White Center Now: The blog about White Center

This afternoon at 1 pm, Annette Cottrell, the author of “The Urban Farm Handbook” will be at Village Green Perennial Nursery (10223 26th SW) to sign books. Full details are on this Facebook event page.

(Looking north through 98th/16th intersection, after last night’s meeting)

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

Will surveillance cameras enhance safety in White Center – and residents/visitors’ perception of it? Two are on the way, and that was the biggest news from Thursday night’s meeting of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council:

SHERIFF’S OFFICE ANNOUNCES VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS FOR DOWNTOWN WC: Deputy BJ Myers announced that the King County Sheriff’s Office has purchased two video cameras for installment in White Center, a first for KCSO. But they aren’t meant to be secret; Deputy Myers described them as “overt” cameras with “signage indicating this area is being taped, to let people know this is an area we are watching.” He said it’s an “investigative tool” – both to look back at recorded video if needed, and to potentially deter crime. They’ll be installed “on county light poles, high enough that they hopefully won’t be vandalized,” and can be moved if necessary. The initial locations will be 98th/16th and Roxbury/15th (the latter is where Sweetheart Failautusi was murdered last August, and near the scene of a deadly May 2010 shooting). The recordings “will be kept for a reasonable amount of time, to look back and see if there’s anything worth investigating,” he said.

After the meeting, we asked a few followup questions: He says they not only will transmit live as well as record, they are remote-controllable – he will even be able to access them by computer. The timetable for installation is “sometime this summer,” possibly as soon as a few weeks, as the procurement process is well under way. The cameras will record only video, not audio (recording audio without consent is against state law).

OTHER SHERIFF’S OFFICE UPDATES: Deputy Myers started his briefing by mentioning how KCSO is looking into concerns regarding the Northwest Cannabis Market in downtown White Center; he said he had worked with Code Enforcement to see what they might look at, as well as noise complaints (for which they are pursuing equipment that’s required). “We’re working on it .. so I hope that within weeks and months we’ll be able to enforce some of those noise ordinances we have for the commercial district.” … NHUAC president Barbara Dobkin brought up a problem she had while calling 911 to report something recently, and getting a dispatcher who insisted she was in the Seattle city limits, though she had given a specific address; KCSO’s new area Capt. Pat Butschli – who now runs this zone – apologized. … More than half a dozen businesses are giving “great cooperation” to the voluntary initiative not to sell single-serving alcohol products between 6 am and 1 pm, Deputy Myers replied when asked by council vice president Pat Price, but … “It’s been a little challenging over the last week to keep those businesses on board” since other businesses aren’t participating and are still selling those products during that time frame. “We’re trying to encourage them and encourage the distributors to keep asking for more participation.” He says the fact those larger stores – which are the ones still selling, generally – are now selling liquor (like Super Saver Foods), and that has added to the pressure. Council member Ron Johnson requested a list of those that are participating, so they can be supported. … Capt. Butschli discussed KCSO’s recent reorganization in the unincorporated areas; there are no longer “precincts,” he said. “Because of annexations and budget cuts,” he said, they can no longer operate like four separate police departments, so now staff is “being shared between all four zones” when personnel challenges require it. (North Highline is now in Zone 4.) “The police buck in this region stops with me,” said Capt. Butschli. He elaborated on the marijuana-sales concerns, saying the current state of the law, or lack of same, has put law enforcement in an difficult position, waiting “for some clear direction … about how we’re supposed to go about enforcing this.”

HICKLIN LAKE: Dick Thurnau and Marcia Wollam from Friends of Hicklin Lake took the podium for an update on the “floating islands” system his group has been recommending to handle the lake’s water-quality problem. Wollam said that in April, they took questions to Floating Island International, and then in May, had a meeting including Burien city government rep Nhan Nguyen. A county water engineer pointed them to yet another company, said Marcia, and they met with a rep last night . They’re getting cost estimates, she said, adding that they also have contacted a state Ecology Department person who suggested a research project involving both “floating islands” and a system based on aquatic plants, to see which one would clean the water better. Wollam said they’re hoping to move quickly, because if they don’t do something by fall, “we’ll be out another year.” The “floating islands” are made out of recycled bottle plastic, according to Wollam. They passed around a sample of the material:

(That’s president Dobkin examining the sample, with council member Ron Johnson at right.)

