White Center Now: The blog about White Center

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

From tonight’s meeting of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council:

METRO ISSUES INCLUDING RESTRUCTURING: One day after Metro went public with its revised plans for restructuring some routes concurrent with September’s debut of the RapidRide C Line service between downtown and West Seattle (see them route-by-route here), Metro reps DeAnna Martin and Doug Johnson were present; Martin led the briefing. She started by mentioning the zone concern that NHUAC has been pursuing, with the zone changing at Roxbury. “There’s a chance that Metro may be looking at fares overall in 2013” and maybe even looking at the possibility “of having no zones throughout the county,” she said.

To the restructuring, she talked about what the stations and stops will look like for RapidRide Line C starting this fall. President Barbara Dobkin asked why the RapidRide won’t be stopping in White Center, considering that the route it’s replacing, 54, currently does. Martin handed the baton to Johnson at that point, since he is a Metro service planner. He said the 120 would make the connection to WC from Westwood Village, where RapidRide will end, and their timing indicates it will only add a few minutes to a White Center rider’s travels. He said they’re also in the middle of a capital-improvement project to speed up the 120, and “perhaps we can make up for those 3 minutes.” The question came up again later from council member Richard Miller, who said people on Roxbury will be getting shortchanged in service to downtown. Johnson reiterated that they had had many requests for more service to come from various areas to Westwood, that’s why the line is ending there. Dobkin added that she is a 54 rider now and doesn’t see many people getting off at Westwood. Martin also pointed out that the C Line is being funded with federal money “specific to rapid transit,” which she said places certain parameters on its service.

Other changes: The 131 and 132 are going to be shortened to end in Burien, he said, “but at the same time we’re going to improve the frequency on those routes so they run every 30 minutes for most of the day.” The 131 currently comes up to WC and goes down to South Park, but its route will change to follow the 23 coming out of Highland Park, Johnson said. Route 60, which currently ends at 98th and 15th in WC, will extend to Westwood Village as another way of trying to compensate for the fact that the C Line won’t run to WC. Route 128, he noted, will be largely left alone, except to extend to the North Admiral District of West Seattle and to extend weekend hours earlier and later.

One question: No route that’ll get riders from White Center to light rail? Not directly. Another question: An Arbor Heights resident who says both he and his wife use Route 21, and says the new revisions are not only keeping them more than 7/10ths of a mile from the nearest stop, but are also “cutting (them) off” from the 21 Express. He asked if it would be possible to get DART-type service to fill the gaps. Johnson brought up the new 22 proposal, but that wouldn’t help, the Arbor Heights resident said.

Martin also promised to have someone look into dangerous sidewalk conditions that Dobkin mentioned. She also recapped how the process goes from here – public comment is being taken through the end of this month (including an online survey and other public events, listed here); the next proposal goes to the County Executive, then to the County Council (which “will do a public process as well,” according to Martin), which should make a decision in May.

KING COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE UPDATE: Storefront Deputy B.J. Myers presented the briefing, bringing along maps with crime trends, summarized in general as “it’s felt like a quieter month.” He says there have been arrests made in the recent robbery at the downtown WC liquor store, with the help of surveillance video; “one of our deputies recognized somebody from one of those videos walking around White Center one day” and that suspect apparently subsequently confessed. He also mentioned the Pawn Pros armed robbery on January 24th and the subsequently released video (seen here among other places); he said, “My understanding is that leads were developed … there are good leads in this case” and he is hopeful the robbers will be in custody. On a non-crime note, he said they’d received complaints about a homeless encampment between Unity Village and Greenbridge, and an effort is under way to “clean up” the site, with help from Greenbridge’s Storefront Deputy Eric White – no one is living there any more, Deputy Myers said, but there’s a “whole bunch of garbage left behind,” and they’re going to take steps to make sure that it’s not turned into another campsite any time soon.

