White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Happening at the Bethaday Community Learning Space in White Center on Friday (July 27th): Strolling Thunder, Washington State! Here’s the announcement:

The Children’s Alliance is bringing babies, parents, communities, and advocates together to call attention to what babies—and families—in Washington need to thrive. Giving all babies a strong start in life yields significant returns in the long run through more years of education, more employment, and better health as an adult. We’re hosting a Playdate with community and policymakers in White Center at the Bethaday Community Learning Space to raise awareness amongst advocates and state policymakers to Think Babies—for stronger families, vibrant communities, and a prosperous country and future.

Friday, July 27, 2018

TAF Bethaday Community Learning Space
605 SW 108th Street

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

10:00 a.m. – Hello friends and snack time
10:15 a.m. – Introduction to Zero to Three work with The Children’s Alliance and the National Think Babies™ campaign.
10:45 a.m. – Stroll around Lakewood Park with advocates and policymakers
11:00 a.m. – Playdates begin! Babies and guardians will have the opportunity to play and think like babies with policymakers and fellow advocates.
12:00 p.m. – We say goodbye for now and see you soon for the 2019 legislative session advocacy opportunities.

Please be prepared to take a short stroll with our babies and toddlers around Lakewood Park where we will lift our voices encouraging all to Think Babies!

You can RSVP by going here.

One last mention in case you haven’t voted yet in the 11-candidate 34th District State Senate race – six candidates have RSVP’d for tonight’s White Center Chamber of Commerce-presented forum just across the line in South Delridge, 6-8 pm at TommySound, 9409 Delridge Way SW: Sofia Aragon, Shannon Braddock, Lem Charleston, Joe Nguyen, Lois Schipper, Hillary Shaw. All welcome.

(Jubilee Days spectators, photographed by Gill Loring)

And now, our big collection of photos from today’s White Center Jubilee Days Parade! First, from parade coordinator Terri Robison, the winners from today’s parade, followed by a few other entries that caught our eye:

Grand Marshal’s Award – Wheels of Boom

(All photos from here on down are by WCN’s Patrick Sand)

Mayor’s Award – Rat City Roadents motorcycle club

Judges’ Award – Grupo Folklorico

Favorite Marching Band – Seattle All City Jr Marching Band

Favorite Floatish – McLendon Hardware

Best Drumline

First: Ladies of Elegance Drumline
​​Second: Washington Diamonds Drumline

Favorite Drill Team ​

First: Washington Diamonds
​​​Second: Ladies of Elegance

​​​Third: Princesses of Elegance

Best In Show ​Motorcycle – Jolly Roger motorcycle club

​​Car – 1929 Model A Sedan (Ted Kuhn)

Best Classic Car – 1979 VW Bug (Kurt Rauschenberg)

Best Antique Car – 1930 Model A Ford Coupe (John Michaud)

Now, a few others we wanted to show you – starting with the dancing horses and their riders!

And “The Mayor”:

We have other photos, and video, on the WCN Twitter feed.

11:04 AM: According to the announcer, the parade has just begun! It’s headed north on 16th SW from 112th to 100th, which is of course closed for the occasion.

FIRST UPDATE: The Solo Cups were among the first entries. Among the biggest entries,the Jolly Rogers motorcycle club:

11:54 AM: The last of the entries has just passed our spot midroute, at SW 107th – North Highline Fire Engine 18

Still a bit of time to go to the conclusion. We’ll add lots more photos and video later!

White Center Jubilee Days wraps up today with two big events: The parade (11 am, on 16th SW, from SW 112th north to SW 100th) and carnival (White Center Heights Elementary, 11 am-11 pm). We stopped by the street fair and car show Saturday afternoon:

OK, that wasn’t part of the car show – it was seen along 16th SW. One block west, these gleaming vehicles (and many others!) WERE part of the show, presented by Eazy Duz It Car Club:

On SW 98th, a hydroplane!

And at the street fair – community organizations along with vendors, including the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, sharing their booth with the Disabled American Veterans:

It was a beautiful afternoon to wander the street fair:

Here, by the way, is who made your community festival happen!

