than going over. They tell us they’ll be open noon to 9 pm, 7 days a week for now (closed Christmas Eve/Day and New Year’s Eve/Day). Their theme: American comfort food, and (when indoor dining is allowed again) come-as-you-are dining. They’re still awaiting their liquor license so no cocktails yet. In the future, post-pandemic, they hope to be a relaxed venue, full kitchen and bar, maybe eventually adding karaoke, trivia, other entertainment.

8:39 AM: A power outage is affecting parts of White Center and south West Seattle. City Light map shows 2,100+ out. We’re checking out an apparently related crash in Highland Park.

9:37 AM: That’s the car whose driver went off the road on the Highland Park Way hill. No serious injuries reported. Meantime, most affected by the outage are back on; just under 300 customers in West Seattle’s Puget Ridge neighborhood remain out.

10:21 AM: Everybody’s back on.

If you noticed the KCSO response that closed Ambaum south of White Center earlier tonight, here’s what that was about: Deputies are searching for two robbers who held up a mini-mart at Ambaum/126th and then another store on 14th Avenue South near South Park. Not too many descriptive details so far – KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Tim Meyer tells WCN the robbers are described as two Black men in their 20s, one wearing a white hoodie, one in a black hoodie. They were last seen on foot but probably in a vehicle to get between those two scenes; no description of that yet. Deputies have been using K-9s in the search, and Guardian One briefly joined in the Burien search until the weather got bad.

Have you answered the survey yet? David Goodman wants to ensure you are heard before time runs out:

I am writing to encourage you to share your priorities for your neighborhood on the North Highline Community Needs List survey by the end of 2020. Beginning in early 2021, our department will begin reviewing these priorities with other departments to prepare for further consultation with community members in the spring.

The list of ideas is now over 150 items long! Some of the priorities that have been most frequently identified so far include:

Sidewalks, street lighting, and street trees
Traffic calming measures in residential neighborhoods
Create pocket parks and community-centric amenities like a pea patch or community garden
Improvements at White Center Heights Park
Crisis response for those needing mental health or substance-abuse services
Early intervention, prevention for kids and youth
Clean up abandoned or vacant buildings
Prioritize working on gang, drug issues and long standing nuisance houses/repeat offenders

On this survey, you’ll be able to see all of the community-generated ideas for the Community Needs List and identify which ones are a priority for you. You can also add new ideas if your priorities are not reflected already.

There will be plenty of opportunity to provide feedback and continue this conversation in 2021, but the next few weeks are the best time to make sure your idea receives consideration from King County.

This survey and all other materials are also available in Spanish, Somali, Vietnamese, and Khmer.

We first told you last month that Bizzarro Italian Café was expanding and would take over the former Noble Barton space in downtown White Center. Today is opening day – 5-8 pm for takeout; you can call ahead for pickup, 206-453-4441.

They also offer third-party delivery. Menu’s on their website.

2:45 PM: Thanks for the tips! 3,760 are without power in a White Center/West Seattle outage, according to the City Light map. No cause yet.

2:58 PM: The outage is affecting some traffic signals, including on Roxbury – remember that an out or flashing signal becomes a 4-way stop. Also reported to be affected: At least part of Westwood Village.

3:20 PM: There’s a multi-vehicle crash at an apparently affected intersection, 16th/107th, with one car reported on its side. King County Sheriff’s Deputies are on scene. Meanwhile, we have a message out to SCL seeking the latest on the outage’s cause.

3:35 PM: We’re hearing that at least some of those affected are back on.

3:39 PM: The map shows just under 400 customers now still without power, mostly in the Greenbridge area. Adding the updated screengrab above.

3:51 PM: Here’s the crash scene at 16th/107th, east side of the intersection:

Deputies say three cars were involved and the signal (back on now) was out at the time. No injuries. They’re just waiting for tow trucks.

5:56 PM: SCL map shows everybody’s back on.

6:07 PM: SCL tells us that “underground cable failure” is what they believe to have been the cause.

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

Previews were the order of the night when the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council met online last Thursday.

Two of our area’s 34th District state legislators previewed the next session, and a King County rep previewed

LEGISLATORS’ PREVIEWS: State Sen. Joe Nguyen and State House Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon were the first guests, to talk about the legislative session ahead. Sen. Nguyen – just elected to a leadership post – opened with a recap of the busy time between sessions. He said he works a lot on transportation and technology (his professional background is in the latter). “Helping youths be successful” is another focus, “on the human-services side.” Leading up to the session, “progressive revenue” has been a major focus for him, with so many needs. He talked about growing up in Park Lake Homes – now Seola Gardens – and how the kinds of programs that helped his family then need support and investment now. Climate and sentencing reform are also priorities.