Another hot topic: Papa’s Pub (one of the targets of the “Center of Attention” operation), and recent “criminal incidents” that led Deputy Myers to talk with the Liquor Control Board, who, he says, told him the review period for the violations is ending, and a penalty may “kick in” soon. “There’s definitely an awareness at the Liquor Control Board that it’s not satisfactory,” he said. Another topic: “You may hear that the Sheriff’s Office is changing our staffing model.” That’s about patrolling, he explained – they’re looking at “new models for how to move deputies from one area to another” at times when there might be a staffing inequality, a shortage in one area but an overabundance in another. NHUAC president Dobkin asked about the “medical-marijuana market” in WC and its status, saying people are smoking outside; Deputy Myers said, if that happens, someone needs to call us, as we don’t have any reports of that – he said to call 911 so a deputy can be dispatched. “What about if they’re smoking inside?” she asked on followup. Deputy Myers said that they might be able to go inside if that can be verified. A question from the audience: “Stolen mail – do you want to know about that?” He said yes, but also encouraged victims to check out the Postal Service’s own reporting system (you can file a complaint online here). Council member Liz Giba asked Deputy Myers about cameras she’d noticed on utility poles around the area; some might be theirs, the deputy allowed, or perhaps other law-enforcement organizations’ cameras. “There’s a lot of attention on the neighborhood, and I wouldn’t be surprised who’s got cameras out these days.”

CITY OF BURIEN UPDATE: Nhan Nguyen filled in for City Manager Mike Martin (who, he said, is out of the office, taking care of an ailing parent). Nguyen started with an annexation update, recapping the Boundary Review Board’s recent action resulting in “preliminary approval,” with a final vote due February 16th. (That meeting is at 7 pm at DDES headquarters in Renton, president Dobkin noted.) Meantime, “everybody is holding their breath right now on the state sales-tax credit,” since if the Legislature kills that credit, the annexation would be abandoned, Martin has said. In another hot topic, he brought up the library-consolidation issue involving the King County Library System. A task force has been meeting, and Nguyen says this will come up before the Burien City Council on February 27th. And he showed the cards for a new prescription-drug discount card that “pretty much anybody” can get, for use at pharmacies in the city of Burien. Almost all the city’s pharmacies are participating, he said. The card is available at City Hall.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Dobkin said they’re still in the process of getting a flag to fly at Steve Cox Memorial Park – one that will fly over the Capitol in Deputy Cox’s honor, before being sent to NHUAC for use at the park. … She noted that the council is not subject to the Open Meetings law now that it’s not an official county-sponsored/funded body, and the status change might also affect plans for future elections (that process is currently suspended, pending the results of the annexation process). Dobkin said she would like to see the council become an all-at-large body. “Talking about elections is negative!” said council member Ron Johnson. “It would mean we didn’t get annexed!” Councilmember Giba pointed out that even if there’s an annexation vote this fall and the vote is pro-annexation, there will still be some time before the annexation becomes final.

COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS: There’s a poetry workshop at the White Center Library this Saturday, 2 pm, led by Mike Hickey, who has served as Seattle’s Poet Populist … The rescheduled Key Club dinner for New Start is February 16th (see this entry on the White Center Now Events Calendar) … The King County Housing Authority Task Force meets at 5:30 pm February 21st … the North Highline Fire District Board of Commissioners will meet at 7 pm February 23rd at NHFD HQ … and a reminder, the first in a series of quarterly public-safety forums will be one week from tonight, February 9th at 7 pm, also at NHFD, with the Metro Transit Police Chief, a King County Sheriff’s Office gang expert, and Deputy Myers, discussing “safety in the community,” as Dobkin described it (more info on the NHUAC website) …

MARCH MEETING: WestSide Baby’s Nancy Woodland, who was originally scheduled to speak tonight, has been rescheduled to the March meeting; King County Transportation will have a representative there too. The date: March 1st, the time 7 pm as usual, at the North Highline FD HQ as always.

8:55 PM UPDATE: Missing boy has been found – he turned up at home, according to KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West. Original coverage after the jump: Read the rest of this entry »

One month after 24-year-old Jason Saechao was shot and killed at Seattle Roll Bakery in White Center, we are watching the case as it proceeds through the court system. After the arraignment of 25-year-old suspect Cu Van Truong on January 12th – here’s our coverage – the next step is a “case-scheduling hearing,” which now has been postponed twice; it was scheduled to happen one week ago today, then postponed till this past Monday, and court documents from that day indicate that it’s now been postponed until early March. Reasons cited in court documentation include: Defense attorney just “substituted in” to the case on January 27th, defense has only partial discovery (the process to find out what witnesses/evidence there is), defense lawyer is going on vacation for ten days.

