White Center Now: The blog about White Center

(Also published on partner site The South Park News)

Kids at Beverly Park Elementary – just south of South Park – got a big thrill Friday when the King County Sheriff’s Office helicopter Guardian One came to visit. Our video shows its landing. Luckily the fog had lifted enough that they could keep their appointment.

That’s Deputy John Pugh, above, who flies Guardian One.

North Highline firefighters were there too:

The students were excited to meet the visiting law enforcers and get a look at their cars.

Later, a busy day and night resumed for KCSO’s air support unit – here’s a tweet with both their helicopters, Guardian 1 and Guardian 2:

G2 getting back from SAR, G1 getting ready for patrol under a full moon. pic.twitter.com/fAOrz6G3oG

— KCSOAirsupport (@KCSOAirsupport) October 19, 2013

By Maggie Nicholson
Special to White Center Now

Burien filmmaker Jeff Ferrell‘s latest project has just come to fruition.

“Ghostlight,” a horror film set in a historic theater, is the collaborative effort of local area actors, sound directors, and supervisors, including collaborators from White Center and West Seattle. Filming has been in progress since 2012, and the premiere run is under way.

The Historic Everett Theatre, where the movie was filmed, is the oldest active theater west of the Rocky Mountains. The theater has served as an opera house, vaudeville theater, stop-motion cinema and arts venue. In 1923, a fire devastated the interior and caused a partial collapse to the front wall. It was rebuilt in 1924, and reopened with 1,200 seats. When you step inside, the high walls slope to meet with a dome ceiling, interrupted by balconies whose railings flush with engravings.

“When you walk in,” says local filmmaker Jeff Ferrell. “You can feel its history.”

The street of the town where the theater is located gives no acknowledgment of such a past. The theater is nestled between an Irish sports bar and a bank. Ferrell first encountered the Everett Theatre while working on a 1920’s-styled music video with his friend David Stedman. When Ferrell learned the theater was said to be haunted, he asked to spend the night there alone. He packed a bag, a camera, and a guitar.

“I brought my guitar to play songs on stage for the ghosts,” says Ferrell, his wry-black eyes undulating with amusement.

Ferrell’s movie “Ghostlight” was filmed along similar premises to his actual experience that night in the Everett Theatre: main character, Andrew, spends the night alone in an allegedly haunted theater, in order to receive a large sum of money.

Ferrell says that while the movie is fictional, there are many internal reflections of real events: some which occurred during his own stay within the historic walls, and some which occurred during the filming itself.

Once during production, Ferrell decided to stay overnight. The drive home was long, and the hour was late. Ferrell says he slept on a couch in the dressing room. Stirring, he awoke to see a woman slowly walking down the stairs into the room. Ferrell urged himself up. As his slumber-ridden eyes grew to focus, he realized the woman was not a woman, but a small girl. Once she had fully entered the room, he could see only the top of her head poking out from behind the couch.

Another incident was recorded on camera and discovered while reviewing footage. A scene is disturbed by a black shadow, which moves distinctly back and forth through the frame six times.

In the end, Ferrell decided to keep the mysterious shadow in the movie, deeming it one of the “happy accidents” that often accompany filming. The shadow occurs when Andrew is alone on stage reciting Shakespeare. Ferrell says for artistic creation to be successful, creators must be ready to change their plans when inspiration strikes.

In the movie, the ghosts in Everett Theatre are decidedly negative; Ferrell assures me that the true presence in the theater is positive.

Most contributors involved in the production of Ghostlight are local to this metro area: Jeff Ferrell, producer, writer and director from Burien; star Brian Sutherland plays Andrew; West Seattle star Lisa Coronado plays Andrew’s wife Mira; Jim Charleston, production supervisor from Burien; Jason Alberts, sound director in Ballard; and Russell Hodgkinson, who plays the caretaker, lives in White Center.

Ferrell says he couldn’t have been happier with the final product. Credit, he says, goes to the cast and crew.

“It’s very important to have a team of collaborators who all want to contribute to the realization of the same dream,” says Ferrell.

Ferrell says he’s been drawn to the dark side of life since childhood. He and his grandmother spent many nights watching classic horror movies together.

“I don’t know how many people in the world can say their grandma introduced them to horror movies,” laughs Ferrell. “I think everyone is attracted to ghost stories because they address the universal fear and wonder of death. It’s an ancient human desire we have. We like to tell stories and we like to be scared.”

I was lucky enough to view the movie pre-screening, and I can’t recommend it enough: it is cohesive, horrific, emotional and aptly-directed. The movie runs through tonight at the Tin Theatre in Burien. Then, there is a special Halloween viewing at the theater that both inspired the movie and served as a set: the Everett Theatre. This showing of the film is a fundraiser. Profits go to the Everett Theatre to help it stay on its ancient feet.

