White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Spring has sprung, and volunteers have sprung into action! Gill Loring sent the photos after a volunteer work party at North Shorewood Park last Saturday.

Gill reports that King County Parks has a new volunteer-program coordinator, Crescent Calimpong, and that participating volunteers on Saturday “were from all over the Seattle area.” North Shorewood Park has another event on September 11th; other KC Parks events are planned in the meantime.

If you’re interested in volunteering, find out how by going here.

If you haven’t already heard about this – it’s gotten regional media attention – we’ve been asked to share the link for a crowdfunding campaign to help White Center businesses recover from vandalism. The GoFundMe page says businesses hit so far include:

· Salvadorean Bakery & Restaurant
· Bizzarro Italian Cafe
· Full Tilt
· Macadons
· Mynt Salon
· Decoraciones Ely
· Za-Za Boutique
· Crawfish House
· Beer and Wine Source
· La Tipica Oaxaqueña

If you can contribute, here’s where to go.

If you have questions about what’s happening/happened in the State Legislature and/or Congress, the 34th District Democrats are presenting a Town Hall at 1 pm Sunday afternoon with State Sen. Joe Nguyen, State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, State Rep. Eileen Cody, and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. You can send questions in advance via this link; no RSVP required for the event itself – here’s that link.

From the King County Assessor’s Office:

The King County Assessor’s office has begun the annual process of mailing property valuation notices to taxpayers. Notices will be arriving in King County neighborhoods on a rolling basis for the next several months. As many property owners are aware, King County residential property values have risen sharply, and commercial values have remained steady, despite the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The annual process of property valuation will continue through the summer, but it is clear based on the areas of the county that have been completed thus far that most commercial property values have remained strong, and residential values have risen dramatically in many areas.

Median residential values have risen by double digits in every area where valuations have been completed so far. Values have risen the most in fast growing suburban and eastern areas of the county. Here are some examples:

Skyway, up 13%
East Auburn, up 15.5%
Woodinville and Duvall, up just over 18%
Enumclaw plateau and Black Diamond, up 21% and 22%

Each year as required by law, County Assessors appraise every commercial and residential parcel in the state. These values – set effective as of January 1 of the assessment year – are then applied to the next year’s tax bill. Property values are now being set as of January 1, 2021, for taxes due in 2022.

“No one knew what to expect a little over a year ago when this public health emergency began,” said Assessor John Wilson. “Now it is clear that a primary impact on property values has been caused by homeowners not wanting to sell at this time, leading to reduced supply and big price and value increases.”

We’ll be checking on the expected timing for North Highline notices.

Almost 13 years after we first reported on a potential fireworks ban for unincorporated King County, it’s on its way to becoming law. Here’s the announcement from the County Council:

Fireworks will be illegal in unincorporated King County starting in 2022, thanks to legislation approved Tuesday by the King County Council.

Sponsored by King County Councilmembers Joe McDermott and Claudia Balducci, the legislation will prohibit all types of fireworks including sparklers and smoke bombs.

“While there are plenty of good reasons to support a full ban on consumer fireworks, I am driven by the tragic loss of life and property in White Center in 2019,” McDermott said. “It is past time for King County to do what most cities and parks have already done. People in unincorporated King County deserve the same protections as those living in cities.”

McDermott was referring to the 2019 house fire in North Highline resulting in the death of a 70-year-old man, his two dogs and displacement of 12 residents in the neighboring home. All of this was caused by fireworks. Elsewhere around the state and across the West, numerous wildfires have been triggered by fireworks, including some that left people dead or injured and caused millions of dollars in damage and costs to contain them. The calls of community members, individuals dealing with PTSD, and first responders like fire commissioners and marshals have made clear that fireworks present a clear public risk and public health hazard for our entire region.

“Personal safety, fire safety, and distress to people and pets are some of the good reasons many King County cities have adopted firework regulations,” Balducci said. “It just makes sense to expand these protections to our King County residents.”

This new ban brings unincorporated King County communities in line with most other jurisdictions in King County so there can be no more confusion: if it’s a firework, it is not legal in unincorporated King County.

Families in King County can still take the opportunity to enjoy fireworks displays safely by attending properly permitted, professional displays throughout the county.

State law requires a one-year waiting period before the ban can take effect, so it will be effective before July 4, 2022. In the meantime, county departments will plan for enforcement strategies that involve immediate, unarmed, non-police responses for potential violations and undertake an educational campaign about the new law.

The long-in-the-works fireworks ban proposed for unincorporated King County finally goes to the County Council on Tuesday. If it passes, it would take effect next year; you can read all the documents here. Our area’s Councilmember Joe McDermott is the sponsor; the proposal passed the Committee of the Whole last month. A public hearing is required as part of tomorrow’s 1 pm online meeting, and the agenda has information on how to participate.

Here’s a tasty way to help the White Center Cooperative Preschool:

We need you to eat ice cream, cookie dough, and cotton candy for a great cause!

The past year has brought all sorts of challenges for schools. Our local preschool, the White Center Co-Op Preschool (part of the larger South Seattle College Cooperative Preschools) has seen a huge increase in financial assistance requests, and outdoor classes and remote learning has meant new demands for class materials. But through it all, the school has kept kids learning and playing, and given families invaluable support through community and the parent education program. Now we are offering our newest and most sugary Covid Pack ever to help raise money for this incredible school.

The Sugar Rush Covid Pack includes a pint of ice cream, a pint of vegan chocolate chip edible cookie dough, and a quart of cotton candy. You’ll also get a one of kind piece of art from one of the kids you are supporting. The cost is $30, with half going straight to the school.

Order online now through Thursday, April 29 and pick up starting Friday, April 30th at Full Tilt in White Center.

From the WCN inbox:

Burien Elks Lodge is opening its doors to the public for a membership drive. This event will be held on Saturday, May 1st, doors open at 7:00 pm. Cost is $15 per person or $25 per couple; there will be live music by Soulstice, light hors d’oeuvres served, and beverages available for cash-only purchase. This event is open to the public and members with proper Covid protocol.

The Burien Elks Lodge is one of nearly 2,000 nationwide lodges that are part of the BPO Elks of the USA. B.P.O.Elks is a fraternal order with over a million members and a 151-year history of charitable giving, including millions in scholarships, an inspiration to youth, a friend to veterans, and more. The Burien Lodge alone has given over $2.5 million back to the community in charitable giving.

This event will allow both our current members to bring in non-members, and those in our community who have no associated
connection with the lodge, to come in and view the lodge, meet members, and hear about all the wonderful things that come from being an Elks member.

Tickets are available online. The lodge is at 14006 1st Avenue South.

(King County Executive’s Office photos)

Nine months after touring North Highline’s future county park, King County Executive Dow Constantine returned there for Earth Day to launch the “3 Million Trees” initiative. From the announcement:

King County Executive Dow Constantine on Earth Day joined community partners to kick off 3 Million Trees, an initiative that will plant, protect, and prepare a combined three million trees throughout the region by the end of 2025.

The initiative is part of Executive Constantine’s proposal for the 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan, which includes strategies to cut greenhouse gas emissions countywide in half by the end of this decade. Under 3 Million Trees, King County will plant 500,000 trees, accelerate land conservation to protect intact forestland this is absorbing carbon today, and prepare forests for warmer, drier summers that are occurring as the result of climate change.

“Earth Day is a moment for reflection, for inspiration and, most importantly, for action, which is why we are kicking off 3 Million Trees today,” said Executive Constantine. “We will build on the momentum of our successful 1 Million Trees initiative to achieve even more ambitious goals: increase urban tree canopy, protect forestland that this absorbing carbon now, and prepare forests for climate impacts.”

King County Parks’ Volunteer Program staff can assist residents and organizations that want to participate in the initiative. In addition to tree planting, volunteer coordinators organize events to remove noxious weeds and provide educational opportunities.

Executive Constantine kicked off the initiative with partners at a new urban park in unincorporated North Highline that King County acquired in 2020. King County crews, along with Friends of the Trail and Dirt Corps, have removed more than 7 tons of debris and truckloads of invasive species from the once-neglected greenspace. Native spring vegetation – including Pacific waterleaf and trillium – once covered by invasive Himalayan blackberry and ivy are coming back to life now that they have room to grow. The protected greenspace is beginning to offer better habitat for birds, pollinators, and wildlife in addition to offering public health benefits in a neighborhood that previously lacked access to open space.

See the rest of the announcement here.

(WCN photos by Patrick Sand)

6:23 AM: Thanks for the tips. An early-morning fire has damaged the Locker Room Tavern at 9633 16th SW in downtown White Center. The fire callout went to two alarms because of the location, but adjacent buildings were not damaged, we were told at the scene. Nobody was hurt; oost of the damage was on the roof and in the attic, according to the public-information officer for North Highline Fire District and neighboring fire departments, Pat Pawlak (updated: here’s video of his briefing):

No indication yet how it started – fire investigators were still on the way, and engines/trucks were blocking 16th while we were there, though the fire’s out.

This was first reported just after 5 am.

2:56 PM: Fire investigator Scott Case tells WCN, “The cause of the fire was improperly discarded smoking materials in the planters along the front of the building.”

King County Parks and other partners are presenting a virtual career-info event Thursday for teens and young adults interested in the maritime industry!

FREE Virtual Job Launch for ages 16 – 24 is coming up on Thursday, April 22 from 3-5 pm.

The Spring Job Launch Program features Pathways to Maritime Careers. Ages 16 – 24 are encouraged to join virtually through Zoom on Thursday, April 22, 2021 from 3 pm-5 pm. Participating Programs and Employers include South Seattle College/Vigor Maritime Shipyard Welding Program, Foss Maritime, Youth Maritime Collaborative, WA State Ferries and Seattle Maritime Academy. Partner Agencies include King County Parks White Center Teen Program, YouthSource, the YWCA, Job Source, and Communities of Opportunity.

Hear from employers, workers, and training programs about the many different jobs, internships, and career paths in the Maritime Industry in King County. The Maritime Industry incorporates a variety of land-based occupations in design, manufacturing, and boat repair, along with roles on the water, from engineering to vessel operations. The importance of maritime for both commercial trade and tourism results in stable, well-paying jobs, and an increase in retirements due to an aging workforce creates new career opportunities.

More details are available at joblaunch.eventbrite.com

That link is also where you’ll find the info for attending.

(File photo: Stack of donated car seats from past WS Baby drive)

With your help, local nonprofit WestSide Baby works to help families keep babies safe, warm, clean, and dry. One important component of that: Car/booster seats for wee ones to ride in. On Saturday, WestSide Baby’s collecting them – and you can help even if you don’t have one to donate:

Donate your new or used car seat

Saturday, April 17, from 11 am-2 pm
White Center Hub & South Lake Union Branch
(or)
Purchase car seats to ship to us directly through our Amazon Wishlist

Car Seat Details
Donated seats MUST meet the following requirements:

For Infant Car Seats: Donated items must be at least 6 months from the expiration date. Expiration dates are typically 6 years after the manufacture date. This date is often located on either side or under the car seat on a sticker.

For Convertible/Combination/ Booster Car Seats: Donated items must be at least 1 year from the expiration date. Expiration dates are typically 6 years after the manufacture date. This date is often located on either side or under the car seat on a sticker.

Have not been in an accident. You will be asked to sign a waiver stating that this car seat has not been involved in a vehicle accident.

Have not been washed with harsh chemicals, like bleach. Although we love to receive clean items, bleaching the straps impacts the webbing, as it easily frays, allowing children to come out of the seat in a crash.

In addition, whenever possible, please visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov to quickly review whether your seat has been recalled. You may be surprised. Many issues can be addressed by ordering a part (usually free of charge from the manufacturer). This individual effort on your part allows us to move items safely and quickly.

Other ways to donate to WestSide Baby are here.

The pandemic-update presentation from a King County rep at last week’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting included news of a regular “community partners” call, open to all. NHUAC president Liz Giba has sent info abut the call, which is happening at 4 pm today:

We have created a new link for our bi-weekly COVID-19 Community Partners’ Call and have extended the meeting by 15 minutes. Starting April 12th, the meeting will run from 4 pm-5 pm. The Community Partners’ call will now be Live Interpreted in Spanish and Somali. The Zoom link is below.

Join Public Health – Seattle & King County for local updates on the COVID-19 pandemic, recommendations for risk reduction, and information on COVID-19 vaccines. The webinar takes place every other Monday from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Zoom (schedule and link below). The next webinar is Monday, April 12th.

All are welcome, and the information is most helpful for staff and volunteers at nonprofits, businesses, and community-based organizations looking for resources and information on slowing the spread of COVID-19 in King County.

Live interpretation is provided in Spanish and Somali. Additional languages are available upon request.

One tap mobile:
US: +16699006833,,97016766517# or +13462487799,,97016766517#
Meeting URL:
https://kingcounty.zoom.us/j/97016766517
Meeting ID:
970 1676 6517
Join by Telephone 253-215-8782

Highline Public Schools are out all week for spring break. Middle- and high-school students will start hybrid learning the following week.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has just filed five felony charges against 26-year-old Irene Plancarte-Bustos, arrested after the Ambaum crash that killed two people on Tuesday. The South Delridge resident is charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, two of hit-run, one of negligent driving. The charging documents say her 3 1/2-year-old son was in her car when she hit the victims’ car in the 11800 block of Ambaum, going about 60 mph in a 35 mph zone. He was not hurt. Deputies found her in the nearby mini-mart parking lot; she had not called 911 nor attempted to return to the crash scene, they said. Plancarte-Bustos, who has no known criminal record, remains in jail, bail set at $250,000.

Meantime, the victims are identified as a West Seattle couple, 38-year-old Kamel Dupuis-Perez and 35-year-old Lauren Dupuis-Perez, parents of two young children. Friends and family have set up this crowdfunding page to ensure the children’s educational (and other) expenses are covered.

More information this afternoon about the Ambaum crash that left two people dead on Tuesday just south of White Center. The woman blamed for causing the crash remains in jail, bail set at $250,000. She is 25 years old and court documents say she lives in West Seattle. Deputies say they found her in the Rainbow Mini-Mart parking lot, clearly intoxicated, and that she admitted to having been drinking. She told them she was driving home from her job on Beacon Hill and was “in a rush.” The documents say she was driving a white car and appeared to be “racing” a black car in the northbound lanes when she hit the blue car containing the victims, who spun into the path of oncoming southbound traffic. A red pickup’s driver was unable to stop in time to avoid hitting them. She faces possible charges of vehicular homicide and felony hit-run. The victims have not yet been publicly identified; the incident report describes them only as a man and a woman who appeared to be in their 30s.

5:31 PM: Avoid Ambaum and 116th – King County Sheriff’s Office detectives are there investigating a two-car collision and they’re likely to be there a while. More when we get it.

6:38 PM: Just back from the scene, which is actually on Ambaum just south of 116th. In our photo, a King County Medical Examiner vehicle is at left. They are usually called in to investigate fatalities; KCSO is not confirming anything yet. Deputies at the scene told us the road should reopen soon; they were originally dispatched around 3:30 pm.

WEDNESDAY UPDATE: We followed up with KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Tim Meyer, who says, “Two lives were lost in this three-vehicle collision that began when the driver/suspect of a northbound (on Ambaum) sedan struck a hatchback, which caused it to rotate in front of a southbound pickup. It was the occupants of (the hatchback) who passed when they were stuck by the pickup. The suspect driver (sedan), who was believed to be impaired, was booked last night for two counts of vehicular homicide AND felony hit & run. The King County Sheriff’s Office MARR unit continues their investigation.”

Thanks for the tip about that crash at 26th/108th. Deputies told us at the scene that the driver hit a parked car and went up over the curb, stopped by a tree. No major injuries but the driver was being checked out by Tri-Med. No major traffic impact by the time we got there, either, and a tow truck had arrived.

The Camp Second Chance Community Advisory Committee usually meets on the first Sunday of the month, but not this month – because of Easter, the meeting’s been pushed back to April 11th. 2 pm as usual, online – the video participation link is here, phone-in number is 253-215-8782; in either case, meeting ID 858 5523 4269 and passcode 9701.

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

Three King County guests with very different focuses were in the spotlight at this month’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting, held online Thursday night.

PANDEMIC: Becky Reitzes from Seattle-King County Public Health was the first guest of the night. She began by mentioning the “concerning” recent rise in cases. It could be the start of a fourth wave, county health officer Dr. Jeff Duchin has warned.

18-24 is the group with the highest increase in cases. They can pass it on – like to the 40-to-69 group that represents the biggest increase in hospitalizations. But the good news is that the vaccines are all working very well. Whichever shot is accessible to you is the one to get (unless for example getting two shots is going to be really difficult – say, someone experiencing housing instability – in which case the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine might be preferable).

