White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Story and photos by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

The restaurant formerly known as Be’s Restaurant at 9826 16th Ave SW has undergone a major expansion over the past few months, if you’ve noticed the new signs outside, and is now Be’s Crawfish Grill.

Inside, the spruced-up restaurant, after working out all of the first-month kinks with a new partner and an added dinner menu, continues offering the same breakfast menu as always (and also as the 4509 California Avenue location where Be Nguyen and her kids have been serving the West Seattle community for 22 years).

But only White Center’s new Mardi Gras-themed location is offering a full dinner menu (3:00 pm till closing) of traditional Cajun-influenced, Louisiana-style seafood dishes developed by Brandon Vo, a family friend who grew up in New Orleans and also owns the popular Crawfish Grill near the Renton IKEA store.

The sharing of Be’s large White Center space with Vo has expanded the offerings to include seafood boils and happy hour beer specials (Monday through Friday 3-6 pm), featuring a pound of fresh crawfish which the Vo brothers pick up daily at Sea-Tac Airport (flown in from approved Louisiana farms) . The market price for fresh crawfish varies by season, and though the season began late this year due to poor weather in Louisiana, March into April is usually considered mid-season and the per pound price is currently $7.99. Other boils feature more local seafood also set at market price and include Dungeness and king crab, as well as shrimp.

Large, casual family-style crawfish feeds are frequent in the restaurant where patrons gather round the paper-wrapped tables for a juicy, messy meal of the fresh crustaceans, sausage and corn-on-the-cob informally dumped on the tables, where bottles of Tabasco stand by along with ample rolls of paper towels.

The entrée list features a number of baskets, including fried shrimp, oyster, catfish and softshell crab. New Orleans barbecue shrimp and smothered catfish (with house-made etoufee sauce) are the most expensive entrée items at $16.99 and $12.99. The appetizers and lagniappes (French Cajun for sides, or little extras) range from $3.99 for french fries to $7.99 for fried calamari. Additional sides include fried mushrooms, fried gizzards, yam fries, onion rings and Cajun wings. Be and Brandon also have their own take on Po Boys: fresh french bread sandwiches which include fried shrimp, oyster, catfish or softshell crab.

Be’s Crawfish currently has a beer and wine license, but is awaiting approval of a liquor license, which they think will come through soon. A stage and dance floor in the large bar area are separated from the all-ages, TV-free dining area by a wall of heavy dark curtains, behind which beers (Blue Moon, Abita Amber and Abita Purple Haze, Corona, Bud, Bud Light and Heineken) and seafood can be enjoyed while watching karaoke or television. They are discussing the possibility of adding Vietnamese-type appetizers down the road.

Be’s Crawfish Grill, 9826 16th Ave SW, 206-588-1613, online here; on Facebook at Crawfish Grill (for current market price postings and specials)

From the White Center Community Development Association: Tuesday, April 19, 6-7:30 pm is the next White Center Business District Mixer Meeting, and the agenda includes a discussion of the impending openings of medical-marijuana dispensaries in WC, including the one we’ve already reported on here. The announcement says WCCDA has “invited the owner of one of these businesses, the G.A.M.E Collective, to attend our mixer meeting and he has accepted. We have invited folks from the health organizations, law enforcements, and social service organizations to attend as well.” GAME Collective, whose other dispensaries include one in West Seattle, is believed to be moving into the former Hang Around Bar and Grill space (The Wall before that), whose onetime owner identified it as the setting for a TV interview done recently by GAME owner Brionne Corbray.

The agenda for the Business District Mixer also includes, from the announcement:

1. Annual White Center Spring Clean Event (May 14, 2011): drawing over 400 volunteers completing about 20 projects throughout the community. Registration is currently open; a fun event for the entire family. Volunteers received free “I heart White Center” t-shirt, breakfast, lunch and entertainment.

2. Social media marketing: assistance to businesses to set up business Facebook account

3. Business Resource Guide: a brochure to assist existing and new businesses finding relevant resources from governmental and private agencies

4. Shopper Incentive Card: guide to find discounts and good deals in White Center.

The location is TBA; we’ll add it here when it’s announced.

