White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Story and photos by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Members of the White Center Library Guild have kicked off a signature drive for a petition that will be presented to the King County Library Services Board of Trustees later this month.

Guild President Rachel Levine (far left in top photo) told WCN the Guild will continue gathering signatures from all ages of the libraries’ users through June 16 at various locations, including stations at the libraries.

The White Center Library Guild petition reads:

“We, the undersigned, wish to maintain the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries in their current locations;

Accessible libraries are crucial to the academic improvement of our children who struggle to overcome poverty;

We ask the KCLS Board of Trustees to delay any decision about the future of our libraries until after annexation is resolved.”

Tonight at the 34th District Democrats’ meeting, Liz Giba told that group the petition got about 100 signatures in just a matter of one hour.

At the most recent meeting of the KCLS Board on May 25, a discussion of consolidating the Boulevard and White Center libraries was postponed after appeals from the Guild and King County Councilmember Joe McDermott sought delay of any final decision until the issue of annexation of the unincorporated North Highline area has been discussed by the city of Burien.

The board postponed a decision but asked the staff to provide it with suggested locations of potential new-library sites at the June 28 board meeting at the Issaquah Library Services Center.

Before then, on June 18, the KCLS Board will have its next Planning Meeting at the Burien Library which, according to Levine, in part determines the agenda for the next Board meeting. It will be open to the public to attend, but does not allow for public comment. Two days later, the Burien City Council is scheduled to begin discussions about annexing the remaining North Highline unincorporated area. Elected city leaders have sent a letter to the KCLS Board requesting a delay of any library consolidation decision until the Burien annexation discussion has approached a more definitive conclusion, perhaps by mid-summer.

One more note: Legislators from the 34th and 11th districts have sent a letter both opposing the consolation and exhorting the library trustees to at least wait until there’s an annexation decision. Read it here.

Just into the e-box, the monthly Prosecutor’s Post from King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg and staff. The stories in it include the office’s view of how the Club Evo closure in White Center unfolded (though it includes the wrong neighborhood name):

When an unlicensed youth dance hall known as Club Evolucion (located in the Skyway [sic] neighborhood) became a magnet for gang activity, neighborhood groups enlisted the help of the King County Sheriff’s Office, the King County Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES) and the PAO’s Civil Division to seek a permanent injunction, prohibiting it from operating for failing to comply with various land use and building code requirements.

Late last fall, Club Evolucion’s out-of-state owner was personally served with notice of King County’s civil injunction petition. Last month, King County Superior Court Judge Leroy McCullough signed a permanent injunction precluding the Club or any similar business from operating at the Club Evolucion location without proper regulatory oversight. KCSO statistics reflect that neighborhood crime levels have fallen since the Club closed its doors.

That was reiterated at the last meeting of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council.

Story and photo by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

KING 5 photojournalist Lorenzo Townsend – in the photo above – was at B and D Aquarium with reporter Eric Wilkinson on Tuesday afternoon, talking with owner Bruce Donohue. We checked in to see how his struggle against the imminent loss of his rented space at 106th and 98th is unfolding. Donohue received word last week that the property has been foreclosed on, and then was told there is a new owner who wants him to vacate immediately, but Donohue has yet to find another site.

Kellie Greer, a 25-year employee and store manager, said a few phone calls have come in with possible new properties to rent, but that most are not suitable.

Kellie, Bruce and Steev Ward, another longtime employee, are associated with Seattle Public Schools’ salmon program, as well as hands-on consulting and participating with the Fauntleroy Creek stewardship efforts.

This year, Kellie is assisting fifth-grade teachers at Roxhill Elementary School troubleshooting and maintaining their educational tanks for the salmon-raising program.

Asked about the store’s current crisis, she said, “I just hope something falls into our lap, soon.”

Meantime, the KING5 story is online here.

Joe lives in White Center and uses the Myers Way Park-and-Ride, which is in Seattle city limits. Earlier this week, his car was stolen from the P/R, and he asked if we would send out an alert to be on the lookout for it. Before we got a chance to publish it, he found out that his car had been recovered – on Delridge Way SW, across the street from the vacant Boren Middle School building. He said it’s “in pretty good shape … the stereo and car battery are gone but the windows and tires are still intact.”

Story and photos by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Got someplace a business owner can move $25,000 worth of fish, fast?

