White Center Now: The blog about White Center

We were just mentioning that there’s Roller Derby tonight at Southgate Roller Rink – when we noticed our partners at the Seattle Times have published the story they’ve been working on for a while. It includes the video you can watch above. Full story here.

8:39 AM: Big party in downtown White Center today – Cambodian New Year, with SW 98th closed off east of 16th SW for the occasion, events are scheduled to start at 10:30 am.

11:07 AM UPDATE: From Deanie Schwarz at the celebration – we added her video of the benediction above; here’s the schedule for the next few hours:

11:30 Rappers SJ and Princy
11:50 Dance Troupes: Coconut Dance and Rice Dance
12:00 Traditional Games and Banana Eating Contest
12:30 Healthy Cooking Demos
1:00 Dance Troupe: Scarf and Karp Dance

Then tonight, it’s Roller Derby at Southgate Roller Rink! Details here.

With new medical-marijuana businesses continuing to open, including two in White Center, the governor has just vetoed key parts of a bill that would have clarified where these enterprises stand in state law. Seattle’s city attorney and mayor have already sent official reaction, and we’re looking for more from the county and state; here’s our updated story on partner site West Seattle Blog.

From WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz, photos and this quick update:

The long-vacant space at 9603 16th SW will have a new tenant as of May 1. Decoraciones Ely, a decoration and wedding supply shop, currently located down the street at 9640 16th SW, will be moving in with their vast inventory of wedding, baptism, and quinceañera supplies.

Below, shop owner Elisa fits a young woman for her quinceañera, a traditional Mexican birthday affair akin to Sweet 16 birthdays, honoring a young lady at 15 years old.

Right now (5:31 pm), there’s no bowling at Roxbury Lanes, but the restaurant’s open, as crews clean up after what we’re told was a small fire. We’re still working to gather the details; Seattle crews were there for a while to help North Highline.

5:41 PM UPDATE: It was a small fire in the laundry room – some rags caught fire. The bowling alley WILL be open for business, firefighters tell us, as long as they keep fire watch tonight.

We have the court documents this morning in a case first reported last night by seattlepi.com – two suspects charged with drug violations in connection with what authorities call a “drug house” in the 10400 block of 8th SW. The charges are filed against 51-year-old Charles Whitney Nelson and his 54-year-old brother Vance Mclay (aka Martin Nelson).

According to court documents, the King County Sheriff’s Office first got a complaint about the house in August 2008; the suspected drugs were heroin and meth. They checked on the area and “contacted” people from time to time, including surveillance and two arrests in December 2008; after that, the court documents say, activity “declined” – till early 2010. June 30th of last year was a pivotal date, according to the charging papers; a deputy and detectives parked nearby, watched comings and goings, and started stopping and arresting people. Then they discovered a three-year-old boy was in the house, grandson of Charles Nelson. Checking inside, the KCSO team found what they summarized as “overwhelming filth, dangerous drugs and paraphernalia” and took the child into protective custody. They talked to Nelson and Mclay, who acknowledged the drug activity and promised to clean things up. They didn’t, according to numerous subsequent visits by law enforcement that are detailed in the court papers, and a raid last December netted 13 arrests.

Each brother faces two charges resulting from the court documents summarizing countless KCSO visits. King County Jail records show that Charles Nelson was in jail for a little more than one day after the mid-December raid; he has been jailed twice since then, once for about a day for a public-nuisance charge, once for half a day for criminal trespass. Mclay (Martin Nelson) also spent one day in jail after the mid-December raid, and half a day since then for criminal trespass. Both are reported to have criminal records going back into the ’80s.

If you were ready to be the first in line for the White Center opening of Zippy’s Giant Burgers – which spent its first three years in West Seattle’s Highland Park neighborhood, till the building where they’d rented space got foreclosed on – sorry, it won’t be today, after all. Zippy’s proprietor Blaine Cook tells us they’re still waiting for a key permit – details here.

Lots of chances lately for White Center business owners to network – and the next one is coming up tomorrow: Aileen Sison‘s been getting the word out about the White Center Business Owners Happy Hour she is hosting at Company, 9608 16th SW, Tuesday 4-7 pm. Here’s the Evite invite, with the event description:

Meet up and mingle at Company Bar with White Center Business Owners. Open to anyone who wants to meet local business owners and enjoy this new bar. Get ready for some killer $2 kebobs and giveaways (Contributions welcome). This event is held every LAST TUESDAY of the month.

