White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Been to Dubsea Coffee (9910 8th SW) lately? We just received this announcement about the art you’ll see there this month, by Brooke Fotheringham:

Synthesis – A photographic daydream at the intersection of genetic engineering and materials science

A visual exploration of the potential of genetic engineering to create innovations both aesthetic and practical to deal with surviving on a rapidly changing planet; a collection of new life and materials imagined by manipulating and rearranging botanical and synthesized forms. What if we could grow windows, lamp shades, or fiber optic cables the way diatoms grow their ethereal glass houses instead of manufacturing them in a more traditional sense?

“Synthesis” is on display through the end of the month, 6 am-7 pm daily.

Just a reminder: Wednesday is the first day of school for Highline Public Schools, for students in grades 1 through 12. Kindergarteners start on Monday, September 10th. Good luck this year to students, teachers, and staffers!

Labor Day’s here and it’s time to look ahead to a full fall for everything from schools to community groups. On the latter front, the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council would love to see you Thursday – here’s the preview:

(See the notice here in full-size PDF.)

One week from today – on Sunday, September 9th – the White Center Chamber of Commerce is presenting another multi-seller Flea Market, this time 11 am-2 pm in the US Bank parking lot (9800 15th SW). If you want to sell at the market, you can reserve a spot via PayPal – just go here, and be sure to include two things – a note that it’s for the Flea Market, and your name/contact info. $20 gets you a 10 x 10 space; non-refundable, rain or shine. Bring your own table, chairs, pop-up canopy if needed …questions? E-mail Sheryl at onpointmom@gmail.com. If you’re not selling but just want to shop – just show up!

Looking for a preschool? White Center Co-op Preschool is looking for you. The announcement:

Looking for the best way to prepare your preschooler for Kindergarten? We have a few openings in the White Center Co-op Preschool (formerly Arbor Heights Co-op).

Come check out our cheery new site just a few blocks from the new library — full of sunshine and dedicated, experienced teachers and parents who know it is important (and fun!) to be involved in their child’s learning. But most importantly, it is a place for fun, hands-on learning. We focus on social-emotional skills needed for school and life—problem solving, patience, curiosity, kindness, assertiveness, friendships. And we sneak in pre-academic skills without pressure or drills.

School starts Sept 10 and we enroll until we fill those few openings. For more information, contact Jen Schill, inquiries.ssccp@gmail.com, 206-773-8066, or check out our still-Arbor-Heights website here.

The Camp Second Chance Community Advisory Committee has decided what to do about September, given that its usual first-Sunday meeting would fall during Labor Day weekend. They’ve announced the meeting will be Sunday, September 9th, instead, 2 pm at Arrowhead Gardens (9200 2nd SW). The public is welcome at these meetings – bring your questions/concerns/comments about the Seattle-sanctioned encampment.

Li’l Woody’s in White Center says you deserve a treat on Labor Day, so it’s offering you a free burger 2-5 pm Monday. The caveats:

– No other sandwiches
– Extras cost extra
– Limit 1 burger per customer

As you probably know, Li’l Woody’s is adjacent to Beer Star, at 16th/98th.

Next to each other at 9823 15th SW, you’ll find:

GOOD DAY DONUTS: Husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Erik Jackson and Alison Odowski have opened Good Day Donuts in the former Golden House Bakery and Deli. They’re making and selling donuts, ice cream, and lunch:

Hours are Mondays-Fridays 7 am-3 pm, Saturdays 8 am-2 pm, Sundays 9 am-1 pm.

MR. BUDS: While checking out Good Day Donuts, we discovered another marijuana store has opened in White Center.

Yes, Mr. Buds is in the same strip mall as the new donut shop.

Heads up- this is about to start:

Starting (this) week, the state Department of Licensing (DOL) plans to upgrade its licensing system known as DRIVES. This work, which will continue through the Labor Day holiday weekend, will affect King County Vehicle Licensing and its subagent offices.

