White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Early Olympic fever swept through the Southwest Boys and Girls Club in Greenbridge this afternoon, as the club welcomed some special visitors:

Members of the USA Women’s Olympic Rugby team are training in the Seattle area before heading to Rio, and they took a side trip today to White Center to meet local kids and run through some basic rugby skills with them – passing, kicking, and formations.

With them, head coach Richie Walker.

The team will make history because rugby will be an Olympic sport this year for the first time in almost a century.

According to the USA Rugby website, the women will compete August 6th through 8th.

Just out of the inbox today:

Come to the annual Greenbridge Health Fair this Friday, June 17th from 4-7 pm. It will be held at Greenbridge Plaza, 8th Ave SW & 99th Ave SW. There will be free health services and resources to help your family stay safe and drug free! There will also be free healthy food, prizes, entertainment, and giveaways. Don’t miss this fun, healthy, and family-friendly event! For more information, contact Mike Graham-Squire at mikegs@nhwa.org or 206-353-7945.

Happening today!

You’re invited to West Seattle/White Center Vietnamese Community Tea Time meeting at Greenbridge Community Center, on the second and last Wednesday of the month from 1:00 pm–3:00 pm. Please come to meet with friends, exchange information, storytelling, entertainment, singing, and planning for the future meetings.

We can help with language support (translation/interpreter) or settle the bills such as electricity, water, cable TV, internet.

Hosted by Tram Chung, a family support worker serving Vietnamese elders and caregivers in West Seattle, White Center, Burien, and South King County.

The center is at 9800 8th SW.

(UPDATED FRIDAY AFTERNOON with victim’s identity)

ORIGINAL 9:54 PM REPORT: King County Sheriff’s Office reports one person shot near 9th SW and SW 100th. We’re on our way to find out more.

10:53 PM: We just talked with KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West at the scene – here’s the video:

She confirms the victim is dead – still in the street, wrapped in a tarp. She says he’s a black man who appears to be in his 40s. Detectives are just starting their investigation so the intersection of 9th and 100th will be closed for a while, and they won’t be calling the Medical Examiner to get the victim’s body until they are done with their work.

A nearby resident tells us he heard two gunshots around 9:10 pm.

12:41 AM: Sgt. West now says the victim appears to be “late 30s – early 40s.”

2:41 PM: Just checked with Sgt. West and she says there’s no official new information. (See the comment section for updates from nearby resident RJ.)

3:25 PM: The King County Medical Examiner has identified the victim as 42-year-old James Nickerson, Jr.; cause of death, “multiple firearm injuries.”

(also published on partner site West Seattle Blog)

The King County Sheriff’s Office has just announced that it’s arrested “a juvenile male … for burglary and possession of stolen property” and that he “may be related to other burglaries since November 2nd.” KCSO spokesperson Sgt. DB Gates elaborates that the teen is in custody in connection with the White Center Heights Elementary break-in.

As reported here earlier this week, those hit by a recent string of burglaries include Dubsea Coffee, broken into at least three times. After a two-day closure, Dubsea reopened this morning, with supporters crowding inside:

WCH Elementary teachers were among them – one teacher was our original source for news of the repeated burglaries. Dubsea staff confirms a security system is being installed there today.

Following up on Wednesday’s story about repeat burglaries at Dubsea Coffee in Greenbridge, the shop was closed again today, so we inquired to see when it’ll reopen. The answer:

Dubsea will re-open tomorrow (Friday Nov 14), with slightly shortened hours from 7 am-5 pm. We will resume regular hours once things normalize.

Tomorrow is also Dubsea’s 5th birthday. We truly look forward to spending it in the company of our guests.

We appreciate … all the care, kind words, and support from our neighbors. We love this community. We are here to stay.

(Crossposted to partner site West Seattle Blog)

That’s the sign you’ll find today on the door of Dubsea Coffee in Greenbridge (9910 8th SW). A teacher at nearby White Center Heights Elementary School messaged us to say the area’s been hit with a series of burglaries, and that Dubsea has been broken into three times in the past week and a half. We reported the first one here on November 3rd but hadn’t heard of the others; we’re checking with the King County Sheriff’s Office regarding the teacher’s report of other break-ins in the area.

The teacher wrote us because this, she says, is more than a matter of crime concern – she writes, “This coffee shop is the hub of the neighborhood and it is ALWAYS busy with people having meetings, enjoying coffee and sandwiches, children having playdates while frazzled moms drink their coffee, etc.” They are working on plans to show their support and want to encourage you to patronize the shop to help it recover. We’ll be following up.