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: State House Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon mentioned that redistricting next year will lead to him representing “more of North Highline.” He joked, “So, you’re stuck with me.” On a more serious note, he said it seems the state budget crisis is “under control,” which allowed legislators to avoid slashing the annexation tax credit, as had been proposed by Governor Gregoire at one time. “We were able to keep it … with help from our friends in other cities that have annexation issues, Renton, Kirkland,” he said – a big deal since Burien had said that the loss of the tax credit would end its bid to annex the rest of North Highline. He says he “doubt(s)” that will be revisited in future sessions. “If it survived these last couple years, it’s hard to imagine the situation in which it comes back on the table.” In particular, he said, if annexation is passed by voters, it would be politically even more difficult for legislators to take it away. … Rep. Fitzgibbon said Capt. Butschli’s comments about the marijuana law, or the lack of it, were right on the mark; the legislature had hoped to “set up a regulatory framework” but, because of the legalization measure that’s on the ballot, “the feeling in the Legislature was that it wasn’t an opportune to take another crack at the issue …” – they will instead wait to see what happens with the legalization measure, and then potentially try to resolve the problem in January. It’s not just a North Highline problem, he said; other jurisdictions are grappling with it too. … He says they’re hopeful that next year’s legislative session will NOT start with “what are we going to hack away at this year?” … In Q/A, Rep. Fitzgibbon was asked about cuts in higher education; he said unfortunately, it’s one of the few educational areas where legislators CAN cut if needed, since there are constitutional protections on K-12 funding.

TRASH TROUBLE? Q/A WITH KING COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH: Yolanda Pon from the county talked about solid-waste rules, requirements, and complaint processes, as well as how the complaints are investigated. There’s a new number for reporting problems – 206-296-SITE (provided you have collected all the necessary information, including complete addresses – all the way to whether it’s a S. or a SW – and the type of property, whether owner-occupied, renter-occupied, etc. – also, she notes, you cannot file an anonymous complaint). The process starts with a letter, then moves on to a notice of violation, and fines. Pon noted that “everyone seems to call Public Health first” and they “triage” it from there, to figure out whether they or some other agency is accountable for handling a complaint/problem. According to Pon, weekly trash service is required, so if curbside service has not been contracted by, for example, a business, they need to haul it themselves to the transfer station. (P.S. They do NOT handle rat complaints.)

BURIEN CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE: Mike Martin joked that they’re worried about the Wild Strawberry Festival because of the cool, gray weather – though he also noted it’s “30 degrees colder” in Eastern Washington, where his wife is currently visiting. … There’s new play equipment up in Puget Sound Park, he noted, and “the park looks great,” with other new components of a $125,000 renovation project including new benches and tables. “It looks better than low-income housing, than a fire station, than a library,” Martin said, alluding to past discussions about the site’s future … Regarding annexation, he said “I don’t have a lot to add week by week or month by month,” but he did mention the upcoming 6 pm June 21st forum at 3.14 Bakery in downtown White Center. He said the forum will start with some remarks from him, from Burien’s police chief, and then move on to public questions. “Please encourage people to come and get facts – they seem to be in short supply these days.” Back within the current Burien boundaries, he said they are embarking on “aggressive redevelopment” of the Burien Town Square property, and believes it “signals the next phase” for downtown Burien. Might it include a theater complex? asked council member Doug Harrell. Martin mentioned “they had been approached.”

PUBLIC COMMENT/ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mikel Davila from the White Center Community Development Association talked about the 470-plus people who participated in WC Spring Clean on May 19th (WCN coverage here, and photo above from the post-cleanup celebration) – his first with WCCDA. He’s hoping to hear directly from people about addressing ongoing litter/trash issues in WC, since so much – more than 100 bags – was picked up during the event, and is welcoming ideas. He introduced WCCDA’s new community builder Marquise Roberson … Community member Gill Loring talked about the 40-plus REI volunteers who came to North Shorewood Park recently (WCN coverage here) to do maintenance, cleanup, and planting work; he said, among other effects, the trails feel safer now, and suggested community members go take a look for themselves: “It’s a little pocket park for this area but it’s a really nice place.” … Alan Homestead, a 30-year White Center businessperson (the Vision Source eye clinic) and 60-year resident, spoke to the group.