7:15 PM: A house fire in the 9400 block of 8th SW in Highland Park has closed 8th SW immediately north of Roxbury, to Cambridge, so if you are headed into West Seattle, you’ll want to find an alternate route. (Nobody’s hurt; here’s our coverage on West Seattle Blog.)

From WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz: You might have noticed the recent addition at the midway crosswalk on 16th SW in the north block of the heart of the White Center business district. King County recently installed the small rack after Proletariat Pizza co-owner Stefanie Albaeck got proactive with an appeal to the county requesting the purchase and installation. The first rack will serve shoppers and visitors to the business core on 16th. But according to Stefanie, the County will provide additional racks to the larger community if this rack is well-used. If the change in the weather prompts you to take a ride to 16th, you now have a centrally located place to park your wheels!

Story and photo by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Second Use delivered about 100 gallons of donated latex paint Thursday afternoon to the King County Sheriff’s Office White Center storefront.

KCSO’s Community Service Officer Peter Truong (photo, center) assisted Second Use Outreach Coordinator Elena Velkov and a co-worker with the supplies. Second Use held a weekend-long drive at their facility adjacent to the South Park transfer station.

Truong said the paint will be used on the upcoming White Center Spring Clean on May 14. WCCDA has a deadline to register projects for the annual event at the end of the month. Last year, 400 people participated – this year, registration isn’t quite . The CDA is encouraging community members to register their projects and sign up for what is usually a couple of hours of fun work, community building and free snacks. An online registration form can be found on the CDA’s website at wccda.org.

(Photos by Deanie Schwarz for WCN)
What had been The Wall and then the Hang Around is now Green Piece, West Seattle medical-marijuana purveyor Brionne Corbray‘s newest of of four nonprofit locations of his GAME Collective operation. WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz reports that Corbray’s new location opened early only for today, in honor of 4/20, a reference to not just today’s date, but also the counterculture code-name for marijuana.

Corbray says this is a “lounge” model, distinctive from medical marijuana “dispensaries,” patterned after the only existing, known lounge/cafe for medical marijuana in the U.S., the Cannabis Cafe in Portland.

Deanie reports that collective members will not only be able to obtain medical marijuana and medibles (food items made with marijuana), they will be smoking/medicating and socializing at the lounge, which has just undergone more than $50,000 in renovations and cleanup work. More to come on both this operation and the in-the-works Herban Legends dispensary about a block north. (Legal side note: These businesses are not authorized under state law. There had been some hope a state law to license and regulate them would become official this year, but after it passed both houses of the Legislature, it’s now in limbo because Governor Gregoire says she’s worried about the effects of signing it.)

By Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

The monthly Business Mixer, a White Center Community Development Association event for local businesses, was held tonight at 3.14 Bakery, hosted by owner Jessica Haury and the CDA.

People socialized and heard updates on upcoming projects in White Center, but also were introduced to two medical-marijuana businesses opening up within a half a block of each other on 16th SW in the next few weeks.

GAME Collective owner Brionne Corbray – whose existing businesses include one in West Seattle – and Herban Legends owner Chris Cody stood before the crowd of about 30 and were asked questions regarding security measures, business structures, licensing, hours of operation, current legislation and issues of legalities.

WCCDA Economic Development Director Nham Nguyen had invited the businesses’ owners hoping it would be an opportunity for a multifaceted discussion in the health and growth of the business district, but noted to WCN the disappointing absence of a representative from the King County Sheriff’s Office, which might have provided more authoritative answers to some of the group’s questions.

WCN has been invited to a tour of the GAME Collective “lounge” and will be following up with a look inside the newly remodeled building where the former Hang Around (preceded by The Wall) operated.

WCCDA Board members were present and read an official statement from the Board regarding the presence of the two new enterprises. We are awaiting a copy of the statement and will publish that in a subsequent report, along with the many other community updates shared at the event.

From Barbara Dobkin on the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council:

If you live in District 1 or District 2 (see District boundaries below) of the North Highline Unincorporated Area, and are thinking of running for a seat on the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, there is still time to submit an application.