ADDED 4:26 PM: KCSO spokesperson Sgt. DB Gates confirms a series of recent break-ins in the vicinity, “with a similar MO”:

Dubsea was one victim, with the nearby library/YMCA hit next, followed by the Dollar Tree, and then an elementary school burglarized on the 7th. The MO has been to break a window and steal cash. We have no suspect info other than believing in at least one of the burglaries there were two suspects. They have all happened in the late evening/early morning hours when no persons were present. The four cases have not been conclusively linked as being committed by the same suspects.

We encourage citizens to call when they see something out of the ordinary. It’s also a good time to remember to keep areas around homes and businesses well-lit as thieves love the cover of darkness, and to keep vegetation trimmed so that neighbors and passersby can see if something is amiss at a business (or home).

Did you notice the boarded-up window at Dubsea Coffee today? Somebody smashed a window to break into the Greenbridge coffee shop, staff confirmed. We heard about it via Twitter:

@westseattleblog did you hear about what happened at Dubsea? Ugh! pic.twitter.com/ImK7FXX5x5

— Marcia Ventura (@marciaventura) November 3, 2014

Marcia, who tweeted the photo, said the broken window was right over the kids’ area. Some items were stolen, according to staff. (added) WCN reader Carrie says the burglar(s) even turned on the grill and cooked/ate some food, besides breaking into the office. She adds, “Dubsea is a small, local business that promotes a strong sense of community and it’s sad that some jerks would do this to them.”

P.S. If you have concerns/questions about North Highline crime, be at the NH Unincorporated Area Council meeting Thursday night, 7 pm at NH Fire District HQ, with guests from the King County Sheriff’s Office including new White Center Storefront Deputy Julian Chivington.

On the ground floor of the Nia Apartments at 99th and 8th, a brand-new restaurant opened today: Greenbridge Café. Its owner, Chef Blanca Rodriguez, e-mailed to share the news. It’s been taking shape for months (thanks to tipster Gill for first spotting it) and is now open for breakfast and lunch – with the latter focusing on fresh-made sandwiches, salads, and soups) – 8 am-4 pm weekdays. See the menu here. Chef Rodriguez also owns Pimientra Bistro and Bar in Federal Way.

Just a reminder that the new-this-election ballot-dropoff van is at Greenbridge Library (9720 8th SW) today until 5 pm and again tomorrow – Election Day – from 10 am until 8 pm (which is the very last moment you can vote). You also can send your ballot in via postal mail, but if you do that, you need to make sure it has proper postage (dropping it off at the van, or any one of the county’s other dropoff spots, including a van in West Seattle and fixed locations including Burien City Hall, is free).

(WCN photo from July 2011’s White Center Promise celebration)
Once again this summer, White Center Community Development Association is hosting a celebration of the White Center Promise initiative – which is about to get into full swing. Here’s the official announcement of the event that’s now two and a half weeks away:

The Promise Summer Celebration 2012 is the second annual event focused on the White Center Promise (WCP) Initiative.

The Promise Summer Celebration will be Friday, August 31, 2012 from 4:00PM-6:30PM and will take place at the Greenbridge Plaza on 8th Ave SW and SW 99th St. in White Center.

Similar to last year’s event, the celebration will feature local delicious food and live performances at no cost. This year’s feature acts will include: Seattle Kokon Taiko Drummers, Au Lac Vovinam Lion Dance Team and the EriAm Sisters. There will also be a giveaway of book bags to the first 250 K-12 grade students who sign up and the first 150 parents that register will receive a special gift.

White Center Promise is a long-term initiative aimed at eradicating poverty in White Center through a continuum of educational results that bring about social change. The goal is that all children in White Center will graduate from high school and earn a post-secondary credential that leads to a living wage career.

WCP’s cradle-to-career range of solutions was developed beginning in 2010 with the help of local residents and supported by local core partners Highline Public Schools, Southwest Youth and Family Services, and the White Center Community Development Association.

A roll-out plan has been created and implementation will take place in phases over the next 5 years beginning in January 2013.

We stopped by Cultivate‘s open-mike night on Friday at Greenbridge Plaza, just long enough to see the crowd gathering on a perfect summer evening – not too hot, not too cool. Among the first performers, Celestine:

The event was a co-promotion with White Center Community Development Association and YES Foundation, and a chance for everybody to celebrate the summer. Cultivate has a photo album up on Facebook; see it here.

