White Center Now: The blog about White Center

From the White Center Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page:

Did you know every second Tuesday, WC Chamber of Commerce hosts a luncheon?

Join us! Our March 12th luncheon will be held at WC Chamber Vice President (Mac McElroy)’s Mac’s Triangle Pub on 16th and Roxbury, noon-1:15 pm.

We have an outstanding line-up of guest speakers: Honorable King County Councilmember Joe McDermott and Highline School Distict Superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield.

Our partners at The Seattle Times say a woman missing from White Center has been found dead in Thurston County. The Times reports that 41-year-old Dana Kirkland was reported missing last month but may have been gone for longer. They’re trying to figure out how she died and whether it was a crime. A Thurston County news site also is reporting on the case, and the stolen car to which Kirkland might somehow have been linked.

MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: The missing 14-year-old girl is safe, according to KCSO; she was dropped off in the area where she was last seen.

Read the rest of this entry »

(Photo by WCN’s Patrick Sand)
Happening now in front of the White Center Chamber of Commerce – volunteers are serving lunch as part of the first-ever monthly “White Center Friday Free Lunch in the Park,” with food courtesy of Taco Time Northwest. More details in the announcement we published earlier this week.

10:57 AM: Just east of White Center and north of Top Hat, at least one TV helicopter has come to check out an investigation we have been covering on partner site West Seattle Blog, so we’re mentioning it here: Seattle Police are checking out the reported discovery of “bones” in the wooded area there (map). It was too dark for a full investigation last night, according to SPD’s Sgt. Sean Whitcomb, so they are back today. Though Homicide Division detectives and the CSI unit are part of the investigation, they don’t even know whether the reported bones are human or animal, much less what kind of circumstances were involved. They expect to know more later today, as noted in their short post about this on SPD Blotter.

1:35 PM UPDATE: Seattle Police say this is believed to involve a “missing suicidal man” – NOT a crime situation.

Just announced – a monthly free lunch to help those in need in White Center, thanks to the efforts of multiple local community groups, and businesses – and a local student! Here’s the announcement shared by Mark Ufkes:

The White Center Homeless Summit community group, a coalition started by the White Center Chamber of Commerce and many local service entities and local businesses has been working for almost a year on a strategy to support the White Center homeless and chronic alcoholic populations to recovery. Participation includes many White Center organizations, churches, street ministries, business owners and residents who are working to reduce the negative impacts that can occur from White Center’s homeless on our business district and in our community. One outcome was to try a program called “White Center Friday Lunch in the Park,” patterned after a successful effort in Kent, where each Friday, free lunch is provided in a local park for Kent’s homeless, pulling them out of the business district for a few hours, and putting them in touch with people and programs that can support them to recovery.

This Friday, March 8, will be our first White Center Friday Free Lunch in the Park meal. It will begin at noon in front of the White Center Chamber of Commerce office in Steve Cox Park (corner of SW 102nd and 14th Ave. SW) behind McLendon, across from the Cross Church site. Volunteers will provide fresh tacos to the crowd, supplied by our White Center Taco Time. A big White Center thank you goes to Frank Tonkin and the entire Tonkin family, owners of Taco Time Northwest/Accord Inc., as they have agreed to provide hot meals for 40 homeless residents once a month for six months to try this program here in White Center. Additional critical support has been provided by Mac’s Triangle Pub, Grace Church, Union Gospel Mission, Mount View Presbyterian Church, Westside Church, Holy Family School, with essential community facilitation from Westside Baby. White Center businesses Proletariat Pizza and Uncle Mike’s BBQ have encouraged the discussions and provided positive direction and encouragement.

Lunch will be served by community volunteers until the food runs out. This project is implemented with the help of Alex Campbell, a Evergreen High School senior, as his required senior community service project. Alex helped with the homeless count this year, handed out over 200 flyers to local residents and businesses, and will be organizing and serving during the lunches this Spring. Alex plans to attend WSU in the fall to study business administration.

11:53 AM: You might have noticed the helicopters – the King County Sheriff’s Office has serious presence in Shorewood right now looking for a man who escaped deputies last week at Harborview Medical Center. He’d been taken there after being arrested on theft warrants; he apparently had ingested drugs. He was handcuffed when he bolted there on February 25th; KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West tells us a man believed to be the escapee was spotted at Shorewood Market earlier this morning; he dropped a duffel bag believed to contain stolen property, and ran. They think he’s still in the area of the market and have just brought in a K-9 patrol. Here’s his mug shot:

Read more about the case in this Monday update from CapitolHillSeattle.com. KCSO says suspect Alan Polevia’s head is now shaven, since that photo. He is described as 5’8″ and about 170 pounds. Here’s what Sgt. West told us in an interview at the search scene:

We’ll continue checking back for word on whether he’s been caught.