Online vehicle and vessel licensing services through DOL will be down from August 29 through September 4. However, customers who renew their registration online prior to August 29 may still be able to pick up their tabs and/or decals in person at a licensing office during this downtime.

The main King County Vehicle Licensing office in downtown Seattle will be open on August 31; however, no vehicle or vessel licensing services will be available. Staff will still be able to certify customer signatures on DOL documents that day.

All King County licensing subagencies will be closed from August 31 until September 4. If a customer has chosen a subagency office to pick up their tabs or decals, they will need to do so before close of business August 30 or wait until September 4.

Other King County licensing services, including taxi/for-hire/TNC licensing, pet licensing, and marriage licensing, will not be affected by this work. All King County vehicle and vessel licensing offices are expected to return to normal business on September 4.

For more information, visit kingcounty.gov/vehicle or DOL’s DRIVES webpage.

Big King County Sheriff’s Office response right now to South 120th and Military Road in Boulevard Park (map), where – according to dispatchers and officers’ radio communication – a man was found in the street with gunshot wounds. Streets are being closed in the vicinity, so you will want to avoid the area for a while. The victim is being taken to Harborview. There’s a report a red four-door car was seen heading southbound, possibly associated with the incident.

(WCN photos, added Sunday)

Almost three months ago, we mentioned new food/drink places on the way to White Center, including Anju (9641 15th SW). Just got a note from Sam Jo announcing that Anju Bar & Eatery has set its grand opening for next Friday (August 24th), explaining the venue as “a new bar in White Center with Korean based bar food. In Korean, ‘Anju’ means food eaten with alcohol.” They’re in soft-open mode now and will even have their patio set up within a few days; their menu’s only about at half-speed while they “get things dialed in.”

But starting next Friday, Anju will be open 3 pm-midnight, with a 3 pm-6 pm happy hour.

Just down the hill in South Park, noon-5 pm Saturday (August 18th), and you’re invited – stop by Duwamish Waterway Park (7900 10th Ave. S.).

North Highline and other fire departments fought a house fire in the 10200 block of 28th SW this afternoon. (Thanks to everyone who texted us about this – 206-293-6302 text or voice is our 24-hour hotline.) The incident commander told us at the scene that no one was hurt and they don’t believe anyone was in the house when the fire started; they were investigating the cause.

7:04 AM: As shown on the map, 4,000-plus customers in White Center/North Burien are without power this morning. No word yet on the cause. While Seattle City Light has an estimate of 1 pm for restoration, remember those are really guesstimates – could be a lot sooner, could be a lot later. If you encounter an intersection with a dark or flashing signal, remember it’s a four-way stop.

8:34 AM UPDATE: The outage is over. City Light says this outage was caused by a tree branch falling into a power line.

In case you haven’t already caught the updates on our partner site West Seattle Blog, or elsewhere, the third primary-election count is out, and here’s how the full 11-candidate field for the open 34th District State Senate seat stands:

Joe Nguyen 10,505 29.82%
Shannon Braddock 9,014 25.59%
Lois Schipper 3,408 9.68%
Sofia Aragon 3,109 8.83%
Darla Green 2,866 8.14%
Courtney Lyle 2,184 6.2%
Lisa Ryan Devereau 1,152 3.27%
Debi Wagner 1,128 3.2%
Annabel Quintero 911 2.59%
Hillary Shaw 585 1.66%
Lemuel W. Charleston 361 1.02%

Full updated results from King County are here. The election will be certified August 21st, and ballot-counting will continue until then, usually with daily updates.

Just announced!

Rat City Recon, Monumental Undertaking, and Match + Gasoline present
RAT CITY RECON 2018
Saturday, September 15, 2018 – 4 pm-1:30 am
Southgate Roller Rink* | Drunky Two Shoes BBQ* | Full Tilt Ice Cream** | Mac’s Triangle Pub*

— $20 advance tickets come with a Recon souvenir and $5 off a Recon t-shirt at the event
— *21+, valid I.D. required; **all-ages
— www.ratcityrecon.com

ZEKE, SANDRIDER, AND FREE SHOWS AT RECON 2018!

