UPDATE: No, it’s not just you: King County’s website was down

February 23rd, 2022 Tracy Posted in Online, White Center news Comments Off on UPDATE: No, it’s not just you: King County’s website was down

10:22 AM: If you’re having trouble getting to a kingcounty.gov website, no, it’s not just you – the county says technical trouble has taken down its site.

2:39 PM: County’s website is now working again.

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WEDNESDAY: King County Law Library invites you to learn about estate planning

November 16th, 2021 Tracy Posted in Libraries, Online, White Center news Comments Off on WEDNESDAY: King County Law Library invites you to learn about estate planning

The King County Law Library invites you to this online event tomorrow:

RESEARCH THE LAW SERIES: ESTATE PLANNING
November 17 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm\
FREE WEBINAR WITH REGISTRATION
kcll.org/event/research-the-law-series-estate-planning/

Our “Research the Law” series takes a deep dive into legal research resources on a topic-by-topic basis. In this installment, we partner with attorney Evelyn Emanuel to explore resources that you can use when planning for your estate.

If you have financial assets or obligations and care about what happens to them when you’re gone, it’s a good idea to have a plan in the event that you die or become incapacitated unexpectedly. In this hour-long session, KCLL librarians and attorney Evelyn Emanuel will guide you through a number of helpful resources. This session is especially geared for those looking to start estate planning for the first time.

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TODAY: Job Launch online event for teens and young adults interested in entrepreneurship

September 30th, 2021 Tracy Posted in Online, White Center news 1 Comment »

Happening this afternoon:

The Fall Job Launch Program features Pathways to Starting Your Own Business. Ages 16 – 24 are encouraged to join virtually through Zoom on Thursday, September 30, 2021 from 3 pm-5 pm. Participating Programs include Ventures, Business Impact Northwest, StartZone at Highline College, and Sprout. Partner Agencies include King County Parks White Center Teen Program, YouthSource, the YWCA, Job Source, and Communities of Opportunity.

Hear about many different paths to starting your own business and working for yourself. Connect with young local entrepreneurs, and learn about programs and resources available to young adults to help on your path to starting your own business. Featuring local, young entrepreneurs sharing about their small businesses and how they got started as well as low/no-cost programs offering resources, coaching, and trainings to help young entrepreneurs.

More details are available at joblaunch.eventbrite.com

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YOU’RE INVITED: ‘The Elephant in the Democratic Party – Racism in Political Institutions’

March 4th, 2021 Tracy Posted in Online, Politics, White Center news 3 Comments »

From the 34th District Democrats:

March 27 (Saturday, 10:30-noon) we are presenting a special program called The Elephant in the Democratic Party – Racism in Political Institutions.

Our webpage: 34dems.org/the-elephant-in-the-democratic-party-racism-in-political-institutions/

Racism is alive and well in the Pacific Northwest and in liberal spaces. Join us for a 90-minute presentation which will cover the history of systemic racism in political institutions and Progressive policies, and how it continues today. As members and leaders in the Democratic Party, we will gain new tools on how we can listen, reflect, and engage in important conversations that are necessary as we continue the fight against racism.

Presented by Olgy Diaz, who serves as a PCO in the 29th Legislative District as well as on the Boards of Casa Latina, Institute for a Democratic Future, and the National Women’s Political Caucus of WA.

This is a FREE presentation offered to the community by the 34th Democrats.

ZOOM: bit.ly/Anti-Racist-34th

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King County Councilmembers’ Town Hall on March 3rd

February 23rd, 2021 Tracy Posted in King County, Online, White Center news Comments Off on King County Councilmembers’ Town Hall on March 3rd

Next week, you can join four County Councilmembers, including our area’s rep Joe McDermott, for a Virtual Town Hall. From his announcement:

To say that this has been a busy start to the year is an understatement, so to keep you up to speed on important work we’re doing at the County Council this year I’m teaming up with a few of my colleagues for a virtual town hall on Wednesday, March 3rd – and I hope you’ll join us! … While we’ll be laying out our 2021 work at the beginning, the majority of the town hall will be dedicated to making sure we also understand your priorities for the County and region – this is an exciting chance for your voice to be heard by several members of the council at one (hopefully convenient) time.

That time is 6 pm March 3rd. For viewing/call-in info, go here.

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TONIGHT: Learn about Highline Virtual Academy

January 28th, 2021 Tracy Posted in Highline School District, Online, Schools, White Center news 1 Comment »

Tonight and tomorrow, Highline Public Schools is presenting informational sessions about a new – permanently – online option. Here’s the announcement:

The Highline Virtual Academy launches for students in 6th through 12th grades in Fall 2021. Students who thrive in independent and online learning are good candidates for Highline Virtual Academy.

