White Center Now: The blog about White Center

The agenda and “packet” for next Monday night’s Burien City Council meeting are now published online, and among the agenda items is:

Discussion Regarding If and When to Adopt Resolution No. 330, Requesting King County to Hold a Special Election on August 7, 2012 for the Purpose of Placing on the Ballot a Proposition Concerning Annexation of the North Highline Area “Y” Annexation Area

Burien city administration’s recommendation, according to the agenda documents, is that the council schedule its vote for either the April 2nd meeting or the April 16th meeting. In order to make all necessary deadlines for having an August 7th annexation election, the documents say, the County Council has to adopt an ordinance creating the annexation ballot measure by May 7th. (You can see the agenda documentation for yourself by going here.)

In December, Aileen Balahadia announced she would leave her position as White Center Community Development Association executive director this spring. Now, her successor has just been announced. Here’s the news release received by WCN:

The Board of Directors of the White Center Community Development Association (White Center CDA) proudly announces the hiring of its new executive director, Sili Savusa, a longtime community advocate and White Center resident.

The current CDA Executive Director, Aileen Balahadia, plans to leave her position the end of March, after serving in her leadership role since 2004. Sili Savusa will be leaving her position as Family Center Coordinator for Southwest Youth and Family Services to lead the CDA beginning March 19, 2012.

Aside from her long tenure at the agency, her other accomplishments include being elected to the Highline School Board Director in 2007 as the first woman of color, position #1, and founding the first Samoan/Pacific Islander Parent Teacher Student Association in the Nation in 2002, to address education issues impacting Pacific Islander students and their families.

“All of my work in human services and community development has allowed me to build an extensive network of important relationships,” said Ms. Savusa. “But perhaps the strongest experience I bring is as a resident of this gifted and capable community. My unique skill set, as well as my perspective as a resident whose family is impacted daily by community issues, uniquely qualifies me for this new and exciting role.”

Aileen Balahadia says good-bye to the community she has been honored to serve for the last eight years. Accomplishments under her tenure include the successful management of a multi-million dollar Making Connections comprehensive community change initiative of the Annie E Casey Foundation, the launch of an emerging White Center Promise Neighborhoods campaign, the opening of the 30-unit Unity Village affordable housing project last year, and the stewardship of core CDA programs like Family Connections and neighborhood business district revitalization.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the choice of leadership and how well Sili embodies the values and high quality of our organization,” said Ms. Balahadia. “I want to thank the CDA board of directors, staff, volunteers, members, partners, small businesses and residents for your service and leadership and I look forward to seeing all the community’s brightest dreams achieved in the future.”

Please join us for a good bye and appreciation party for Ms. Balahadia and to meet Ms. Savusa on Friday, March 23, 2012 from 4:30 to 7:00 pm at the Greenbridge Community, Educare Building (adjacent to White Center Heights Elementary) at 625 SW 100th St. Seattle, WA 98146.

(Photo from King County Elections Dept. website)

King County Sheriff Sue Rahr‘s new job had been reported before – but now that it’s been finalized, something new: She’ll retire as Sheriff at the end of this month. Here’s her announcement:

Today, I have accepted a final offer from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) to become the Director. I plan to retire as Sheriff on March 31 and assume my new duties as Director of the academy on April 1.

Read the rest of this entry »

On our way back from a story to the east, we stopped at 3.14 Bakery in downtown White Center to see how Pi(e) Day (3.14!) was going – and found a table full of distinguished gatherers who had chosen 3.14 for a meeting. From left, if you don’t recognize them all, that’s Mikel Davila from White Center Community Development Association, King County Sheriff’s Office Storefront Deputy BJ Myers, Michelle Allison from King County Councilmember Joe McDermott‘s team, and CM McDermott himself (who pointed out they had already purchased boxed pie to take back to the office downtown). As for us – decided not to go with the pie, but the triple-chocolate cake ball is to die for.

The fine folks behind the White Center Art Walk have published the lineup for this Saturday night’s event. Best place to see it is on their own website – just go here.

Covering Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn‘s Town Hall last night in Delridge for partner site West Seattle Blog, we spotted Aileen Sison participating in the community-information fair that preceded the event. She was there to represent the White Center Chamber of Commerce, answering questions and share information about WC; area residents were invited to browse the information fair in the hour before the mayor spoke at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.