He said he was at first glad to hear about the new White Center website at visitwhitecenter.com, but expressed concern that it includes the longtime nickname “Rat City” and a stylized image of a rat. “I was ready to support it as a business owner but I have difficulty being associated with rats,” he said, suggesting it might be the “biggest PR blunder” he has seen, and that rats have a “filthy connotation” that a website cannot change. “Is this our finest effort?” He worries that newcomers will not choose to do business in an area using a rat as a mascot, and urges anyone else concerned to contact the White Center CDA and White Center Chamber of Commerce to voice their opinion. He also suggests that those concerned attend the next WC Chamber lunch (June 12th, noon, Salvadorean Bakery on Roxbury). President Dobkin noted, “It’s unfortunate that this council is not included on that website and has not been invited to participate.”

COUNCIL’S SCHEDULE THIS SUMMER: At meeting’s end, council member Richard Miller suggested the August Public Safety Forum be postponed in favor of a later meeting when, for example, they’d be able to get the King County Sheriff candidates to come, and his fellow council members agreed … NHUAC will again be at Jubilee Days, and is putting together informational material to have available … Their next regular meeting will be the first Thursday in September, but they will call a special meeting in the meantime if something has to be addressed.

From White Center Chamber of Commerce president Mark Ufkes:

The White Center Chamber of Commerce will have its June luncheon next Tuesday, June 12th at noon at the Salvadorean Bakery located on the corner of Roxbury and 17th Ave. SW. Agenda items will include the status of the Chamber/CDA mural project to date, an update on our new website, discussion on the status of the Homeless Summit effort, Jubilee Days update, and discussions on how Chamber members can assist local youth programming. Traditionally, Chamber luncheons are not held in July or August, and begin again in September, so this is the last Chamber luncheon for the summer.

The new website is in the works at visitwhitecenter.com.

One year after the longtime White Center mailbox (and more) business Pony Express closed, the name and services are back. Jeri e-mailed us to announce that “the services provided by the Pony Express of White Center are now available at a new address. S & L Realty LLC at 9849 17th Ave. SW is now providing private mailboxes, mailing services, UPS shipping, money orders, pay bills, faxing, and copying.”

Help the White Center Library Guild provide special programming – especially for kids/teens – by supporting its sale on June 22nd and 23rd!

Another mural for White Center! With paint contributed by the WC Chamber and WC Community Development Association, high-school students from Highline Public Schools‘ Evergreen Campus are creating one on the north wall of Super Saver Foods, which opened in March in the 16th/107th storefront that was formerly an Albertsons. As Chamber President Mark Ufkes explained it in e-mail last week, “The design will include cultural images and food items and promote the diversity at the three Evergreen High Schools on campus.” We checked on this site this past Monday; it’s just part of what’s becoming a tapestry of mural art around the area; we’ll check in on other projects soon.

For those following all matters annexation – Seattle’s discussion of pursuing annexation of both the “sliver by the river” and the Duwamish Triangle has suddenly hit a snag: Property owners in the Duwamish Triangle are seeking annexation by Tukwila, which also claims that part of the area as a “potential annexation area.” The Seattle City Council discussed this a short time ago, and our report is on our partner site The South Park News.

In downtown White Center till 6 pm, you are invited to come celebrate The Center Studio‘s grand opening (9611 16th SW).

Meet proprietor Lonjina Verdugo (above), admire RobRoy Chalmers‘ art (behind Lonjina in the photo), have a snack and/or sip, and if you are bringing kids – there’s a bouncy house out back!

See the class info at whitecenterstudio.com.

From North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin, the announcement of next Thursday’s meeting, and its agenda:

We are pleased to have Rep Joe Fitzgibbon join us for the June 7 meeting, when he will provide information on the 2012 Legislative Session. Bill Lasby and Yolanda Pon from the Environmental Health Services Division of King County Public Health will be on hand to answer questions regarding yard waste, trash, and other general environmental concerns facing the North Highline Community. As always, all are welcome.