4:13 PM: No capture reported yet. But here’s an updated mugshot:

We’ve also learned about the suspect’s background – tied to some high-profile incidents in West Seattle; details are in our report on partner site West Seattle Blog.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Rat City Rollergirls, founded in White Center in 2004, hit the one-decade mark next year. This week, RCRG reps will be live online for a chat with sports editors at SeattleTimes.com (WCN partner), noon Wednesday (March 6th). Meantime, from their recent return to WC, with bouts at Southgate Roller Rink, we have melded their post-bout writeup with photos taken that night by Nick Adams for WCN. Roller-derby play-by-play ahead!

(At left, Foxy Throwdown gets ready, pre-bout)
Photos by Nick Adams for White Center Now
Story by Peter Cozine – Special to White Center Now

The line waiting for entry into the bout was out the door and snaked around the block on 17th SW in White Center. The energy was high as fans flocked to Southgate Roller Rink February 23rd to watch the Rat City Rollergirls battle it out on the roller-derby track where the league got its start nine years ago.

Rat City’s four home teams were in action: Derby Liberation Front (DLF) took on the Throttle Rockets (TR) and Grave Danger (GD) played the Sockit Wenches (SW).

(Referee Don Juan Jovi)
More than 400 fans, skaters, referees, and volunteers packed the rink to watch the Rollergirls take it back to the shiny wooden track at Southgate.

The TRs showed some explosive offense early in the first half, winning lead jammer in 5 of the first 7 jams.

Read the rest of this entry »

This photo and accompanying report appeared today in the WCN inbox:

I was in White Center recently to welcome my sixth grandchild into the world. During this time I took the older kids on errands etc. On one trip to the Safeway I accidentally locked my 2-year-old granddaughter in the van. I was totally distraught and had someone call the police to help. During the time I was waiting on the police a firetruck answered a call to this Safeway. After the firemen/emt’s completed their initial call they noticed the distraught grandma in the green sweater standing by her van. They all came over, brought tools and after about 30 minutes were able to unlock my van. While they were working on the lock they were very positive and friendly. No one made me feel bad or commented on the situation I had created. These men came to my rescue and did it with grace and professionalism even when I was not the original call.

I have attached a picture of just two of the gentlemen but all of them need to get credit for the act of kindness they showed to the distraught grandma in the green sweater in the silver van. A big thank you is well deserved.

J.D. Curry
Odessa, TX

Good going, North Highline Fire District!

Received from Astha Tada, who wants to share her thoughts on the White Center Library decision far and wide:

Hoorah! It’s been decided! Our new, larger 10,000 square foot library will be built right behind Mount View Elementary at S.W. 107th Street and 14th Avenue S.W. This will be a welcomed resource since effective early elementary education is crucial for school success. It is also still within walking distance from Cascade Middle School/ Evergreen campuses, closer to White Center Heights Elementary and low income facilities.

The requests to delay the decision to understand the full impact of the sites and get greater community involvement were denied by KCLS Trustees who felt rising building costs, long delays, generous loan allowances and another interested buyer compelled them to make this choice.

Like planning a home, the White Center community needs to be sure that the King County Library System (KCLS) has our input in designing our library so that it meets the needs of our diverse White Center patrons. For example, our teens need more access to computers and other technology not found in their homes. Many of our adult citizens rely solely on the library for job applications and searches.

Gratitude! Before we begin the building process, recognition is needed for the hard work, diligence and perseverance of those who fought to keep our library from closing. If not for their efforts, we would not be celebrating right now!

Comments that the library closure was a ploy for annexation are not correct. As one who participated in the long battle to keep both Boulevard Park and White Center libraries from closing, annexation was definitely a key issue presented by KCLS as a reason for consolidation and closure of our smaller libraries. Thank you to those who sacrificed much personal time by attending numerous KCLS Issaquah meetings to testify, monitoring diligently KCLS agendas that listed our libraries, writing letters and editorials, gathering over 2000 petition signatures, informing organizations and citizens, etc.