There will be a special three day filing period, April 26, 27, and 28, for the upcoming Council election to be held on May 19, 2011.

Applications will be accepted for a two year terms for these two districts.

District One. All precincts lying easterly of State Route 509.

District Two. All unincorporated area bordered on the north by the City of Seattle, on the south by the City of Burien, on the east by State Route 509 and on the west by 4th Avenue SW.

To obtain a Candidate Filing Statement or to learn more about the position contact Barbara Dobkin, Chairperson, Elections Committee, bdobkin@northhighlineuac.org, or visit our website: www.northhighlineuac.org.

You can also see, and download, the candidate filing statement here.

Just received: Word of a lost Shepherd mix, last seen around 104th/4th SW. There’s a chain attached to his collar; if you see this dog, please call Liz at 605-3824.

Tomorrow, the weather just might not be so bad. Even if it is a little challenging, you’re going to want to be out and about. It’s Duwamish Alive! day – 10 am-2 pm, restoration and cleanup parties at a variety of sites in the area. See them here.

Then, there’s the HP3 environmental run – details on this, here. Related to that, from Westcrest Park forest steward Mike Shellenberger:

In conjunction with the HP3 runners’ event that starts at Big Al’s Brewing this Saturday April 16th, the Green Seattle Alliance (GSA) Volunteers will be planting hundreds of native evergreen trees in Westcrest Park. The intent is to begin to replace the older deciduous trees, like maples and alders, that are reaching their life span with native longer lived evergreens like fir, cedars, pines etc…We can use as many volunteers as we can get. The more folks that volunteer, the more we can plant. Just show up at the Westcrest Park main parking lot on the west side of the Park near the Kids Play area at 9:15 AM Saturday and we’ll put you to work on this important project..While volunteering people can also walk the Park’s trails and view Spring’s new arrivals. For instance, the beautiful native trilliums are in full bloom..See you Saturday.

(Courtesy Aguero Photo)
Two months ago, West Seattle’s Avalon Glassworks announced its Feed The Core Fundraiser for White Center Food Bank was close to a milestone … $10,000! Each golden blown-glass apple goes for $80, with half of that covering production costs, half of it going to the WC Food Bank, which can buy 200 pounds of food for that much money. Shannon Felix of Avalon Glassworks tells us they have just reached the $10,000 milestone – 250 apples sold, and 25 tons of food for hungry people in our community. But you can still buy an apple – go here!

Story and photo by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Teo Restaurant and Café owner Phuong Nguyen took a break from extensive remodeling to chat with WCN at his soon-to-be opening White Center Vietnamese restaurant.

Phuong is a White Center resident and first-time restaurant owner, building out the former Home Trust Real Estate Services office at 9650 14th SW as a dining room/cafe. A private room rental will also be available in the space which might accommodate 40-60, according to the new owner. The exterior of the building will soon be revamped with a redesign of the boxy brick building’s facade, to reflect an Asian sensibility.

“White Center is growing very quickly,” Phuong said. “We want to bring this place [to the neighborhood] and [we want to] be as good as the Green Leaf” (a traditional Vietnamese restaurant in the International District). To that end, Phuong has begun searching for a chef who will help bring his family’s dream of high-quality food and service to life for the White Center community.

A beer and wine license has been applied for, with no plans for a full liquor license. “We want people to stop by after work and enjoy a beer while they relax before a nice meal,” Phuong explained.

Teo is the latest addition to White Center’s ongoing arrivals of new businesses on 14th, accompanying Zippy’s Giant Burgers‘ scheduled opening April 25 (just half a block north on 14th SW). Big Al Brewing, a popular beer brewery and tasting room, is less than a block south.

Phuong promises to keep WCN updated on the opening date, with a preview of the completed space and final menu to come.

From Devrim – the list of who’s where on this Saturday night’s White Center Art Walk:

White Center 3rd Saturday Art Walk – April 16th, 2011 6 PM to 9 PM

Big Al Brewing (9832 14th Avenue SW): Carlos Aguilar- Paint and Ink- -Animated, vibrant & twisted paintings that will make you double-take, every time. Come have a pint of Local Hero #9, play some Wii and absorb a room full of enthusiastic awesome!