Bruce Donahue, owner of B & D Aquarium at 10402 16th SW, has been selling live fish and tank equipment for 18 years in White Center. Like most businesses during this economy, things are slower, but he has been holding steady and been able to retain his two almost-full-time employees and pay his bills.

Now, though, he’s dealing with a crisis. Donahue’s landlord, Tony Califano – who Donahue describes as “great” — delivered final notice that he must be out of the store this week because the property is going into foreclosure.

B & D Aquarium rents the space they’ve occupied, but they’ve maintained it all of these years as if it had been their own property. “We never bothered the landlord. We fixed everything ourselves,“ Donahue told WCN.

He is uncertain whether there is a new owner or not, but for him it doesn’t matter as he has been told to vacate by the landlord. He says he found a Notice of Foreclosure on the door in April, warning that if payment from the landlord wasn’t received by June 8, the building would be put up for sale at auction. Donahue hoped a sale would be arranged and that the aquarium shop’s uniquely complicated inventory was being explained to potential buyers so Donahue could remain as a renter. As of last week, the hope of remaining in the space vanished. He now is desperately seeking a new space in the White Center, West Seattle or Burien areas.

B & D Aquarium has a 40-year history in southwest Seattle. Donahue says the shop was located next to the old Fred Meyer on Roxbury for a dozen=plus years and before that, next to the old Arctic Circle at 35th and Roxbury. He’s been selling for nearly 50 years, and many of his West Seattle and White Center customers go back three generations.

Moving an inventory of more than 200 tanks with thousands of live fish is no simple process. In order to migrate the fish out of the current location in plastic bags, tanks have to be set up, acclimated and ready to receive them in a new shop that has been specially wired and piped for the equipment.

He and his employees have begun packing up as much as they can, but the live stock is problematic until they secure a new location. His inventory value exceeds $25,000 and is in jeopardy. Somehow, he must find a site, negotiate the costs, take measurements, wire and pipe it and set up the tanks; and all of this while trying to conduct business at the old location to keep revenue rolling in, all while honoring the June 8 deadline (Wednesday).

“I’ve been out of touch with the rental market for 18 years,” he said. “I’ve looked at a few places. My employees, friends and customers have been looking too.” But Donahue has not found one that fits his site requirements or his budget. “The rental prices in White Center I’ve found are ridiculous! Things have changed. I am currently paying about $1,000 per month. I’d like to find something near that, or less, “ he said. He says he needs between 1,500 – 2,000 square feet. “But I know I might not find what I want.”

(Steev Ward, an employee for 18 years, enjoys a good conversation with a couple of longtime customers)

A fun clip shared on Facebook by Full Tilt Ice Cream – they say their friend Chris Looney “made it as part of a school project. He is the front man for the amazing band Ape City R and B.” (Music credit is on the YouTube clip page, if you click through the YT logo toward the lower right of the video window.)

(Crossposted from partner site West Seattle Blog) Thanks to a text, we’ve found out Zippy’s Giant Burgers is closed today. According to the recording that answers the Zippy’s phone, it’s because they’re out of food after selling a “crazy, crazy amount of burgers” their first five days in the new 14th Avenue SW location, but they expect to reopen tomorrow.

ADDED 2:22 PM: Just had it pointed out to us (by Krista on Facebook) that Proletariat Pizza, on the other hand, is now open Sundays, as of today.

Story and photo by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

New Angkor Market, at 16th SW and 98th SW, received a new mural during the annual White Center Spring Clean three weeks ago. We asked Pharin Kong of the Cambodian Cultural Alliance of Washington (whose members helped paint the mural) to explain what some of the new images represent, for those who are not familiar with Cambodian history and culture:

Kong says that the large script in the upper left translates simply to “market.” In the center of the mural, the image of the palace-like Angkor Wat Temple might be familiar, because it is a Khmer icon found on a field of red between two bars of blue on the Cambodian national flag. It is a sacred historical site, built as a state temple honoring Vishnu, part of the Hindu trinity godhead, by the King Suryavarman in the early 12th century of the Khmer empire.

The large smiling bodhisattva on the left is an image from the Bayon Temple, also a 12th century Buddhist temple famous for huge stone faces facing outward toward each compass direction. Many dozens of towers, each with their own bodhisattva image facing each direction, surround the temple.

At the far right of the mural, the golden lotus is depicted. The lotus is important to both Hinduism and Buddhism. A Hindu creation story tells of the birth of the lotus blossom from the primordial earth; each of the Hindu godheads of Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva are seen sitting upon the golden lotus. In Buddhism, enlightenment is associated with the lotus.