When the KCLS Board of Trustees was going to vote for consolidation, those who attended would not leave unless the decision was delayed, pending the annexation vote. It was a face-to-face standoff! If you were there, you would have been proud of our supporters’ combined grit and determination to keep our beloved libraries open!

Credit for the hard work include members of the White Center Library Guild, North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, Burien City Council, King County Councilman Joe McDermott, Highline School District, White Center Community Development Association and numerous citizens from Boulevard Park, White Center and elsewhere whose individual actions collectively made a significant difference. The Highline District Board of Directors passed a 2-page formal Resolution 2479 unanimously opposing the closure of our libraries.

I want to, especially, recognize one individual whose passion and commitment were crucial in saving our two libraries. Rachael Levine, former White Center Library Guild president, never wavered in leading the fight, even when many were ready to give up. She was willing to bring her sleeping bag and camp out with me in front of our library to keep it open. Her integrity in how she battles on, the respectful manner in dealing with opposing individuals, and her wisdom and continued service after years of participating in many humanitarian and social organizations make her a true White Center warrior!

Let’s begin the building process by coming together, collaborating and cooperating to build the best library for our White Center community. Time keeps ticking and our high-potential, high-need students are counting on us to help them climb out of poverty. The building bond for this project was approved in 2004. KCLS needs to host planning sessions in our community so that many of you can give input. The Highline School District has offered KCLS school space for these events. Everyone is welcome! All aboard! ONWARD!

Gracias, cam on, ar kun, mahad sanid, fa’afetai, arigato, thank you,

Astha Tada
Community volunteer
Retired Cascade Middle School librarian
2nd Vice President of Beta Beta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization focused on educational excellence

(Sketch of future library site, from KCLS Board briefing document)
A site on the south side of 107th between 14th and 16th is now the focus of the King County Library System‘s plan to build a new White Center branch. That’s after a vote of the KCLS board last night – 4-0 with one member (Burien City Councilmember Lucy Krakowiak) abstaining. Here’s how the briefing document for the board (see it here) described the site:

Site C consists of three parcels of land located at SW 107th Street and 14th Avenue SW. The site is currently owned by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission and was originally purchased by the Housing Commission for affordable housing under Washington State’s Rapid Response Program (RRP), a loan program initiated by the State Legislature in 2008 for the preservation or development of affordable housing and community facilities. The Housing Commission had entered into a loan agreement with a partner for the development of affordable housing on this site but the partner was unable to obtain the necessary financing for construction and the deal fell apart. As a result the State has now taken steps to prepare to sell the parcel. Their asking price is $1.3M.

KCLS has been told by the Housing Commission that the library would qualify under the Rapid Response program for a long-term low or zero interest loan (30 years) with fully deferred payments for the life of the loan and no upfront cash other than closing costs. The site is slightly larger than what is needed for the library. The State would allow KCLS to purchase the remainder at fair market value so that KCLS could resell it, but there is even greater interest in finding a community service partner organization that could co-locate with KCLS and potentially qualify for the same favorable loan terms under the State program.

This was one of three sites KCLS was considering; the other two were both on 16th SW – the White Center Library’s current site (plus an additional parcel the county would have to buy) and the former El Chalan/Ezell’s/Wendy’s restaurant site. The board’s briefing document suggested there’s some urgency to get this purchase moving, as the site’s owner had another prospective buyer.

In a years-long fight to improve the water quality of the lake they steward, Friends of Hicklin Lake leaders have been most recently working to get King County to procure “floating islands” – and finally everything’s a go, with installation just months away, according to this county announcement:

Help is on the way for Hicklin Lake – the small lake with big water quality problems in King County’s Lakewood Park.

In addition to the ongoing work of finding and eliminating illegal and inadvertent sewer connections that discharge pollutants into the stormwater system that flows into the lake, this year King County will experiment with technology that uses floating “islands” of vegetation to capture excess nutrients in the water that lead to Hicklin Lake’s water quality problems.

Thanks in part to a $50,000 grant from the Washington Department of Ecology Algae Control Program, King County will install four floating islands in Hicklin Lake this summer and measure their effectiveness.

Each floating island is 250 square feet in size and built of a durable polycarbonate, anchored in place.

The islands are perforated with dozens of holes that are planted with a variety of native wetland species. The plants’ roots will reach into lake as they grow, where they will take up excess nutrients.

A bio-film of microscopic organisms that forms along the bottom of the floating islands and the plant roots will also take up nutrients from the water.