Rep. Fitzgibbon hopes to continue as the chair of the Energy and Environment Committee (House leadership decisions will be made next week). There are many environmental issues, he noted, from addressing air/water pollution to improving recycling and composting. He now lives close to White Center, he added, in south Highland Park, not far north of the city-limit line. He hopes to pursue the fireworks-law changes again this year, to help facilitate a ban in unincorporated King County (provided the County Council passes one). He also talked about land use and ensuring that affordable housing is more equitably distributed.

NHUAC’s Liz Giba talked about what she had found regarding a sizable amount of affordable housing being built in White Center and Fitzgibbon agreed that more had to be done to avoid that sort of concentration. “We have to find a balance,” said Nguyen, while again noting that affordable housing served his family years ago. Giba talked about the need for an Opportunity Analysis, with White Center having been ranked as a “low-opportunity neighborhood” with rampant health challenges. NHUAC’s Barbara Dobkin added that there’s a cycle – they’ve been told affordable housing is built there because the costs are lower, but that leads to increased community needs that can’t be addressed.

Dobkin also pointed out that unincorporated North Highline is plagued by rural-style rules, or lack of them, such as no required trash pickup, no revenue for road repairs, no tree protection. Fitzgibbon agreed that the Growth Management Act doesn’t account for how unincorporated urban areas like White Center and Skyway can be appropriately addressed. He also agreed that it’s most appropriate for development to go where there’s infrastructure to support it. Ultimately, North Highline needs to be incorporated into “one of your neighbors,” he said. Dobkin pointed out that it’s not likely to happen for a long time, but in the meantime the area is served by as little as two deputies at a time. “There’s a lot of connecting problems … I wish there were an easy answer,” Rep. Fitzgibbon said.

At that point, King County Local Services Director John Taylor chimed in. “I will say this, there are some good things going on for unincorporated King County,” largely because of his department’s creation, he said – among them, the Subarea Plan development, which is “now a community plan,” not just a land-use plan as originally envisioned. That’ll include a Community Needs List, which is the place for the kind of needs Dobkin detailed. That’s not necessarily a guarantee such services will be funded, but it starts to set up some accountability, he said. The recently passed budget includes a $10 million capital fund for unincorporated King County, as well as the $1.8 million (or so) marijuana taxes that’ll be reallotted. “We’re a lot better off today than we were two years ago,” Taylor declared, adding that pre-COVID, they were close to sending a road levy to voters … but that will be revisited. He said the tree protection issue might be easily solvable; the trash issue, not so easy to address. (He revealed he worked as a trash pickup person for 5 years.)

In Q&A, Sen. Nguyen said he’s been working on the “state bank” bill, which he sees as a “fantastic opportunity …I’d rather keep those dollars in the community instead of sending them out.” Next Q: Any chance of state help for White Center impacts from the West Seattle Bridge closure? Sen. Nguyen said a transportation package is a priority but the state doesn’t have jurisdiction for traffic mitigation. He added that the area’s US Rep. Pramila Jayapal is working on bridge funding too.

An attendee asked about absentee landlords; the state doesn’t have jurisdiction there, but local code compliance might help.
Next question: Whatever happened to the microhousing “demonstration project”? No further details – even Taylor hadn’t heard anything recently.

One attendee asked about the White Center Food Bank‘s need to find a new space because of the affordable-housing project taking ovrer its site. Sen. Nguyen said he’s been talking to them to figure out how to help.

What about the Top Hat site that’s never been used for COVID quarantine – a rumor suggested it might be a supervised injection site. Giba said County Councilmember Joe McDermott had assured them the site’s fate had not been settled and would not be without community input.

GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE: Jessica Engel from the county explained the concept. She showed an example – Hillside Church in Kent donating use of an underutilized parking lot that was converted into 44 garden beds, plus cisterns, composting systems, and bioswales.

It’s growing a lot of food and not even done yet, Engel said. She said they’d like to hear from the White Center community about what kind of project might work, what kind of incentives might be needed, etc. This is Phase 2 of preparatory outreach, she added, citing lots of enthusiasm so far:

They have funding for 2021 and 2022 to “implement what the community wants to see.” Now they’re looking for more suggestions about who they should talk to.

