White Center Now: The blog about White Center

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.

1:15 pm: We first reported here Monday night about a robbery at Southside Pizza in downtown White Center. KCSO now says it knows who the robber is and is searching for him, after publishing this security-camera video of the incident:

KCSO said the robber “enters through a back door and heads straight to the office, where an employee was counting cash at closing time … then assaulted the employee while he was trying to grab the bag of money.” If you know where the suspect is:

Anyone with information on the suspect is urged to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at 206-296-3311 – reference case #C19050197. You can also leave an anonymous tip with Crimestoppers at p3tips.com – Your information might get you up to a $1000 reward if it leads to the suspect’s arrest.

2:17 PM: KCSO has just announced it’s arrested a 28-year-old man, who will be booked into jail for investigation of robbery. We will track the case.

Just got this announcement today – public’s welcome:

The first Thursday of the month usually brings the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council‘s meeting, but not this month – too close to the holiday. So, as noted in our December meeting coverage, next meeting is the first Thursday in February – 7 pm February 6th.

Thanks for the tips (we’re at 206-293-6302, text or voice, any time) about a big KCSO search in downtown White Center. Sgt. Ryan Abbott tells WCN that Southside Pizza (at 98th/16th) was robbed. The robber ran away; deputies with a K9 team searched but were unable to find him. Scanner traffic we monitored suggested he didn’t get away with much – $40 was mentioned.

The parking lot south of Bartell Drugs in White Center is the site of a volunteer-served meal for those in need every weekend. A special Christmas Day meal is planned Wednesday, served by members of the Jewish and Muslim communities. That’s what we’re told by West Seattle synagogue Kol HaNeshamah. They expect to be serving around noon. Plus: “We’ll also distribute gift bags comprised of donated socks, hats, blankets, snacks, hand warmers and the like. The donations were gathered and assembled by the congregations belonging to WIN, Westside Interfaith Network.”

The work of mapping North Highline’s future via the Sub-Area Plan continues, and you have another chance to comment via a new survey, plus a chance for face-to-face Q&A. From King County’s point person David Goodman:

A reminder that I will be holding field office hours for the North Highline Subarea Plan tomorrow, Thursday, December 19, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the White Center Library (1409 SW 107th). Please stop by if you’d like to chat about anything related to the Subarea Plan.

I am also pleased to share that we have opened our Phase 2 Survey, which is available in English and Spanish. The survey asks questions about our draft land use proposals and features a visual guide with pictures of different types of residential, commercial, and mixed-use buildings. The survey will remain open through the end of January.

You can view the results of our first survey here.

Please visit the North Highline Subarea Plan website for more information.

If you didn’t get to Good Day Donuts (9823 15th SW) by 1 pm for Emily Un‘s “Bringing Warmth” caat/blanket collection – good news! The folks at the shop told us they’ll keep a bin throughout the holidays so you can drop off a donation some other day. GDD is open 7 am-2 pm Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 am-2 pm Saturdays, 9 am-1 pm Sundays.

White Center’s 2019 community Christmas tree is now twinkling over the intersection of 16th/Roxbury/Delridge, after a lighting ceremony tonight. Please accept our apology for publishing what turned out to be the wrong date for the event – the first announcement we received about the tree lighting and Night Market said December 15th, but when we received a second announcement saying “Saturday,” we failed to catch the discrepancy.

P.S. Next year will mark the 10th anniversary of the return of White Center community Christmas tree lightings – here’s our coverage of the first one back in 2010.

Thanks to the person who forwarded this note sent to families, which answers a question we were asked:

Dear White Center Heights Families,

This morning we were advised to lock exterior doors and keep our students indoors while police conducted an investigation at a vacant house near the school. There was no direct threat to the school, but our district Safety and Security team made this call out of an abundance of caution.

We were advised that the situation was resolved by police shortly after 10:00 a.m.

The safety of our students is our number one priority. We take every report of a threat seriously and respond immediately.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the office at 206-631-5200.

Sincerely,

Shajaira Lopez & Marcello Sgambelluri
Co-Principals

(WCN photo from 2018 Tree Lighting)

We told you last week about the White Center Christmas Tree Lighting event coming up Sunday (December 15th). Tonight, we have more information: It’ll start at 5 pm and will include a tribute to Tommy Martin, the local enterpreneur and community advocate who died suddenly earlier this year. The White Center Eagles‘ Christmas carolers will sing, local businesses will provide refreshments, and Santa Claus is expected to make an appearance. And they’ll be collecting food for the White Center Food Bank, so please bring a donation if you can. This will all happen at the mini-park by Mac’s Triangle Pub at Delridge/16th/Roxbury.

