White Center Now: The blog about White Center

The annexation vote for part of North Highline is now less than three months away, and the open house that the City of Burien is presenting at Salmon Creek School tonight is the first one since the question was officially placed on the ballot. It’s from 6:30-8 pm; here are full details from the Burien website.

Two advocates for keeping Evergreen Pool open, veteran Cyril Miller and North Highline firefighter Ed Marrs, are pleading their case with King County Council leaders today, according to this seattletimes.com story, which says they’ll be meeting with County Council Chair Dow Constantine and Councilmember Larry Phillips this afternoon. Evergreen Pool remains slated for shutdown after the end of next month unless either the county finds more money or a community coalition figures out how to take it over.

The Nature Consortium is working to restore the West Duwamish Greenbelt.  As part of their efforts, they are clearing Ivy, which is an invasive species that chokes and kills native vegetation.  This Thursday is the Nature Consortium’s second official foray (first Thursday!) into the Greenbelt to start tackling the Ivy.  Per, organizer Kathleen Dowd-Gailey, “We made great progress on the Saturday event two weeks ago and cleared almost an acre of ivy and made 12 ivy rings on some great big trees! Good stuff!  Since this will be a separate event, not piggybacking on a regularly scheduled Nature Consortium event, I need to know for sure how many people will be able to make it. Please RSVP to me by Wednesday at noon so I can confirm with Nature Consortium staff. I will send out directions to those who can make it after I get your RSVP.”

Contact Kathleen at:  kdowdgailey@gmail.com

Check out the new logo at jubileedays.org – and they’ve even started a Twitter account.

Dig these cool binister designs by Kim McCarthy.

Kim at work

Congratulations to the Evergreen High School soccer team, which is in the state tournament after beating the Capital Cougars in Olympia on Saturday. The Tacoma News-Tribune has details. First tournament game: Tuesday vs. Shorecrest.

Reporter Kathy Mulady covered the Town Hall held by State Sen. Joe McDermott (photo left), Rep. Eileen Cody and Rep. Sharon Nelson for us – you can see her story and more photos at partner site West Seattle Blog.

Thanks to James Bush from the office of King County Council Chair Dow Constantine for sharing photos from today’s big White Center Cleanup – we also have a reporter covering the cleanup and legislative Town Hall on behalf of White Center Now and West Seattle Blog and will have more later. Above, that’s Constantine welcoming the group just after 9 this morning; next two photos, 34th District Democrats reps hit the street, followed by Constantine pulling weeds:

If you have photos, we’d love to add yours too – whitecenternow@gmail.com – thanks!

Even if you didn’t make the registration deadline, you can still show up tomorrow and pitch in.

Just in from Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Office:

A Sheriff’s deputy was injured about 2:15 AM this morning (May 15th) when his police car went off the road, down an embankment and struck a tree.

The deputy was headed to an in-progress burglary in the White Center area. At the time of the accident he was northbound on Des Moines Memorial Drive in the 10000 block. The roadway was closed until about 9:00 AM.

The deputy, age 30, has been with the Sheriff’s Office for just over 1½ years. He is assigned to the City of Burien.

When the deputy’s car went off the roadway it took down a part of the cyclone fence along the edge of the sidewalk. One of the fence rails went through the vehicle windshield and impaled the shoulder harness the deputy was wearing. The harness ended up around the deputy’s neck and he was unconscious when found.

Three residents of the neighborhood ran to the accident after hearing the crash, and a passing deputy in route to the same White Center call stopped. They were able to pull out the smashed windshield and pole, likely saving the life of the deputy.

It took the fire department about ½ hour to extradite the deputy from his vehicle, and they had to cut off the top of the car to do so. He was taken to Harborview Hospital and is in serious but stable condition.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Once again, it is time for the
White Center for the Arts Open Studio Tour

This coming Saturday, May 16th, 2009 5 PM until 10 PM

Please join us as we present eight artists’ new work.
A wine and cheese event.