Screening Dates and Addresses for ‘Ghostlight’:

Tonight at the Tin Theater, Burien
923 SW 152nd St.

October 21, 2013, at the Grand Illusion Cinema, Seattle
1403 NE 50th St.

October 24-25, 2013, at the Clinton Street Theater, Portland
2522 SE Clinton Street, Portland

October 31, 2013, at the Historic Everett Theater, Everett, WA:
2911 Colby Ave

Announced by NHUAC president Barbara Dobkin:

At the November 7 North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting, the board will be interviewing Doreen Bomar to fill an open board position. The interview will be followed by our regular monthly meeting. All are welcome! Stay tuned for more information about the meeting – Thursday, November 7, 7 pm, North Highline Fire Station, 1243 112th Street SW.

7:48 AM: There’s a big response – including mutual aid from Seattle Fire – headed into Greenbridge for a possible house fire in the 10000 block of 11th SW. We’re heading over to check it out and will update here.

8:05 AM UPDATE: Our crew just arrived. No flames visible but smoke coming from windows and roof. Lots of fire crews on scene, North Highline and the aforementioned help from Seattle (an engine and battalion chief were sent).

8:41 AM UPDATE: We’ve confirmed there is extensive damage to the house; no residents or firefighters hurt; no word so far of how the fire started.

9:08 AM UPDATE: Just added video – North Highline firefighters using a water cannon from atop one of their rigs. Photos to come.

It’s a teacher-training day, and that means no classes in Highline Public Schools (to the north, same goes for Seattle Public Schools) today.

The Seattle Transportation Department has just announced it has gone ahead with the one-day-delayed plan to switch the detour direction during repaving in South Delridge:

Delridge Way SW Phase 5 Detour Reversed: Northbound now detoured

Northbound traffic on Delridge Way SW is now detoured at SW Roxbury Street. The change reverses the direction of the previous detour in phase five, between SW Roxbury and SW Henderson streets. The detour went into effect this afternoon and will remain until project completion, expected the end of this year. Southbound traffic along this stretch of Delridge Way SW will be maintained.

Northbound Delridge Way SW traffic at SW Roxbury Street is directed along one of two paths:

· West on SW Roxbury Street
· North on 26th Avenue SW
· East on SW Barton Street/ SW Barton Place onto Delridge Way SW

Or

· North on 16th Avenue SW
· West on SW Henderson Street to Delridge Way SW

10:57 AM: Seeing the Guardian One helicopter over White Center – and/or units on the ground? According to the King County Sheriff’s Office, the helicopter is helping deputies search for a car prowler who stole a purse. No other details yet.

12:32 PM: Search ended unsuccessfully, says KCSO. We did get a photo of the KCSO helicopter and added it – just in case you’re not sure how to tell the difference between law enforcement and TV choppers.

3:58 PM: Just received this update from KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West: “The suspect from (this incident) was arrested near 102 and 8th SW after being spotted prowling cars in Steve Cox Park.”

On Monday, we shared a Seattle Department of Transportation announcement that the detour direction on Delridge Way, for its repaving work just north of White Center, would change tomorrow. Late today, SDOT changed its mind – for now:

The plan to reverse the Delridge Paving Project phase five detour is delayed. The Seattle Department of Transportation is working with the contractor to ensure safe implementation of the change. Until further notice, Delridge Way SW southbound traffic between SW Henderson to SW Roxbury streets will continue to be detoured at SW Henderson Street. Northbound traffic will continue to be maintained.

We apologize for any inconvenience this alteration in plans causes! Safety is SDOT’s primary goal and the reason behind the detour reversal delay. More information will be released as it is confirmed.

You don’t have to work for the federal government to be affected by its shutdown. King County Executive Dow Constantine and King County Councilmember Joe McDermott are coming to Greenbridge at noon tomorrow (Wednesday) to make that point; they’re planning a media event at the county Public Health clinic there, also including someone the announcement describes as “a client of Public Health services,” and plan “to detail specific pending impacts of the continuing federal government shutdown.”

Just north of White Center, the City of Seattle Department of Transportation is changing the detour direction for the final phase of Delridge Way repaving – southbound traffic will keep flowing, northbound traffic will be detoured, instead of the other way, which is how it’s set up now. The city hopes the change will:

· Simplify traffic control measures for ease of understanding for the traveling public

· Eliminate the buildup of excessive traffic at the intersection of Southwest Roxbury Street and 16th Avenue Southwest due to the detour

· Allow for a more natural traffic flow – southbound on Delridge Way in the original right lane

· Reduce the possibility of someone driving in the wrong direction.

