White Center Now: The blog about White Center

The official forecasts promise it won’t last. However, given the difficulty of accurately forecasting around here, and the track record from the recent Snowmare ’08, take whatever action you must. Perhaps also a good idea to keep in mind that wind is supposedly to follow. Latest forecast here.

We reported New Year’s Eve that photos and video were out from a recent robbery rampage that included a December holdup at the Lucky Seven in White Center. Early this morning, after a robbery attempt at a West Seattle 7-11, Seattle Police arrested three suspects and are working right now to establish whether they are linked to this series of robberies. Here’s our full report on West Seattle Blog; we will let you know when more information is released.

Today’s the last weekday before things start revving back up to normal on Monday – and there are two things to keep in mind today: Metro is on the “partial holiday” schedule one last day (changes listed here) and most county offices/facilities are closed because of the “furlough” day (changes listed here).

2009 will start with a big donation to the White Center Food Bank: Next week, a truckload of potatoes and apples is scheduled to arrive at WCFB, courtesy of the Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association. Read full details here. (It’s been a month and a half since the big potato donation that arrived at WCFB; see our video coverage here.)

Just posted on partner site West Seattle Blog: An update with video and photos from a series of robberies in South Seattle/White Center/West Seattle including the December 11th holdup at Lucky Seven in WC (one of those photos, shown above). If you have any idea who these robbers are, CrimeStoppers is offering a reward: 800-222-TIPS.

The afternoon forecast update is out and there’s still a good chance of strong wind tonight/tomorrow morning, with the possibility of another round on Friday. Here’s a link to keep an eye on: Seattle City Light’s latest list of outages. Nothing on there now. Let’s hope it stays that way.

An alert from King County late today: Report storm damage ASAP. Here’s how.

Just got this advisory from the Seattle Fire Department: Holy Family School in White Center will host a Firefighter Memorial and Benefit Dinner next Monday night, 7 pm (after a 6 pm social hour). This is on the anniversary of one of the most heartbreaking and horrifying tragedies to hit the city – the Pang warehouse fire, a deliberately set fire that killed four Seattle firefighters, including a Holy Family alumnus. From the SFD media advisory:

January 5, 2009 marks 14-years since four Seattle Firefighters died in
the Mary Pang Warehouse Fire. In memory of Lieutenant Walter Kilgore,
Lieutenant Greg Shoemaker, Firefighter James Brown and Firefighter Randy
Terlicker, Holy Family Parish School in West Seattle is conducting a
Memorial and Benefit Dinner for the Randy Terlicker Endowment Fund.

Randy Terlicker was a 1974 graduate of Holy Family Parish School. The
endowment fund will provide scholarships to families who can not afford
school tuition.

The program will begin at 7:00 p.m.at Holy Family School, located at
9615 20th Avenue Southwest. The program will include a performance by
the Seattle Fire Department Pipes and Drums Band, a presentation of
colors by the Walter Kilgore Memorial Honor Guard and testimonials from
the family and friends of Randy Terlicker.

I was a newscast producer at KOMO TV (Channel 4), on duty the night this tragedy happened. Newspeople sometimes pretend they are a little bit numb to the awful things they sometimes have to report … but I can tell you that the word of four firefighters losing their lives that night, fighting flames someone started on purpose, rocked us all. The memorial for them was an amazing, massive outpouring, with their firefighting colleagues sending delegations from near and far. The sight of the memorial sculpture in Pioneer Square’s Occidental Park brings the memories back, every time. There’s a bit more about the Holy Family event on this page of the Seattle Fire Fighters Union site.

According to our favorite weather guy, Cliff Mass:

Regarding the potential big storm on Friday…it is still there (see latest forecast output attached). Once features like this get within 100 hrs out, I really start to take them seriously. But there is still considerable uncertainty. Run after run now is giving a big storm, and multiple models are showing it as well, but they are still varying widely in timing, position, and to some degree amplitude. Some of the runs are predicting a low center of less than 970 millibars. Around here that is a serious low (although nothing special in the Gulf of Alaska). Someone around here is going to get it. But who? Sort of like a bullet being fired from a shaky rifle…something is going to get hit hard…but we are not sure where.

Box of food for the White Center Food Bank

White Center food volunteer takes in box of goods donated by patrons of Cafe Rozella.  As well patrons made cash contributions which are also greatly appreciated.  All in all a very good haul.  Thank you!

For the last week I have avoided most “best of” “worst of” “most memorable” lists of any type.  I saw that for almost a week now the Seattle Times has been carrying an article entitled “the top 10 cds of 2008.” I happen to think that the Seattle Times has some pretty good music reviewers, so I thought I might finally get around to checking it out.  As it happens, the list was not compiled by anybody at the Times but is instead a feed from the Associated Press.  Having decimated its staff, the Seattle Times, like many other newspapers, relies on feeds from other sources for its “news.”  I expected that I might hear strands of the Rolling Stones, “baby, baby you’re out of touch,” in my head as I looked at the list.  Instead, I saw a list of pop banalities in the league of Brittany Spears and Hillary Duff.   Any list that includes Mariah Carey on its list of “best of,” instantly loses any credibility in my book.  I’lll spare you the pain, here is the list (feel free to mock to your heart’s delight.)  I’ll post my list in due course.