In Q&A, Engel was asked about runoff standards for new development. It’s pretty stringent – with a manual – she replied, so what they’re trying to get under control is what existing development. produces. What about cleaning up Hickman Lake? Engel said some community conversation would be needed – “do people want it to be restored? recreational opportunity? ecological function?” The program, by the way, is funded by a fee that property owners pay plus grant funding.

A new White Center resident asked about the overall goal of the program: Reduce flooding and reduce polluted runoff getting into local waterways.

CRIME: Deputy Bill Kennamer said that for October, major crimes are up (largely fueled by auto theft), less-serious crimes are down, though he suspects the latter might just be fewer victims filing reports.

He said the recent West Seattle Marijuana Store heist was a “takeover robbery,” armed, forcing the manager to open the safe, and also making off with several hundred dollars in merchandise. He plans to talk with cannabis-shop operators about “a better safety plan.”

He also said they’re looking for the suspect in the 14th SW SWAT domestic-violence situation.

Maj. Jeff Flohr followed to talk about firearms crimes. A special team has confiscated 118 guns from felons in the past couple years. “That’s a real impact,” he said. Also: “LEAD is still coming to White Center.” And he said there’s ongoing discussion about policing reform and supplementary service. Yes, “the cops DO want this” – homelessness and crisis responses, and more. “We’re very open to criticism, we’re very open to change,” he insisted. He would like to have a third car in the area, though. White Center only has about half the officers per capita that Seattle does, though, he added. The budget’s done, staffing’s not changing, special emphasis teams remain.

Giba noted that the previoud day was the 14th anniversary of Deputy Steve Cox‘s murder.

NEXT MEETING: January 7th, 7 pm, online.

3:47 PM: Avoid the 26th/107th [map] intersection for a while. King County Sheriff’s Deputies are swarming the area after a 3-vehicle crash that followed gunfire from a car a short time ago; the intersection is blocked off.

One person is reported to be in custody and another possible suspect is being sought. The Guardian One helicopter was there for a while to help (and at least one TV helicopter showed up later). Deputies have described the car from which someone was shooting as a white BMW sedan. … We’re at the scene now, added a photo, working to find out how the injured people are doing.

4:41 PM: We just talked to KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Tim Meyer. He says the car that was being shot at is a Toyota Corolla carjacked in Seatac (updated) on Saturday; it collided with two other cars at 26th/107th. Two people were in the Corolla after the crash, 1 ran, and was subsequently found. All three plus two people from the other cars were hurt, but none by gunfire so far as authorities can tell. No major injuries. The car from which someone shot at the Corolla, after some kind of dispute, is still at large. The three people in the Corolla are described as in their teens.

KCSO expects the intersection to be closed for at least 2 more hours. We have all this on video and will add that when our crew’s back. (added) Here it is:

7:35 PM: Nearby resident Jim says the vehicles are being towed, so the intersection might not be closed much longer.

The Southwest Seattle Youth Alliance would love to ask you a few questions to help in its work protecting local youth from drug and alcohol abuse. Its current online survey is here – please respond when you have a few minutes to spare!

(Originally published on partner site West Seattle Blog)

(File photo)

Camp Second Chance, the city-supported tiny-house encampment that’s just over the Seattle city-limit line from North Highline, remains COVID-free. That’s one of the updates from this afternoon’s monthly online meeting of the Myers Way encampment’s Community Advisory Committee. Meeting toplines:

CAMP UPDATE: Eric Pattin, co-founder and site coordinator, said 55 people are living at CSC right now, 20 women and 35 men. Two people have left for housing in the past month, and three people have arrived. One person was required to leave for violating the camp’s “no weapons” rule by bringing in a gun. Pattin said that “residents took action without anyone getting hurt,” confiscating the weapon until authorities arrived. That was one of four 911 calls to the camp in the past month; he said the others were medical. In Q&A, Pattin said the camp is using the former tiny-house-building tent (left behind when Sound Foundations NW moved that operation to a SODO facility) for meetings, and planning to add flooring in the future so it can be used more of a rec/community center. How they’re going to get that flooring hasn’t yet been worked out.