The new detour will direct northbound Delridge Way Southwest traffic at Southwest Roxbury Street onto northbound 16th Avenue Southwest and then onto westbound Southwest Henderson Street to return to Delridge Way. This detour will remain in place until the project is complete at the end of the year.

To ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians and to allow enough space for the crews to conduct this work, curb-side parking on Delridge Way will be inaccessible between Southwest Henderson and Southwest Roxbury streets until project completion.

Tomorrow night, you can ask an SDOT rep about this during the White Center Chamber of Commerce‘s monthly evening mixer at 6 pm at Bahn 88, 9418 Delridge Way SW.

Just announced – the Rat City Business Association‘s Trick-or-Treat Festival, 2-5 pm Sunday, October 27th. Be there!

(Top two photos by WCN co-publisher Patrick Sand)
Big excitement at Cascade Middle School on Friday afternoon – a visit from the governor. Not only did principal Diana Garcia and her students enthusiastically welcome Governor Jay Inslee, who has White Center roots, but so did leaders from throughout Highline Public Schools, including Superintendent Susan Enfield. The governor joined State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn at Cascade to talk about the new science standards. But before they spoke, he spent some time with students, asking if they like science and wondering what new ideas they’re working on. Student Ming Tong volunteered one:

He told the governor that we should be working on low-polluting or even non-polluting aircraft fuel. Gov. Inslee said there’s some work under way at Washington State University, but was so impressed by Ming’s suggestion, he gave him a pin (an apple he says he hands out daily to someone with a good idea).

As for the new standards, read Superintendent Dorn’s announcement here; read about the standards themselves here.

To see more of today’s visit – check out this clip put together by the district:

ORIGINAL REPORT, 5:58 PM: In case you’re noticing a stepped-up King County Sheriff’s Office presence – there’s a search under way in the Boulevard Park area for a shooting suspect. We don’t yet have details of the shooting, but KCSO is circulating photos:

Suspect photo from shooting pic.twitter.com/rdJatcFMiJ

— Cindi West (@kingcosoPIO) October 5, 2013

Another photo of suspect pic.twitter.com/G0Kxth2ZbN

— Cindi West (@kingcosoPIO) October 5, 2013

KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West has mentioned search locations including 22nd S./S. 106th and S. 106th/Des Moines Memorial Drive.

UPDATE: According to seattlepi.com, the man is being sought in a shots-fired case; no one was hurt.

7 PM: Metro alerts say Des Moines Memorial Drive is open again in the area. Don’t know yet if that means the search succeeded or was just suspended.

7:04 PM: And we have the answer from Sgt. West via Twitter – suspect arrested:

Suspect in custody! Found hiding in apartment! Woohoo! Good job guys!

— Cindi West (@kingcosoPIO) October 5, 2013

In case you hadn’t gotten around to reading County Executive Dow Constantine‘s proposed 2014 budget – here’s what his office says are the highlights for unincorporated areas, including ours:

King County Executive Dow Constantine has proposed a 2014 Budget that enhances funding for a range of local services for residents of unincorporated King County – including public safety, parks, and the environment.

“Through the reforms we’ve put in place that have created new operational efficiencies, we are able to propose a budget that sustains essential functions and restores some critical services lost in the recession,” said Executive Constantine.

The 250,000 people who live in the unincorporated portions of King County are spread over 2,200 square miles. If taken together, they would by far comprise the county’s second-largest city.

The Executive’s 2014 Proposed Budget maintains funding for the popular Sheriff’s storefront deputies in White Center and Skyway/West Hill, calls for reopening of the Hicks-Raburn Precinct in Maple Valley, and restores four uniformed officers – three patrol deputies and a sergeant. The proposed budget also calls for:

· Improvements sought by residents of White Center for Steve Cox Park, including artificial turf for the athletic fields, lighting of outdoor basketball courts, and rehabilitation of the stadium roof.

· Rehabilitation of Dockton Dock on Maury Island, including work with the State to remove or wrap existing creosote pilings, and the acquisition of more open space on Vashon-Maury Island.

· Investments in trail projects to extend the Green to Cedar River Trail, as well as construction of trailhead parking lots at Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park and Pinnacle Peak Park in the Enumclaw area.

· Development of stormwater projects that include improving release of flows from Allen Lake to reduce flooding at NE 8th Street on the Sammamish Plateau; removing sediment and improving stream habitat at May Creek and Long Marsh Creek in the Four Creeks and Renton area; and repairing a conveyance line of Molasses Creek at Fairwood, east of Renton, to mitigate major flood risks.

This budget completes the County’s transition from hourly charges for new building permits to the new fixed-fee model that improves predictability and consistency for customers, while lowering the cost of issuing permits and opening the door to future e-commerce permitting options.