(Rendering of new center)
Announced today via news release (read it in its entirety here): A financing deal that’s part of the package for the TAF center in Lakewood Park has closed. Here’s how the $ shakes out:

Financing for the facility was supplied by multiple public and private partners. Enterprise Community Investment, one of the largest allocatees of New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC), provided $12.5 million in NMTC allocation. A $2.9 million bridge loan was financed by Enterprise Community Loan Fund, which used proceeds from the sale of its Enterprise Community Impact Note to fund part of the loan. The Seattle Foundation made a $1 million investment in the Note last April as part of its commitment to support development of projects that promote the health of local communities. Impact Capital participated in the bridge loan by providing $1.46 million of the $2.9 million in bridge financing. Other financing included $2 million from King County, $1.5 million from the State of Washington; $1 million from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; a $500,000 federal appropriation arranged by Senator Patty Murray; and $300,000 from Microsoft Corporate Community Affairs.

The three-story facility is expected to be open before year’s end.

Help get White Center on two wheels! DubSea Bikes organizers invite you to their next planning meeting – tomorrow:

Please come to our planning meeting for DubSea Bikes at noon this Thursday, February 2nd, at Caffe Delia, 9622 16th Ave SW (in Proletariat Pizza). We’ll be talking about our four-month run at Full Tilt Ice Cream, looking forward to a partnership with the White Center Food Bank, and planning events in the Spring & Summer.

P.S. It’s already on our calendar, but another reminder, WC Food Bank is where you’ll find the next DubSea Bikes “bring yours to get it fixed up and on the road” event, 2-4 pm February 12th.

From North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin, the agenda for, and a preview of, this Thursday night’s meeting:

Deanna Martin from King County Metro Transit will be providing updates on the scheduled transit service changes to White Center and beyond. Additionally, questions regarding safety at bus stops along 15th Avenue, as well as the 2-zone fare issue, will be discussed.

We also welcome Nancy Woodland, Executive Director, WestSide Baby, who will update the community on what is happening at WestSide Baby, as well as the “homeless summits” that she has been heading in White Center.

Metro’s revised proposal for fall “restructuring” is due out no later than this Wednesday, so that will be a particularly timely discussion. Click ahead to see the agenda in full: Read the rest of this entry »

Story and video by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Au Lac Vovinam, a High Point-based martial-arts team, sent their Lion Dance Team to White Center this morning. Vanessa Nguyen, owner of the Ca’t Tuong Herb Shop, sought out the group for the annual ritual. According to Team Leader Doan Dinh, their group is open to young adults 14 years and older. (Au Lac is one of the ancient kingdoms of Vietnam and Vovinam is a lesser-known Vietnamese martial art.)

The video tells some of the story of a Buddhist monk charged with escorting the fierce, evil-spirit chasing lion-god from the street to the back of Nguyen’s herb shop, which she has owned for 19 years. Once the lion has done a thorough job of frightening all the dark spirits, the path of the New Year being celebrated during this month is made clear for the patrons and the shop. At last, the shop owner and the monk reward the lion with a head of lettuce and a small tip for the Lion Dance Team.

Story and photos by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

“It’s been a long year – in the best way, “ said Jesse Lovell, as he prepared the stage of his Company Bar for the first anniversary blowout Friday night. Some of Jesse’s rock-and-roll friends had put together an unnamed tribute band honoring the “Mighty Van Halen.”

When Company Bar opened in White Center a year ago, it happened to be Eddie Van Halen’s (a hard-rock guitarist) birthday. Jesse took that as a kind of cosmic sign because he had spent months remodeling the space to include the now nearly-famous men’s bathroom painted in the graphic pattern Van Halen had on one of his famous guitars circa “1984.”

On the anniversary, Jesse donned his VH shirt and a tie for the tribute:

The packed house of joyous rock and roll Company fans enjoyed menu items including fried chicken and Cuban pork sliders, and Hawaiian clam chowder as classic Van Halen tunes blasted down the performance space and out onto the street.

The rehearsed performances by patrons, a Company bartender and other friends were a way to say thanks to Jesse for what they say he has brought to the White Center community.