“We’ve learned that despite all of the challenges of remote learning, some of our students thrive in this environment–they like learning online, and some of our staff like teaching online,” Superintendent Susan Enfield said. “We’re excited that online learning will become a permanent option for students here in Highline.”

Students will attend classes from home rather than coming into a school building. Flexibility and self-pacing are two components of the academy’s learning model. The staff at the academy will provide face-to-face experiences in an online environment and build relationships with students and families to deliver on Highline’s promise to know every student by name, strength and need. The school will accept a limited number of students in 6th through 12th grade.

Highline students can engage in athletics through their neighborhood school.

Students and families can apply for the academy now. If interest exceeds enrollment capacity, students will be selected by lottery. Students living in the Highline service area will be prioritized over students from other districts.

Learn More About the New Virtual Academy
Information sessions will include a 30-minute presentation and 15 minutes of Q&A.

Thursday, January 28
6:00 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.
Zoom Link

Friday, January 29
4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Zoom Link

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SURVEY: Fighting youth drug/alcohol abuse. What do you think?

December 7th, 2020 Tracy Posted in Online, White Center news Comments Off on SURVEY: Fighting youth drug/alcohol abuse. What do you think?

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!

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ONLINE THURSDAY: North Highline Fire District commissioners’ special meeting

November 11th, 2020 Tracy Posted in North Highline Fire District, Online, White Center news Comments Off on ONLINE THURSDAY: North Highline Fire District commissioners’ special meeting

Happening online tomorrow (Thursday, November 12th), a special meeting of the North Highline Fire District commissioners:

The Board of Commissioners of North Highline Fire District will hold a special meeting at 5:00 PM on Thursday, November 12th, 2020 via teleconference due to COVID-19. The GoToMeeting link is accessible on the North Highline website at: www.northhighlinefd.org [left side of the page].

The purpose of the meeting is to: (1) discuss the 2021 operating budget and the reason for the hearing is to meet the requirements of RCW 84.55.120 and RCW 52.18.060. We will not set the levy or establish a budget at this meeting, but the purpose is to inform the public and consider any comments that the residents of the district may have with reference to revenues or to any proposed tax increases. (2) To review and discuss the 2021 Fire Benefit Charge. (3) To review and discuss Resolution 507

The benefit-charge proposition got 84 percent approval in this month’s election, with 87 percent turnout of voters in the district.

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THURSDAY: North Highline Unincorporated Area Council’s November meeting, online

November 3rd, 2020 Tracy Posted in North Highline UAC, Online, White Center news Comments Off on THURSDAY: North Highline Unincorporated Area Council’s November meeting, online

However the elections turn out, local advocacy carries on, and your next chance to be part of it is at 7 pm this Thursday, online. The announcement from the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council:

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

North Highline Unincorporated Area Council Meeting
When: Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 7 pm
How: Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 943 1011 0478
Passcode: NHUAC2020!

Unable to join via Zoom?
Please Call: (+1) 253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 943 1011 0478
Passcode: 7581259731

We did it! NHUAC’s October meeting was different in its format, but still full of important information. Now that we have our first Zoom meeting under our belt, we want to assure you that you can still be an informed and involved community member despite COVID-19. Although Zoom allows more accessibility, it is not your only option. You can call in, too. Our North Highline community is worth the effort!

Have you applied for a loan lately or know someone who relies on payday lenders in times of need? Have you heard of Community Development Financial Institutions or CDFIs? They go back to the 1970s and the Community Reinvestment Act. The CRA was needed because of the lack of access to responsible and affordable credit and capital in low-income communities. Does North Highline need access to a CDFI? Rick Thomas of Credit Union Strategic Planning will join us to discuss this important topic.

David Goodman of King County will update us and gather our feedback on the evolving North Highline Subarea Plan. The plan will guide development in North Highline over the next 20 years. According to the county’s vision statement: “North Highline is a diverse, inclusive, and family-friendly community that supports a thriving small business community, enjoys proximity to urban amenities and green space, and provides opportunities for people of all socioeconomic backgrounds to live, work, and thrive.” The big question is: How do we get there from here?

NHUAC is always happy to see White Center Storefront Deputy Bill Kennamer, who will update us once again about police activity in our community.

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

November 5, 2020 at 7 pm – Tell a Neighbor!