SATURDAY NIGHT NOTE: Just discovered that we had wrong info and this happened tonight. Our apologies, and we are sorry to have missed it … off to photograph the tree soon as we can.

From the YWCA:

Looking for a way to give back to your neighbors in need? Participate in the Bringing Warmth coat and blanket drive on Sunday, December 15 at Good Day Donuts in White Center.

Emily Un, a high school senior in West Seattle, organized the drive because of her mother’s personal connection with homelessness, as well as her hope to give back to people in need of keeping warm during these cold months ahead. “I believe many of us don’t realize how much we have in life and that we can give so much back to the people that need it so much more!” explains Emily.

December 15, 2019 | 10 am – 1 pm
Good Day Donuts | 9823 15th Ave SW

Donations from the drive will benefit YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish and Downtown Emergency Service Center.

The drive’s organizer Emily is a senior at Chief Sealth International High School.

(WCN photo, November 30th)

On November 30th, we reported briefly on a holdup at the MetroPCS store (15th/100th). Now we know at least two suspects have been arrested in a robbery rampage including that store, another MetroPCS store in Burien, and other holdups as far north as Burien. Both suspects, 17 and 18, were arrested Friday in West Seattle, and other suspects were being sought. Full details are in this report on our partner site West Seattle Blog.

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council‘s meetings usually yield a wealth of information.

Often it’s not even related to topics on the agenda. For example:

(WCN photo)

Those are the two “Portland Loo“ public toilets recently installed at Steve Cox Memorial Park. They were mentioned by King County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Bill Kennamer. Two more are on the way.

Now, the main topic:

LEAD: The meeting began with a discussion of Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), which will start soon in White Center. LEAD addresses “low-level crimes” committed by people who have challenges such as behavioral health, substance abuse, extreme poverty, as explained by the two Public Defender Association reps who spoke, Melodie Reece and Tiarra Dearbone, as well as KCSO Major Jesse Anderson.

It’s been available in Burien and Seattle, “and it only makes sense to close that gap” and have it be available in North Highline, too, said Maj. Anderson. “The bottom line is, we want people to turn their lives around. … It’s a great tool, like many other resources we bring in.” The collaboration with defense lawyers is with “a common goal in mind,” he added. The defense reps offered a history – it started in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood almost a decade ago, in response to the disparity of policing with offenders of color. This has become a national/worldwide model, said Reece. “LEAD is a good way for jurisdictions to try on a new approach.” This can cut recidivism by “up to 60 percent for each individual,” she said, and it “free(s) up police and prosecutors to deal with bigger cases.”

Dearbone explained that it’s a very “individualized” program, jurisdiction by jurisdiction. To make a diversion, first law enforcement will check eligibility, then hand off the client to a case manager. PDA meets twice monthly with law enforcers and talk about specific cases.”It’s a lot more eyes on the individual,” she said. Ultimately, if the person is making progress, prosecutors can opt not to charge them. There’s also a “social contact referral” that law enforcers can point them to – “it doesn’t have to be on arrest for these people.” Case managers would go out looking for the particular person; law enforcers know these people so well, they can often suggest where to find them. “The objective is …. a crime reduction program,” decreasing “their involvement in these law violations.”

What if a client is homeless? asked NHUAC president Barbara Dobkin. If they’d like to be housed, Reece said, they work with them – but often that’s not their first priority. Housing is pretty scarce right now, she added. What’s the capacity of the program? an attendee asked. Optimally, 20-25 clients per case manager, but it’s “well above that” in Seattle right now, said Reece. They’re also deciding who will be WC’s service provider. Right now in Burien, added Dearbone, they have 16 active cases.

Public money plus private donations fund the program, Reece said in response to another question.

When is it starting in White Center? “Pretty soon,” replied Reece, but they have to find a service provider for the case-management work via an RFP process. Dearbone said they’ve used REACH in Seattle and Burien but want local decisions on that.

How long do they follow people? “As long as they need,” said Reece.

