White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Thanks for the tip. The Shorewood Grocery (10455 26th SW) has been broken into, yet again. The King County Sheriff’s Office says they were notified by a passerby just before 3:30 am, but the burglar(s) were gone when deputies arrived. We stopped by a short time ago and were told the burglar(s) got away with a small amount of cash, plus some vaping and smoking items.

Ready for the next Pride Month street party? This one will take over part of SW 98th on Friday afternoon – here’s the announcement we received:

The White Center Community Development Association (WCCDA) will be throwing their annual Pride event titled Loud N Proud on June 21st, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM PST.

“Pride With a Purpose” is the driving motto for our event as we prepare to provide a free event for our community. We will showcase BIPOC queer and trans performers on an outdoor stage, over 10+ health & wellness resource vendors, and four food vendors that will feature local chefs from the White Center area such as traditional Khmer to Native American cuisine.

Loud N Proud (formerly known as Queer N Teen) first started during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Originally a youth initiative, the concept and idea were created by over eight middle and high school-aged youth as an outcome of the previous LGBTQ+ Internship held by the WCCDA. Our goal is to continue uplifting the voices of LGBTQ+ youth and adults as previously done by the likes of Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and more during the Stonewall and Gay Liberation. Brought to life through various youth-led art activities such as poster making, paintings, and creating bracelets to honor the impact of Stonewall and other accomplishments of Pride. Loud N Proud though uniquely takes shape diberently through the years, still maintains its original goals.

This year, Loud N Proud will take on its biggest form yet – shutting down SW 98th St and becoming more engaging and interactive than ever. There will be resource vendors that provide job employment, clothing, food, and mental health support. We will include four to five BIPOC queer and trans performers providing live entertainment, tons of activities and fun for youth and their families, and finally – free appetizers from four different food vendors that will have your tastebuds diving into different culinary worlds that you’ll enjoy wholeheartedly! We encourage everyone to come join us in community as we celebrate love and have an amazing time together!

You can learn more, RSVP, and share the event by following: partiful.com/e/O8MJjbpmylwEKFlrwHZL.

The photo is from a resident of the Coronado Springs Apartments (1400 SW 107th) who told us about a KCSO response there and a person injured by gunfire. We asked KCSO’s media team about it, and here’s what they say happened:

Today at 8:25 AM King County Sheriff’s Office 911 communications center received a call about a suspicious vehicle parked at the location of the Coronado Springs Apartments located at the 1400 block of SW 107th Street. The caller reported a person asleep behind the wheel of the car, as well as no plates on the car. After the arrival of Sheriff’s Deputies, the male in the car attempted suicide with a firearm. The responding deputies administered life-saving measures until the fire department arrived. The unknown aged and named victim was taken to Harborview Hospital via MEDIC One. … The King County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Detectives are on scene to investigate this incident.

We aren’t able to check on the person’s status without their name, so we don’t know whether they survived.

If you are having thoughts of self-harm, help is available – including the 988 crisis hotline.

ADDED TUESDAY: The King County Medical Examiner’s Office says the shooting victim did not survive. He was 28 years old.

If a shoplifting incident turns violent, it becomes a robbery in the eyes of the law. And that’s why the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed a charge of second-degree robbery against a man who allegedly tried to steal a bottle of water from Saar’s Super Saver Foods in White Center. Court documents say it happened Friday evening, May 23, when a store employee confronted 44-year-old Brandon L. Wilson about hiding the water bottle in his pants. Police say Wilson then hit the employee in the face and pushed him down while trying to get away. He was detained and 911 was called; deputies arrested him and booked him into the King County Jail, where he remains in lieu of $2,000 bail. Court documents say Wilson has a record including, in the past four years, cases of Criminal Trespass, Displaying a Weapon, Property Destruction, and Assault. When he was arrested, he was also wanted on a Renton warrant in a misdemeanor case of theft.

By Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for White Center Now

Neighbors and special guests met online last Thursday for the June meeting of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council (NHUAC).  The event was facilitated by NHUAC president Liz Giba and vice president Barbara Dobkin, and was the group’s last meeting before summer break.

COUNCILMEMBER VISIT: First on the agenda was an opening session with new King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, who provided an update about her first 5 months serving on the council. Mosqueda serves as chair of three committees: King County Board of Health, Health and Human Services, and Regional Transit.  She was joined on the call by her deputy chief of staff, Chris Lampkin.

Mosqueda noted that she particularly likes to “geek out” on health-related topics, as it relates to one of her stated goals of “improving social determinants of health so a kiddo born anywhere in the county has the opportunity to grow up healthy and happy.” She touted the work that her committees has been doing, and successes such as Crisis Care Center funding.

She also talked about the White Center HUB (which recently broke ground), upcoming public safety forums, District 8 Days, the Highline Activities Gala, and the Boys and Girls Club.