(New NHUAC officers, L-R, treasurer Ron Johnson, secretary Stephen Porter, president Barbara Dobkin, vice president Pat Price; photo by Patrick Sand for WCN)
By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

From tonight’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting – new officers, an update on Burien’s thought process regarding potential annexation of the rest of unincorporated North Highline, and a tense discussion regarding a new proposed development:

NHUAC OFFICERS’ ELECTION: Barbara Dobkin was elected president, Pat Price was elected vice president, Ron Johnson (who was also nominated for both of those offices) was elected treasurer. Stephen Porter was elected secretary (two other prospective nominees declined to run).

ELECTION RECAP: Just before her election as president, Dobkin noted that incumbents won all the spots up for public election last month, and thanked “everybody who helped out at the elections,” which were held in a two-hour span the evening of May 19th.

ANNEXATION AND MORE, IN THE BURIEN BRIEFING: City manager Mike Martin says the council will discuss annexation at its June 20th meeting, describing it as a “general” discussion about potential direction, which he expects the council to settle on by August, to know “what it wants to do regarding annexation,” and he expects a potential vote in “less than a year.” That factors into the library controversy; Burien councilmember Rose Clark mentioned a meeting with Library Board members at City Hall, regarding concerns over the potential library consolidation. She said the Burien mayor and council have sent a letter “asking them to not make a decision until we have completed our discussions on the annexation. … Our position is: The libraries belong right in the local community where students and family have close access and can walk to them and use them as they have before.” Martin said he has no particular stake in what library site might be chosen, and urged NHUAC members “not to dig into one idea … until you see how everything is in play and manifests itself. …” He recounted the Puget Sound Park “debacle” and said he hadn’t been opposed to the idea of a library in the park, but rather to the idea that the community had not been consulted.

Also: Martin said that if the weather holds, the last round of paving on Ambaum – which will take about four days – is about to start, and the entire project (including striping) should be done by June 15th. More projects are in the works; “you’re going to see a lot of asphalt going down this summer,” he promised, with $6 million more worth in projects “out there,” after the Ambaum project, which is worth about $3 million … He also discussed the “visioning” project, which surfaced concerns about education and crime; the latter, he said, is not so much a problem as a perception problem, but he said there is indeed a problem with “how we educate our kids.” … Also at the NHUAC meeting, Burien Parks’ Debbie Zemke made a guest appearance to announce a new outdoor-concert series in North Burien – free, to be held on the grounds of Hilltop School (she said they would have liked to have it in a park but power and electricity issues couldn’t be worked out), 6:30 pm Wednesday nights, July 13th with Banda Vagos, July 20th with Global Heat, and July 27th with the Camano Cadillac Band.

DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION & PAPPAS VILLAGE: This organization is headquartered in West Seattle, but is involved with White Center projects, including the under-construction Strength of Place Village, and the proposed Pappas Village, which sparked a heated discussion. First – NDNA executive director Derek Birnie presented a primer to NHUAC, explaining that his is one of eight similar community-development organizations in the general Seattle area. Though most people know them for development, that’s not all they do, Birnie explained; they also have been active in health/fitness advocacy. Their development projects, he says, couple community facilities with affordable housing – with examples including the Delridge Library branch in the same building as Vivian McLean Place; he also told the story of how the historic Cooper School building was transformed into Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, after neighbors said the building needed to be brought back to life.

Regarding Strength of Place, he said they just had a walkthrough because it’s 50 percent done – the first families will move in in September, and it’ll be done in October. (DNDA partnered with Capitol Hill Housing to make the project happen, and the partnership helped “attract more resources,” he explained.) The next project, Pappas Village, at 14th/107th (a one-acre parcel), is envisioned as offering “housing units that are affordable and accessible to low- and moderate-income families in White Center,” he explained, with “a mix of unit sizes that provides housing opportunities for some larger families.” Their first thought is for 60 units. For its commercial space, Birnie said child care might be a possibility – they’re talking to some possible providers. One challenge is that the project slopes away from the street, and he’s not certain whether that might get in the way of some underground parking. They’re still seeking a development partner and financing, in hopes that the former will lead to the latter, and they’ve just gone public with a “request for proposals” – they’re asking for interest to be expressed by the end of July. If they don’t find a partner, they might have to figure out something else to do with the property – maybe even putting it up for sale – Birnie said.