When do they decide if it isn’t working? It’s up to prosecutors to decide whether to charge someone or not.

Currently they have almost 800 clients in Seattle. LEAD costs “significantly” less than the criminal-justice system’s regular process, said Dearbone. Maj. Anderson said not only are they helping the person, but likely preventing further crimes. Reece said businesses and individuals can make “social contact referrals” too. The people involved in LEAD are suspected of very low-level crimes and also have to NOT have a “significant criminal history,” they said.

What about emphasizing a specific problematic area, like downtown near the County Courthouse? asked Dobkin. Seattle Police have a lot of emphasis in the Pioneer Square area, said Reece, but many of the problem people there are not LEAD clients. “It’s a really tough location. … being close to that area, we really feel it too.” But, “we’re only one piece of the service-provision puzzle.” Dearbone added, “There’s still a need for” other programs, beyond their scope, which is crime reduction. Maj. Anderson said everyone in KCSO in this area should be trained in January, February, and then they’ll make decisions in the field.

How is it working so far in Burien? Well, they said. Dearbone gave an example of an emphasis involving the Burien Safeway, and they diverted a couple people who were breaking the law just to avoid going hungry.

“We gotta do something, because what we’re doing now isn’t working,” said Deputy Bill Kennamer. He can arrest somebody, take them to jail, but that person may be put back out on the street without even spending the night in jail.

Case managers have the right to professionally care about people who need someone to care about them, Reece observed.

Got questions? Contact the PDA..There was talk of bringing the reps back in six months or so for an update.

CRIME UPDATE: Deputy Kennamer’s title is now Community Crime Prevention Deputy. Of November, “a particularly rough month for violent crime. We have a crew running around people like crazy – violent takeover robberies.” But “that crew is being worked on.”

There’s a new hookah lounge at 1st/108th, site of a drive-by shooting last month, he noted. Bartell Drugs in WC was robbed on November 5th, a pharmacy holdup. He also listed a variety of cases involving guns, one with a suspect as young as 14. Part 1 – major – crimes are up “quite a bit”; vehicle thefts are “through the roof.” Not clustered anywhere – it’s all over the “unincorporated lowlands.”

Robberies at marijuana stores were a topic for a while; Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design could help, said Kennamer.

“Positives” – a nuisance house in Myers Way has been addressed; then he mentioned the new Portland Loos, noted above. He also had warm words for the Department of Local Services cleanup program (showcased earlier in the week). A Top Hat problem property has some changes on the way.

NOXIOUS WEED PROGRAM: Marta Olson from the county talked about the Healthy Lands Project, which is “focused on going into new conservation lands …that usually have a high weed burden” and need some initial attention to clean up before they can be used as parks/open space. The program’s had a big focus on urban areas andd has a “lot of funding available to acquire lands or easements on lands.” That means grant opportunities, or even identifying future parks. The main focus of her appearance: Seola Pond, “a really beloved informal park.” DIRT Corps has been paid to clean out blackberries, grants have gone to community leader and pond steward Scott Dolfay, and as previously announced, a big volunteer effort was planned this past Saturday.

P.S. Looking for info on noxious weeds? kingcounty.gov/weeds

FIREWORKS FOLLOWUP: Councilmember Joe McDermott was reported to have told a constituent the council will take up a proposed ban in January. Right now, passing a ban would stll mean it doesn’t take effect for a year. Local legislator Joe Fitzgibbon said the Legislature could take up something to waive that waiting period. But it needs community support. A discussion ensued – “every year it seems to get worse an worse and louder,” observed Dobkin, suggesting a vote on whether NHUAC should formally support the proposed ban. The motion passed.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS: White Center Kiwanis is selling cans of mixed nuts for $20 …The baked potato/taco bar dinner with New Start High School is January 16th, 5:30-7 pm in the gym, at the school (on SW 120th).

RIP, DEPUTY COX … The 13th anniversary of Deputy Steve Cox‘s murder was Monday. He was NHUAC president as well as deputy. “He will always, always be missed,” Dobkin said. Deputy Kennamer said Deputy Cox’s son is 16 years now and active in sports.

NO JANUARY NHUAC MEETING … since the first Thursday is the day after New Year’s Day.

The Southwest Seattle Youth Alliance needs your input to help gauge community attitudes toward youth substance use. You can help by answering this year’s online survey ASAP – in English here, en Español aqui.