New businesses are opening in our business district:

1. Opening of the South Gate Roller Rink:
https://whitecenternow.com/2011/04/08/southgate-roller-rink-is-open-scene
s-from-opening-night/

2. Upcoming opening of Zippy’s Giant Burger:
http://zippysgiantburgers.com/

3. VN Market and Trading Company, LLC – a new food store on 16th
Avenue

At any rate, we are building on great momentum in the White Center
community; let’s keep it strong:

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2011/02/07/news/update-white-center-bus
iness-district-mixer-focus

Sincerely,

Nhan H. Nguyen

Neighborhood Revitalization Program Manager

White Center Community Development Association

1615 SW Cambridge Street

Seattle, WA 98106

206.694.1082 ext 166 phone

206.658.8344 fax

nhan@wccda.org

www.wccda.org

Connecting people and place to build community

Shared by Joleen:

Ricardo Frazier invites Eagle Members and their guests to join him at the Ladies Style Texas Hold’em Fundraising Event at the White Center Eagles.

Dinner and Auction at 5:30pm
Tournament at 6:30pm

Benefits the Foster High School Girls Basketball Team (Tournament trip to North Carolina)

(Photo by Deanie Schwarz for White Center Now/West Seattle Blog)
Shortly after the renovated Southgate Roller Rink opened its doors to general-public skating for the first time in more than five years (here’s our original February story about the reopening plan), this line snaked out the door and out along the walkway to the front door last night. Once inside – an energetic crowd. The following photos are by Ellen Cedergreen for WCN/WSB. First, the Derby Girls took the floor in early evening before the official opening session, to work on fundamentals:

Then at 8:30 – the first public session:

The old saying “a good time was had by all” seemed to be in order. Even for Ronda Stapleton, who Ellen says may have been the first to take a tumble, but was still smiling, bravely showing off her bruised arm:

Southgate has a skate shop, too, in case you want to buy your own skates and gear (rental skates are included in the admission fee if you need them):

Video in the works.

WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz sent video from the “soft open” for Southgate Roller Rink, officially opening tomorrow night.

ADDED EARLY THURSDAY. More from Deanie:

Rat City Rollergirls’ Annie Warhead and Know Mercy (l, r) say that lots of other RCRG’s teams’ members are planning on attending Thursday night’s event.

That’s Jesse, Company Bar owner, narrowly escaping a fall by holding onto the table where “Meaty” of Uncle Mike’s BBQ is putting on skates. Meaty was celebrating his 65th birthday tonight. Company Bar will be offering happy hour-priced drinks all weekend to anybody who has their Southgate admission ticket when ordering at Company.

Born and raised in West Seattle, Gil McLynne said he used to go to the Southgate Rink all the time when he was a kid. It’s been about ten years since he’s been on skates. Asked how many times he fell tonight, Gil said he preferred not to disclose that, but girlfriend Megan quickly chimed in that she made it around several times without falling. In spite of a couple of falls, Gil was excited about Southgate, “This is so great. It is really awesome. These guys are going to do great here.” Gil thought a men’s derby league might be a fun idea.

Keshia Elder and Ada Johanson, both skaters, are the first Southgate employees. They fit all the customers with brand new skates and while they will provide the right fit for your shoe size, they can’t guarantee you will remain vertical and moving.

That’s our video from this morning’s West Seattle Chamber of Commerce awards banquet at Salty’s on Alki, as White Center Food Bank executive director Rick Jump was honored as Westsider of the Year. “I see the face of hunger every day – that’s what keeps me going,” Jump said, as he told the story of a recent encounter with one such “face.”

(Photos by Deanie Schwarz for WCN)
Inside Southgate Roller Rink, with two nights to go until it officially reopens Thursday night, it’s really starting to look like a rink! WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz stopped by to check in – and the shot that really hits it home is the one with the shelves full of skates:

The Seattle Derby Brats are a flat-track junior girls derby (ages 8-17) and two of their members, Board Member and Coach Kathi Webster (aka Katy Didit) and her daughter Mallie (aka Mal intent) were hard at work when Deanie stopped by, siting the logos which will adorn the south wall of the rink.

The derby grrrls are hand-painting the official Southgate Roller Rink logo (which can soon also be found on T-shirts available for purchase in the rink shop, along with inline skates, and assorted gear). Soon to be added on the wall will be the logos for the Seattle Derby Brats and the Rat City Roller Girls. Teen Night for the Grand Opening is Friday, and All Ages Derby Skate is Sunday night.

Owner Josh Rhoads told Deanie that the nearly 10,000-square-foot floor will receive another plasticking coat in about a month. Skate time on the newly stripped and refinished floor helps smooth down newly exposed surface fibers and allows the first few coats to completely absorb. Additional finishing coats will be added over the next few months too, to gradually build up the floor. Co-owner John Venables told Deanie that he won’t be happy until there are at least five coats of finish protecting the unique old-growth oak and maple wood laid more than 80 years ago in a one-of-a-kind, skater-friendly, octagonal configuration. (Here’s her February report on the reopening plan.)

(Map of potential annexation area – click for larger version, from City of Seattle)
The last time King County convened a meeting between potential parties of interest in North Highline annexation, the process ultimately led to Burien’s annexation of the south part of the area. Now that Seattle has pushed off its final decision, and Burien hasn’t leaped forward immediately to step in, a new round of talks is about to start. Tomorrow, representatives from the cities of Seattle, Burien, and Tukwila, as well as the North Highline Fire District, will sit down for a mediated closed-door meeting in Seattle. Karen Freeman, senior policy analyst on King County Executive Dow Constantine‘s team, says this is something that’s provided for in the complicated process laid out for unincorporated areas becoming part of a city. As she observes, and as anyone watching this process is very well aware, it’s “very complicated … this is the only area in the county that has triple designations” — as a Potential Annexation Area for Burien, Seattle, and Tukwila.

Though Seattle and Burien had an unofficial (since the Seattle council never ratified it) agreement that Seattle would have dibs on the north area until the end of this year, Tukwila is now raising its hand to try to claim part of it – specifically, Freeman says, a small area of mostly industrial land toward the northeastern edge of the Potential Annexation Area. One problem, she says, is that there are no clear boundaries until an annexation process is initiated.

She says it’s hoped the meeting will clarify “what we need to wade through to present residents (of the remaining unincorporated area) with the best options possible.” And during our phone conversation, she referred repeatedly to the unprecedented nature of this situation, with multiple jurisidictions having claims in one area, yet no one moving on a clear path forward toward incorporation. “This has never happened before.” And the state Growth Management Act, while calling for urban services to be provided by cities, not counties, “doesn’t provide any hammers” to force cities to take possession of unincorporated areas.

Freeman describes it ultimately as “a maze of process … (and) no matter which way we go into the hedge, we’ll all wind up staring at each other … It’s clear that in the next year or two, somebody’s going to want to do something (regarding annexation) – or if not, let’s understand more about (why not).” In her view, the area’s residents “are really ready to consider something” in terms of an election. The question is … what … who … and when.

Though the lion’s share of the unincorporated area won’t be directly affected, Freeman says it appears Tukwila “would like to move forward” with annexing that small area in which they’re claiming an interest. She also notes that they did not come to the last round of mediation a few years ago.

The area “needs a good home,” she concluded, saying county leadership is hopeful this might make that possible, even though tomorrow’s meeting is “probably just the beginning of the process.” She also says it was not the result of last week’s Seattle vote to delay a decision, but has been in the works since before that vote.

We get questions every so often about the big project between Highway 509, Highway 99/West Marginal Way, and South Kenyon, downhill from the northeastern edge of White Center and environs. Not everybody realizes it’s … the new transfer station, 140,000 square feet, under construction and scheduled to open next year. WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz photographed the model at Second Use. (More project info here.)

From the NHUAC website:

7:00 p.m. Call to order
Flag salute
Roll call
Approval of agenda
Approval of minutes
7:05 p.m. Public announcements
7:10 p.m. Public comment – 3 minutes for individuals
5 minutes for groups
7:15 p.m. Mike Martin, Burien City Manager
7:20 p.m. KCSO Capt Joseph Hodgson – Crime Stats
7:30 p.m. Sally Abella, King County DNRP – Hicks Lake Alum Treatment
7:45 p.m. Treasurers Report
7:50 p.m. Corresponding Secretary Report
7:55 p.m. Committee Reports
1. Governance
2. Arts and Parks
3. Public Safety
4. Housing and Human Services
5. Public Outreach
6. Transportation
7. Steve Cox Memorial
8:05 p.m. Unfinished Business
Burien Strawberry Festival
UAC Status
8:15 p.m. New Business
2012 Comprehensive Plan – Zoning Changes

The meeting is at 7 pm Thursday (April 7), North Highline Fire District HQ as usual.

WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz has been investigating reports of potential medical-marijuana dispensaries opening in White Center, and has just confirmed one.

First, a little context: While the state says dispensaries are illegal, county and city authorities have said that since medical marijuana itself IS legal, dispensaries are doing business in a gray area, and they are hopeful that the State Legislature will vote soon to allow regulation of these types of operations. (There is a bill, SB 5073, that has passed the State Senate and is now making its way through the State House.)

