White Center Now: The blog about White Center

I generally try not to dwell on the issue of crime in White Center because, on the whole, I think WC gets an undeserved bad rep on this issue.  The place has really cleaned up and there are now some very clean stretches where even petty vagrancy will not be found.  Such, however, is not the case for the three blocks of 15th Avenue SW just south or Roxbury.  Here you will find what White Center used to look like 15 years ago.  Vagrants, thugs, drug dealers and chronic alcoholics own these blocks.  On any given night (or day) you will see roving bands of miscreants plying their wares.  Whether it be the sale of black tar heroin, public drunkenness or just vagrants looking to rifle any car window left open.  I know the Sheriff’s Department considers this a high crime zone, as I have both talked to them and seen them on patrol.   More, however, needs to be done.

Looking south on 15th Ave. SW - DSHS Building to Left (google map)

The area suffers these problems because of some structural issues relating to lack of citizen surveillance.  The DSHS building that occupies the block just south of Bartells’ is an architectural crime against humanity.  The designers of the DSHS building (formerly a Safeways) should be indicted in the Criminal Cout at the Hague.  It seems no effort was spared to make this into an insult to the community.   The entrance to the building faces the parking lot and has no sight of anything on the street.  The back walls all face towards the community creating an architectural dead zone; precisely what you don’t want when trying to integrate into a neighborhood (and create public safety).   The hidden spaces created by the building provide sleeping spaces for the homeless and the vagrants.   And the dead zone allows all manner of activity to go undetected.

Looking further south on 15th Ave. SW

Few of the business in this area have street level views (shops that front sidewalks).  As such, the shop owners, even if they were inclined to keep on eye on matters, cannot see what is going on.  It does not help that many of the businesses are run by first generation immigrants, who have some level of distrust for the police.  As well, many are not accustomed to the concept of community policing.  All this adds up to a three block free-for-all for criminals and miscreants.   I will be adding pictures of some of these folks, including at least one who is registered sex offender, obviously using his “homeless” status to keep from registering.

Suffice it to say, that until this last stretch of bad seeds is cleaned up, White Center will continue labor under the unfortunate appellation of Rat City.

Just learned that three teenage kids went to a restaurant last night and tried to pass off a counterfeit $50 and a $20 as legitimate bills.  The cashier became suspicious when one of them tried to pay for a single drink with the $50.  Both bills were checked with the marker and proved to be fakes.  Be careful.

We covered the announcement this morning in North Delridge: Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light now both have the same criteria for low-income assistance – 70 percent of median income, which means about $53,000 right now for a family of four. If you are a customer of SCL and/or SPU, read all about the expanded assistance here; also see our coverage on partner site West Seattle Blog.

If you’re in the unincorporated side of White Center – make sure your pets are licensed, or else you may pay a price. That’s the bottom line on this news release from the county this morning:

King County will take a proven approach to enhancing pet licensing in
2009 with the introduction of a penalty for failing to license cats and
dogs. The $75 penalty is aimed at increasing the number of pet owners in
unincorporated King County who protect their pets with a license.
Penalties will begin to be issued on April 1st.

The introduction of a penalty for failing to license pets is modeled
after the successful City of Seattle program that increased pet
licensing after the agency instituted licensing fines. Owners of
unlicensed pets will first be offered the opportunity to purchase a
license before receiving a penalty. Those who refuse to license their
pet after this opportunity will be assessed a $75 penalty.

“The new penalty will get people’s attention but licensing your pet is
really about being a responsible pet owner,” said Carolyn Ableman,
Director of the Records and Licensing Services Division. “It is simply
a tool that will increase the chances that you will be reunited with
your dog or cat if it get lost by making sure animal control staff have
a record of how to reach you. We’re confident that this new penalty will
increase the number of pets in unincorporated King County that are
reunited with their owner, rather than housed and put up for adoption at
the county’s expense.”

There are many benefits that come with a King County pet license:

* The first time a licensed pet is found running loose, King
County will attempt to give it a free ride home.
* If a licensed pet ends up in a King County shelter, staff will
hold it for a longer period and make every effort to call or write the
owner to inform them that the pet is at the shelter and available for
pickup.
* Owners of licensed pets are eligible for the Vacation Pet Alert
program. You can alert King County when you are on vacation and provide
the number for your pet’s caretaker so that if your pet gets loose,
animal control staff can reach the right person in your absence.
* Your pet can be picked up at no charge at your home should you
need to release it to King County.
* You can use King County’s humane euthanasia service at no charge
if your pet ever needs the procedure.

In 2009, King County Pet License fees increased for the first time in
five years. The fee for a pet license for a spayed or neutered pet is
$30 per year. The licensing fee for an unaltered pet is $90 per year and
both must be renewed each year. Discounts are available for owners of
juvenile pets (under six months of age), and for senior citizens, who
are eligible to purchase a license for lifetime of each pet.

King County Animal Care and Control is striving to become completely
supported by pet license revenue and other fees, and not reliant on
general tax dollars. The agency is about three-quarters of the way
there.

Licenses can be purchased on-line, by mail, and at more than 100
convenient sales outlets in King County’s service area, including many
local QFC stores, local veterinarians, city halls, general licensing
locations, animal shelters, and King County community service centers.
For a complete list of pet license sales outlets or to purchase a pet
license on-line, please visit the King County Animal Care and Control
website at www.kingcounty.gov/pets.

The revenue from pet license sales supports King County’s animal care
and control program, providing shelter, adoption services, and medical
treatment for more than 12,000 cats and dogs that come through county
shelters each year. