White Center Now: The blog about White Center

As reported here last week, the suspect in the violent, video-recorded Southside Pizza robbery is out of jail after a judge cut his bail. Thursday was 27-year-old Vernon Jackson Jr.’s first scheduled court appearance since leaving jail.It was a short one – a routine “case-setting” hearing, at which his lawyer told the judge they’re still putting the case together. Jackson’s next hearing is set for February 27th.

Tonight’s open house is your next major chance for Q&A and info about the in-progress North Highline Subarea Plan. Here’s the reminder:

This is a final reminder for the North Highline Subarea Plan Open House on Thursday, January 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the North Highline Fire District (1243 SW 112th). Food and interpretation in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Khmer will be provided. Organized childcare will not be provided, but children are welcome to attend the event.

If you haven’t already, please fill out our survey about our latest Plan proposals. It’s available in English and Spanish. Summaries of our draft land use plan proposals are available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Khmer, and Somali on the right-hand side of the North Highline Subarea Plan website, along with lots of other information about the Subarea Plan.

We checked with the project lead David Goodman; a short presentation is planned at 6:15 pm, but otherwise, this is a “drop-in” event.

(Reader photo: Fireworks debris in West Seattle, July 2018)

Are the days – and nights – of legal fireworks in unincorporated North Highline coming to an end?

The calls for a ban intensified after last year’s deadly fire. King County Council Vice Chair Joe McDermott says he supports a ban. This week he told us that he’s been working on the ban proposal with both the county permitting division and King County Executive Dow Constantine, and that he expects Constantine to send the proposal to the council next week.

Even if a ban passed quickly, though, state law requires a year before it could take effect, so there would be at least one more year of legal fireworks. When this all came up for discussion last September at a North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting, 34th District Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon talked about legislation to change that. Now, he’s introduced it – HB 2307, “to allow local governments to ban fireworks immediately” – and tells us it’s progressing in the House. Our area’s senior state Representative, Eileen Cody, is a co-sponsor. The Local Government Committee took action to advance it last Friday, two days after a hearing. Now it’s moved on to the Rules Committee for review.

To comment on that bill, you can go here. As for the proposed county ban, we’ll publish a followup when it’s introduced.

Earlier this month, the Instagram feed for Capitol Hill’s Tacos De La Noche shared that sneak peek inside the future El Buho, which has just been granted its liquor license for 9640 16th SW in downtown White Center. The captioo noted, “We unlocked the door to this space almost 6 months ago. … We hoped to be open two months ago but as always, there are things that will go wrong. It is important to remember that plans exist so that hardships can be endured. The plan, the goal, the light at the end of the tunnel, it guides us. The road has been long and hard and isn’t quite over yet, but We are getting Excited to share what we’ve been working on. Stay tuned, more to come soon.” (El Buho means “The Owl.”)

(Photo courtesy JustFoodForDogs)

Happening today – here’s the announcement:

JustFoodForDogs is holding an open house at Cascade Heights Veterinary Center. It is our mission to make dogs healthier and we have partnered up with the team at Cascade Heights to achieve that mission. JustFoodForDogs offers healthy whole food diets for dogs and cats, made locally in our South Lake Union kitchen and we have finally opened our doors in White Center and are so excited to start making dogs healthier in this community.

Bring your pup to try out fresh food and healthy snack samples! We’re giving you 50% off your two week transition to a healthier pet and a Free Swag Bag to the first 50 customers! Follow the link for directions: https://get.justfoodfordogs.com/cascade-heights/

It’s happening noon-3 pm at 9832 15th SW.

The video and report are from the King County Sheriff’s Office, which is still looking for a murder suspect, almost three years after the deadly May 7, 2017, shooting outside Taradise Café in downtown White Center:

King County Sheriff’s Office detectives are releasing (for the first time) an edited video compilation showing suspect Billy Dawayne Williams‘ movements on the night we believe he murdered a man in front of the Taradise Café in White Center in 2017. This video was gathered from multiple locations and enabled detectives to track Williams’ movements for several hours, right up to the murder itself.

The video being released today is highly edited for media release but it shows how video evidence was used by detectives to help positively identify the suspect in this case.

At approximately 1:40 AM on May 7, 2017, KCSO deputies were dispatched to the Taradise Bar in White Center (9800 block of 16 Av SW) in regards to a shooting. The shooting followed closely on the heels of a physical fight between females inside and outside of the bar. The shooting victim died in the street near the bar. The male shooting victim was identified as James C. Little, 55.

Witness accounts and surveillance video in the area helped establish a suspect within a day of the initial investigation. That suspect is Billy Dawayne Williams, 32 years old. A nationwide felony warrant was issued for Williams’ arrest for Murder 1st Degree in May of 2017. The bail amount remains $1,000,000.

Williams has been featured as a “wanted person” on local media several times since this crime occurred. However, as of January 24th, 2020, Williams remains a fugitive at-large. Detectives believe Williams may have altered his appearance to avoid arrest. Detectives also believe Williams has either remained in or visited the Puget Sound area since this murder.

KCSO detectives are once again requesting the public’s assistance in locating Williams so he can be safely arrested for this crime.

If anyone has any information on Billy Williams, call the King County Sheriff’s Office at 206/296-3311 or you can be completely anonymous and leave a tip with Crime Stoppers at p3tips.com

As reported here a week and a half after the murder, when Williams was charged, he is accused of killing Little without provocation, Here’s a photo of him circulated at the time and re-released by KCSO today:

(Mysterious scooter sighting in West Seattle last October)

Last fall, there was plenty of buzz when the King County Council passed a plan for a scooter-sharing pilot in White Center – just a quick ride over the line from Seattle, which, unlike many big cities, hasn’t launched a scooter program yet. The plan at the time was to get it going around the first of the year. But here we are three weeks into 2020, and nothing yet. So we asked County Councilmember Joe McDermott, the scooter plan’s sponsor, what’s up, when we saw him tonight at a meeting we were covering for partner site West Seattle Blog. Answer: It’s still in the works – the county is getting ready to seek proposals from potential providers, and is now hoping to launch the program in a month or so. Whenever the scooters hit the street, McDermott vows he’ll be one of the first to ride!

Two more chances to talk about the North Highline Subarea Plan and where it’s going. From planner David Goodman:

This is a reminder that I will be holding field office hours (today), Thursday, January 23, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the White Center Library (1409 SW 107th Street, Seattle). Please stop by if you’d like to chat about anything related to the Subarea Plan. I’ll be in one of the meeting rooms toward the back of the building.

We hope you will also join us at the North Highline Subarea Plan Open House on Thursday, January 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the North Highline Fire District (1243 SW 112th Street, Seattle). Food and interpretation in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Khmer will be provided. Organized childcare will not be provided, but children are welcome to attend the event.

If you haven’t already, please fill out our survey about our latest Plan proposals. It’s available in English and Spanish. Summaries of our draft land use plan proposals are available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Khmer, and Somali on the right-hand side of the North Highline Subarea Plan website, along with lots of other information about the Subarea Plan.

When 27-year-old Vernon L. Jackson, Jr., was charged two weeks ago in the video-recorded robbery at Southside Pizza, his bail was set at $150,000. Since then, though, according to jail records, his bail was cut to $25,000 and he got out last Friday afternoon after posting bond. The motion to reduce bail was granted by Superior Court Judge Karen Donohue at Jackson’s arraignment last Thursday, despite Jackson having a criminal record including three failures-to-appear since 2011. Police say Jackson told them at the time of his arrest that he committed the robbery – which netted him a reported $40 – to get money to buy drugs. He is due back in court on January 30th.

(King County Sheriff’s Office photo)

The King County Sheriff’s Office suspects “alcohol (was) a factor” in this crash in unincorporated North Highline today. It happened in the 10400 block of 8th Avenue South and injured the two men in the car, both in their 20s. KCSO says the driver was taken to a hospital “in serious condition,” while the passenger had minor injuries. No other vehicles, or people, involved.

King County is working on a 30-year Forest Plan, and wants to know your thoughts, especially here in an urban unincorporated area, so they asked us to publish a request for your participation in a survey:

Our spectacular forests store carbon, cool streams and provide recreational opportunities. As we work with communities to develop a 30-year plan to expand forest cover and improve forest health, we’re conducting a public survey.

What is most important to you? Should we prioritize the role of our forests in confronting climate change? Or planting trees to improve air quality? Or promoting healthy forests in King County Parks? Or enhancing wildlife habitat? Or something else?

What are the most important actions King County can take with partners over the next 30 years? Should we focus on improving the health of existing forests or preserving additional forestland? Should we plant trees in areas where there is lower tree cover or should we plant more trees near rivers and streams?

We invite you to take a few minutes to take the brief survey to share your ideas for how we ensure that future generations continue to benefit from healthy, vibrant forests: www.kingcounty.gov/forestplan

Just announced, a benefit for Australia’s bushfire victims, with White Center’s Lumber Yard Bar participating:

SEATTLE LGBTQ+ BARS CELEBRATE AUSTRALIA DAY WITH MAJOR DONATIONS TO BUSH FIRE RELIEF AND NIGHT OF EVENTS FOR THE FIRST-EVER BUSH BASH

When: Saturday, January 25, 2020 at 8 P.M.

Where: queer/bar, Diesel, R Place, and The Lumber Yard Bar

Australia Day is usually when Aussies around the globe celebrate their unique culture, wildlife, and country, but this year, as the bush fires continue to rage, they’re turning the public holiday into a day of action. This is no exception for the Australian community and friends over 8,000 miles away in Seattle,. Always working to better improve the local LGBTQ community, and the greater Seattle area as a whole, a group of well-known queer bars throughout the city are uniting by donating a generous amount of money to the Australian Community’s Disaster Relief Fund while also holding a fun-filled evening of specialty Tito’s drinks, chances to further donate, and, of course, the musical offerings of Australian Queen Kylie Minogue and more favorites from Down Under. Participating bars will also have a koala on display with a QR code for bar patrons to make further donations, and revelers can also keep an eye out for one of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence working the bars.

We’re asking for Seattle’s LGBTQA+ community to come out in full force on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at 8 P.M. and support participating establishments: queer/bar, Diesel, The Lumber Yard Bar, and R Place.

Record-breaking temperatures and a severe drought have created unimaginable conditions in the country. Some 28 people have lost their lives, an estimated 15.6 million acres of bush, forest, and parks have been burned, and an inconceivable 1 billion animals have died. Rehab and relief will take the continent decades and unimaginable funds are needed. The Australian Community’s Disaster Relief Fund () distributes funds to various organizations and charities working directly on the ground in Australia all while allowing US citizens to make tax-deductible donations.

The Lumber Yard Bar is at 9619 16th SW.

News release from Olympia:

The Washington State Senate voted today to provide a more direct pathway for zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) production in the state.

Sponsored by Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-White Center), Senate Bill 5811 authorizes the state Department of Ecology to adopt California’s ZEV regulations and includes medium-duty vehicles in ZEV standards.

“As we look across the world and see the devastating effects of a changing climate, it’s important to understand that this is a crisis affecting us today,” said Nguyen. “We should be using every tool we have to reduce the harm we are experiencing and to protect our future generations. Devastating events like the wildfires raging in Australia are warning of a future that we should be working to prevent now.”

Building off work accomplished in the past two years that Democrats have controlled the state Legislature, the bill is another step forward in advancing environmental goals in Washington. Last session, Democrats passed a sweeping range of bills to protect environmental health, including orca recovery, toxic cleanup investments and 100% clean energy by 2045.

“This is a common-sense solution to address an ongoing problem,” said Nguyen. “Creating a clear path for zero emissions vehicles in Washington state is a step towards lowering the greenhouse gas emissions produced by our transportation sector and reducing air pollution.”

Having passed the Senate on a 26-23 vote, the bill will now move to the House for consideration.

The snow moved further south this time. So we have:

(updated 7:48 am) HIGHLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Now *closed* today

HOLY FAMILY: 2-hour delay

In Burien:

(updated 7 am) KENNEDY CATHOLIC HS: Now *closed* today

Got a change? Text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!

The expected snow had uneven effects on our region, to say the least. But just in case you’re wondering:

*Highline Public Schools, opening on time, no changes
*Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School, opening 2 hours late

The National Weather Service now has our area under a Winter Storm Watch starting at 4 pm Sunday. The topline: “Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations of a trace to 2 inches possible with locally up to 4 inches.” Let us know when it starts where you are! (206-293-6302 is our 24/7 hotline, text or voice.)

As noted in our coverage of last month’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting, a popular fundraiser is coming up this week – baked potatoes and tacos for New Start High School‘s Key Club. The Kiwanis Club of White Center is presenting the dinner at the school (614 SW 120th), 5:30-7:30 pm Thursday (January 16th), $20/person, $45/family, $10 for kids 5-12, free for kids 4 and under. Tickets will be available at the door, or email:

billnancytracy (at) aol.com
shorewoodscott (at) comcast.net
cindy.akana (at) highlineschools.org

(Photo by Marie Tweedy)

Monday, January 20th, you doing anything? Right here in White Center, you can do a good deed at a local park! Here’s the announcement:

Come celebrate MLK Day by giving back to your community and improving forests! Not only do healthy forests and parks provide a beautiful green space for people to connect with nature, they filter pollution, prevent erosion when there’s heavy rain, and are a home to wildlife. Our Day of Service focuses on keeping the forest at Dick Thurnau Memorial Park in White Center healthy by removing aggressive weeds and planting native trees and shrubs in their place. So come out and join us!

Please reach out to Sean Walters (swalters@kingcounty.gov) to sign up and for more information. Thank you.

The 27-year-old man arrested in connection with last week’s Southside Pizza robbery, Vernon L. Jackson Jr., is now charged.

We’ve obtained the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office court documents charging Jackson with first-degree robbery. They say that after his arrest in Seatac on Friday, Jackson admitted to the robbery, saying he did it to get money for drugs and that he didn’t expect anyone to be in the restaurant’s office when he broke in.

His criminal history, according to prosecutors, includes convictions for residential burglary and auto theft. The charging documents also reveal how Jackson was identified as a suspect; A pawn-shop employee saw the security video of the robbery and recognized him from a transaction on New Year’s Eve. A bulletin for his arrest was put out on Friday morning, and hours later a deputy saw his car and followed to a gas station, where he made the arrest. Jackson, a Burien resident, remains in the King County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail; his arraignment is set for January 16. (Image: KCSO screengrab from robbery video)

(WCN photos)

Pigeons – and their people – took over the White Center Eagles‘ HQ for much of today. The occasion: The Greater Seattle Pigeon Racing Club‘s winter show. Honors awaited:

But first, the judging:

As noted on the show flyer, pigeons were judged in nine categories:

You may be more familiar with the term “homing pigeon” than “racing pigeon” – that’s what these birds do. As explained by Sarah Stuteville via a story on The Seattle Globalist, during racing season, the birds are taken to points around the region, and records are kept of how long it takes them to find their way home.