Mosqueda said the #1 issue she’s heard from small business owners in District 8 is workforce housing, which her team has made a major focus. She also talked about her team’s work on the 2024 King County Comprehensive Plan, and the ongoing map amendments, as well as investments in trees and greenspaces (of particular interest in White Center, she said, due to a high number of “heat islands” because of so many paved spaces). She said her team plans to create a “2-pager” summary of the plan, to distribute to constituents.

Mosqueda also discussed questions raised by meeting attendees including noise complaints regarding Tim’s Tavern (see details below), neglected buildings such as the vacated ex-Bartell Drugs store, properties on 16th Ave SW impacted by arson, and the distribution of heat pumps as part of the Energize King County program.

SEWER AND SEPTIC: Next on the agenda was a presentation about On-site Sewage/Septic Systems (OSS) from Public Health’s assistant division director Meagan Jackson and program manager Lara Brezina. OSS helps ensure that the more than 85,000 sewage/septic systems in Seattle are safe, including in urban areas such as North Highline, where raw sewage can have significant effects on health and safety.

They noted that their program in King County is responsible for permitting, making sure that systems are in good working order and making sure they work for as long as possible.  Brezina said they are in the process of revising codes this year (info here, with adoption occurring in January 2025), and are in the process of getting input from the community, as well as aligning with the county’s Comprehensive Plan.

Jackson said there are three key purposes and outcomes:

1. Advance equity in OSS infrastructure (certify newly trained experts)
2. Remove unnecessary barriers and costs
3. Integration with regional policies.

They also talked about the Equitable Wastewater Futures Program, designed to provide options for dealing with systems that are past their intended life span.

NOISE CONCERNS AND TIM’S TAVERN:

Also discussed at the meeting were ongoing concerns about noise from outdoor live music at Tim’s Tavern in White Center (see our coverage of this topic from last month’s NHUAC meeting). Councilmember Mosqueda commented on it before she had to leave the meeting, saying that she loves the fact that Tim’s came to White Center (she is an ex-officio board member of the 4Culture arts organization), but that her team has also heard the concerns from neighbors about loud music, particularly at night, and agrees that the rules need to be consistently enforced.

Later in the meeting, the county’s permitting director Jim Chan and external-affairs director David Daw provided some updates. Tim’s co-owner Mason Reed was also in attendance at the meeting, and spoke in response to the concerns from officials and from residents.

Several attendees noted that in recent months, the live outdoor music at Tim’s is ending promptly at 10 pm or earlier (Reed confirmed that his team began enforcing this more strictly, about two months ago).  Attendees generally agreed that this is an improvement from the past when the music would often go later into the night, but neighbors were adamant that more needs to be done to address the music volume, especially when it’s outdoors. Several neighbors shared their stories and experiences with regard to challenges they’ve faced with the music volume and the disruptions it has caused, as well as concerns with how their past complaints have been responded to by Tim’s staff.

Chan (permitting director) reiterated that “property owners have due process,” and that “we want to be sure that all voluntary options are explored” before things are escalated any further. He said that his office was waiting for a “fee waiver” payment from Tim’s to be made before they can hold a meeting with Tim’s and take the next step in code enforcements.  Reed (from Tim’s) confirmed that he was in the process of making the payment, and that the process of setting up the meeting with the county should proceed next week.

Reed emphasized that “it was never our intention to come in and disrupt the neighborhood” and that his team is working hard on options to mitigate noise concerns, and working with county officials. He said that all of the noise complaints are sent to him directly, and that the concerns “weigh heavily on me” and he takes them very seriously.  Tim’s had previously operated in Greenwood but was shut down during the pandemic, then reopened in spring of 2023 in White Center in the former Drunky Two Shoes location (WCN coverage here), which also had live music.  Reed said he wants Tim’s to be a community hub and a good neighbor — “I moved my entire life to White Center; I believe in it.”

SHERIFF’S OFFICE UPDATE: White Center’s Storefront Deputy, Detective Glen Brannon, provided his monthly update (he also spoke during the discussion about music at Tim’s, saying that it was the very first issue that he started working on when he joined 18 months ago, and that he’s hoping for resolution).  He noted that he’s been in training recently. He commended NHUAC for their monthly meetings, saying “I’m honored every time I do this; you do a great job bringing guests in.”

He said that he expects to see a typical uptick of activity in the summer, and has already noticed (for example) more graffiti activity, particularly on 16th Ave SW.  He said that his office has had great cooperation with school districts and the parks department.

One attendee asked about the frequency of car thefts — Brannon noted that they seem to have leveled off, and he added that as of last week, changes went into effect for Washington’s police pursuit laws, which will permit officers to engage more frequently in car pursuits. He said that KCSO hasn’t released their new policy yet, but it will happen soon, and he expects that the number of thefts will drop off.  When asked about carjackings, Brannon said those are different because if there’s violence involved, then officers have always been able to pursue.

Brannon also responded to attendee questions and comments including another multi-agency drug bust in Burien, encampments, and troublesome properties.

