White Center Now: The blog about White Center

These are excerpts from this week’s e-newsletter from the City of Burien:

City Census Under Way in N. Highline Annexation Area
The City currently is conducting a house-to-house census in the North Highline annexation area. Households are being visited by a census worker wearing a City of Burien identification badge between March 12 and April 25. Information from the special census will ensure that the City receives a full share of state funds for essential public services. Households are only asked to provide the number of people living there and their names. The southern segment of North Highline officially becomes part of the City of Burien on April 1. This special annexation census is in addition to the U.S. Census being conducted by the federal Census Bureau this spring.

…City Reaches Out to North Highline Businesses
The City recently sent a letter to approximately 1,250 business entities located or working in the North Highline annexation area to provide the newly annexed businesses with an overview of some of the opportunities available in Burien, such as the Taking Aim at Graffiti (TAG) program or the “pre-submittal meetings” offered by Community Development. The letter also provided businesses with notice of some of their responsibilities, such as getting a business license and updating their tax code on Department of Revenue forms.

NOTE: Comcast subscribers in the annexation area should be able to view Burien Channel 21 and Puget Sound Access on Channel 77.

Not on the city e-newsletter list, but want to be? Sign up here.

Just checked back on the King County Public Health Food Establishment Closures website, and it looks like Del Rio in White Center was cleared to reopen as of Monday afternoon. As we first reported here last Friday, inspectors closed them for a variety of issues, but the clearance to reopen is confirmation those issues have been resolved.

The impending Burien annexation of North Highline South got a TV-news spotlight this morning, with live reports from KING 5’s Tim Robinson. The video of his story is embedded above (KING 5 makes its video clips available for embedding on any website – just click the “share” symbol on their video window). Interviewees included Burien city manager Mike Martin.

Perusing the White Center Community Development Association website, we note an item from almost a week ago, in which a community newsletter from Shorewood draws WCCDA ire. The piece singled out by the WCCDA site writer complains about dog waste along Shorewood trails and suggests penalties for offenders, such as “sending their beloved pets to White Center to be recycled (eaten).” A complaint letter was written to the Shorewood on the Sound Club, signed by WCCDA’s Aileen Balahadia, Karen Veloria and Heather Downey and saying in part:

We do not find this remark funny- we find it offensive, as this stereotype is obviously applied to the communities of color in our diverse White Center. It is also abusive to our goal to market and promote our wonderful, hard-working, and largely immigrant owned small businesses and restaurants.

We appreciate community residents like yourselves getting together to improve your neighborhood. We’d implore you to please do so without dragging down a neighbor, especially one like White Center that has done so much to counter such negativity over the last few years.

We’ll be checking with both WCCDA and the Shorewood group to see if there’s been followup, since a week has gone by. 2:13 PM UPDATE: We heard back from Shorewood newsletter editor Kevin, who said he had replied to say he’s sorry they were offended. Aileen at WCCDA confirmed they had received a response but it wasn’t as much of an apology as they felt was in order, since the remark was published in a community-wide newsletter.

(all photos by Dina Johnson – thank you, Dina!)

Participants at Sunday’s Democratic caucus for the 34th Legislative District had so many decisions to make, some got extra-comfortable to make them. The gathering was in the cafeteria at White Center’s Mount View Elementary School – part of the unincorporated area that might be in Seattle’s sights:

Liz Giba brought her sign to the event, and spoke with inquiring parties about her belief that Burien would be a better match for all of North Highline. Meantime, the caucus’s 70 or so participants heard from all three of their state legislators:

That’s Rep. Sharon Nelson, who intends to run for the State Senate job that Sen. Joe McDermott wants to leave to run for County Council – he was there too:

The only 34th District legislator not currently planning to run for something else is Rep. Eileen Cody:

Others who addressed the caucus participants included a 34th District-residing Democrat who currently has a mega-high-profile job, King County Executive Dow Constantine – we got his entire three-and-a-half-minute speech on video for earlier coverage on partner site West Seattle Blog:

In addition to choosing delegates to the state convention, caucus participants heard from candidates in upcoming elections. Among them, Kirk Prindle – a West Seattleite who is one of five people running for one seat in the King Conservation District board election this Tuesday:

The KCD election isn’t conducted like other countywide votes. No voting by mail; no close-to-everyone polling places. You have to go vote in person at one of several polling places; the nearest are Des Moines and Downtown Seattle – they’re all listed here. Back to the caucus: The 34th District Democrats’ website should have the final results of voting up soon.