From Audrey Zemke at White Center Food Bank:

Want to garden in White Center? Applications are now available for 16 raised beds at the White Center Heights Park Community Garden. Community members have been growing their own vegetables at this garden for 5 seasons. The garden is located at 102nd SW and SW 7th. The beds are all organic and there is no cost to use one. You must apply to be considered. Gardeners will be picked by a lottery process. To get an application, contact Audrey at the White Center Food Bank (audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org or (206) 762-2848, or stop by 10829 8th Ave SW). Applications must be returned by March 29 and those who will be able to garden will be notified within two weeks. The White Center Food Bank is working to get donations of organic compost, seeds and starts for use by the gardeners.

Another big delivery of diapers is news worth celebrating – but it also means WestSide Baby needs help! This Thursday, in White Center, it’s your chance to lend a hand … Here’s the announcement from WS Baby’s Maria Groen:

WestSide Baby has received a donation of nearly 100,000 diapers from Huggies through the National Diaper Bank Network. While it seems like a lot, it is just a little more than a two-month supply at the rate we distribute diapers to local children in need.

We’re inviting volunteers to a “Diaper Frenzy” this Thursday, 7-9 pm. Volunteers will be hauling and storing diapers in our operations facility. It will definitely be a mini workout, fun time with other caring community members and will help us tremendously. Interested volunteers must RSVP to whitney@westsidebaby.org as space is limited. We’re honored that the CoHo Team of Windermere Agents sponsors our After Hours Frenzies on the third Thursday of each month!

Got a bike that needs a boost to get going – or keep going? DubSea Bikes is back in session Sunday (March 11th), with another free bike-repair event at White Center Food Bank. 2-4 pm, 8th and 108th, and as organizers remind you, “This free event will focus on minor repairs only to get more bikes on the street in White Center and beyond. More complex jobs may be referred out to a full bike shop.” Next two editions are on April 15th and May 20th.

The summertime White Center Jubilee Days festival has a long and proud history – but now organizers are trying to get it beyond “good” – they’re aiming for “awesome.” And that’s the mission of a new fundraising campaign; you can donate right now online by going here. And there’s a fundraising gala on May 5th:

You can buy tickets right now – go here.

Today’s old skates, tomorrow’s art. Well – May’s art. Tonight, Amanda from the White Center Art Walk presided in the basement of Southgate Roller Rink as artists came by to pick up skates to turn into the “dynamic roller-skate sculptures” that WCAW is seeking. The artists’ marching – um, rolling – orders are:

– Max out your design at 4′ wide x 2′ tall
– Utilize up to (5) pairs or (10) skates
– Make it wall mountable
– Like the Native Americans with the Buffalo hunt, include as much of the roller skate as possible (ie; the boot, truck and wheels). A surplus of clay wheels are also available for use.
– Sculptures must be completed by May 9th

They’ll be spotlighted during the May 19th White Center Art Walk.

Five artists picked up their materials while we were there this evening.

From White Center Chamber of Commerce president Mark Ufkes:

The White Center Chamber of Commerce March 13, 2012 luncheon will be hosted by LUSO Food and Wine Imports Boutique, 9988 15th Ave SW, Suite C. Tina E. Hemmons is the owner, lusofoodandwines@msn.com, 206-694-3542 https://whitecenternow.com/2011/09/06/new-white-center-business-opens-luso-food-and-wine/. We will be acknowledging Art Spencer’s recent death, and his family contribution to White Center through their well-respected Spencer Automotive. We have invited Rich (his son) and Sharon (his wife) to the luncheon to talk about Art and family life in White Center and the important contribution the Spencer family has made to White Center.

Also, this Sunday, March 11, the Spencer family will be hosting a memorial for Art Spencer at Glen Acres Country Club (Sunday, March 11, from 1-4 pm) Everyone is invited to attend Art’s memorial.

At the Chamber luncheon, will also be installing our new board members, discuss our developing White Center web site, and discussing plans for several large culturally-encouraging murals painted in the core business district throughout White Center during our annual CDA/Chamber White Center Spring Clean on May 19th.

No local school changes, or major traffic problems, reported from the snow that fell overnight. As covered on partner site West Seattle Blog, snow fell for more than an hour in the middle of the night, leaving a half-inch or so on the ground in some places, but it didn’t linger long away from yards and cars. The National Weather Service has the area under a “Winter Weather Advisory” till 10 pm, but clear skies are headed this way from the west, and most of the remaining showers seem to be north of Seattle.

Not a surprise since Albertson’s had been seeking a hard-liquor license for the 16th SW store, before announcing it had been sold to Saar’s (here’s our coverage from last month), but for those keeping track, now Saar’s has filed an application for a license, and it includes the name we had mentioned in our story – Super Saver Foods.