White Center for the Arts Building
9639 16th Ave SW
White Center, WA

206-306-6230 for additional information

www.whitecenterforthearts.org

Just announced tonight after the “blue ribbon panel” met to consider the four candidates. Here’s more at WSB.

We’re at the 34th District Democrats’ meeting tonight on behalf of White Center Now and partner site West Seattle Blog. Most WC-specific item so far – members have voted unanimously for a resolution opposing the county’s plan to shut down Evergreen Pool. (We’ll be checking with King County Council Chair Dow Constantine‘s office for the closure plan’s status.)

Just our day for pictures.  The stalls, which house, the SPD horses are actually just east of White Center.  But it’s rare that they do patrols around White Center.  This one’s a beauty.

SPD patrol on horse

SPD horse on patrol in front of Cafe Rozella

Ok, so yesterday, it was two mallards nesting in the middle of an alley.  Today, it’s a young racoon running across the front of Cafe Rozella and climbing next to one of the maples next to the cafe.  Gives a new connotation to “wildlife in White Center.”

scared racoon in maple next to Cafe Rozella

Two more upcoming events to share with you!

Once again, it is time for the White Center for the Arts Open Studio Tour
This coming Saturday, May 16th, 2009 5 PM until 10 PM

Please join us as we present eight artists’ new work.
A wine and cheese event.

White Center for the Arts Building
9639 16th Ave SW
White Center, WA

206-306-6230 for additional information

www.whitecenterforthearts.org

And looking further down the road —

Evergreen High School’s Class of 79
30 year reunion
Saturday, August 8th, 7 pm
Rainier Golf and Country Club
$60 per person

RSVP by July 1st.
email: evergreenclassof79@yahoo.com for details.

Just in from King County Council:

Proposed annexation by Burien of southern portion of
North Highline placed on August ballot

Residents of unincorporated urban community to decide if they want to join city

Residents of unincorporated King County who live in the southern portion of the North Highline community will have a chance to decide if they want to join the city of Burien, after the King County Council today placed an annexation proposal on the August 18 primary ballot.

“This is a historic day for North Highline. We have discussed and debated governance issues for this area since I joined this Council in 2002 and we will finally have the opportunity for the voters to weigh in,” said Council Chair Dow Constantine, sponsor of the legislation and representative of Council District Eight, which includes all of North Highline. “This proposal is the product of a lot of hard work by the city of Burien, the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, King County, and many citizens in the annexation area.”

The Burien annexation proposal has been approved by the Washington State Boundary Review Board of King County, and negotiations have been completed regarding the continued provision of fire protection services in the area.

The proposed annexation area is bordered by the city of Seattle on the west, South and Southwest 128th streets on the south, the city of Tukwila on the east, and on the north by a boundary variously formed by South and Southwest 107th to 116th streets. It contains 1,679 acres of land with an assessed valuation of $1.16 billion and an estimated population of 14,100.

This ordinance instructs the King County Director of Elections to prepare and distribute a local voters’ pamphlet with information about the annexation proposal to registered voters in the affected portion of North Highline.

There’s the big cleanup next Saturday – the legislative town hall – and this too:

Join us for a walking audit of White Center!

As a part of the White Center Spring Clean, Feet First will take a walk with members of the community to explore the neighborhood and look at it through different eyes.

The Walking Audit will help residents identify:

* What do you like about your neighborhood.
* What are some areas of concern.
* Ideas and recommendations for changes.

When: Saturday, May 16th, 10am-12pm

Where: 1615 SW Cambridge Street [map]

For more information or to register to take part in the walk, contact Feet First by e-mailing: info@feetfirst.info or calling 652-2310.

This walking audit has been coordinated by the White Center and will be led by Feet First. Feet First is a non-profit organization promoting walkable communities.

The information from the White Center Walking Audit will be compiled and presented by Feet First in a formal report to the King County Food & Fitness Initiative as a part of the plan being developed for a Kellogg Foundation grant.