White Center Now: The blog about White Center

(Photos by Nick Adams for WCN)
This year’s White Center Garden Tour is a wrap! Coordinator Vera Johnson of Village Green Perennial Nursery (one of the tour stops) says today’s tour participants voted on their favorites, which won prizes as a result, and the one garden photographed for WCN came in first – #7, Russell Hodgkinson and Shelley Poncy‘s garden in White Center near 17th and 106th.

They get a $15 Village Green gift certificate and a 4-pound bag of fertilizer. Here’s one more view:

(The vintage trailer, we’re told, is a recent addition.) In third place, receiving a $10 gift certificate, was the Barton Street P-Patch; and in second place, with a $15 gift certificate, was garden #6 on the tour map.

The Village Green Perennial Nursery-organized White Center Garden Tour is today – 10 am-4 pm, free! The map, first linked here July 5th, includes locations in south West Seattle as well as White Center; download it here, and/or get a printed copy at locations including Village Green, Full Tilt Ice Cream, and Proletariat Pizza.

We first heard about this because a helicopter was called in to search – and that instantly alerts thousands of people. So, thanks for the tips. Sgt. Kathleen Larson with KCSO says a robbery happened less than an hour ago at the KeyBank on 17th SW in White Center. They’re looking for a man described as white, in his 20s, 5-5, wearing a beanie, gray sweatshirt, light blue jeans. He was last seen running out of the bank. No injuries reported.

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Traffic is getting back to normal at 17th/Roxbury, after a crash that briefly drew a large response. Turns out the two-vehicle crash was not as serious as it looked – Seattle Fire crews canceled fast – it was along the city/county line. King County Sheriff’s Office deputies at the scene told us that nobody had to be taken to the hospital. Tow trucks arrived fast and the scene’s being cleared.

Tonight at 6 pm at Dubsea Coffee in Greenbridge (9910 8th SW), it’s your next chance to find out about annexation, with four months to go till the November vote. And the City of Burien has announced the next three dates/locations. From the city website:

August 23: White Center Food Bank, 10829 8th Ave SW, 6 pm

September 13: Beverly Park Elementary School, cafeteria, 1201 S. 104th Street, 6 pm

October 18: Cascade Middle School, cafeteria, 11212 10th Ave SW, 6 pm

And as noted previously, the city also will have a booth at the Jubilee Days street festival on Saturday, July 21st:

Staff will be there 10 am – 8 pm to answer questions and pass out informational brochures including copies in Spanish, Vietnamese, Cambodian and Somali.

Aileen Sison shares the announcement:

At last! Summer’s here!

W.C. Chamber of Commerce proudly invites you to attend our first-ever summer luncheon on Tuesday, July 17th, noon-1:30 pm, at Mac’s Triangle Pub, 9454 Delridge Way SW, for a lively discussion of current events, announcements, and resolutions. Please join us and share this information with those who care to learn about and become involved with our vibrant community. We look forward to your presence!

P.S. A drawing of prizes will occur at the end of the meeting’s agenda. Prizes welcome — bring your coveted items and gift certificates to add a little fun and excitement!

Just in from Neighborhood House:

Thursday July 12th, from 4-7pm.

At the Greenbridge Plaza 8th Ave SW and 99th Ave SW

Food, fun, live music, cultural dances, prizes!

Everyone is welcome! Hope to see you there!

From Audrey at White Center Food Bank:

White Center Food Bank has the following opportunities for volunteers this summer. Come help provide food to hungry families:

Tuesday, July 24 (9:00 am to 2:00 pm) Distribute food to hungry families. 15-20 volunteers needed to unload trucks, hand out food and clean up.

Saturday, July 21 (10:00 am to 1:15 pm) Distribute food to hungry families 5-10 volunteers needed to set up, hand out food and clean up.

Saturday, August 18 (10:00 am to 1:15 pm) Distribute food to hungry families. 10 – 15 volunteers needed to set up, hand out food and clean up.

Whether you have a group or are an individual, contact Audrey Zemke at (206) 762-2848 or audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org. Other projects available.

A text alerted us to an unexpected geyser in the Zippy’s Giant Burgers parking lot along 14th SW this afternoon … the folks we talked to there said some sort of power problem was involved. But for a while, it was just the thing for a warm summer afternoon … a temporary spray park!

Next White Center Jubilee Days event is today – though it’s happening a bit south of town. Glen Acres Country Club and Golf Course is the scene of the Jubilee Days Golf Tournament, starting at noon. There’s some info on the WCJD website – and lots more in this photo caption on the WCJD Facebook page.