So far in the general area, hard-liquor-sales licenses also are being sought by the Roxbury Safeway, the Burien Fred Meyer, and the Target at Westwood Village. There’s still time for other applications, since sales don’t start until June 1st.

Story and photo by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Peruvian food seems to be gaining popularity nationally the last few years, and new fans are growing in numbers here in the Seattle area lately. It made a brief stand in White Center – but several years ago, the El Chalan restaurant (16th and 110) closed, and Peruvian food hadn’t been seen here since.

But back east and around the country, Peruvian roasted chicken and other traditional dishes became very popular, and sit-down fine-dining Peruvian establishments became reliable and established. Now, Peruvian street food seems to have finally made its way back to the Seattle metro area with some help, in no small part, from Walter Diaz of San Fernando Roasted Chicken (photo).

San Fernando Roasted Chicken is affordable Peruvian street food, cooked homestyle, says Diaz, and along with a number of other South American delights, it will soon be served up in downtown White Center, at 9809 16th Ave SW.

White Center Now talked with Walter Diaz a few days ago about his plans to open the third San Fernando Roasted Chicken store in the area. As he worked a busy lunch crowd in his second restaurant on Rainier Avenue just south of the Dearborn/I-90 interchange (the first is in Lynnwood), he said he is waiting for the installation and permitting of a hood for his stove and hopes to be opening in White Center sometime next month, give or take a few weeks.

The menu for the existing two San Fernando shops – entrees, appetizers, side dishes, and of course, chicken – can be seen here.

Before the night’s out, we should know how our state’s Republicans voted in today’s presidential “straw poll.” That was one of two main tasks they faced as they gathered this morning for precinct caucuses all around our state, including White Center, south West Seattle, north Burien and vicinity gathering at the Evergreen Campus. We stopped by about midway through, to get a look at the turnout; 34th District Republicans chair Jim Clingan led the event, and told us about 200 people turned out:

(This photo and next one, courtesy Dick Hurley)
Campaign signs were low key .. we saw a few Ron Paul signs on a table outside, and someone carrying others out of the main room – but there were some cheery touches:

As we write this, the results are starting to come in – you can follow them on the Washington State Republican Party’s Tumblr site.

Received this afternoon:

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council will conduct a special meeting on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 7 pm to ratify changes to the Bylaws. The meeting will be held at the North Highline Fire Department meeting room, 1242 SW 112th St. The public is welcome.

By Patrick Sand and Tracy Record
White Center Now co-publishers

One day a few months back, the raised dividing line on 16th SW in downtown White Center all but suddenly appeared after the street was resurfaced. Many in that area wish it would suddenly, or not-so-suddenly, disappear. That was a big topic at Thursday night’s meeting of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council.

THE DIVIDER: King County Department of Transportation’s Mark Mitchell was at the meeting to address those concerns and other traffic-related issues. He said the intent was to reduce the number of cars darting back and forth across the lanes to finish parking, and therefore to reduce crashes, which he said other tactics including “enforcement” hadn’t reduced.

What enforcement? asked Jesse Lovell of Company. Mitchell said it had been requested; Jesse and Uncle Mike’s Superlicious BBQ co-proprietor Elizabeth Gordon both insisted they had never seen any. In fact, they said, the barrier had brought new problems, especially traffic slowdowns when large trucks bring deliveries, since they can’t park in the middle of the street any more. Mitchell listened to the complaints and said that’s why he had come to the meeting – to find out about the kind of effects they couldn’t plan for. He said he would take the complaints back … but no promises.

NHUAC member Liz Giba voiced a concern about the barrier making the mid-block crosswalk less visible, and raising the chances of a crash.

ALCOHOL MEMO: The King County Sheriff’s Office is pursuing a new idea to crack down on derelict drinking, according to Storefront Deputy BJ Myers. It’s an idea that Chief Deputy Steven Strachan deployed in the Kent area, and is now pursuing in White Center. A memo to three distributors, dated February 10th, is as follows:

The King County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the cooperation of the beverage distribution companies that serve retail businesses in White Center to partner with the Sheriff’s Office in a voluntary restriction on certain alcohol sales practices that contribute to an unsafe neighborhood and poor business environment. Merchants, neighborhood councils, and citizen groups have made it clear that the problem of chronic intoxicated persons in the local business district is a primary concern, and thus, a primary concern of the Sheriff’s Office.

