White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Whether you love them, hate them, or don’t care about them, it’s notable that this might be the last 4th of July with legal personal fireworks in White Center and the rest of unincorporated North Highline, since they are illegal in Burien (as they are in Seattle), and if annexation is approved in November, it may be in effect by this time next year. We are reminded of this because the annual week of pre-4th sales is days away; by county law (as outlined here), stands can open at noon June 28th – this coming Thursday – and can be open 9 am-11 pm daily thereafter, through July 4th. However, fireworks can only be used on the 4th itself.

Found this one via Facebook: In addition to Cinco de Mayo parties on May 5th, White Center also will be the site of “Cinco de Medico” at Northwest Cannabis Market, with live music and medical-marijuana-strain “judging.” The event poster, which you can see online here, says nearby Herban Legends is a sponsor, with other participating medical-marijuana establishments including Northwest Patient Resource Center in south West Seattle.

For Highline Public Schools, it’s mid-winter break all week till classes resume Wednesday. Most if not all others have at least today off. … Metro is on a “weekday/no UW” schedule. … Sound Transit services’ plans are here … No U.S. Postal Service delivery … The King County Library System is closed today (including the website, which is scheduled to be down 8 am-5 pm for maintenance).

*EDITOR’S FOOTNOTE: Mark asked via e-mail if we had ad space to sell for a day to publish this message. We aren’t yet selling ads on WCN but decided to run it free and invite anyone else with a message to share for their beloved to e-mail us at whitecenternow@gmail.com (before 3 pm today), and we’ll add it too.

If you had a one-use tree this holiday season – here’s how to recycle it.

If you have Waste Management pickup service, you can put it out with your yard waste this week, as long as you follow these rules:

Waste Management collects Christmas trees from its residential customers. Be sure the tree is cut into three-foot sections and remove any tree stands, nails, tinsel and decorations.

If you are within Seattle city limits, you can take your tree to the South Transfer Station in South Park, as long as it’s not taller than eight feet (rules here).

Wherever you live, you are welcome to help out local nonprofits with these two tree-cycling events coming up next weekend:

SATURDAY & SUNDAY: Boy Scout Troop 375 Christmas Tree Recycle
January 7 – 8, 2012 (9 to 4)
Five Corners (160th and 1st Avenue in Burien)
$5 per tree
“Good Karma” Christmas Tree Mulch available for $25 donation per yard

SATURDAY, TWO LOCATIONS: The West Seattle Rainbow Girls will hold their fifth annual Christmas tree recycle fundraiser January 7 at the Alki Masonic Hall 4736 40th Ave. SW. and also at the Southgate Masonic Hall located at 1004 SW 152nd in Burien from 10:00 – 2:00. Suggested donation $5.00. No flocked trees please. For more information please contact Jan Hunter at 206-849-7906. Check out the Rainbow Girls by going to www.gorainbow.org.

Like most year, this one has had its challenges and disappointments – and its triumphs. We’ve heard of two New Year’s Eve events in White Center – if you know of others, please add a comment or e-mail us at whitecenternow@gmail.com:

WHITE CENTER EAGLES: 7:30 pm-12:30 am, big party with The Real Deal playing live. Full details on their website.

COMPANY BAR: Party tonight – full details on the Company Facebook page.

The flyer says it all, in two languages: South Park invites you to a Christmas party on 14th tonight, 4-10 pm, sponsored by its business community!

Just announced by Café Rozella proprietor Leticia:

Join us for an evening of holiday treats, local art and jewelry for sale. Shop local while you enjoy live music by Annie O’Neill and The Watchmen. Saturday, December 17th at Café Rozella, 6-9 pm, 9434 Delridge Way SW.

That’s just a few storefronts away from the White Center Christmas Tree – see you there.

Why did Santa cross the road? To get to the 2nd annual White Center tree-lighting ceremony! Here’s the end of the multilingual countdown, as the lights go on around Veterans’ Triangle Park at 16th/Roxbury:

It was just last year that a longrunning effort to get power to the mini-park finally succeeded in time for the first tree-lighting ceremony (as reported here last December). This year’s tree arrived on Friday (here’s our coverae of its arrival). Tonight, it was all about holiday cheer, with an extra meaning to that word, as Evergreen High School cheerleaders distributed candy canes:

And of course, there was caroling:

As we headed out of sight, you could almost hear, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good Sunday night!”

About an hour ago, White Center business-community leaders and other helpers put up the official White Center Christmas Tree, the second year for a tree to be displayed in the Delridge Triangle mini-park.

Lighting is set for 5 pm Sunday, everybody welcome – Santa and carolers will be on hand, we’re told. Here’s the video (wait for the cheering!) as the tree goes up.

That’s our video (by visual journalist Cliff DesPeaux) from last year’s White Center Christmas Tree Lighting. As reported here earlier this week, we’re now just one week away from this year’s ceremony, 5 pm Sunday, December 11th. And we have new details tonight of help that’s needed, plus a few other fun events ahead: Aileen Sison of WC B.O.S.S. says the organizations coordinating the tree lighting (also including the White Center Chamber of Commerce and White Center Merchants Alliance) are calling for artists to help with a tree topper and other decor; they’re also looking for musicians, singers, and choirs for the event. An organizational meeting is planned for Tuesday night, 6 pm, at Uncle Mike’s Superlicious BBQ; tree installation/trimming is expected to happen around 10 next Friday morning. Also next weekend, an Ugly Sweater Party/Contest is planned at Company, 7 pm. And a door-decorating contest is under way in the White Center business district – get those doors decorated by December 23rd!