7:00 pm Call to Order – Flag Salute – Roll Call –
Approval of Agenda – Approval of Minutes
7:05 pm Public Announcements
7:10 pm Public Comment
3minutes for Individuals
5 minutes for Groups

7:15 pm Deputy BJ Myers

7:20 pm Dick Thurnau – Hicklin Lake Update

7:25 pm Joe Fitzgibbon

7:40 pm Bill Lasby & Yolanda Pon
King County Public Health, Environmental Health Services

8:00 pm Treasurer’s Report
8:05 pm Committee Reports
1. Governance
2. Arts and Parks
3. Public Safety
4. Housing and Human Services
5. Public Outreach
6. Transportation

8:10 pm Unfinished Business/Old Business
• Flower Bed Planting (100 ST & 16th Ave, SW)
• Jubilee Days

8:20 pm New Business
• August 2 Public Safety Forum

The meeting’s at the usual time and place = 7 pm Thursday (June 7), North Highline Fire District HQ, 1243 SW 112th.

Happening tonight! From TAF, as shared by White Center Community Development Association:

June is just around the corner, don’t forget to mark your calendar for this family-friendly preview event at Technology Access Foundation’s new home in White Center – the Bethaday Community Learning Space. BBQ, games, tours and fun for the whole family. Come and help spread the word – it’s time to celebrate and warm up our new home together!

Date: Friday, June 1st

Time: 5-8 pm

Location: Lakewood Park, White Center

10916 10th Avenue SW

If you’re with a company that specializes in getting people ready for the outdoors – what better way to spend your volunteering time, than to be, well, outdoors? North Shorewood Park got an infusion of attention on Thursday when REI volunteers dug in:

If you’re feeling like helping out, REI’s website even has a feature you can use to find someplace to volunteer. Thanks to Gill for the tip about Thursday’s work party – and for sharing this bonus group shot:

Side note: North Shorewood Park, which is at 24th and 102nd, is one of those that King County would turn over to the City of Burien if annexation wins the November vote and is finalized next year.

(crossposted from partner site West Seattle Blog, since WestSide Baby serves both areas)

They help thousands of local families … but they can’t do it without help from you … and tonight, White Center-headquartered WestSide Baby has a new call for volunteers “ages 8-108”:

WestSide Baby is increasing our Volunteer hours and we need your help!

The need is growing and our ability to respond to that is also growing. We are offering more volunteer opportunities than ever before and we hope you will consider helping out, either regularly or by dropping in when it’s convenient for you.You can tailor your volunteering to meet your schedule: once a week, once a month, several times a year, or more! WSB has monthly evening, weekend and daytime shifts. Check out the schedule on our WSB Volunteers page. WSB can also schedule special times for groups of 10-20 volunteers.

Onsite volunteers sort donations, fill orders, package diapers, check equipment and toys, and dismantle unusable car seats. Take-home jobs include laundry, mending clothing, pick up and drop off of items. We especially need committed regular volunteers for toys, donation collection (van or truck required) and car seat/equipment checking. Anyone ages 8-108 can volunteer. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult and youth 14-18 can volunteer on their own, with signed consent form.

To start volunteering, please go to http://www.westsidebaby.org/default/volunteer and fill out the volunteer application. Or contact Maria Groen, Outreach/Operations Manager at WestSide Baby, maria@westsidebaby.org, (206) 767-1662.

Maria also notes that “… our first “First Tuesday Frenzy” 5:30-7:30 pm volunteer time at WestSide Baby will be on June 5th, 10027 14th Ave SW.”

From Nhan Nguyen at the City of Burien:

The first informational forum on the proposed annexation of North Highline by the City of Burien will be at 3.14 Bakery (9602 16th Ave SW) on June 21 at 6 pm. We plan to hold one forum per month at various locations to answer questions the community may have on the issue. For additional information including the FAQs, please visit our website: burienwa.gov/annexation.

City reps already have held one forum, at the invitation of Glen Acres residents; here’s our coverage.

The final phase of the renovation work at Steve Cox Memorial Park‘s tennis courts in White Center is almost finished – the colorful new surface is in place, the sealant was applied Friday, and now it needs time to cure, so that’s why the nets are down.