The proposed budget also maintains the Community Service Area grant program, which in 2013 funded 25 grants for grassroots community projects throughout unincorporated King County.

ABOUT THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS

Unincorporated King County has a population of 250,000 scattered over a broad geographic area with a very limited tax base, creating significant challenges in providing services.

King County is the only one of the state’s nine largest counties to have so completely implemented the state Growth Management Act, which calls for urban areas to be annexed into cities. The legacy system for funding county general services and county roads does not contemplate growth management, as evidenced by the fact that in the eight other counties, an average of 44 percent of their people live in the unincorporated areas and they pay into their Roads funds – whereas in King County only 13 percent pay for the roads that one-million cars drive on every day.

Even more significantly, there is almost no commercial tax base in unincorporated King County. Only 3.6 percent of the total taxable sales within the county take place in the unincorporated area, versus 21 percent in the other eight counties. The resulting tax base is almost entirely residential and agricultural.

Big day tomorrow for Cascade Middle School in White Center. Governor Inslee and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn will visit for an event described in a media advisory as follows:

Governor Jay Inslee, State Superintendent Randy Dorn and invited guests will appear at 12:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 4, at Cascade Middle School in (White Center) to speak about the Next Generation Science Standards.

It is important that every Washington student is prepared with the strong science skills they need for the future. Science education is pivotal in growing Washington’s innovation economy and preparing our kids for a lifetime of opportunity and success.

Not a public event, but we’re planning to be there; we’re checking to see if it will be shown live on TVW. Meantime, you can read more about the science standards by going here.

2:46 PM: Thanks to Gill for the tip on the signage that suddenly appeared on the former NAPA Auto Parts building at 9841 15th SW (our photo shows its west side facing 16th), sold to a Southern California buyer earlier this year. We’ve been working to track down information on Northmart, and the most information so far has come up in a help-wanted ad, which says the store is the company’s first in this state, and that it will be an 11,000-square-foot “retail warehouse” that will “sell a variety of products.” We’ll update when we find out more.

3:51 PM UPDATE: Just talked with the leader of the team setting up the store. He says so far, this company has one in Los Angeles, but in addition to the White Center store, is working on one in Shoreline, and then plans to set some up on the East Coast. It is both a wholesaler and a retailer open to the public – right now, while they are sending out merchandise to national customers, they are not yet open to the public; that’s still likely a few weeks away. They will stock and sell a variety of merchandise from luggage and backpacks to clothing, shoes, accessories, and the quantity of merchandise sold is up to the customer – they can sell you a trailer full or just one. No food – just manufactured merchandise, much of which is made by associated companies. This location is going to be their wholesale/shipping hub in this area as well as on-site retail, and that’s why it’s so much bigger, 11,000 square feet compared to the 2,000-square-foot store they’ll have in Shoreline.

As announced in a news release, Highline Public Schools is one of the latest districts statewide seeking to authorize charter schools:

The State Board of Education (SBE) received notices of intent from Tacoma, West Valley (in Yakima) and Highline school districts that they plan to submit applications to become charter school authorizers in 2014.

Charter authorizer notices of intent were due October 1, 2013, and charter authorizer applications are due December 31, 2013. The SBE will rigorously evaluate the applications and approve or deny them by April 1, 2014.

A charter school authorizer is an entity with the powers and duties to review, approve or reject charter school applications; enter into, renew or revoke charter contracts with nonprofit corporations seeking to operate charter schools; and oversee the charter schools the entity has authorized. Eligible authorizers are:

· School district boards of directors that have been approved as authorizers by the SBE, for charter schools located within the school district’s own boundaries;

· The Washington Charter School Commission, for charter schools located anywhere in the state.

Last month the SBE approved Spokane Public Schools as the first school district authorizer. Spokane is now soliciting applications from nonprofits to operate charter schools within their district.

More information about charter schools can be found on our website at: www.sbe.wa.gov/charters.php.

On our third day of wild weather, rain and sun alternated for much of the afternoon – after morning downpours including the one Gill captured in that photo! No warnings in effect right now but the weather is still unsettled, to say the least, according to the newest forecast.

In the Boulevard Park area? Maybe you know whose dog this is:

Found this evening in the rain in front of Boulevard Park Liquor Store. Healthy and happy neutered male…warm, fed and dry now …very friendly….black and white… Wasn’t happy about meeting our dog so is in our heated garage for now. My name is Stephanie #206-234-7814

As part of the annual regional Mayors’ Day of Concern for the Hungry, White Center Food Bank ‘s Audrey Zemke tells us that Key Club members from the Evergreen Campus will collect food, money, and gift-card donations 10 am-2 pm today at Roxbury Safeway and North Burien Albertson’s on SW 128th. Drop by and give!