King County staff will take monthly water quality samples from locations throughout the lake to test the islands’ effectiveness at absorbing pollutants for three summers.

The project is expected to start this spring and will be completed by June 2015 at a total cost of more than $86,000.

Hicklin Lake water quality has been a concern for years, with elevated levels of fecal coliform bacteria and phosphorus, as well as a history of harmful algae blooms that have posed potential health threats to people, pets and wildlife.

The lake has been treated twice with alum to reduce phosphorus levels – first in 2005 and again in 2011. It is hoped that the floating islands will prove to be effective and will help to reduce the need for alum application or types of in-lake nutrient controls.

According to e-mail shared by Friends of Hicklin Lake, the county hopes to finish the state permit process by the end of April, finalize “location and design plans” with the county Parks department a month after that, and get the installations done by the end of July.

It’s been on the calendar for weeks, and tonight’s the night! From the Rat City Rollergirls:

This Saturday Rat City Rollergirls are rolling back into White Center with a double-header bout at Southgate Roller Rink, the original venue where Seattle’s now infamous roller derby league began back in 2004!

See the blood, sweat and tears fly from your rink side seat as all four of Rat City’s home teams battle it out in this epic Bout 3 of Season 9! No stadium seating, no jumbotron, no halftime acts – just pure, hard-hitting roller derby at its finest.

Doors open at 5:30 PM, and the action starts at 6 PM. The first match-up will feature Derby Liberation Front (DLF), in their first ranked bout of the season, as they take on the ladies in black, the Throttle Rockets. DLF is coming off of a huge win in January against the visiting Faster Pussycats from Terminal City, while the Throttle Rockets are still looking to chalk up a win after a pair of agonizing close losses.

The second bout is sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats, as the Sockit Wenches take to the floor against last year’s champions, Grave Danger. The Sockit Wenches have strung together a pair of wins this season in KeyArena, taking down the Throttle Rockets in an extremely tight finish in January, and then putting up an impressive point total against the Terminal City Bad Reputations in February. Meanwhile, the 2012 Champions Grave Danger also took down the Throttle Rockets in February, and are looking pull off their own winning streak. Only one of these teams will roll out with the win. Don’t miss the chance to see it happen!

Who: Rat City Rollergirls

What: Bout 3 of Season 9

When: Saturday, February, 23 at 5:30 pm

Where: Southgate Roller Rink, White Center

From the WCN inbox overnight:

You’re invited to our Grand Opening Fiesta! February 24, 2013 2-5pm.

This event is meant for all of Mago Signs’ clients, friends, family and anyone interested in learning about Mago Signs.

This is a time to celebrate the new year as we get ready for another busy anxiously hoping, successful summer. We are ready to show our fans our huge new space! Over 3000 sq ft!

So much more space to design and create signs for all of White Center and beyond! Join us on this festive day as we bring in the new year’s energy and excitement to be doing business in the White Center Community.

GRAND OPENING FIESTA ACTIVITIES:

FREE FOOD FROM TAQUERIA LA FONDITA TRUCK @ 2 pm
FULL MARIACHI BAND- MARIACHI FIESTA MEXICANA! @ 2:30 pm
MAGICIAN & MAGIC SHOW @ 3:30 PM
LION DANCERS W/ DRUMMERS! @ 4 PM
LOCAL ARTIST YAWNING GATES @ 4:30 PM
RAFFLE PRIZES, FACE PAINTING FOR KIDS, CHINESE NEW YEAR CEREMONY, HORCHATA DRINKS, PIÑATAS & MORE!

Did you know February 24th, is also Mexican national flag day?

We have a new showroom, new technology and equipment coming in and a garage for full vehicle wrap services!

“I’ve worked so hard to keep up the standards Jimenez Signs had for over 15 years. It was an undertaking that with my skills and passions it had to click in order for me to make it. And I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Making signs, helping other businesses and people, community organizing and art. It’s perfect. I invite you to meet us if you haven’t already at our Grand Opening. We are a sign shop… the mariachi, lights and magic show happens with my mexican roots and eclectic personality. My family is so proud of all I’ve been able to accomplish, and I couldn’t have done this without them! A special thanks to John, he became so vital in the business and in my life, both he’s helped so much, I’m so lucky! Also special thanks to his family, our past clients and everyone who believed in our aspirations. I wish we had more Mariachi around!” -Eduardo Brambila (Owner)

The shop is at 10032 16th SW.