Just in from Neighborhood House:

Thursday July 12th, from 4-7pm.

At the Greenbridge Plaza 8th Ave SW and 99th Ave SW

Food, fun, live music, cultural dances, prizes!

Everyone is welcome! Hope to see you there!

While setup went on outside for the Greenbridge Plaza party that’s part of today’s White Center Spring Clean, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott – sporting a maroon Spring Clean T-shirt – spoke to more than 50 people at Dubsea Coffee this morning. His hourlong Q/A touched on topics from Occupy Wall Street to the presidential election to farm subsidies, with much more inbetween. We recorded it all on video and will add that later, along with more toplines.

ADDED 3:23 PM: There’s the video – note it’s a coffeehouse and a casual roving format, so the audio quality varies greatly!

White Center Spring Clean may be the biggest thing in WC on Saturday, but as first reported here last month, there’s another big event that morning – Congressmember Jim McDermott will host a “Coffee with Your Congressman” chat at Dubsea Coffee for about an hour at 10 am.

That’s the crew on duty this morning shortly after the Kiwanis Club of White Center kicked off its sale at Greenbridge Plaza, which was on the map for our partner site West Seattle Blog‘s annual WS Community Garage Sale Day, one of 245 sales today from Alki Beach in the north to the Arroyos in the South, with this sale one of four in the WC area. The plaza and the sale layout made for a lovely overview:

The money raised by the WC Kiwanis was earmarked for youth programs.

Since we had mentioned it here on the home page when Dubsea Coffee first announced it, just wanted to make sure you knew that U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott’s appearance for “Coffee with Your Congressman” has been rescheduled – 10 am May 19th, instead of tomorrow. He IS scheduled to be in White Center tomorrow – speaking at the 34th Legislative District Caucus at the Evergreen Campus around noon.

Just announced by Dubsea Coffee via Facebook – U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott will be there at 11 am April 28th – three weeks from today – for his next “Coffee with Your Congressman.” If you want to see what one of these events is like, here’s our West Seattle Blog coverage – with video – from his visit to C & P Coffee a year ago. (Dubsea Coffee is at 9910 8th SW in Greenbridge.)

Just announced by the Southwest Boys and Girls Club in Greenbridge – a breakfast event providing a chance to come show your support:

Join us for our Celebration “Coming Home” which will honor our students, alumni and lifelong supporters of the Southwest Boys & Girls Club

Our Mission: Opening doors to GREAT futures

Why we need your support: It is so important to continue to provide experiences and investment in the future of the kids who rely on the Boys & Girls Club

Our challenge: With reduced state funding, tighter corporate budgets and now so many more families in need, we must rely on the support of people like you who can make a difference.

Thursday, May 10, 2012
7:00 – 8:30 AM
Program promptly begins at 7:30AM

Guest Speakers

Jack Thompson, former NFL quarterback
Evergreen High School Grad, WSU Grad, current banking consultant with Sterling Bank

Gene Woodard
Director of Facilities Services at UW, Club Kid from Portola Boys Club in San Francisco, Southwest Youth Hoops Coach 1998

Justin Cox
2007 Southwest Youth of the Year & King County Youth of the Year & 2011 WSU Grad

Southwest Boys & Girls Club Gymnasium
9800 8th Ave SW, Suite 105 – Seattle, WA

To reserve your seat call 206-436-1911 or email eslagle@positiveplace.org

The aerial view of Greenbridge is courtesy of West Seattle pilot/photographer Long B. Nguyen, who often shares spectacular views with our partner site West Seattle Blog. In this case, his image of Greenbridge landed in our inbox about the same time we received a note from King County Housing Authority project manager James Rooney, announcing a milestone – the first homes sold at Greenbridge.

The development’s status had been a source of some controversy with local community activists, since it was intended to be more a mix of owned and rented homes, like West Seattle’s High Point. Last fall, construction of the first seven homes intended for sale began at 8th and 100th. And now, Rooney tells WCN, they’re done, and sales have closed on four of them, with one more under contract, leaving two up for sale. He adds, “Although these homes are available for all buyers, HomeSight is offering up to $45,000 in down-payment assistance to buyers earning up to 80% of area median income.” (In case you’re househunting – here’s the official flyer.)