Is there talk of rolling back reopening, to hold off that fourth wave? Reitzes said she’s sure there’s talk about it but nothing’s planned. “I’m hopeful people are going to get it together” and keep up precautions, she said.

She showed vaccination percentages from around the county and noted some stats showed above 100 percent because the baseline is old census data.

She also talked about the increase in eligibility, warning that availability still hasn’t caught up. “We do not anticipate an increase in dose in the next couple weeks, but after that,” things are likely to get better.

If you need telephone help with scheduling an appointment, there’s a hotline for that:

The county has lots of online help too:

Reitzes fielded a variety of questions, such as, if you have had COVID, can – and when should – you get vaccinated. One person said a relative had been told, wait three months. Reitzes said that is not necessarily good advice because they just do not know how long natural immunity lasts. How long will the vaccine-conferred immunity last? No one knows yet. How do you get an appointment? She advises trying your search early in the morning. Is the county hearing much about vaccine hesitancy? Not a lot, but, they do hear about misinformation being spread, which can contribute to that. They’re hearing much more about demand than hesitancy, she said. And even for those who are doubtful or skeptical, they see friends/family who got vaccinated, and that increases their comfort level.

KING COUNTY LOCAL SERVICES: Director John Taylor was back again this month. Main topic: Participatory budgeting. As reported here last week, the county is now recruiting for a Community Investment Committee to figure out how to spend the money set aside for this – $10 million. (Committee members will get some compensation, too.)

Gloria Briggs is a new coordinator hired for the effort, and she introduced herself. (She recently came to King County from Seattle City Light and said she has a long history of community advocacy.) Taylor continued, saying they’re in the midst of a push to get information out and already have received some applications but they want a really “robust” group. Once the committee is formed, here’s what happens:

He also mentioned the first-ever Community Needs List, which will be incorporated into the next two-year budget cycle. The $10 million will be a “down payment” on that, “a pilot for how we approach these Community Needs Lists.”

Q&A included – $10 million, five urban unincorporated areas, does that mean $2 million per area? No, said Taylor; most of the money will go to the biggest, most diverse areas – North Highline and Skyway. (There’s also an additional million-plus from marijuana taxes going entirely to those areas.) How many members on the committee? Probably 21.

As an aside to a question about roads funding, Taylor said the county is still in desperate need for more money on that: “There are very few things that keep me up at night, roads funding keeps me up at night.” So that is being brainstormed on a separate level.

KING COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE: Storefront deputy Bill Kennamer said a shooting outside a hookah lounge in Top Hat had two victims and is still under active investigation. He plans to contact the building owner to try to deal with recurring problems at that business. Crime stats are “still consistently down from last year.” He mentioned a robbery at a gas station on Roxbury in which the victim was uncooperative. He noted the Southgate Roller Rink takeover of the old Bank of America building on 17th SW is good news – one less vacant building. NHUAC board member Barbara Dobkin asked about recent drag racing, Kennamer said it’s a regional problem, with a group that keeps moving around “to where the police don’t expect them to be … They’re very difficult to track.” Could there be a regular KCSO presence on Roxbury to deter it? Kennamer noted that the racing happened around 1 am, and that’s when there are two deputies for all of unincorporated North Highline. But, he said, he can suggest an emphasis patrol. What about the nuisance house near 18th/100th? Right now it’s a code-enforcement issue, not a criminal issue. There’s apparently an open case; Local Services director Taylor promised to check on its status. Kennamer also said LEAD is finally on its way to White Center “and that hopefully will get some of our locals off the street.” He said he’s been talking to some vehicle dwellers near 15th and 104th and “they’re ready” to accept help.

KING COUNTY CONSERVATION CORPS: As reported here Tuesday, Taylor and King County Executive Dow Constantine joined them in cleanup work in White Center to showcase a proposal to expand the KCCC as part of pandemic–relief spending. Kennamer offered praise for the group, saying they’r doing great work.

KING COUNTY FRIDAY MEETINGS: NHUAC president Liz Giba recommended getting involved with these, noon every Friday. Info for participating/watching is on the Local Services home page.

NEXT MEETING: NHUAC meets first Thursdays, 7 pm, most months, so watch for info on the May 6th meeting when it gets closer.