Seattle Police have had success for a while with their website SPD Blotter, detailing certain cases they’ve worked on – and now King County Sheriff’s Office has an online “blotter” too. It’s in its fledgling stages – kingcountysheriff.wordpress.com.

(UPDATED: Video below is the archived clip from this morning’s meeting)

9:08 AM: Clicking “play” will bring you the live stream of the Seattle Channel, where the Seattle City Council’s weekly briefing meeting is under way. Toward the end of that scheduled two-hour meeting – around 10:40 am – the council will hear an update on potential annexation areas. It’s been focused on the South Park “sliver by the river” and Duwamish Triangle, but we’re told that Area Y will be discussed too. We’ll have toplines during the meeting, too. (If you have any trouble with the video window above, just follow the link in our first line to the Seattle Channel and watch the live stream on their site.)

11:07 AM: We’ll substitute the archived video of this morning’s discussion as soon as it’s available. Meantime, not much was said about North Highline/Area Y – except that Seattle leaders are not likely to take a closer look at it before late this year at the earliest. Here’s our as-it-happened notes on how the entire discussion of possible Seattle annexations went:

The discussion began at 10:43 am. Meg Moorehead from Council Central staff reminds councilmembers there are four possible annexation areas in all. She notes that Council directed them months ago to pursue the two South Park areas and not stand in the way of Burien’s then-attempt to annex Area Y. She reminds that there are four ways to annex: 1. Vote of the people in the annexation area, 2. Petition of property owners with at least 60 percent of property value, 3. Interlocal agreement.

SLIVER ON THE RIVER + DUWAMISH TRIANGLE = ‘SLIVER Q‘: First, she updates the “Sliver on the River” – it will officially be a Seattle potential annexation area as of March 4th when countywide planning policy is complete. Regarding the Duwamish Triangle, they had started discussions – when businesses there took note and submitted a petition for Tukwila to annex them. Since property owners submitted the petition representing at least 60 percent of the assessed value, that kept Seattle from taking further action at the time. Then, on February 14th, the Boundary Review Board officially said no to Tukwila (we had reported the preliminary decision here). Moorehead said the city had wanted to annex both South Park areas because while the sliver is a “revenue drain,” the Triangle is not. But everything is in limbo right now because there is a monthlong period for an appeal to be filed. If there is an appeal, it will take several months; if not, annexation could come back to the council, via interlocal agreement, before year’s end. And if that doesn’t work out, they could pursue a vote of the people. The population is relatively low, there, which is why that’s not being pursued first – about 110 registered voters, city staffers say. The soonest a vote could be pursued would be February 2014.

Regarding the interlocal agreement, Clark says it wouldn’t just be the entities discussing it in a back room so far – she vows there would be a lot of outreach and discussion with the business committee.

AREA ‘Y’: Moorehead mentions that studies have shown the cost of annexing Area Y would exceed the revenue brought in, and that’s why the Council had taken a pass in recent years, and let Burien take a shot at it. She notes the Burien rejection does not necessarily mean the area wants Seattle. She says staffers propose that they handle Sliver Q – the South Park areas – before deciding anything about Area Y, with a discussion to follow in late 2013 or early 2014. She mentions there is an incentive to deal with it in 2014 because of the sales-tax credit expiring at the start of 2015.

Moorehead also reminds councilmembers that a small area of about 10 homes near Lake Ridge Park in southeast Seattle is a potential annexation area too and should be dealt with before long. As for West Hill, though, which rejected Renton last November, that is NOT a potential annexation area for Seattle.

So the next step in all this depends on what happens with the possible appeal period for “Sliver Q.”

(2012 White Center Garden Tour photo by Nick Adams for WCN)
Announced by Vera Johnson of Village Green Perennial Nursery:

July 20th, 2013, 10 am. FREE!!!

White Center Garden Tour has been a much-anticipated tour for 18 years now, drawing tourgoers from the Olympic peninsula all the way to Portland.

10 gardens will be featured on this tour, 2 having rain gardens. Rain gardens are a very important way of handling our rain fall to prevent erosion and allow for water filtering into the soil./

Come and learn about how this works!
Maps will be made as a download file from the Facebook page as well as online at villagegreenpn.com – more info to follow soon.

This is entirely a community supported event. We get all of our money to host this event by sponsorship from many local businesses. This is the 19th year, born out of an idea from Peggy Weiss, who handled this event on her own for many years.
It’s back as an independent event, full of educational gardens and community building. We hope you enjoy this event.