COUNTY PARKS: Darlene Sellers from King County Parks shared details about events at the White Center Teen Program (Log Cabin), as well as free summer lunch programs for kids between July 1 and August 16 at Steve Cox and Dick Thurnau Memorial Parks.

NHUAC will resume its monthly meetings this fall (perhaps in-person, according to council leaders).

Just announced, a commercial tenant for the big new development on the south end of downtown White Center. The news release is from BECU:

BECU, Washington’s largest credit union, today announced its plans to open a new Neighborhood Financial Center (NFC) in the White Center neighborhood … The location will join more than 60 centers in supporting BECU members’ everyday financial needs, including recently opened locations in Monroe and Columbia City, as well as upcoming locations opening in Gig Harbor, Shoreline and Tacoma.

Located on the corner of Southwest 107th and 16th Avenue Southwest, the White Center NFC will be just over 3,000 square feet and could serve more than 16,600 people who live in the area. It will join existing locations in Tukwila, Burien, Kent and Renton in serving communities in South King County.

At this new NFC, BECU member consultants will provide financial advice and expertise. This includes one-on-one support for establishing membership and opening accounts and loans, such as mortgages, small business services, investments and trust services.

As with other BECU NFCs, the White Center location will have access to technology designed to meet members’ needs quickly and efficiently, such as Video Banking. It will also host new capabilities and special programming designed to enhance the member experience, including offering integrated spaces available for financial health seminars, community events and other onsite functions.

Supporting Local Communities
As a not-for-profit co-op, BECU gives back to local organizations that are creating meaningful change in its communities. Earlier this year, BECU honored the White Center Food Bank during its 10th annual People Helping People Awards as one of more than 30 nonprofits to receive an award. The funds will support the organization’s collaboration with the Silent Task Force on the BIPOC Food Distribution Project, which focuses on increasing access to healthy food within underserved and vulnerable communities.

Through its philanthropic giving, BECU has extended funds to other community partners that support White Center residents, including Freedom Church, Highline College Foundation and Renton Regional Community Foundation. More information on BECU’s commitment to its members and communities is available in its newly launched 2023 Annual Report.

BECU says it expects to open the branch this winter. In addition to the South King County locations mentioned in the announcement, the credit union also has a branch a few miles north of White Center, in West Seattle.

(WCN file photo)

Just in from King County Parks:

The Steve Cox Memorial Park tennis courts will be closed for improvements June 12-August 20.

Improvements include resurfacing the tennis courts, constructing a new ADA ramp, installation of root barriers, sidewalk repair, and fire lane striping.

If you would like to reserve the court once it reopens, please contact the King County Regional Scheduling office, regional.scheduling@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-6150.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we complete this important work! We will share reopening information as we near the end of construction.

Questions? Contact parksinfo@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-4527.

It’s been 12 years since the courts were renovated.

Highline Public Schools says vandal(s) have struck at the Evergreen High School construction site, but the district hopes it won’t be a setback to the schedule. Here’s the news release the district sent Friday:

The construction site for the new Evergreen High School facility was vandalized on May 31. A water hose was inserted into duct work, flooding a significant portion of the structure. Insulation and drywall sustained water damage. Clean-up started immediately after the damage was discovered.

Contractors are assessing the extent of the damage and any impact to the construction schedule. More information is anticipated in a couple of weeks.

Insurance coverage will minimize the financial impact to the district for clean-up, mitigation, and reconstruction costs. The contractor is taking additional security measures.

The general contractor, Cornerstone GCI, says they will do their best to complete the project on time. This will depend on the extent of the damage. The facility is scheduled to open for students in September 2025.

The King County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

Just announced – the Taste of White Center, 11 am-3 pm on Saturday, June 29:

The White Center Food Bank is excited to bring together our neighborhood’s wide variety of restaurants for a family-friendly event and fundraiser. With 30+ restaurants participating, attendees purchase $5 tickets to try a variety of foods like banh mi sandwiches, bubble tea, tacos, pizza and much more. Iconic restaurants like Puffy Pandy, Tomo, El Catrín, and others are ready to serve up amazing bites! Join us for a fun-filled event with food, vendors, a kid’s area and live music!

Each ticket is an opportunity to taste a small plate, drink or dessert from participating restaurants. All ticket proceeds support the White Center Food Bank, while sponsorship dollars go to the restaurants to purchase ingredients and pay for event costs.

Tickets will be available for purchase at three locations in downtown White Center in the area of 16th Ave SW, between Roxbury and 100th St. A ‘menu’ will be given to each attendee at the time of ticket purchase, with a map and details on restaurants and items available. This is a first come, first served event, with limited quantities available at each establishment.

White Center Food Bank looks forward to hosting this celebration and sharing the diverse culinary talents of our neighborhood around the one thing that always brings community together: FOOD!

More Info: whitecenterfoodbank.org/taste-of-white-center