Just spotted this on Aileen Sison‘s WC B.O.S.S. Facebook page:

Happy Holidays White Center! Join us! Second Annual White Center Tree Lighting Ceremony is Sunday, Dec 11th, 5 pm. Veteran’s Triangle Park 16th & Roxbury The Cross Carollers and Santa will be joining our celebration.

See you there!

That’s our photo from last year’s White Center Chamber of Commerce Heroes Awards/Toys for Tots Christmas Luncheon, and this year’s edition has just been announced. From Chamber president Mark Ufkes:

The White Center Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its White Center Heroes Awards and Toys for Tots Christmas Luncheon at the Salvation Army, on Tuesday, Dec. 6, from noon until 1:30 pm. The Seattle/White Center Salvation Army is located at 9050 16th Ave. SW.

Annually, the White Center Chamber board recognizes three “White Center Heroes” who have gone beyond the call of duty to serve our community. We will also be collecting “Toys for Tots” (new, packaged, unwrapped toy) that will be given to at-risk families. Attendees are asked to make a $10 contribution to the Salvation Army to help cover luncheon food costs.

Guests include King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, as well as three White Center Heroes who will be recognized, and we will discuss Chamber plans for greater cleanup and graffiti removal within the business district and expanded business district marketing in 2012.

White Center Chamber of Commerce
White Center Heroes Award Luncheon and Toys for Tots Drive
Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011 (Noon to 1:30)
Salvation Army – 9050 16th Ave. SW

Everyone is welcome.

Please RSVP the number attending to Jimie at (206) 619-1029 or by email to markufkes@comcast.net.

One week till Thanksgiving! Here’s one place you might consider spending yours:

On Thanksgiving day (November 24, 2011), The Good News Christian Fellowship Church will serve a Thanksgiving Day Dinner with all the trimmings.

The dinner and fellowship will be held from 1:30 to 5:00 pm, at St. James Church, 9421-18th Avenue SW, in White Center, Everyone is cordially invited to attend, share a meal with neighbors and to give thanks.

Donations of food, cash, and clothing are welcome. Please contact Michael Spann at 206-854-2245 or michaelspann206@gmail.com to make contributions or to request additional information.

Last night, the pumpkins … tonight, the little punkins! Or, dinosaurs. This guy in green was moving along 16th SW with his adult chaperones during White Center merchants’ trick-or-treat event tonight – we caught up with him at Full Tilt Ice Cream, where proprietor Justin Cline, costumed as, well, an indie ice-cream mogul, had candy waiting:

Across the street, it was a trick-or-treating lull, but we caught two businesses with cool jack-o-lanterns – first, you’ll recognize the “power to the people” Proletariat Pizza fist:

And over at the T-shirt place, we couldn’t get the entirety of the carved “RAT CITY” in a single shot, but here’s the first half – and the obligatory rat:

Happy Halloween!

Right outside Mac’s Triangle Pub in the Delridge Triangle, the first-ever White Center Pumpkin Carving Contest brought in a smattering of spirited entries tonight. Including that one with the Mac’s logo! Judging is still under way as we write this, but we’ll admit to a soft spot for the “Angry Birds” pumpkin, whose carver John Tarrant agreed to pose with his creation:

Two more of the entries glowing in the not-that-chilly air under a canopy in front of the pub:

The pumpkins will be on display during White Center business-district trick-or-treating Halloween night, 5-8 pm.

Bring your carved pumpkin(s) to Triangle Park at 16th and Roxbury starting at 6 tonight – judging starts at 7 – prizes! It’s the first-ever White Center Pumpkin Carving Contest, and do note that entries will be displayed in the park on Halloween night. More details on Facebook – here’s the event page.

Metro’s on a Sunday schedule. All the usual major-holiday closures are in effect. No official White Center fireworks show, but there’s the 3 pm parade in Burien, fireworks off Three Tree Point tonight, and the WC Jubilee Days July 13th fireworks show isn’t that far away. If you buy fireworks in the unincorporated area, they’re legal to use 9 am-midnight tonight – and that’s it, you’re done for the year. Have a safe and fun day!

That’s one of the fireworks stands that officially opened Tuesday – as of today, they can be open 9 am-11 pm through Monday, but fireworks can only be used 9 am-midnight ***on*** Monday. More details in our story from earlier this week. (And remember, fireworks are banned on both sides of the unincorporated area – Burien and Seattle.)

Just a week till the 4th of July – and we noticed fireworks stands are up and waiting in the unincorporated areas (White Center, Top Hat, etc.). So it’s a good time to remind you: In the unincorporated areas, fireworks can be sold starting noon-11 pm Tuesday, and then 9 am-11 pm daily through July 4th – but even though you can BUY them before the holiday, you can only USE them on the 4th, 9 am-midnight.

As for official professional fireworks displays – there’s the Seattle show over Lake Union, visible from north-facing West Seattle, and Three Tree Point, offshore. But you might just decide to wait for the sure-to-be-spectacular-again Jubilee Days fireworks at Steve Cox Memorial Park on July 13th.