Call her Mayor Ginger. The “unofficial mayor of White Center” election was just part of the Friday night Jubilee Days festivities. The youth we photographed along with the new “mayor” had helped clean up the street before 16th SW was closed for the Jubilee Days block party:

Meantime, the Jubilee Days carnival at White Center Heights Elementary was into its third night:

Big stuff for Saturday: Street fair on 16th SW starting at 11 am, car show on SW 100th 11 am-5 pm, main-stage music starting at 12:30 pm. The carnival is scheduled 11 am-11 pm, with a shuttle bus!

Jubilee Days continues with a block party in the street on 16th SW, 7-11 pm tonight – that includes the unofficial mayoral election (three candidates last time we checked the ballot). The carnival continues until 11 pm too!

Our photo is from Tuesday, as setup continued at White Center Heights Elementary (10015 6th SW) for this year’s Jubilee Days carnival. It opens today (Wednesday) at 3 pm – here’s all the info you need.

The Equity in Education Coalition‘s next Lunch and Learn at the Bethaday Community Learning Space in White Center is at noon tomorrow, and you’re invited. This will be the group’s third event there.

Yes, we’re in the heart of summer, but the new school year isn’t THAT far away. So Highline Public Schools wants to be sure you know some start times are changing:

Based on input from families, students and staff, high schools students in Highline Public Schools will be getting 30 extra minutes of sleep starting in fall 2018 when high schools move to a later start time. This change will have a domino effect, causing small adjustments in start and dismissal times districtwide.

Most high schools will start 30 minutes later at 8:00 a.m. School will end at 2:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. On early release Friday, school will be dismissed at 1:00 p.m.

Most middle schools will start five minutes earlier at 8:05 a.m. School will end at 2:35 p.m., Monday through Thursday. On early release Friday, school will be dismissed at 1:05 p.m.

Elementary schools will start five minutes later at 8:45 a.m. or 9:15 a.m., depending on service area. School will end at 3:15 or 3:45 p.m., Monday through Thursday. On early release Friday, school will dismiss at 1:45 or 2:15 p.m.

The following schools will not have a change in start and dismissal times: CHOICE Academy, Puget Sound Skills Center, New Start High School, Raisbeck Aviation High School and Waskowitz Educational Leadership Service.

Start and dismissal times are changing at both Big Picture Middle School and Big Picture High School. Big Picture Middle School will start at 9:00 a.m. and dismiss at 3:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. On early release Friday, school will be dismissed at 2:00 p.m. Big Picture High School will start at 8:55 a.m. and dismiss at 3:30 p.m., Monday and Wednesday and dismiss at 3:00 Tuesday and Thursday. On early release Friday, school will be dismissed at 2:30 p.m.

A detailed list of start and dismissal time changes is below.

Bus times are also changing. New bus stops and pick up times can be found using Highline’s bus and address lookup system, called Edulog. (http://portal.hsd401.org/eduweb/webquery).

Middle and high school students will begin riding the bus together starting in fall 2018. High school students will be dropped off first, followed by middle school students. Student safety is a top priority for Highline. Middle school students will be directed to sit in the front of the bus, and high school students will sit in the back of the bus. Bus drivers have received training to support positive behavior on buses.

New Start & Dismissal Times

(first set of times for each school) Regular Day
(second set of times for each school) Early Release

Evergreen
8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
30 minutes later

Cascade
8:05 a.m. – 2:35 p.m.
8:05 a.m. – 1:05 p.m.
5 minutes earlier

Mount View
9:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
9:15 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
5 minutes later

White Center Heights
9:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
9:15 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
5 minutes later

Deputies are at 5th SW and SW 112th investigating a collision that is reported to have left a child injured. The 10-year-old’s injuries are reported to be minor.

Thanks again to Gill Loring for another look at the Steve Cox Memorial Park work zone – closer, this time:

Project details are here (PDF).

From the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council:

Please note that the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council will not be holding meetings in July and August. Regular monthly meetings will resume on Thursday, Sept 6 @ 7 pm. Hope to see then.

In the meantime, stop by the NHUAC booth at Jubilee Days, Saturday, July 21st.