Dubsea Coffee (9910 8th Ave SW): Martijn Caspar Swart- New Varied Paintings. http://martijncswart.blogspot.com/- Same artist, more mind blowing. Martin will be rotating new work into Dubsea this month. If you missed last month, stop punishing yourself and go experience his gift. His vibrant colors are married seamlessly in a perfect mixture of abstraction and realism. Guaranteed to drive you to drink more delicious Dubsea coffee so your eyelids keep from wavering during the onslaught of creativity. I purchased a piece from his last show and have absolutely NO buyers remorse! Can’t wait to see it in my house!

Salvadorean Bakery (1719 SW Roxbury): Andrew Miller– MantisArt-Photography. Andrew Miller will blow your righteous eye with his hand painted original photographs. His application of oil on B&W photographs creates a dreamscape of color with biting realism for the hints of pure photo that push through. If you’re lucky, he’ll sweeten the deal with a couple of illustrative line drawings. ‘Vibration’ may be the only go-to word. Don’t forget the Salvadorean Quesadilla to fill your tummy once your artistic desires have been satiated.

Café Rozella (9434 Delridge Way SW): Erik Hoogan- Timeless Portraits. Spot on portraiture of faces we all know and love. Bold, bright and hard to miss- these are worth a stop in and some coffee. They will be sharing wall space with landscape photographer and painter, Renee Bazino who will be showing through May. Just enough time to lounge in the café and slurp down some liquid gold.

Dzul Tattoo (9622-B 16th Ave SW): Katie & Alex- Black & White Photography. Drop in for funky grooves and an eye-full of new body ink. Updated B&W photos of the newest generation of ink, dripping with permanence. This shop has spirit and enough eye-candy to chew on for days.

Company (9608 16th SW): Toshi-?? All we know is that the last batch of artists were awesome. We’re guessing that Toshi won’t disappoint. Drop in, have the beet salad and find out the last name of the artist or just look at the pretty(?) pictures.

3.14 Bakery (9602 16th Ave SW): Rob Johnson- Photography. A Black and White series of landscape photography will be up for ogling. Stop by, grab something on a stick and walk the walls of 3.14.

Full Tilt Ice Cream (9629 16th Ave SW): Megan Thorberg- Prints. Bold lined B&W prints with an interesting twist. Dark & Peppy anyone? Perhaps a scoop of Mexican Chocolate ice cream and a pint of Big Al’ Hop Villain while you inhale the chaos and creativeness?

Proletariat Pizza – (9622-A 16th Ave SW)-Ryann Morris- Painting, Photography & Ceramics-Drop by for a Ham & Egg and see what Rybuy has for you this month. An eclectic mix of craft- meets-form, she finds art in the little things and makes little things into art.

ALSO! Please Welcome the Southgate Roller Rink to White Center!! (9646 17th Ave SW). They will soon be rolling into our growing art walk family with rotating shows and a possibility for projected visual scrumptiousness! Stay tuned to see how they keep us groovy…

(Photos by Deanie Schwarz for WCN/WSB)
Almost since its opening day three years ago, Zippy’s Giant Burgers has been one of West Seattle’s most buzzed-out restaurants, so its impending White Center move is fodder for close-up coverage. White Center Now/West Seattle Blog contributor Deanie Schwarz checked back inside the new location (9614 14th SW) now that we’re less than two weeks away from its scheduled opening. Above, that’s the expanded counter, where for the first time, Zippy’s will be processing credit-card transactions. Next – the kitchen, with features much more expansive than Zippy’s current, cozy quarters in the Highland Park neighborhood:

Still a lot of setup to be done, but there will be five booths, as well as tables and counters, with 40 able to be seated comfortably:

The gold wall, Deanie says, will be the “bun wall,” with a sesame-seed look – behind it, the pinball/game alcove. And check the floor – freshly polished concrete, “a labor of love” as Zippy’s proprietor Blaine Cook describes it. Last but not least, note the windows … should be lots of light, with the southern and western exposure (Highland Park faces north-northwest):

But don’t worry that it’ll be too hot in summertime – a high-efficiency, quiet fan will keep things cool. Zippy’s plans to close in Highland Park once it’s out of food this Saturday, April 16, and then hopes to swing open the doors in White Center on April 25th.