A regular patron told WCN that he has lived in White Center all his life and that he, like others in the area, gratefully have a safe place in the neighborhood to go for adult socializing and a reliable source of shared pride in their community.

(Company bartenders Aaron Garland and Ronnie Hill)
Jesse says he has thought about and learned a lot over the course of the year, but it is the tremendous support of the regulars from the White Center neighborhood he notes: “We have made a lot of friends; and we have seen people here making new friends. That’s been really satisfying.”

As for upcoming plans, Jesse says he is working toward upgrading the web site for the bar – perhaps sometime as soon as February, so keep an eye out on their Facebook page for updates.

The White Center Market at 98th and 16th SW is closed right now because of damage from a fire earlier this week, reports WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz (who also took the photo above). She talked with a fire-department battalion chief, who says it happened around 4 am Wednesday, when a King County Sheriff’s Deputy spotted flames on the alley-side exterior of the store. Multiple fire crews responded and kept the flames from spreading into the store’s wood ceiling and paneled exterior. The battalion chief tells WCN that the investigation so far suggests an electrical malfunction might have been to blame; WCN is told the store owner’s family does have insurance.

Organizers say they know it’s not the full number, but they do the best they can to muster a huge volunteer force to roam the county one night a year for the One-Night Count. It happened this morning, and White Center is among the areas that were visited. You can see the results here – including 55 people counted in White Center.

Jesse Lovell of Company in downtown White Center says they’re celebrating their first anniversary with a “great big rock and roll party” tonight, and inviting you to join in. 8 pm-2 am, with music, drink and food specials – details on this Facebook invitation.

3:40 PM: The King County Sheriff’s Office is making video available from surveillance cameras that were on during the Pawn Pros robbery night before last. It’s not available online yet but as soon as it is, we’ll make it available here.

4:09 PM UPDATE: The video’s on YouTube:

If you have any information, call 911.

Talking about public safety is always timely – but in light of a few recent incidents, it’s an especially good time for a reminder that the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council is planning a forum on Public Safety in just two weeks. King County Sheriff’s Office storefront Deputy B.J. Myers has sent a reminder that it’s at 7 pm February 9th at North Highline Fire District HQ, 1243 SW 112th, with the evening including:

Guest Speaker: Detective Joe Gagliardi from the King County Sheriff’s Office and Burien Police Department Gang Unit will discuss what residents of White Center should know about gangs. Det. Gagliardi is one of the region’s foremost experts on criminal street gangs and has spoken in schools, courts, and community centers throughout King County. After serving with the Fairfield (CA) Police Dept., Det. Gagliardi has been working in White Center and Burien for years, making him uniquely knowledgeable about local gang issues.

Involvement: The Block Watch program will be highlighted and residents will be encouraged to get connected.

Forum: A discussion with Deputy BJ Myers about how to keep White Center safe and feeling safe.

That’s exactly one week after NHUAC’s next monthly meeting.

(Screengrab of SCL webmap with White Center-and-beyond outages as of 12:30 am, click for “live” version)
12:41 AM: Seattle City Light now has more than 7,000 homes and businesses out of power in parts of White Center, Top Hat, North Burien, and beyond, after hours of gusty wind. Earlier in the night, south West Seattle was hit the hardest by power problems, but those were fixed by 8 pm. Meantime, the National Weather Service’s wind advisory originally was going to expire at midnight, but it’s been extended till 4 am.

2:25 AM UPDATE: Looks like the White Center outage zone has been fixed.

9:16 PM: Thanks to those who tipped us about a major King County Sheriff’s Office presence just south of the White Center business district. Deputies were at Pawn Pros, where an employee’s spouse tells us the store was robbed tonight for the second time in less than two months, reportedly by six robbers, armed with “guns and bats.” No word of arrests so far.

10:09 PM: Channel 4 quotes KCSO as saying four men robbed the store, takeover style, and that they’re reviewing surveillance video. The TV account says one employee was hurt; our tipster’s spouse “got hit with (a) bat on the shoulder,” per the Twitter report.

12:49 PM WEDNESDAY: King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West says detectives are still working on getting that surveillance video. The only descriptions of the four robbers, she says, are that they were “black males” who got away on foot, with “an unknown amount of jewelry and cash.” At least one had a gun, the others had baseball bats, and they ordered everyone in the shop to get down on the ground.