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REMINDER: North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meets next week, not this week

September 29th, 2020 Tracy Posted in North Highline UAC, Online, White Center news Comments Off on REMINDER: North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meets next week, not this week

A reminder from the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council:

2020 has been a year of many challenges and the creation of many new norms. With that said, NHUAC will not be holding a meeting on the first Thursday of October, and instead will be holding the meeting on the second Thursday, October 8th.

With continued Social Distancing recommendations, the meeting will be held via Zoom. You will also have the option of calling in on your phone. We will send out info on how to join the meeting, as well as info on our guest speakers as we get closer to the meeting date.

Please plan on joining us as we will be discussing issues that are very important to the future of our North Highline Community.

So fire up your computers and get ready to Zoom.

Community Matters
Stay Informed, Stay Involved, Be Heard

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FYI: North Highline Unincorporated Area Council changes October meeting date

September 22nd, 2020 Tracy Posted in North Highline UAC, Online, White Center news Comments Off on FYI: North Highline Unincorporated Area Council changes October meeting date

Set your calendar for October 8th instead of 1st – the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council has moved its meeting date back a week. Connection/teleconferencing details to come – watch nhuac.org.

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TUESDAY: Drug-Free Coalition offers you the opportunity to hear from key leaders, including local youth

June 28th, 2020 Tracy Posted in Online, People, White Center news Comments Off on TUESDAY: Drug-Free Coalition offers you the opportunity to hear from key leaders, including local youth

RSVP now for this sure-to-be-inspiring event coming up Tuesday:

If you can’t read it in its entirety, see the full-sized PDF version here. (The RSVP link is here.)

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SURVEY: Southwest Seattle Youth Alliance wants to hear from you

December 7th, 2019 Tracy Posted in Health, Online, White Center news Comments Off on SURVEY: Southwest Seattle Youth Alliance wants to hear from you

The Southwest Seattle Youth Alliance needs your input to help gauge community attitudes toward youth substance use. You can help by answering this year’s online survey ASAP – in English here, en Español aqui.

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SURVEY: The Coalition for Drug-Free Youth needs a few minutes of your time

October 26th, 2016 Tracy Posted in Health, Online, White Center news Comments Off on SURVEY: The Coalition for Drug-Free Youth needs a few minutes of your time

Can you spare a few minutes? If you’re 18 or older, this survey is for you:

The Coalition for Drug-Free Youth – a community-based alcohol, tobacco, and drug prevention organization – is conducting a short community survey. This survey asks about one’s perceptions of drug and alcohol use and abuse in youth and in the community. The data from these surveys will be used to implement evidence-based prevention programs in middle and high schools in the community.

Adults ages 18 and over, who live, work or frequent the North Highline and Burien areas are eligible to take this survey. Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey!

Survey link (English): surveymonkey.com/r/KIWHON2016

Survey link (Español) es.surveymonkey.com/r/KIWHSP2016

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Need a better connection? Check with the library!

April 27th, 2016 Tracy Posted in Libraries, Online, White Center news Comments Off on Need a better connection? Check with the library!

Announced by the King County Library System:

Have a mobile device, but no Internet access away from home? KCLS can help!

Beginning May 3, patrons can check out mobile hotspot devices from six King County Library System locations in a new pilot project funded by the KCLS Foundation. For the next six months, the Boulevard Park, Burien, Foster, Greenbridge, Valley View, and White Center libraries will offer WiFi hotspots for 28-day check outs, including cellular service by AT&T. Approximately 200 units will be used during the pilot program. These tools enable Internet access on the go, from any place within range of AT&T mobile service.

The hotspots are free of charge, with a few special rules:

*They cannot be put on hold
*First come, first served
*They must be checked out and returned in person to one of the participating libraries
*28-day checkouts with no renewals
*Internet access will be disabled at the end of the 28th day
*10¢ per day fine for late returns, and replacement costs will be charged for lost devices
*The device containers will include operating instructions in several languages, and each hotspot can connect up to 10 devices at a time. A troubleshooting number for patrons to contact AT&T for any assistance needed. KCLS staff will not provide tech support for these items.

To learn more, search the KCLS Catalog for “KCLS Hotspot” at kcls.org.

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We’re back!

May 31st, 2013 Tracy Posted in Online, White Center news 1 Comment »

Our apologies for tech trouble that took a while to fix – first the site was offline entirely, and then it came back – but we needed to get some more tinkering done before we could add anything new (that’s why it was stuck on Memorial Day information until now). All’s well thanks to some expert assistance; stand by for news, and thanks also to everyone who contacted us to be sure we knew there was a problem – website woes don’t always trigger alarms, and might strike when the site owner isn’t looking.