Coach Tony Rago sends word that the White Center PAL (Police Activities League) will sponsor the amateur-boxing show “Opportunity Knocks” on March 27 at Evergreen High School. He says teams will be there from Portland and Vancouver, B.C., as well as Western Washington. The boxing starts at 6 pm; admission will be $10 adults, $5 kids 10 and under, with all proceeds to the White Center PAL Boxing Club. Call Coach Rago for more info – 206-293-3742.

While the next official City of Seattle public discussion of a possible southern North Highline annexation vote is not yet scheduled, the issue has again surfaced on a community-group agenda in West Seattle. Following up on their appearance before the Highland Park Action Committee two weeks ago, Seattle-annexation supporters Mark Ufkes and Peggy Weiss of the White Center Homeowners Association are scheduled to speak to the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council this Wednesday. The group — which includes reps from neighborhood groups and other key organizations around eastern West Seattle — meets at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in North Delridge (4408 Delridge Way), 7 pm Wednesday.

The North Highline Unincorporated Area itself is about to get smaller … but it’ll still have a NH Unincorporated Area Council, and elections are about to happen in two stages – positions that become open when the Burien annexationon of south North Highline takes effect next month, and positions up for the “regular” election in May. Information about all of the above is available on the NHUAC home page – go here.

(added 2 pm, Evergreen High School Key Club and WC Kiwanis volunteers with WCFB’s Audrey Zemke)
Till 4 pm, you can take pet food to White Center Food Bank for the donation drive that’s wrapping up today – Key Club and Kiwanis volunteers are scheduled to be there to receive your donations. Food’s been collected the past few weeks at spots in Burien and West Seattle, too; here’s an update from our partner site West Seattle Blog.

From the King County Public Health Department this evening:

The *Del Rio Food Store* located at *10230 16th SW, Seattle 98146* was closed by a Public Health food inspector on March 12, 2010 at 2:30 pm for the following critical violations:

* Inadequate handwashing facilities
* Hands not washed
* Handling ready-to-eat foods with bare hands
* Cross contamination not prevented with raw meat storage
* Inadequate hot holding temperatures
* Inadequate cold holding temperatures
* Potentially hazardous foods at room temperature
* Toxic chemicals improperly stored

The establishment will be reopened once the inspector confirms that all issues have been resolved.

Two notes about the South Park Bridge situation – First, we covered another emotional community meeting last night; here’s the link to the article on partner site West Seattle Blog. Second, during a briefing with Metro today on a wide range of topics, we asked about bus-rerouting plans if the South Park Bridge indeed does close at the end of June. They said one of the bus routes that would be affected is the 60 from White Center; currently, their reroute plan would take buses down Cloverdale to 8th, with a left turn there. More to come.

From the White Center Eagles:

The White Center Eagles present “Ron Stubbs OUTRAGEOUS Rock & Roll Hypnosis Show”, ONE NIGHT ONLY, this Saturday, March 13th at 7 pm, tickets available at the door, just $20. Come experience the most fun you’ll ever have in your sleep!

Ron Stubbs puts on a fast paced, laugh a minute, modern, hypnotic comedic romp through the inner mind where the audience becomes the stars. Take all your preconceived notions of what hypnotic entertainment is supposed to be and toss them out the window. Prepare to experience an exciting, unforgettable evening.

Ron has been called “one of the most progressive stage hypnotists available worldwide”. His level of skill in the field is obvious as he guides the volunteers on stage into a deep hypnotic state. Within just minutes he has the audience splitting their sides with laughter throughout the performance, while participants from the audience have a blast on stage!

Come early for dinner – our kitchen will be open starting at 5pm until showtime.

After the show, stick around for entertainment with Moonbeam Karaoke, “the best karaoke west of the Duwamish”!

So asked one attendee in an overflow crowd at the South Park Neighborhood Center last night, as county reps – and others – talked about what is now looming as the June 30 scheduled closure of the South Park Bridge. We have a full article up at partner site West Seattle Blog – read it here. Also note that there is another meeting scheduled in South Park tonight, this one at 6 pm at South Park Community Center – more at Blogging Georgetown.