NHUAC’s ongoing concerns about too much low-income housing in the greater White Center area resurfaced here. Councilmember Jessica Stoneback asked if there would be a mix of housing for people with not-so-low income levels, and said that while she lives nearby, she hasn’t heard anything about the project; Birnie said they had been partnered for outreach with the White Center Community Development Association, and that he will check on what’s being done. Councilmember Liz Giba added that she is also concerned about the concentration of poverty in the area, and wondered if Birnie were “aware of the numbers” and how much the concentration of poverty “hurts this community.” He said he is, and acknowledged that Greenbridge‘s promised mix of homes for sale with the rentals hasn’t materialized. He said DNDA recently spoke with the Washington Housing Finance Commission and asked them for more flexibility regarding “what gets developed on this property” – though they originally had had to commit to “affordable housing” only. Councilmember Ron Johnson expressed similar concerns. New president Dobkin called it “disheartening” that there hadn’t been much outreach and said she hadn’t even heard about this proposal until recently. “No one is opposed to affordable housing,” Dobkin said, but the housing base in the community desperately needs diversification – the concentration of low-income housing has harmed the tax base, she said.

The property owners, Gus and Mary Anne Pappas, were there. She countered the NHUAC members’ comments with, “We think this project is going to be great”; an associate of hers who worked on the deal said that a project like this seemed to be an improvement over the two houses that currently are on the acre-plus parcel, and noted that the Pappas’s are longtime White Center residents, whose name will be on the project. Council and audience members said they had never heard that before. Birnie stepped in and acknowledged, “A ball has clearly been dropped” regarding communication of this project. Then he reiterated that his organization is open to changes in how the property might be developed, and that needed to be kept in mind given “the intensity of feelings.”

One such feeling that surfaced after Birnie was asked who chose the site for the project, and replied that the White Center Community Development Association was involved: “Who made the (WCCDA) a spokesperson for the community?” asked former NHUAC president Greg Duff, whose home is now in North Burien (and he’s running for City Council). Birnie said he couldn’t speak for them.

KING COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE: Sgt. Rodney Chinnick, who runs the KCSO gang unit – “which is busy these days,” he noted – “pinch-hit” with the latest stats. Residential burglaries and assaults ‘are both going in the wrong direction,” he said. There had been some arrests recently, but he noted the younger suspects didn’t stay behind bars so long “because of the turnstile system of justice” for juveniles. He speculated that the higher assault rate might be tied to summertime behavior and alcohol ingestion, and warned that this weekend will tell the story, since good weather is forecast. … He was asked by councilmember Douglas Harrell how funding is going for the Gang Unit; Chinnick said that some of it is dependent on grants, and they’re still awaiting word on renewal of at least one key grant. … Questions were asked regarding how to deal with a problem involving alcohol abuse near a local grocery store; if there’s a problem, it was reiterated, call 911 – don’t think too hard about whether to call, just know that the dispatchers have a prioritization system (and if you suspect there’s a problem with an establishment, whether store or bar, report it to the State Liquor Control Board). Councilmember Christine Waldman also noted you can make reports online. Also regarding alcohol and related violations, Sgt. Chinnick said the closure of Club Evo had dramatically reduced the number of calls to that address; noting that the injunction that closed the club became permanent in mid-May, he also pointed out that the ownership hasn’t changed and could choose to open a new business.

POTENTIAL CHANGES IN ZONING: A representative from King County DDES says a planned project in White Center has brought a proposal for changes in “special district overlay” conditions applying to development in the area. One change would involve setbacks from an alley, prompted by a development proposal that would have to be set back further than any of the existing buildings because of current codes, so an exception is being considered. Another exemption for the proposal would involve landscaping. NHUAC members asked for more specifics; the project is proposed for a stretch of 16th between 106th and 107th, potentially with a ground-floor church and apartments over it. That was the major item of discussion, though he also brought along documents with a sheaf of other tweaks, not project-specific, proposed to codes. He says the County Council is expected to take action in fall.

WILL THERE BE MONEY FOR NHUAC AFTER THIS MONTH? The county liaison who was on hand said it’s not known yet – but the County Council is expected to discuss the Unincorporated Area Councils issue at an upcoming meeting.

PUBLIC COMMENT: One person spoke, Gill Loring, who announced that the White Center Bartell Drugs store will soon have its drug-take-back bin up and running, per the White Center-South Delridge Community Safety Coalition … He also noted that Zippy’s Giant Burgers is open in White Center (as we’ve been reporting) – he says he had one for the first time and “they’re really good.”