Now, Deanie’s report:

Property owner Tan Chung confirmed to WCN earlier this week that he had leased his space, the former EZ Aquarium at 9619 16th SW, to a medical marijuana dispensary, but was unable at that time to identify the company name.

WCN has confirmed this morning with the new store’s owner, Chris Cody of West Seattle, that Herban Legends dispensary is tentatively scheduled to open there around May 1.

Another followup to the Seattle City Council vote on North Highline annexation – delaying a final decision on Seattle’s interest, or lack of it, until (no later than) the end of next February – NH Unincorporated Area Council members received a letter from Councilmember Tom Rasmussen (who is a West Seattle resident), replying to their letter saying they are on record against Seattle annexation. NHUAC’s Barbara Dobkin shared the text:

I appreciate you writing to me regarding the potential annexation of White Center (in the North Highline designation) by the City of Seattle. I do not live far from the area proposed to be annexed and I am quite familiar with the neighborhood.

While I find White Center to be a wonderful, vibrant neighborhood, I do not favor moving forward to take the next step to possibly annex the area to Seattle. The reason is because we have huge unmet needs for roads, bridge and other maintenance costs and repairs in Seattle neighborhoods. I cannot justify taking on additional costs for the City which according to the Annexation Report presented to the Council earlier this year, estimated that the operating expenditures could be as high as $16.8 million, and net one-time expenditures could range from $4.7 million – $91.3 million.

Seattle had to make serious budget cuts for this year. Many Seattle neighborhoods, including ones bordering White Center, need sidewalks, drainage and other services, but we do not have sufficient funds to pay for them. Again, in light of the financial costs I did not support a ballot measure for the annexation of North Highline at this time.

Thanks again for writing.

Regards,

Tom Rasmussen
Seattle City Councilmember

Most of the Seattle City Council members keep blog-format websites that they use to expound on various issues. Among them: Council President Richard Conlin, who has said he would like to put Seattle annexation to a vote in unincorporated North Highline, has just written about his thoughts following the Monday vote to delay a final decision till next February.. Among his points:

* Public safety and business development issues are harder to address because Roxbury is an artificial boundary that divides this business district. Policing resources are dramatically less on the south side of Roxbury and southward, putting the safety of Seattle residents at greater risk. Law enforcement in White Center as a whole would be much more effective if it were uniform throughout the neighborhood. Arbor Heights will get better fire service from the North Highline fire station than it currently gets from our Seattle fire station. The many immigrant communities in North Highline will be in the same governmental unit as the other members of their community in Seattle.

* In addition to being another great neighborhood for Seattle, this area has great potential for development and/or redevelopment. The business district could become another Ballard or Lake City, with mixed use buildings and vibrant business activity. …

* We should be clear that none of our residential neighborhoods pay for themselves. If money is our only concern, we should immediately start deannexing many of our neighborhoods. Georgetown, Lake City, Broadview, Beacon Hill, they are all money pits. …

I hope that we do have more certainty in 2012, and that Seattle does move forward with this unique opportunity. We will never know what the people of North Highline want unless we give them the chance to vote on their destiny.

Again, you can read his entire musing here. (Hat tip to contributor Deanie Schwarz for finding it.)

Story and photos by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for White Center Now

Audrey Zemke, Volunteer Coordinator for the White Center Food Bank took a peek to see if WCFB’s brand new hens had laid any eggs on Tuesday. The count was three!

The chicken coop and three hens (Henrietta, Henrietta and Henrietta, respectively) were donated by a couple who were moving out of state and have only been on site since Friday.
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Audrey says they still have some research to do about how the hens will participate as new members of the WCFB, but it is certain the hens will be used in an education program for those interested in backyard farming.

As recently noted in a Washington Post article posted on the food bank’s Facebook page, the cost of staple groceries, especially milk and eggs, has risen 16 percent globally. Whether the food bank ultimately provides eggs to their clients is not known, but the rise in certain grocery products might be reason for some to try their hand at raising chickens for their eggs.

The food bank now has four food gardens which are providing community members instruction in how to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Now, those folks will have a place to learn all about urban chicken husbandry, if they have the interest.

More information on the White Center Food Bank can always be found on their Facebook page or their website whitecenterfoodbank.org. And remember that since it’s Feinstein Challenge time through the end of April, any donation you make now counts extra.