CITY UPDATE: Shawn Neal from the Human Services Department was the first City of Seattle rep to attend the CAC meeting in several months. He noted that the Navigation Team has been replaced by the HOPE Team, though the latter will mostly work with providers rather than directly with camps and campers. They’re still working out how concerns can be referred to that team. An request-for-qualifications process recently was conducted with the goal of opening more shelter spaces soon, Neal said, including adding hotel rooms, enhanced shelter, villages (tiny-house encampments), as many current places at capacity.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS’ UPDATES: Cinda Stenger said Alki UCC is providing a hot breakfast to the camp on Christmas morning and is interested in anyone who’d like to help; contact the church. … Chair Willow Fulton plans to talk with other CACs around the city about “building a network” to help former encampment residents who have moved into housing but need ways to “stay connected” after losing the support systems that the camps provide. “It just helps folks in that next step,” Fulton said. “Just getting into housing doesn’t necessarily cover everything you need.” … Fauntleroy UCC continues its involvement, recently providing electric blankets for camp residents. … Nearby area concerns shared by multiple CAC members included: Some signs of renewed unsanctioned camping in the greenbelt across Myers Way, and some trash concerns in the area, including illegal dumping by people who come to the area specifically for that. Street racing, too – speeding drivers at all kinds are a threat to campers and others walking in the area. Neal said he’d have city colleagues look into it.

PANDEMIC: Since this topic hadn’t come up as the meeting was winding down, we asked about it. Still no positive COVID-19 tests among campers, Pattin replied, adding that he’s working on arranging for everyone to be tested again in the next week.

NEXT MEETING: 2 pm Sunday, January 3rd, online; if you’d like to be on the announcement list, email c2ccacchair@gmail.com.

From Southwest Little League: Spring baseball registration will start January 1st. You’ll be able to do it online at southwestlittleleague.org, or wait for word on their TBD in-person sessions when safety allows. SW Little League is for girls and boys 4-16.

(Crossposted from partner site West Seattle Blog)

As the State Legislature gets ready for its mostly online session starting next month, legislators are choosing leaders, and one from our area has been chosen by his colleagues for a major role. 34th District Sen. Joe Nguyen has been elected as Assistant Floor Leader by the State Senate Democratic Caucus. The announcement explains, “The Assistant Floor Leader supports the Floor Leader in setting Senate floor agendas and works with bicameral and bipartisan leadership to facilitate discussion.” Sen. Nguyen is midway through his first 4-year term and also is on the Transportation, Environment, Energy & Technology, Rules, and Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation committees. The legislative session is set to start January 11th.

P.S. Sen. Nguyen is one of the guests at Thursday’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting.

Third online meeting for the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council – here’s the announcement:

The Opportunity to Be Informed, Be Involved and Be Heard!

North Highline Unincorporated Area Council Meeting

When? Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 7 pm
How? Join Zoom Meeting: kingcounty.zoom.us/j/93688219357
Meeting ID: 936 8821 9357
Passcode (Case Sensitive): NHUAC2020! (please note that there is an exclamation point (!) after 2020 that you must enter in the passcode)

Unable to join via Zoom? Please Call: (+1) 253 215 8782
Meeting ID: 936 8821 9357 Passcode: 4810516954

Good News! It has been a long time coming, but King County is going to do something about stormwater in North Highline. Water Planner Jessica Engel will discuss the Green Stormwater Infrastructure strategy and ways it can be used to help improve our community.

Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon and Sen. Joe Nguyen will also be joining NHUAC’s last meeting of 2020. NHUAC has asked them to think about ways to improve the health, lives, and opportunity for our North Highline community. In 2018, at the county’s annual Town Hall, NHUAC delivered a Petition to King County Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Council. It started:

(1) Opportunity gives people access to what they need to succeed.

(2) According to a 2011 Opportunity Mapping Analysis, White Center is a “low opportunity neighborhood” with “some of the worst health outcomes in King County… ranking number one for diabetes-related deaths, infant mortality, and heart disease….” The report also cites “academic achievement and poverty challenges.” “School poverty has serious implications not just for students, but for districts, communities and the region.”

…

We, the undersigned:

“Ask King County to conduct a Fair Housing Assessment and Opportunity Analysis of the North Highline community as part of White Center’s “community of opportunity” designation.“

Unfortunately, King County has not given any indication that it intends to conduct either analysis. We hope that Sen. Nguyen and Rep. Fitzgibbon can help us around this quandary.

NHUAC is always happy to see White Center Storefront Deputy Bill Kennamer, who will be joined by Major Jeffrey Flohr and Community Engagement Specialist Manny Apostle.

Knowledge is power. Learn, share, and help make North Highline a better place.

December 3, 2020 at 7 pm – Tell a Neighbor!