ANNOUNCEMENTS: The North Highline Fire District will be accepting applications for volunteer firefighters soon; applications will be on the website sometime early next week. … The White Center Recycling Event is happening at Evergreen High School 9 am-3 pm this Saturday … The White Center Library Guild’s big fundraiser sale is June 18 … The next King County Library Board meeting is on June 28th, and president Dobkin reminded all of what’s at stake (here’s our coverage from the last meeting).

FIREWORKS FOR JUBILEE DAYS: Wednesday, July 13th, councilmember Giba said, is when the pre-Jubilee Days fireworks display is scheduled. Friday, July 15th, a retro-rollerskating event at Southgate Roller Rink is scheduled; Saturday, July 16th, has the parade and a car show, and Sunday, July 17th, will be the second/final day of the festival.

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meets the first Thursday of the month, 7 pm, at North Highline Fire District HQ.

From White Center Food Bank volunteer coordinator Audrey Zemke:

Do you want to help out the White Center Food Bank? The food bank is looking for volunteers (groups or individuals) to help out on the 3rd Saturday of the month from 10:00 am to 1:15 pm. This is our one Saturday distribution of the month. Volunteers will be setting up, handing out food and cleaning up. We need help June 18, July 16, August 20 and September 17. You want to make a difference for the 60 families who come to get food. Contact Audrey Zemke, Volunteer/Resource Coordinator (audrey@whitecenterfoodbank or 762-2848) if you or your group thinks you can help out. Families are welcome. Students, this is a great opportunity to get your school hours in.

Just in from WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz – More than 20 law-enforcement vehicles rushed to help a King County transit deputy after an attack attempt around 9:45 pm in White Center. A KC Sheriff’s Office supervisor told Deanie that the deputy tried to make a routine traffic stop, pulling over the vehicle in a business parking lot at 106th/16th. As the deputy approached the vehicle, the driver threw it into reverse, gunned it, and tried to run over the deputy, according to the KCSO supervisor. Deanie says the call for backup brought cars from Seattle, Burien, and Sound Transit as well as the Sheriff’s Office. The deputy wasn’t hurt; one arrest is reported, and three more people were detained for questioning.

Just in from Nhan Nguyen at WCCDA:

Please mark your calendar for our next White Center Business District Mixer meeting on Monday, June 13, 6-7:30pm at the Salvadorean Bakery (1719 SW Roxbury). Light dinner and translation will be provided. We have a packed agenda planned for this meeting:

1. Update from the May 14, 2011 Spring Clean. For the business district, our volunteers picked up litter, planted edibles, painted a mural, and planted shrubs. Does anyone want to lead a regular clean-up for our business district? The CDA can supply trash pickers, garbage bags and gloves.

2. We will have a robust discussion on a Shopper Card including a food guide that the CDA and the Chamber are working together. We need your ideas to design and promote it.

3. We have designed a resource guide for businesses to include important contact info for organizations/government entities that serve small businesses. We need your input to see if it will be useful to you. Is there other information you want to see in there?

4. We have commissioned a local artist to work with our graphic designer to paint and print an art poster. The theme of this poster is our brand: “White Center – Growing a Global Village.” We will give each of you one to hang at your business. We will have a discussion to follow on what else we can do to promote our business district brand.

5. Update on the issue of medical marijuana in White Center.

6. Anyone interested in the idea of opening a bike shop in White Center? With the impending closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, there will be incentives to use alternative transportation. Come hear presentations on both topics.

WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz sends in the proof – customers are in the house and burgers are being served at Zippy’s Giant Burgers (9614 14th SW), which moved from West Seattle after three years of ever-increasing popularity. They had hoped to open the new location a month sooner, but permit/inspection challenges were cited for the delays – all behind them now.

ADDED MONDAY EVENING: The dinner rush is out the door:

Earlier, Deanie caught Jon Talmadge tackling a King Lou Lou – the truly “giant” burger now on the Zippy’s menu:

The King Lou Lou is a dine-in-only option, which’ll cost you $14 and change. Four patties, eight pieces of bacon, grilled onions, quadruple cheese, chipotle mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato. Topped with a crown (Lil Zip w/cheese). The King Lou Lou is named for Luis Jimenez, one of the creative stars of Zippy’s kitchen.