(Photos by WCN editor Tracy Record)
FIRST REPORT, 4:50 AM: 1st Avenue South is closed at 112th in Top Hat (map) as King County Sheriff’s Office investigators work to sort out a two-car crash involving a KCSO deputy. TV crews got there before we did, so you’re likely to see live coverage during the morning newscasts; KING 5 reports that both the deputy and the other car’s driver – who they say tried to flee the scene – were taken to Harborview Medical Center. While we were at the scene, investigators from the Major Accident Response and Reconstruction unit were using this SUV for high-speed, sudden-braking investigatory runs:

We hope to get an update on the deputy’s condition a bit later this morning.

5:33 AM UPDATE: Jake Whittenberg from KING reports via Twitter that 1st S. has reopened. The damaged cars were towed around 5.

4:23 PM UPDATE: KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West says the injured deputy is a sergeant, and that he was southbound on 1st Avenue South when the northbound suspect “made an abrupt left turn in front of our sergeant,” who suffered a concussion and cut to the head, and was released from the hospital after treatment including stitches. She confirms the suspect was booked for investigation of vehicular assault, and adds, “Alcohol was involved.”

Village Green Perennial Nursery, sponsor of this year’s White Center Garden Tour, sends word that the map is available! The tour is part of White Center Jubilee Days; it’s free, self-guided, and coming up on July 15th – 10 am to 4 pm – just one week from this Sunday. The map includes locations in south West Seattle as well as White Center; download it here, and/or pick up a copy at locations including Village Green, Full Tilt Ice Cream, and Proletariat Pizza. P.S. The Garden Tour has a Facebook page; see it here.

Some of your downtown White Center favorites are taking a break this holiday – like Full Tilt Ice Cream and Proletariat Pizza – but Caffe Delia, which operates inside the Proletariat storefront in the pre-pizza hours, is open for coffee today: 9 am-1 pm.

A reminder from North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin – NHUAC is *not* meeting this month, so if you show up at the fire station on Thursday night, you won’t find anybody but, well, the Fire Department crew. You will, however, find NHUAC at the Jubilee Days street fair!

If this turns out to be the last 4th of July for fireworks sales in White Center – since fireworks are banned in Burien – the local International Order of the Rainbow for Girls will have to find something to replace it; the fireworks stand is their biggest fundraiser of the year. Theirs is the stand at 16th and 100th, and they’ll be open till 9 pm on the 4th of July.

Thanks to the person who texted our 24-hour number (206-293-6302) to report this – a truck that went through a fence and partway down an embankment kitty-corner from the Shorewood Market at 26th and 106th. A King County Sheriff’s Deputy at the scene told us that nobody was hurt seriously enough to have to go to the hospital; they’re investigating it as a possible hit-and-run.

No major traffic trouble – the tow truck was already there when we arrived, ready to pull out the truck.

Local artist RobRoy Chalmers sent word he has just installed a new “Swarm” at Luso Food and Wine in White Center. He explains his work here. But as is the case with many artworks, the photos only hint at what it’s like – nothing compares to a firsthand viewing.

To see his work in person, stop by Luso at 9988 15th SW.

Just out of the inbox:

Please spread the word or join in on these fun opportunities to stay active and build community in White Center!

WHAT: FREE! White Center Summer Field Days [summer sack lunch, games, activities, sports]

WHEN: Thursdays July 12-August 16th

Thursdays July 12: World Dance & Motion & July 19: Water Olympics both @ Greenbridge.

July 26: Sports Classics & August 2 Karate Day both @ Steve Cox Mem. Park.

August 9: Eat Right, Move More & August 16: Best of the Best Sports Matchup & Summer Potluck both @ Greenbridge.

WHERE: First two Thursdays @ Greenbridge, second two @ Steve Cox Mem. Park, last two @ Greenbridge

WHY: Stay Active, Stay Connected, Stay Nourished

WHO: Sponsored by White Center Youth & Family Service Providers…and you?

INFO: To donate a prize, host a game, volunteer, or to learn more, contact Amal huseiamal@gmail.com or call 206.859.0165

Still a story in progress, but within the past hour, a TV helicopter was over White Center/Highland Park, and answered a question via Twitter that it was checking out an “unconfirmed marijuana bust.” King County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Cindi West confirms that a search-warrant operation is in progress but was still gathering information, so we hope to have details a bit later.

ADDED WEDNESDAY: Sgt. West says a search warrant was served in the 9600 block of 16 SW: “Once we got into the place, we found that it was a Medical Marijuana grow. Deputies said that the place was ‘semi-compliant.’ The issue was they had more plants than permissible. Deputies said they are working with the owner to bring them up to compliance. No arrests were made.”

Though the date hasn’t been widely publicized yet, we’ve confirmed that a fireworks show will again be part of Jubilee Days this year – we were wondering, while writing our previous report about personal-fireworks laws, and Justin from Full Tilt Ice Cream confirms the show will be at dusk July 18th, opening night of the carnival. (Here’s our coverage from last year.)