Continued from its regular third-Monday time slot, the North Highline Fire District Board of Commissioners meets tonight, 7 pm, NHFD headquarters. Read on for agenda details: Read the rest of this entry »

(WCN photo by Patrick Sand)
Thanks to those who tipped us on this (206-293-6302 or whitecenternow@gmail.com any time): We went over to check out reports police had blocked off an area in the heart of White Center. We found 15th blocked near the dollar store, as you can see in our photo, with Seattle Police helping King County Sheriff’s Office deputies. We were told at the scene that they are talking with a man in a vehicle who is threatening to harm himself, in hopes they can get him to safely surrender. We will check back later to see if the situation is resolved.

ADDED: King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West confirms the man was successfully talked out of his car, and taken to Harborview Medical Center for evaluation.

8 PM TOPLINE: The Boundary Review Board has just given its unanimous preliminary approval to Burien’s proposal to annex most of what’s left of unincorporated North Highline. Final approval wouldn’t come till its meeting next month. But that doesn’t make annexation a reality – Burien would still have to decide to take the matter to voters in the proposed annexation area. Below is how the board’s deliberations unfolded tonight, as the third and final session of its consideration of the matter (the previous two involved public testimony – tonight was only for board questions/deliberations and voting). A major supporter of Burien annexation, North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin, is among those who were here, and she is all smiles, telling WCN, “This is great.”
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(as-it-happened earlier coverage, leading to the vote:)
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7:10 PM: We’re at Cascade Middle School in White Center. The Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County has just begun its third and final session considering Burien’s proposal to annex most of what remains of unincorporated North Highline. No public testimony tonight – just board deliberation.

Executive Secretary Lenora Blauman has just explained that February 16th is when the decision will be finalized; that triggers a 30-day appeal period, during which an appeal can be filed with the Superior Court. Whatever decision they reach tonight will be only preliminary until the rest of the process plays out.

Board member Charles Booth says he considers the presentation at the two previous meetings to have been comprehensive.

Board member Michael Marchand wondered about the finances of the proposal, and how much of a factor they should represent. Nobody else wanted to comment on that. Board chair Mary Lynne Evans brought up the comprehensive plan. “It’s going to be literally impossible to be 100 percent confident in the city’s” (ability to handle it), board member Claudia Hirschey then observed. “I think what’s very dramatic is that Burien is in a better financial position than the county itself,” she noted, particularly when it comes to potentially policing the area – citing testimony from Burien’s police chief that the city would be able to afford more policing of the area than the county. “I think there’s adequate enough information for citizens to vote on regarding annexation to Burien,” she concluded.

Marchand then said he appreciated Burien’s candor regarding the annexation not making sense if the sales-tax credit from the state is not available.

Board member Evangeline Anderson was impressed by testimony from those who were in the first Burien/North Highline annexation.

Marchand noted that the board had been asked to require some conditions but noted that it does not have that power. Board member Sylvia Bushnell followed up by saying she was frustrated that some of the districts did not have relevant agreements in place. Board member Laura Kiselius added some concern on that issue but said she doesn’t feel it needs to be resolved before they make a decision – but wondered about a finding that would ensure the areas not included in the proposal, known as the “sliver by the river” and the Delta Marine area, would still be covered by fire services.

7:22 PM: Board member Paul MacCready asks if it’s possible for them to find out what progress has been made toward agreements. The board’s lawyer, special assistant attorney general Bob Kaufman, says it’s not possible for them to have testimony on that – their decision must be made based on what they already have heard. Marchand says he feels comfortable things will work out on that front.

No one else has any comment to offer – so Hirschey makes a motion directing staff to prepare a resolution in favor of the annexation. “I feel this would complete the area between Burien and the city of Seattle,” she says, adding that she feels Burien annexation would be less disruptive to the unincorporated area’s current library and school service than Seattle annexation would. She adds, “The vast majority of the boundary is a logical service area.”