The 6th iteration of Rat City Recon is upping the ante! Epic Seattle rockers Zeke and the stoner-sludge of Sandrider will headline a horde of outstanding Northwest/West Coast bands rotating between four venues and six stages on the main drag in White Center. Additionally, the late afternoon shows at Drunky Two Shoes BBQ, Full Tilt Ice Cream, and Mac’s Triangle Pub will be free. Tickets will be required for entry to Southgate Roller Rink.

White Center is ready to rock for Recon 2018 – in addition to the Recon stages, the neighborhood is full of a wide variety of bars and restaurants for all types of food and fun.

Thanks to Gill Loring for sharing photos from a White Center Night Out party on Tuesday night, hosted by Ron Johnson, below right with King County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Bryan Howard:

Gill reports that Maj. Howard shared a “great message – your neighbors help protect the ‘hood.” Also there from KCSO, Community Service Officer Peter Truong:

The visiting patrol cars particularly impressed a young partygoer:

But the main attractions were mingling and munching:

If Night Out put you in the mood to talk more about community safety, you’ll want to be at the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council‘s September meeting – we’re told the Sheriff herself, Mitzi Johanknecht, is the expected guest.

Tuesday is your last chance to get your ballot into either a dropbox or a mailbox. It’s not a long ballot (here’s what it looks like) but you have three major decisions:

–34th District State Senate: 11 people are running in this district that includes White Center and vicinity as well as West Seattle, Vashon and Maury Islands, and part of Burien. Which two will advance to November? Here’s the order in which they’re listed on the ballot, with party preference – the names link to their infopages on the state website:

Joe Nguyen (Prefers Democratic Party)
Lois Schipper (Prefers Democratic Party)
Sofia Aragon (Prefers Democratic Party)
Courtney Lyle (Prefers Republican Party)
Hillary Shaw (States No Party Preference)
Annabel Quintero (Prefers Democratic Party)
Lemuel W. Charleston (Prefers Democrat Party)
Shannon Braddock (Prefers Democratic Party)
Darla Green (Prefers Republican Party)
Debi Wagner (Prefers Independent Party)
Lisa Ryan Devereau (Prefers Democratic Party)

For WCN and/or our partner site West Seattle Blog, we have covered four forums in this race, all with video: White Center Chamber of Commerce‘s forum, West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s forum, West Seattle Democratic Women‘s forum, 34th District Democrats‘ forum.

Also of note on your ballot:

–U.S. Senate: Incumbent Maria Cantwell has 28 challengers. Which two of the 29 candidates (all listed here) will make it to the general election?

–King County Prop 1: Replacement levy for Automated Fingerprint Identification System Services

TO VOTE: This is the first election with prepaid postage, so if you send your ballot via US Postal Service mail, you do NOT need a stamp. (Be sure it’ll be postmarked by Tuesday night.) You can also use a county dropbox up until 8 pm Tuesday – there’s one at the White Center Library (1409 SW 107th). The full countywide list is here.

For a little while on Saturday evening, bicycle traffic took over northbound traffic on 16th SW in downtown White Center. The occasion – the Dead Baby Bikes Downhill, maybe the wildest ride in the metro area every year. Riders gathered at Drunky’s Two Shoes BBQ before taking off. It’s a party on wheels as well as a spectacle.

Many bikes had personalities all their own:

Riders’ gear packed personality too:

That’s Mike Shaughnessy from West Seattle. The riders numbered in the hundreds – we lost count – and headed for Georgetown.

This was the 22nd DBB Downhill

If you have concerns/questions about Camp Second Chance, the City of Seattle-sanctioned encampment that’s close to the North Highline border on Myers Way, or just want to hear the latest on its operations, its Community Advisory Committee meets today (Sunday, August 5th). The 2 pm meeting at Arrowhead Gardens (9200 2nd SW) is the C2C CAC’s first meeting in two months. It also comes less than a week after the city posted an update on the overall sanctioned-encampment program, including a brief overview of C2C.