King County Sheriff’s Deputies are arriving at the West Seattle Marijuana Store in Top Hat (10825 Myers Way S.) after a report that the shop was robbed at gunpoint. Deputies are looking for multiple suspects who are reported to have left on foot. You’ll see deputies taking up “containment” spots for some distance around the area. The robbers are described as 3 Black men in their 20s, wearing hoodies – one blue, one green, one gray – and at least two with backpacks. Updates if and when we get more information.

ADDED MONDAY: No new details except that no one’s been arrested, says KCSO.

Your dollars matter most when they are spent with truly local businesses. King County is reminding everyone about that, with this announcement:

King County Executive Dow Constantine kicked off a new social media campaign to encourage people to discover offerings from arts organizations, gyms, restaurants, and retailers as the region embraces new public health instructions. This effort follows the successful awarding of financial and technical assistance to hundreds of King County businesses.

As King County follows statewide temporary restrictions on public gatherings, Executive Constantine encouraged residents to patronize local businesses.

The “Keep it local King County” social media campaign launched today comes on the heels of $4 million in grants and technical assistance that was awarded to approximately 630 small businesses in unincorporated King County.Keep_It_Local_KC_Logo_FINAL

Businesses included restaurants, bakeries, spas, retailers, contractors, auto repair shops, farms, and others.

The last grants are expected to be awarded by the end of the year.

“The grant definitely helped me,” said Yulonda Rhodes of Texture Salon Studio in White Center. “Prior to COVID, I was in process of doing some remodeling. Then COVID happened, I got laid off from my part-time job, and this business slowed down. The grant allowed to get everything I needed to get done. It definitely helped.”

Many businesses around the region have changed operations to keep their employees and customers safe, and are open for business.

The “Keep it local King County” campaign seeks to highlight available offerings, and stress the importance of spending dollars locally.

“Keep it local King County” will promote different options each day of the week:

Monday: Memberships
The Executive’s Office will emphasize the importance of continuing or purchasing memberships in regional arts and cultural organizations.

Tuesday: Takeout
Restaurants are open and ready to serve. Executive Constantine: “Let the take-out box be a symbol of our resilience.”

Wednesday: Workouts
Even though in-door activities in gyms are currently not allowed, many offer on-line yoga and other services. In these stressful times, it is more important than ever to keep mentally healthy by being physically fit.

Thursday: Give thanks
For those who are able to work from home and maintain a steady income, remember to thank essential workers by leaving a little something extra as a tip, or a thank-you card.

Friday: Fun with family and friends
Even with heightened restrictions, there is plenty to do, such as farmers markets. It is also important to make sure residents know how to use video-communications apps.

Saturday: Shop safe
It is safe to patronize businesses in our neighborhoods and downtown, as long as we follow simple guidelines. Now is the time to show the love to local merchants.

“While I am heartened that so many have done so much to help us respond to this unprecedented crisis, I also appreciate the burden on and anxiety felt by many restaurants, retailers, arts organizations and their employees,” said Executive Constantine.

“I am thankful we were able to get financial help to hundreds of small businesses, but we must do more. I urge everyone to patronize restaurants, coffee shops, and other local favorites. As I have said before: If this pandemic is symbolized by the medical mask, let our resilience be represented by the take-out box. Our ‘Keep it local campaign’ over the next few weeks will highlight all that you can do to help our local economy, and enrich your health and well-being.”

6 pm tonight online (Wednesday, November 18th), State Sen. Joe Nguyen hosts a Town Hall Q&A opportunity that will also include this area’s two other state legislators, Reps. Eileen Cody and Joe Fitzgibbon, as well as County Councilmember Joe McDermott (and West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold). The link for viewing/participating is here (passcode 921647).

From the inbox:

Neighborcare Health, in coordination with King County Housing Authority, Somali Health Board, and Neighborhood House, is providing free COVID-19 testing Tuesday, 11/17 from 12-4 pm at Greenbridge Main Plaza, 9839 Eighth Ave SW:

*Walk-up only. No appointment needed.

*Everyone is eligible for testing.

*Safe, quick, and painless. Test swab only goes part way in nose.

*Each individual will be registered upon arrival so we can process the test and follow-up with test results.

At registration, you will provide your name, date of birth, phone number, and insurance information (if you have it). Testing is FREE for everyone. We will bill your insurance if you have it. If you do not have insurance you will not be charged.

Questions: Call Neighborcare CAT Team at 206-333-2524,

If you can help – local firefighters who serve North Highline and Burien are looking for assistance in this year’s donation drive:

Whatever you can give, District 2 will use to buy food to donate to the 25 families it’s helping this season.