Evans asks for discussion. MacCready says, to “play devil’s advocate,” since part of White Center is considered to be in Seattle, how does annexing the rest to another city preserve a “natural neighborhood”? He cites testimony that “a third” of WC is believed to be within the Seattle city limits. Hirschey counters that she heard testimony that many in the area are more focused toward Burien. “If we did not annex this area to Burien, some would feel we hadn’t preserved natural neighborhoods.” Anderson then said she only heard one person saying they felt they were part of Seattle – “everybody else said they shopped in Burien, did their entertainment in Burien …”

Marchand jumped in to say it’s not unusual to hear that an annexation area “could go either way” – and “is the glass half full or half empty, is really contingent on how it’s drawn out.” Board member Charles Booth added that he felt he heard there was more affiliation and affinity with Burien than Seattle; Kiselius agreed. “This didn’t just come from individuals within the potential annexation area, but also from individuals within the previously annexed area … and that this annexation would be completing the North Highline community,” resolving “a fragmentation” that some felt occurred when Burien incorporated.

7:36 PM: Board chair Evans goes back to the financial issues, and saying that without the state sales tax credit being guaranteed, “I am worried” (about Burien’s financial stability, potentially post-annexation). Marchand says “the city will ultimately have to find a way” and doubts Burien would be pursuing this if it felt it was potentially ruinous, though he does say the city could have ‘done a better job’ of presenting “how those numbers would pan out,” particularly for questioning citizens.

Anderson says she’s impressed with Burien’s “prudence” in taking on North Highline annexation one bite at a time. She says that helps her have “faith” in its potential; she also remarks on those who said they felt that if the area became part of Seattle, it would seem “swallowed up.”

MacCready asks about the original concept that Seattle would most likely annex this part of North Highline and Burien the part it has since annexed. Blauman clarifies that the entire area was at one point considered a potential annexation area for both – and that led to a process resulting in some agreements and timelines, followed by the developments that led to this, when Seattle said it was OK with Burien pursuing this area too if they wanted to. Anderson recalled testimony from the previous process including people who wanted Burien to annex them at that time too. However, MacCready points out, this proposed annexation area includes more than one community – not just one big area that calls itself North Highline. He wants to make sure it truly qualifies as a “natural neighborhood” as state law spells out.

Kiselius picks up on that, saying that yes, some in the area identify more with the city of Seattle, but more people “who turned out to testify” said they identified with Burien. “No decision will ever make everybody happy.”

7:47 PM: “Ultimately, I’m comfortable with this because it goes to a vote [of the people],” says Hirschey – the board’s decision is not a final verdict on whether the annexation happens or not.

“It’s not uncommon (in annexations) to have factors that basically conflict with each other,” notes Marchand – you’ll have some place where one side of a street is part of city A and the other side is part of city B, “that can happen. … In this case, I do think, based on where Seattle and Burien came to agreement on … it was very compelling, and as board member Hirschey pointed out, it will ultimately go to the people, and for the people to decide, is very important.”

Then they discuss whether to amend the motion or append it, with some recommended conditions. Kiselius proposes “staff be directed to include language in the board’s resolution that the board strongly encourages the city of Burien and the two fire districts and whatever other parties would be appropriate to such an agreement to work very hard to reach an agreement … regarding fire service” for the “sliver by the river” and “Delta Marine” areas. Hirschey accepts the amendment. It’s seconded.

Anderson says she’s worried about writing this in, since “we don’t have any jurisdiction over their making this agreement,” fearing it could lead to some future legal liability. “I like clean motions that don’t leave any stepchildren out in the cold.” Kiselius clarifies she does not intend it to have any legal effect – just “to express a desire that the fire districts work together to resolve this issue.”

Asked for his opinion, Kaufman says the motion “does not give me any heartburn.”

The motion passes to amend the main motion. And it passes unanimously. At 7:58 pm, chair Evans gavels that part of the meeting, and there’s a break before the regular meeting convenes (with business not related to this matter, which now moves on to their February 16th meeting for finalizing).

They reiterate that no public testimony will be allowed – but if you want to see and hear firsthand how the Boundary Review Board discusses the Burien annexation proposal for North Highline, following the two previous sessions, tonight’s the night, 7 pm, Cascade Middle School (scene of the two previous hearings, both of which we video-recorded).

Thanks to Elissa for the heads-up: Shorewood Elementary School is still closed today – not snow/ice this time, but a power outage, one of three Highline Public Schools campuses with that problem this morning.