White Center Now: The blog about White Center

(2011 White Center Spring Clean photo by Deanie Schwarz for WCN)
May 19th may sound like it’s a long ways off, but it’s time now to sign up to be part of this year’s White Center Spring Clean – the neighborhood’s signature annual cleanup-and-brighten-up event. The official website now has a registration form – find it here and get your name on the list to be one of hundreds of volunteers pitching in on May 19th!.

From North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin:

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council will hold a special meeting on Thursday, March 29, at 7 pm at the North Highline Fire Station, 1243 112th Street SW, to discuss how the changes to the King County Citizen Participation Initiative and the new framework for public engagement will affect the council and community. As always, we welcome community participation.

(Have a meeting or event announcement? E-mail whitecenternow@gmail.com any time!)

If you don’t know them already, that’s outgoing White Center Community Development Association executive director Aileen Balahadia at left, with her successor Sili Savusa at right, photographed during the Friday reception/celebration at Greenbridge. Savusa started work at WCCDA a few days after her new role was announced March 15th; she had previously worked at West Seattle-based Southwest Youth and Family Services, whose executive director Steve Daschle was among the reception’s attendees (at right in the next photo with White Center Storefront Deputy BJ Myers):

Balahadia announced her departure back in December, and leaves after eight years of WCCDA growth described in the announcement we published then.

The sign is up at the former White Center Albertsons, with more signage in the works right now.

As the new owners had told us last month, it is open during remodeling and is now Super Saver Foods. Here’s our original report from February; the takeover happened this week as planned.

While we were there, warehouse workers from Supervalu were on hand stocking the store (and so proud about it, they posed for a big group photo out front!). The store does not have a pharmacy – Albertsons transferred its customers to its 1st Avenue South store in Burien last month. Burien is also where the new Super Saver Foods’ parent company has its nearest store.

From Mikel Davila at the White Center Community Development Association, word of a 4:30 pm reception at the Greenbridge community’s Educare Building (625 SW 100th) to bid farewell to departing executive director Aileen Balahadia and say hello to her successor, Sili Savusa (previous WCN coverage here). The reception is scheduled to last till 7 pm.

Five weeks after we broke the news that Anthony Haroldlee Smith had pleaded guilty to murdering Sweetheart Failautusi in White Center last year, his sentencing’s been delayed three weeks. According to King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Dan Donohoe, Smith is now due in court at 2 pm Friday, April 13th, to be sentenced by King County Superior Court Judge Mary Yu. As part of the plea agreement we reported last month, the state is recommending a sentence of 184 months – that’s 15 years, 4 months in prison.

Big Al Brewing makes it, and starting April 6th you can drink it – the winner of the “name the charity beer” contest has just been announced, and it’s Hi-Yu Brü. Read all about it, including where in WC to get it, on partner site West Seattle Blog.

The aerial view of Greenbridge is courtesy of West Seattle pilot/photographer Long B. Nguyen, who often shares spectacular views with our partner site West Seattle Blog. In this case, his image of Greenbridge landed in our inbox about the same time we received a note from King County Housing Authority project manager James Rooney, announcing a milestone – the first homes sold at Greenbridge.

The development’s status had been a source of some controversy with local community activists, since it was intended to be more a mix of owned and rented homes, like West Seattle’s High Point. Last fall, construction of the first seven homes intended for sale began at 8th and 100th. And now, Rooney tells WCN, they’re done, and sales have closed on four of them, with one more under contract, leaving two up for sale. He adds, “Although these homes are available for all buyers, HomeSight is offering up to $45,000 in down-payment assistance to buyers earning up to 80% of area median income.” (In case you’re househunting – here’s the official flyer.)

Just in from Stefanie of Proletariat Pizza, word that “Oxbow Farm‘s CSA will now be delivering to our area, and Proletariat will be the pick up spot this June. Oxbow is a fantastic organic farm in Carnation- their quality of produce is well known and respected- and it’s only available in limited areas, during a limited time (our shorter growing season), and I am so excited that such a fantastic CSA is now available here! It’s a perfect supplement to growing one’s own veggies and occasional trips to the Farmers’ Market.”

Starting next month, Highline Community College will offer a class, Introduction to Communications, in Greenbridge. Here’s the official announcement.