Here’s the Facebook page for the WCGT.

Just got word that a West Seattle armed robbery we covered two nights ago is indeed believed to be the work of the White Center serial robber first reported here – and that a suspect is now in custody in connection with the robbery spree, including both holdups at the 35th/Roxbury shop, and four in the unincorporated area. That’s the word from King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West, who says the 49-year-old man was arrested last night in a trailer in the 11000 block of 18th SW. Here’s the list of robberies in which he’s suspected:

January 11th, the White Center Mini Mart in the 1500 blk of SW Roxbury,

January 13th, the Zip Market in the 10600 blk of 16 Ave SW,

January 30th, the 76 Gas Station in the 2800 blk of SW Roxbury,

February 1st, the Rainbow Mini Mart in the 11400 blk of 16 Ave SW,

the Discount Smoke Shop in Seattle Wednesday night and on January 21st

Sgt. West says search warrants were served this morning at the suspect’s house and “on a relative’s house in the 9700 blk of 32 Ave SW February 1st, and his vehicle.”

We first learned, and reported, January 31st that a serial robber was at work in the area, after KCSO said a holdup the night before at the 76 station/mini-mart on the county side of 30th/Roxbury was at least the third one by what they believed to be the same suspect:

The surveillance photos at the top of this story were released by KCSO last week.

P.S. Sgt. West says the suspect was caught through work done by detectives from south-end Precinct 4 who were determined to crack the case and staked out some area convenience stores, looking for a specific vehicle believed to be linked to the robberies. Once they had a plate, they had a name, and their work on Wednesday night right after the 35th/Roxbury holdup made the connection and led to the arrest.

4:44 PM: Does Seattle have renewed interest in the bulk of North Highline, now that voters have said no to Burien? We might get a hint next Tuesday, when the Seattle City Council’s morning briefing – usually scheduled for Mondays, but delayed because of Presidents Day – includes an agenda item titled “Annexations.” The only supporting documents accompanying the agenda right now are two maps of the unincorporated area – this one (which appears oriented toward discussing fire services) and this one – which don’t give a hint as to the prospective discussion’s direction. One of the presenters is Council President Sally Clark, with whom we checked when the Boundary Review Board rejected Tukwila’s proposed annexation of the so-called “Duwamish Triangle” area in southern South Park. Seattle had been interested in pursuing both that area and South Park’s “Sliver by the River,” but when we had checked with Clark, she said there wasn’t yet a plan for what the city planned to do next. Once we get a response to our questions, we’ll add it; in the meantime, the briefing is toward the end of the 9 am Seattle City Council briefing meeting next Tuesday at City Hall.

9 PM: We have heard from Council President Clark, who tells WCN/WSB:

… we scheduled this briefing to bring councilmembers up to speed on both:

1. Area Y (North Highline) after the rejection of Burien by voters in November.
2. Sliver Q – the catchy new name for the Duwamish Triangle and the Sliver by the River together.

We’ll cover what may happen now after the Area Y vote and after the Boundary Review Board’s rejection of Tukwila’s petition.

If you can’t make it to downtown Seattle for the briefing, it’ll be live on the Seattle Channel’s website – seattlechannel.org – as are all the City Council’s proceedings. No votes are taken during “briefing” meetings, but we’ll keep an eye on the agenda to see if any additional documents turn up by Tuesday.

ORIGINAL 5:23 AM REPORT: Multiple reports of a fire response affecting traffic in the 24th-26th vicinity on Roxbury. More shortly.

6:01 AM UPDATE: Just back from the fire scene. Vacant home – apparently for sale, because there’s a lockbox on it – caught fire. North Highline fire investigators don’t know why yet. Nobody hurt. Eastbound Roxbury will be blocked a while, and westbound is affected too, as are Metro buses in the area.

8:10 AM: Westbound traffic is fine and buses have returned to their regular routes, but as of our last check, last hour (we’re going back shortly), eastbound traffic was still impeded.

8:58 AM: Traffic’s fully open both ways again on Roxbury. As for the fire, we’re checking with authorities – a sign saying ARSON is now up at the scene.

11:43 AM: Sgt. Cindi West with the King County Sheriff’s Office confirms their investigators have indeed ruled it arson: “It does appear to be an intentionally set fire that started in the basement.As you probably saw from the sign on the house there is a reward for information leading to an arrest.”