This problem has existed in White Center for years and is viewed as a major hindrance to the success of area businesses. The White Center Chamber of Commerce is one of many groups that has attempted a “Good Neighbor Agreement” program with retailers selling high-gravity alcohol to chronic inebriants, but none of the programs have been successful. Therefore, it is the belief of the Sheriff’s Office that a structured community partnership approach will more appropriately address the problem of chronic public intoxication in White Center.

You are being asked to participate in an alternative to a mandatory government-imposed restriction, such as the Alcohol Impact Areas enforced by the Washington State Liquor Control Board. By working with the Sheriff’s Office to identify and implement a moderate but meaningful restriction on the sale of certain products, your company will set an example of positive, community-focused, cooperation that the neighborhood will notice. The Sheriff’s Office is interested in restricting only products principal to the problem of chronic public intoxication so as to maximize benefit to the neighborhood, including beverage retailers.

As a beverage supplier to retailers that sell high gravity alcohol in White Center, your company can be an influential advocate of responsible business practices. The Sheriff’s Office hopes you will choose to be a part of this effort to encourage voluntarily restricted responsible business practices by White Center retailers.

Deputy Myers asked for NHUAC’s support, and they said “of course.” He says he hopes to go to retailers soon with distributor reps to talk about a ban on “high gravity” sales between 6 am and 1 pm; he stressed repeatedly, this is for retail outlets, not bars. The idea is to disrupt the cycle of how chronic alcoholics buy and consume. If all goes well, this could start by early April.

BURIEN UPDATES, INCLUDING ANNEXATION: City Manager Mike Martin said it’s still looking pretty good for the annexation process to proceed, since the sales-tax credit remains in the current version of the state budget (without it, the city has said it will call the process to a halt). If the budget is finalized with the credit still available, Martin says, he’ll go to the Burien council and ask them to move ahead (which would involve setting an election date). He also talked about newly hired Highline Public Schools Superintendent-to-be Dr. Susan Enfield, saying he was impressed by her and her “intelligent approach” to many of the issues where the city and school district intersect.

White Center CDA is among the community partners for this upcoming workshop at South Seattle Community College:

Families of prospective Pacific Islander students at South Seattle Community College are invited to attend a FREE workshop to will learn how to support the educational progress of their family member attending the college. Parents, grandparents, siblings, partners, children, and spouses can all positively impact the success of a college student, and this informative workshop will provide them with the tools they need to make a difference.

Attendees will learn about what it is like to be a Pacific Islander college student at South; obtain information about campus resources to help students; and discover the many important ways they can help their student get the most out of the college experience. The workshop is ideal for new students and their families to encourage them to get a strong start on their college career. It is also extremely useful for current Pacific Islander students and their families as well.

Admission is free, but advance sign-up is requested.

Contact & RSVP: (206) 934-6487
e-mail: Rochelle.Fonoti@seattlecolleges.edu

Tongan and Samoan interpreters will be available.

This workshop was developed and presented by South’s AANAPISI grant; Student Outreach, Admissions and Recruitment; 13th Year Scholarship program; the Cultural Center; and TRiO Student Success Services. Community partners include U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle, Southwest Youth and Family Services and White Center Community Development Association.

It’s not just a new month – it’s Feinstein Challenge time, which means a lot to the local folks who make sure that thousands of people in this area don’t go hungry. Here’s the announcement from the White Center Food Bank:

Today, the 2012 Feinstein Challenge begins and again this year the White Center Food Bank will be participating. For the past 14 years, the Feinstein Foundation has divided $1 million each year among over 3,000 hunger fighting agencies nationwide.

Here’s how the challenge works. For every donation the White Center Food Bank receives during March and April, the Feinstein Foundation will help contributions grow by adding to them. All cash and food donations count towards the stretch dollars.

At WCFB we continue our focus on healthy foods through our mission driven services. By actively working with our clients to minimize hunger, we nourish our community to make it stronger and healthier. We nurture self-reliance through our gardening, nutrition and Healthy Food Gift Certificate programs and embrace our rich cultural diversity each day through our bi-lingual in-take services and provision of culturally familiar foods. 2011 brought a record 66,682 individuals through our doors – and we expect 2012 to bring similar numbers of those in need through our doors.

Please help continue to ease the pain of hunger in our community and step up to the challenge by making a contribution to the White Center Food Bank today. To be eligible for the Feinstein Challenge, your gift must be received no later than April 30th. Online donations via our website: whitecenterfoodbank.org.