Following up on our Monday report, we had an e-mail exchange with Burien mayor Joan McGilton. Her quote on potential annexation of the rest of North Highline, now that Seattle has said it won’t get in Burien’s way if they want to proceed: “The Burien Council will begin discussions once our staff has a chance to do some preparatory work on the issue.”

(UPDATED 8:10 PM WITH NOTES FROM BURIEN COUNCIL MEETING)

(That’s the archived video of this afternoon’s Seattle Council meeting)
ORIGINAL 2:26 PM REPORT: Live right now at seattlechannel.org – the Seattle City Council is meeting, with the latest version of the annexation resolution on the agenda. This one (see the full text here) would put the council on record as saying they will make a decision whether to proceed with a North Highline annexation vote by the end of February next year, or will withdraw their interest in the area. The resolution is fairly high on the agenda (which you can see here). When introduced, as reported here, the Regional Development and Sustainability committee passed it 2-1 (the no vote was Councilmember Jean Godden).

3 PM UPDATE: The public-comment section at the start of the council meeting was devoted almost entirely to the annexation issue. We don’t have the full list of those who spoke but it was a distinguished list – Burien City Manager Mike Martin spoke briefly, not to take a side but to let the council know he was there in case needed for any questions/information. Fewer opponents than supporters spoke; opponents included Barbara Dobkin and Liz Giba, supporters included Mark Ufkes and son Patrick Ufkes, Karen Veloria, and West Seattle community activist Chas Redmond. (We will add other names when we review the video.)

3:18 PM: The council has just voted to pass the resolution as amended: They say they will make a final decision by the end of next February on whether Seattle would seek an annexation vote – but with a BIG change: If Burien wants to pursue annexation in the meantime, they won’t object or get in their way. More to come.

7:11 PM: We’re watching the Burien Council meeting livestream to see if anything is said about today’s Seattle decision, or annexation in general. County Councilmember Joe McDermott updated the council on a variety of issues and briefly mentioned annexation, but did not mention the specific developments today, only saying he is committed to seeing the rest of North Highline incorporated, one way or another. (You can watch at burienmedia.org.)

8:11 PM: City Manager Mike Martin just briefed Burien councilmembers on this afternoon’s Seattle developments – no additional information; he summarized the move as, “They came just short of encouraging the city of Burien to annex” the rest of North Highline. Councilmembers had no questions; Mayor Joan McGilton said she had seen the news right here on WCN (which as of this writing, is the only neighborhood-news website with coverage). No hint at future action or what’s next; we’ll be following up. You’ll be able to find the archived meeting video on that same link featured above, once it’s over.

(Photo by Deanie Schwarz for WSB/WCN)
One month after WCN contributor Deanie Schwarz broke the news that the former Southgate Skate Center is returning to its roots as Southgate Roller Rink, she reports tonight that the opening date is set – actually more like an opening weekend, Thursday, April 7, through Sunday, April 10, with a private “soft-open” event planned immediately preceding the four-day weekend. (We neglected to post her previous update on the rink here on WCN – so in case you didn’t already see it on partner site West Seattle Blog, she reported two weeks ago about the first Rat City Rollergirls sighting at Southgate!)

Today you don’t have to head far to help support West Seattle for Japan, a fundraiser for the quake/tsunami relief efforts, with 26 businesses to the north participating – plus North Highline’s own Village Green Perennial Nursery (see the bottom of the Google map above). A percentage of Village Green’s proceeds today are going to the cause.

Week after next, two Burien venues are helping raise money for libraries at White Center’s Mount View Elementary School. Here’s the announcement we received:

Highline School District cut all funding for libraries this year, so in order to raise money for books and supplies, B Town Burgers & Shakes and Burien Books are helping out Mount View Elementary School Library the week of April 3-9.

At B Town Burgers and Shakes, just mention Mount View when you go in to eat, or order the Tiger Burger or Tiger Shake and all the proceeds from your order will go to the library. At Burien Books, donate one of the books from Mount View’s wishlist, and receive 15% off.

The agenda is available for Monday’s Seattle City Council meeting – see it here – including the resolution that passed out of the Regional Development and Sustainability Committee one week ago, after Council President Richard Conlin at the last minute. If passed, it commits the Seattle council to decide by February 28th of next year whether to go ahead with an annexation vote for North Highline, and if the decision is “no,” to withdraw the city’s interest in NH as a “potential annexation area.” Monday’s meeting is at 2 pm at Seattle City Hall. (Here’s our report on last Friday’s committee meeting – including the full meeting on video.)

Side note … next year is a leap year, so the last day in February is actually the 29th …