Just got word from manager Joel Schweiger that the recent fire damage is repaired and the pool is open again at Evergreen Community Aquatic Center. They’re signing people up for swim lessons, too – more about that, here. Schweiger adds, “We also have lap swim, public and family swim hours available as well as senior programming and swim team.”

Two of White Center’s notable events today:

ZIPPY’S GIANT BURGERS OPENS: If you never tried them in West Seattle and aren’t sure what all the fuss is about, you get your chance to see, starting at 10:30 am. We stopped by 9614 14th SW yesterday afternoon to check on Zippy’s proprietors Blaine and Rahel Cook and team, and all signals were go.

WHITE CENTER BUSINESS OWNERS’ HAPPY HOUR: The third event organized by Aileen Sison in her White Center Business Owners of Sustainable Support happy-hour series is this afternoon/evening at Company on 16th SW, 4-7 pm (invite here).

Next White Center Art Walk, organizers are going beyond the usual “walk around and look at stuff” plan – they’re organizing programs with films and videos, and they’re putting out an URGENT call for contributors. From Amanda:

Every month the White Center Art Walk is trying to “theme” our artwalk, and June’s theme is Film. We are trying to get together (3) film programs to show at (3) locations in White Center. One is the Southgate Skating Rink (a family-friendly program), Big Al’s Brewery (more edgy program) and Full Tilt (more music-filled program).

We are trying to put together this program wabi sabi, DIY style, without a lot of time to do it. What we are looking for are short films. Animation, music videos, power pieces, light pieces, dark pieces, etc. We are trying to get three 20 – 30 minute programs together. We can take each piece on a variety of formats, and will put it together at a location post production house in Seattle. The art walk is Saturday, June 18th.

This is an open call to locals, film organizations, film programs and schools. If interested, please send us an e-mail to whitecenterartwalk@gmail.com by next Friday, June 3rd, with your name, length of piece, subject matter and contact info. Unfortunately, there is no compensation for the use of the pieces, but there will be great exposure in Seattle’s coolest enclave.

After the usual opening round of remarks and public comment, development topics are part of the heart of next Thursday’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting, as well as an update on last week’s elections, and a decision on officers. From the agenda:

7:15 p.m. Election Report
7:20 p.m. Election of Officers
7:25 p.m. Mike Martin, Burien City Manager
7:30 p.m. KCSO Capt Joseph Hodgson – Crime Stats
7:40 p.m. Debbie Zemke, Burien Recreation Manager – Music in the Park
7:45 p.m. Derek Birnie, Executive Director, Delridge Neighborhood
Development Association
8:00 p.m. Harry Reinert – King County DDES – Updates to King County
Development Regulations

Later in the meeting, updates on library issues and Jubilee Days are on the agenda, which you can see in full here. Everyone’s welcome at the meeting, 7 pm Thursday (June 2) at North Highline Fire District HQ.

(Crossposted from partner site West Seattle Blog)

He’s only been on the job six months, but King County Councilmember Joe McDermott is already running again. Last fall, he was elected for the year remaining in what was now-County Executive Dow Constantine’s term, after Jan Drago served a year as an appointee; this time, a full four-year term is at stake. Thursday night, in bowling shoes, McDermott presided over his official campaign-kickoff party at Roxbury Lanes. Among those in attendance were County Council colleagues Julia Patterson, Larry Phillips, Larry Gossett, and Bob Ferguson, State House Rep. Eileen Cody, elected city officials from Burien and Tukwila, members of the North Highline Unincorporated Council, and community advocates from neighborhoods in the 8th District including White Center, South Park, and Vashon. And from McDermott’s home neighborhood, West Seattle – his parents Terri McDermott and Jim McDermott:

Though all at the party were exhorted to have fun and get some bowling in, there was of course the opportunity for the candidate to offer a short speech first:

McDermott spent almost a decade in the State Legislature before moving to the County Council. The other candidate in this race so far is another West Seattleite, Diana Toledo, whom he also faced in last year’s general election. We covered her kickoff party at the Admiral Theater last week.

The date is finally set, after unexpected delays – Zippy’s Giant Burgers, moving from West Seattle to White Center (9614 14th SW), will open next Tuesday, May 31st. Details on our partner site West Seattle Blog.

Received a notice indicating the monthly meeting is on tonight as usual – 6 pm, White Center DSHS building between 14th and 15th SW just south of Roxbury, second floor. No agenda mentioned so far (we’re checking).