Just in from tonight’s Burien City Council meeting: They’ve set April 2nd, their next meeting, as the date to “consider” whether to proceed with an annexation election. Under a timeline set out by city administration, they would have to decide either then, or April 16th, that they wanted an August 7th election, in order for that to proceed through the system in enough time for that to happen.

Addressing one ongoing concern, City Manager Mike Martin told the council he has sought repeated assurances that the sales-tax credit will remain in the state budget – and so far, it’s still there. Burien says that money is vital to being able to afford the annexation. (At one point, Governor Gregoire had proposed cutting it, but that proposal stalled.) Councilmember Jack Block Jr. wondered what the latest date for a decision would be if they were seeking to put annexation on the November ballot instead of the August ballot.

During the public-comment section at the start of the meeting, 12 of the 15 speakers talked about annexation – seven against, five for. Among the pro-annexation speakers was Vera Johnson, proprietor of Village Green Perennial Nursery:

She said she decided at the last minute to show up and speak; she believes it would be overwhelmingly positive for Burien to annex White Center. We have the entire public-comment period on video, along with the discussion on the annexation item, and will add those clips as soon as they are uploaded following our crew’s return to HQ.

ADDED 11:12 PM: Here’s the video from the public-comment period. It is unedited, starting with the second speaker during that part of the meeting, the first one to address the annexation issue, and continuing through the last speaker, who also talked about annexation:

At about 34 minutes into the video, Barbara Dobkin speaks to the council for, she said, the first time as North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president, recounting the council’s support for annexation, and its accomplishments in recent years, including advocacy on behalf of concerned residents dealing with difficult issues.

Did you throw a name into the ring .. er, mug … for the beer-naming contest? Jeff Gilbert of Feedback Lounge in West Seattle says judges – from White Center as well as WS – are going over the suggestions now, and will make their decision in time for a big announcement Wednesday night at 6, to let the world know what will follow “Lowman Brau” and “Whale Tail Ale”:

THE “GIVE THIS FOAM A HOME” CONTEST IS OVER! A huge thanks to everyone in West Seattle and White Center who sent in their entries to name the new Big Al Brewing charity beer.

We will announce the winner on Wednesday, March 21 at 6PM. There are 12 judges sifting through hundreds of entries; their job is a tough one – there are a LOT of really creative and clever names suggested by the community. But in the end, only one name will stand victorious!

The judges are community business members from THE FEEDBACK LOUNGE, WEST 5, SHADOWLAND, MISSION, THE BRIDGE, LOCÖL, BEVERIDGE PLACE PUB, COMPANY BAR, and of course, BIG AL BREWING. And we’ve enlisted several folks from THE WEST, the new West Seattle/White Center arts collective.

While we tabulate, here’s some interesting stats about the contest entries…

• 90% of the names were contributed by women
• 50% of the people who entered actually read the rules
• 60 people entered a half dozen names or more, meaning they did not read the rules
• Most of the people who entered came from the High Point/Highland Park areas
• Most of the names had references to Alki, High Point and Roxbury, with a few Duwamishes thrown in)
• People sending in the same name were given the chance to enter again, giving everyone a shot of the big prize

You’re invited:

The next Community Safety Meeting will be held this Thursday, March 21st from 6 pm – 8 pm at the Joe Wiley Room in Greenbridge, located at 9800 8th Ave SW. We want to continue looking at ways to build our group and strengthen our community and we would love to get your input and/or suggestions.

A light meal and other refreshments will be provided.

We’re continuing to track who’s applying for a license to sell hard liquor, once privatization takes full effect June 1st. The latest to apply: The White Center Bartell Drugs store at 15th/Roxbury put in its application last week, according to the state Liquor Control Board website. The new owners of the White Center Albertsons store, Saar’s, which is about to rebrand it as Super Saver Foods, also are seeking a license to sell hard liquor. And the Walgreens store that’s just over the White Center/West Seattle line at 16th/Roxbury has applied too. As for the current state liquor store in WC, the license to sell liquor there – if a lease can be worked out, among other conditions – remains up for auction, along with the licenses of other state liquor stores, and the bidding is now up to $6,600 (it started at $1,000 minimum).