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King County Sheriff’s Office unveils online ‘blotter’

February 19th, 2013 Tracy Posted in King County Sheriff's Office, Online, White Center news Comments Off on King County Sheriff’s Office unveils online ‘blotter’

Seattle Police have had success for a while with their website SPD Blotter, detailing certain cases they’ve worked on – and now King County Sheriff’s Office has an online “blotter” too. It’s in its fledgling stages – kingcountysheriff.wordpress.com.

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VisitWhiteCenter.com officially launches: Check out the new site!

September 24th, 2012 Tracy Posted in Online, White Center news Comments Off on VisitWhiteCenter.com officially launches: Check out the new site!


The new White Center Chamber of Commerce website is officially launched! Here’s the formal announcement just out of the WCN inbox:

Today, the White Center Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the official launch of a new website – visitwhitecenter.com – that highlights approximately 240 businesses and various organizations in the White Center neighborhood, and serves as a community resource with an events calendar and news feeds from local media sources.

“The website design is fabulous and the decision to include all businesses and organizations in White Center is the Chamber’s way of saying thank you for making this neighborhood a unique and fun place to be,” said Mark Ufkes, President of the White Center Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber is here to help our local economy grow and promoting our businesses through this website does just that.”

The main feature on the website, the business directory, is divided up into five categories: eat, shop, play, services, and organizations. Each business has its own pop-up page that displays pertinent information such as the business name, address, hours, location (via Google Maps) and languages spoken. If applicable, there are links to social media sites such as Facebook and Yelp, and to a business’ website. The capability to translate the entire website into 10 different languages is available as well.

“The website looks and feels great. I am excited to be a part of this project in collaboration with the White Center Chamber of Commerce and Noise Without Sound,” said Sili Savusa, Executive Director of the White Center Community Development Association. “The impact of this website is more than just marketing and promotion of our business district, but it is about the power of collaboration and shared vision of our community.”

In 2012, the White Center Community Development Association and the White Center Chamber of Commerce collaborated on a grant application to the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development’s Only in Seattle program for the website. Kathi “George” Wheeler, owner of Noise Without Sound, was contracted to develop and design the website. “White Center is my home and developing a website that incorporates everyone in the community was the direction I wanted to go,” said George.

Please visit www.visitwhitecenter.com to witness what White Center has to offer.

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New website for Highline Public Schools

January 8th, 2012 Tracy Posted in Highline School District, Online, White Center news Comments Off on New website for Highline Public Schools

Not sure exactly when the new look/location launched, but we looked at some Highline Public Schools webpages within the past few days and they didn’t have the new look or new domain. The district is finally at highlineschools.org and the website’s gotten an overhaul.

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Happy 2012! Two new WCN features for the New Year

January 2nd, 2012 Tracy Posted in Online, White Center news 1 Comment »

Before we get too far into 2012 – thank heavens for the “bonus holiday”! – we wanted to thank you for your support and collaboration in 2011 here on White Center Now. Over the course of the year, this site alone served 162,327 pageviews (per Google Analytics) – an admirable increase of 40 percent from 2010, and yet still fairly modest, but understandable given that there’s not much on this site besides news on the home page, and we seldom use the “jump” feature in stories, so most of the time, 1 visit to WCN equals 1 page viewed. There’s still lots of room to serve you better, so we have just kicked off the New Year with two features that WCN readers have been requesting:

One is a mobile-friendly design that should kick in any time you want to use your smartphone to check WCN – it’s the same one we’ve been using for the past few years on partner site West Seattle Blog. (If you want to keep using the regular desktop look on your smartphone, next time you read WCN on it, just scroll down the page till you see the button that will allow you to turn the mobile design off.)

The other is an events calendar. We had one in the earlier going, but dropped it for, well, lack of events. White Center has a LOT more going on these days – live music, multiple business-networking organizations with monthly events, a monthly Art Walk, we could go on and on. So we’ve installed a new calendar with some cool features – find it at whitecenternow.com/calendar, and check the link anytime from the “Pages” list on the left sidebar. We have several events there now and are adding more. You can click on any event to “expand” it for more information – and if you then follow the “read more” link on the right, you will go to a full page for that event including a Google Map. Other features too; it defaults to the “Agenda” list format, which doesn’t really involve “agendas,” but if you prefer a more classic monthly calendar look, you can choose that instead.

Now, here’s where YOU come in – PLEASE SEND EVENT INFO as soon as you know you’re having an event; whitecenternow@gmail.com is the best address to use. Thanks, and we wish you a healthy/happy 2012.

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