King County Parks spokesperson Doug Williams tells WCN that they’ll be down for a few more days in hopes that’ll keep court use to a minimum. The curing is weather-dependent, so, Williams says, the nets won’t be put back up till this weekend or maybe even early next week. The project, estimated last year at $153,000, was paid for with the help of a federal grant. (P.S. Thanks to Gill for the story tip!)

It’s the calm before the storm … of summer activities. Another White Center Jubilee Days fundraiser is coming up, though, if you haven’t heard already: The 2nd annual Pinewood Derby at Big Al Brewing, all ages welcome, on June 23rd; doors open at noon, $10 per entry, which gets you a car kit. Food trucks, beer, prizes, trophies all promised, as well as live music featuring Rats in the Grass – more details on this Facebook event page.

From the White Center Food Bank:

If you’ve been waiting to do a food drive for the White Center Food Bank until you heard we really needed help, now is the time. Food donations are down 100,000 pounds in the first 5 months of this year. We are continuing to see record numbers of families. Won’t you help? Contact Audrey Zemke at audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org or Rick Jump at rick@whitecenterfoodbank.org or 762-2848 to help. Most needed foods are canned meat, canned fruit, cereal, peanut butter and pinto beans. We can give you a complete list of suggested items.

The state has just announced that instead of having May 31st be the final day for all state liquor stores, with June 1st the first day of privatized sales (that’s a week from Friday), it’s closing the stores in phases. The White Center store is currently scheduled to have its final day in business next Monday, May 28th. (West Seattle’s two stores both will be closed after Tuesday, May 29th.)

P.S. As previously noted, both Saar’s (the former Albertsons) and Bartell Drugs in White Center have applied for hard-liquor-sales licenses, along with the Walgreens that is on the West Seattle side of the city-county line at 16th/Roxbury.

This was announced at last night’s board meeting, and confirmed today in a news release we just received from the North Highline Fire District:

Wayne Alishokis, retired North Highline firefighter and current commissioner, resigned his position at last evening’s regular board meeting. Mr. Alishokis served as commissioner since 2006 and as board chair for the past three years. He stated in a letter to the board, “I believe the board has dealt with most all issues in preparing for the potential annexation by the City of Burien so this is a good time for me to move on.”

Because of this resignation, North Highline Fire District is now accepting letters of intent for Mr. Alishokis’ vacant fire commissioner position in accordance with RCW 52.14.050. Interested persons must reside within and be a registered voter of the Fire District. The interim position will begin immediately after appointment and end upon certification of the November 2013 election.

Letters of intent will be accepted through Friday, June 15, 2012 and may be mailed to North Highline Fire District, 1243 SW 112th St., Seattle, WA 98146.

The other two commissioners currently serving are Ray Austin and Liz Giba.

On the plaza at Greenbridge early this afternoon, the maroon-shirted volunteers who had just spent hours cleaning, painting, you name it, weren’t resting – they were dancing! (Video to come.) That was part of the 9th annual White Center Spring Clean‘s celebration at the plaza – as was a martial-arts demonstration:

King County Sheriff Steve Strachan was there too, at left in the next photo, with White Center Storefront Deputy BJ Myers, just days after his official swearing-in:

Even as the Greenbridge event unfolded, other Spring Clean volunteers were still busy – the multiple-panel mural along 17th SW north of Roxbury was a hub of activity:

The crew we found working there included Aileen Sison from the White Center Chamber of Commerce, one of the partners in this project. (added) Commenters point out that the project is headed up by Brittany Trujillo from Seattle Silkscreening Company. Here’s a panel, closeup:

In downtown White Center, the new wayfinder was going up atop the kiosk at 98th and 16th. We photographed it around noon:

And thanks to Liz for sharing this photo of Troop 1775, part of today’s volunteer workforce:

If you were part of today’s Spring Clean, some local businesses are offering rewards – get a cone for half price at Full Tilt Ice Cream if you’re wearing your Spring Clean T-shirt; wearing the T-shirt and dining in at Proletariat Pizza gets you $2 off a whole pie.

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!