Lulina from San Paulo Brazil are playing at Full Tilt at 8pm. With them is Human Skab, a grunge era prodigy that put his first record out at 10 years old. He is doing a reunion of sorts tomorrow. This is an early show, starts at 8pm.

http://www.myspace.com/lulina

A local student from Evergreen College just finished a short film about White Center. Some cool stuff about the history of White Center and its landmarks are included:

One week from this Saturday …

The announcement accompanying the flyer:

Dubsea Coffee
March 20 2010
7-9 pm
9910 8th Ave. SW

www.dubseacoffee.com
www.myspace.com/asaroaxaca
www.asar-oaxaca.blogspot.com

ASARO ” The Assembly of Revolutionary Artists of Oaxaca ” is a collective of about 20 members who specialize in a variety of artistic communications, including stenciling, grabados ,murals , engraving , theater and fine arts.The collective was formed in 2006 in response to a call fromAPPO ” Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca “,[ a group formed as a teachers union, but whose makeup also includes general citizens and representatives from surrounding communities ] during their occupation of Oaxaca City . APPO made a call to artists of Oaxaca to discuss the possible responses to the violence and oppressive actions from the police and military during their public demonstrations. Ever since ASARO has been partaking in one of the most prolific visual Resistance projects in the state of Oaxaca. ASARO believes that public art in all it’s diverse disciplines is a form of communication that allows a dialogue with all sectors of society and which makes possible the visualization of the real conditions of existence.ASARO states” We summon all the artists who authentically look for the social transformation to be united to ASARO, to extend our creative front of resistance and to approach the art in all the sectors of society. The creative capacity is a strategy that historically the city of Oaxaca has used, to survive and to revitalize themselves… We propose to initiate an artistic movement, where the aim is the direct bonding with people in the streets and in public spaces.

Speaking to the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council last Thursday, our area’s County Councilmember Jan Drago warned that the county is absolutely serious about shutting down the South Park Bridge this June – and said that demolition would start shortly afterward. No mention of the possible reprieve reported recently in the Seattle Times, if new test results showed it might be safe enough to stay open for a while, as the county continued searching for funding to build a replacement. Whatever the case, there’s no question that bridge is a lifeline for many people in this area, so tonight’s South Park Neighborhood Association meeting is of major interesting – it will include an official King County update on the status of the bridge. The meeting starts at 7 pm, South Park Neighborhood Center, 8201 10th Avenue S. (map).

From Shelli at White Center for the Arts – one week from tomorrow!:

Community Artist Meeting
Facilitated by White Center for the Arts
Tuesday, March 16th at 7:00 PM

Proletariat Pizza
9622-A 16th Ave SW, Seattle –
(206) 432-9765

Who is invited? Artists who live in and those who love the GREATER White Center Area/ Unincorporated King County, and a little bit outside that line. That means ALL artists. Music, dance, film, theatre, visual, 3-D, photography, written, mixed-media, young, old, in-between, student, emerging, established, etc.

What is this about? This is about continuing the conversation about art and it’s impact in White Center. About creating your opportunities. What do you want/need from your community in order to further your work/goals? What can you give to your community to help strengthen it? White Center for the Arts is opening the line of communication. This is not a formal, stuffy meeting, but the third meeting of many where your voice can be heard, where new connections can be created, and we can figure out how to best accommodate you, the artist, in our own neighborhood.

If you can, please RSVP so that we know how much pizza to order for you!

Shelli:
crimsonpark@whitecenterforthearts.org

One week from today, Democrats from around the 34th Legislative District – which includes White Center, West Seattle, Vashon Island, and parts of surrounding communities (map above is from Sen. Joe McDermott‘s website) – are invited to Mount View Elementary School in WC for the district caucus. In an e-mail announcement, Tim Nuse, chair of the 34th District Democrats, explains: “We will accomplish a number of responsibilities during our 2010 Caucus. We will elect 35 delegates and 18 alternates to the King County and Washington State Conventions, who will bring forward the issues and concerns of neighborhoods throughout the 34th District. We will develop our district platform, identifying and highlighting those issues and concerns in platform items and resolutions. And we will likely hear from candidates running for election this November. The Caucus is your chance to meet your Democratic colleagues old and new and weigh in on those issues and policies that are most important to you and your neighbors in the 34th District. Come share your voice and lend democracy a hand.” The caucuses start at 1 pm. Republicans in the 34th District, meantime, have their district caucus coming up at 9:15 am March 27 at Southwest Community Center in West Seattle (map).

Play (basket)ball! Tryouts are coming up next week for youth basketball teams at Salvation Army Community Center (9020 16th SW) that play in an AAU League. Here’s the announcement from Rino:

We will be holding open tryouts for players looking for teams

4th, 5th, and 6th Grade
Tuesday March 9th – 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Thursday March 11th – 5:30 to 7:00pm

7th and 8th Grade
Tuesday March 9th – 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Thursday March 11th – 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Tryouts will be held at
Salvation Army CC
9020 16th ave SW
Seattle WA 98146

For more information contact Sean or Charles (206) 767-3150 ext 113