North Highline Unincorporated Area Council
Meetings: First Thursday of the month, 7 pm
Where: North Highline Fire Station
1243 SW 112th Street

Thanks to Gill for the photo! Work continues at Steve Cox Memorial Park, a $3 million upgrade described by King County Parks as follows:

The project will construct a multi-use synthetic turf athletic field with LED lights and a ten-foot-wide paved walking path around the field perimeter. The field in-fill will be a rubber turf material coated with a colorant and encapsulated with a polyurethane coating. This material was selected to help reduce on-field temperatures and the overall environmental impact of the in-fill.

As mentioned previously, this project is why the Jubilee Days carnival has a new location this year (White Center Heights Elementary) and the fireworks show is on hiatus.

That’s a photo from last year’s WestSide Baby Stuff the Bus Diaper Drive Bash at WS Baby’s White Center hub. The party’s happening again this year and you’re invited! Noon-3 pm Sunday, July 22nd, at 10002 14th SW. Bring diapers and/or cash donations! Here’s the current list of most-needed items:

-Diapers sizes 4,5,6
-Pull-ups sizes 3T-4T and 4T-5T
-Wipes, baby shampoo, baby wash, powder, lotion, diaper cream

P.S. It’s OK to bring packages of diapers that have been opened.

Thursday, fireworks stands open in unincorporated King County, though it’s only legal to use them on the 4th of July. There will be extra patrols to ensure safety, two county councilmembers have announced:

King County’s unincorporated communities will get assistance in keeping the Fourth of July holiday safe, with a $25,000 boost in sheriff funding for increased patrols. Metropolitan King County Council Chair Joe McDermott and Councilmember Reagan Dunn announced the funds for the King County Sheriff’s Office were prioritized in the King County Budget.

“I’ve worked to secure these extra funds for increased patrols to help ensure neighborhoods in unincorporated King County can safely celebrate the Fourth of July holiday this year,” said Dunn.

“We want everyone to have a fun, and most importantly safe, celebration for Independence Day,” said McDermott.

$25,000 was prioritized to cover 300 hours of extra emphasis which will be split between the three sheriff precincts; Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest King County. The intent of this action is to ensure deputies can better respond to 911 calls made in response to illegal fireworks.

“These funds will help our office better address and respond to 911 calls that happen around the Fourth of July,” said Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht. “I appreciate the support of Councilmembers McDermott and Dunn in helping us get the financial resources needed to better serve unincorporated communities.”

In unincorporated King County fireworks may only be discharged on July 4 from 9 a.m. to midnight. Residents are encouraged to act responsibly when using fireworks. Examples of legal fireworks include cone fountains, smoke devices, mines/shells/cakes, wheels, parachutes, roman candles, ground spinners, cylindrical fountains, sparklers, and poppers.

There are a number of free firework shows located around King County. The cities of Bellevue, Auburn, Carnation, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Kenmore, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Mountlake Terrace, Renton, Sammamish, Seattle, and Tukwila are all hosting public fireworks displays on July 4th. See each city’s website or social media for more information.

For more information about how to use fireworks safely and legally go to: kingcounty.gov/depts/permitting-environmental-review/fire-marshal/fireworks.aspx.

P.S. Reminder that, as previously announced, no Jubilee Days fireworks show this year (because of Steve Cox Memorial Park construction), so if you want to see a professional display, the 4th is your best opportunity.

Announced today – the plan for this year’s White Center Jubilee Days. That includes some changes, such as the carnival moving to White Center Heights Elementary because of the work that will be under way at Steve Cox Memorial Park (and no fireworks this year as a result):

2018’s White Center Jubilee Days brings some changes to the Jubilee Days format. This year’s Jubilee Days will kick off with a block party on Friday evening from 7-11pm. While the crew works hard to get things set up for Saturday’s fun, 16th Ave SW will be closed between SW Roxbury and SW 100th Streets for the community to get out and enjoy themselves. Local bars and restaurants will have outdoor service areas, there will be live music at several local venues, and we’ll elect the Unofficial Official Mayor of White Center!

On Saturday, the Eazy Duz It Car Club will roll onto 17th Ave SW to host the Jubilee Days car show and show off some incredible works of car art, 16th Ave SW will have the Main Stage and Beer Garden, Community Stage, and Street Fair, the Wide World of Kids and Detective Cookie’s Chess Program will be ready to entertain, there will be a Scavenger Hunt with prizes, and more!