White Center and West Seattle establishments have been involved for the past almost-year in an ongoing fundraiser involving special beers brewed by WC’s own Big Al Brewing and sold, with a percentage of proceeds going to charity. The first two have had names that spoofed West Seattle landmarks – but the next one might have a White Center-centric name, depending on how the results of a contest come out. In case you hadn’t heard about it already, we wanted to let you know that today is the deadline to suggest a name. The full story, including how to make a suggestion and which WC establishments are participating, is on our partner site West Seattle Blog – see it here.

Thanks to Gill for the view of snow on the green this St. Patrick’s Day morning. Seems we might be in for another round tomorrow morning – the Sunday forecast begins in a similar vein, possible snow showers all the way up till late morning.

The agenda and “packet” for next Monday night’s Burien City Council meeting are now published online, and among the agenda items is:

Discussion Regarding If and When to Adopt Resolution No. 330, Requesting King County to Hold a Special Election on August 7, 2012 for the Purpose of Placing on the Ballot a Proposition Concerning Annexation of the North Highline Area “Y” Annexation Area

Burien city administration’s recommendation, according to the agenda documents, is that the council schedule its vote for either the April 2nd meeting or the April 16th meeting. In order to make all necessary deadlines for having an August 7th annexation election, the documents say, the County Council has to adopt an ordinance creating the annexation ballot measure by May 7th. (You can see the agenda documentation for yourself by going here.)

In December, Aileen Balahadia announced she would leave her position as White Center Community Development Association executive director this spring. Now, her successor has just been announced. Here’s the news release received by WCN:

The Board of Directors of the White Center Community Development Association (White Center CDA) proudly announces the hiring of its new executive director, Sili Savusa, a longtime community advocate and White Center resident.

The current CDA Executive Director, Aileen Balahadia, plans to leave her position the end of March, after serving in her leadership role since 2004. Sili Savusa will be leaving her position as Family Center Coordinator for Southwest Youth and Family Services to lead the CDA beginning March 19, 2012.

Aside from her long tenure at the agency, her other accomplishments include being elected to the Highline School Board Director in 2007 as the first woman of color, position #1, and founding the first Samoan/Pacific Islander Parent Teacher Student Association in the Nation in 2002, to address education issues impacting Pacific Islander students and their families.

“All of my work in human services and community development has allowed me to build an extensive network of important relationships,” said Ms. Savusa. “But perhaps the strongest experience I bring is as a resident of this gifted and capable community. My unique skill set, as well as my perspective as a resident whose family is impacted daily by community issues, uniquely qualifies me for this new and exciting role.”

Aileen Balahadia says good-bye to the community she has been honored to serve for the last eight years. Accomplishments under her tenure include the successful management of a multi-million dollar Making Connections comprehensive community change initiative of the Annie E Casey Foundation, the launch of an emerging White Center Promise Neighborhoods campaign, the opening of the 30-unit Unity Village affordable housing project last year, and the stewardship of core CDA programs like Family Connections and neighborhood business district revitalization.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the choice of leadership and how well Sili embodies the values and high quality of our organization,” said Ms. Balahadia. “I want to thank the CDA board of directors, staff, volunteers, members, partners, small businesses and residents for your service and leadership and I look forward to seeing all the community’s brightest dreams achieved in the future.”

Please join us for a good bye and appreciation party for Ms. Balahadia and to meet Ms. Savusa on Friday, March 23, 2012 from 4:30 to 7:00 pm at the Greenbridge Community, Educare Building (adjacent to White Center Heights Elementary) at 625 SW 100th St. Seattle, WA 98146.

(Photo from King County Elections Dept. website)

King County Sheriff Sue Rahr‘s new job had been reported before – but now that it’s been finalized, something new: She’ll retire as Sheriff at the end of this month. Here’s her announcement:

Today, I have accepted a final offer from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) to become the Director. I plan to retire as Sheriff on March 31 and assume my new duties as Director of the academy on April 1.

Read the rest of this entry »

On our way back from a story to the east, we stopped at 3.14 Bakery in downtown White Center to see how Pi(e) Day (3.14!) was going – and found a table full of distinguished gatherers who had chosen 3.14 for a meeting. From left, if you don’t recognize them all, that’s Mikel Davila from White Center Community Development Association, King County Sheriff’s Office Storefront Deputy BJ Myers, Michelle Allison from King County Councilmember Joe McDermott‘s team, and CM McDermott himself (who pointed out they had already purchased boxed pie to take back to the office downtown). As for us – decided not to go with the pie, but the triple-chocolate cake ball is to die for.