1. Erykah Badu, “New Amerykah, Part One (4th World War)

2. Estelle, “Shine”

3. Sia, “Some People Have Real Problems”

4. Kanye West, “808s & Heartbreak”

5. Jazmine Sullivan, “Fearless”

6. Lil Wayne, “Tha Carter III”

7. Taylor Swift, “Fearless”

8. Anthony Hamilton, “The Point of it All”

9. My Morning Jacket, “Evil Urges”

10. Mariah Carey, “E=MC2”

And it’s not because of the weather. Monday-Wednesday and Friday, Metro will run “partial holiday” reduced service; here’s the list of routes affected by this. (On Thursday, New Year’s Day, the Sunday schedule will be in effect.) You can find more Metro info online at metro.kingcounty.gov.

Puget Sound Blood Center has put out a warning that the blood supply is at a critically low level, with many scheduled donations canceled during the snowy/icy weather woes – but today, according to the PSBC mobile-drive schedule, there are two ways for you to donate right here in our area: PSBC will have blood drives at White Center’s Holy Family, 10 am-4 pm (20th and Roxbury, Tice Hall; here’s a map) and at West Seattle’s Admiral Safeway, 9 am-3 pm (California/Lander; here’s a map). Appointments were suggested but the site says walk-ins are welcome.

I am sick of the snow.  Let’s get some regular Seattle weather and be done with this stuff.

(Photo courtesy Jerry, taken at 14th SW and SW 116th)

KING COUNTY: Closures and changes updated here

METRO BUSES: Here’s today’s outlook

A controversial case that started with a White Center-area chase/arrest has ended in federal court, with a deputy being found not guilty, and the Sheriff’s Office saying the case shouldn’t have come to trial at all. Here’s coverage in the Times.

Here’s the official overview.

5:54 AM: The route status page was updated just a few minutes ago.

6:33 AM: The King County closures list is updated – parks and pools including Steve Cox Park and Evergreen Pool remain closed.

We don’t normally, but it seems like one of the first nicer days that we have had. Come play some pinball and have some hot cocoa and free wifi.

(photo courtesy Alison – tend to your downspouts and storm drains when you can; eventually this will all melt)
Road/bus stories to share? Please add them in comments. Meantime, as of 4 am, Metro resumed updating its list of routes that are “suspended” and/or rerouted; see that (long) list here. Also, here’s the list of county road closures. Also note, Sound Transit has suspended 560 service between Burien and West Seattle; service alerts here.

9:41 AM UPDATE: If you have business to do in Burien, city hall is open limited hours today (more at rpin.org)

Just in from King County:

Fewer King County residents than expected are struggling with
weather-related impacts today as the overnight storm packed less of a
punch than forecast. The weather along with staffing and preparations by
King County departments and regional partners combined to help keep
people moving and safe overnight.

King County’s Department of Transportation sanding crews are working
around the clock to keep county roads clear in unincorporated areas.
They’ve deployed 27 trucks with a plow in front and sander on the back,
two plows, nine graders for pushing snow off roadways, and nine
anti-icer trucks.

Metro Transit is operating approximately half of its normal bus service
today. Riders should check the Metro Online website at
www.kingcounty.gov/metro to see if their bus route is operating and if
it is on snow routing; and note that travel conditions can change
quickly so the list of disrupted service may be revised at any time due
to weather and road conditions.

Metro is running Access vans on life-sustaining routes for established
riders.

Metro also helped keep thousands of cars off the roads today by running
its Seahawks shuttle service today to Qwest Field from Eastgate
Park-and-Ride in Bellevue, Northgate Park-and-Ride in North Seattle, and
the South Kirkland Park-and-Ride. Fans should expect crowded conditions
on the shuttles, and should give themselves plenty of time to get to the
game because the buses may be delayed by road and traffic conditions.

Public Health – Seattle & King County has conducted extensive outreach
on the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, including contacts with
over 200 retail locations including pharmacies, grocery stores, gas
stations, hardware stores, with many agreeing to post warning pictograms
in multiple languages in their facilities. In addition, over 200 health
care and community-based organizations received carbon monoxide
information for dissemination with their clients. The posters and other
information about carbon monoxide poisoning, including symptoms and
prevention tips, are available online (
www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/preparedness/disaster/ca
rbon-monoxide-english.aspx).
King County has closed its Factoria Transfer Station in Bellevue and its
Cedar Falls Drop Box in North Bend indefinitely today. The county’s
Houghton Transfer Station in Kirkland was already closed.

All other solid waste transfer facilities are operating normally for
now, but could be closed early due to continuing severe winter weather
conditions. Customers should visit the King County Solid Waste Division
Web site for updates before getting on the road (
your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/facilities/transfer.asp).

Considering the widespread snow and wind that pushed through the region,
relatively few residents are facing power outages and Puget Sound Energy
has been able to quickly restore most customers who lost power over the
last 24 hours. Roughly 50 PSE customers scattered throughout King County
are without power.

Although the winter storm warning for the Tacoma/Seattle/Everett Metro
Area has been cancelled, another weather system is expected to bring a
trace to two inches of snow around 2 pm today.