On Sunday, and annual parade will march down 16th Ave SW, culminating in parade awards and a post-parade party at Viva Mexico!

PROGRAMMING DETAILS

Jubilee Days Carnival presented by Davis Shows Northwest – new location!*
Wed, July 18-Sun, July 22 | Wed-Fri, 3 pm-11 pm; Sat-Sun, 11 am-11 pm
White Center Heights Elementary School – 10015 6th Ave SW
Free shuttle to/from carnival and the downtown White Center area will be provided Saturday and Sunday (July 21-22).
*Steve Cox Park is installing a new artificial turf field with construction beginning on July 1. The carnival will not be able to use the park as a location moving forward because they can’t set up on the artificial turf. There will not be fireworks this year due to the construction, as well. Big thanks to the Highline School District for helping us find a new location for the carnival!

Friday Night Block Party & Unofficial Official Mayor of White Center Election
Fri, July 20; 7-11 pm | 16th Ave SW between SW 100th St & SW Roxbury
Street closes at 5 pm, activities start at 7 pm. The Mayoral Election will get underway at 8 pm; look for nomination info on the jubileedays.org site.

Jubilee Days Car Show presented by Eazy Duz It Car Club
Sat, July 21; Roll In 7-10:45 am, Showtime 11 am-5 pm | 17th Ave SW at SW 100th St
Awards at 4 pm, after hop at 6:30 pm

Street Fair, Main Stage, Beer Garden, Community Stage, Kids Area, etc.
16th Ave SW between SW 100th St & SW Roxbury
Sat, July 21; 11 am-11 pm (hours for specific elements will vary, see website for more info)

Jubilee Days Parade
Sun July, 22; 11 am | 16th Ave SW, starting at SW 116th St and ending at SW 100th St
Parade registration is free, join the fun! Post-parade party at Viva Mexico (10601 16th Ave SW) immediately following!

More details about all things Jubilee Days can be found at www.jubileedays.org, including Main Stage lineup, applications for vendors, parade participants, car show registration, and more. We’re looking forward to a super fun Jubilee Days with our friends, family, and community in White Center!

From King County Parks:

King County Parks and the King County Sheriff’s Office are joining forces to ensure the continued safety of all visitors to the County’s vast network of parks, trails, and open space.

Sheriff’s deputies are now patrolling parks, including those with natural surface trail networks like Cougar Mountain Regional Wildlife Park, as well as regional trails like the Sammamish River Trail, to emphasize compliance with leash laws.

Per King County Code 7.12.410, dogs must be on-leash in all park and trail facilities, unless in a designated off-leash area. Deputies will issue citations to violators.

Especially during these busy summertime months, it is important for dogs to be on leash when visiting parks and trails. Not only does it reduce potential injury to your best four-legged friend from unexpected encounters with wildlife or other dogs, but it also decreases the likelihood that your dog will ingest plants or berries that could make it sick.

Dog owners are encouraged to visit King County’s Marymoor Park, which features a 40-acre off-leash dog area that consistently ranks as one of the region’s best, and additional off-leash areas can be found in parks throughout Seattle and surrounding cities.

By following this simple rule, all park and trail visitors can have enjoyable experiences, whether they have two legs or four.

Just a quick note – today is the last day of classes for Highline Public Schools. Pending ratification, September 5th is set for the start of classes next school year, except for kindergarteners, who will start September 10th.

(WCN photo)

Announced by CTO (“Chinese Takeout”), which was co-housed with Lil’ Woody’s and Beer Star at 16th/98th:

Cue the sad violin music because CTO is now officially closed. Now put on the party jams because our crew isn’t going anywhere! Beginning on Monday, June 25th, we will be opening Southside Pizza, featuring whole pies, slices, and pizza joint classics that will have something for the whole family. Chef Manny is bringing his years of working with pizza to the Beer Star building and we’re excited about this new beginning. … Thank you to those that have supported CTO over the last ten months! Stay tuned for a rebirth elsewhere in the future and enjoy the new Beer, Burgers, and Pizza combo soon to exist at the Beer Star Building!

Southside Pizza already has menu items (minus pricing) online (scroll down past the “under construction” part).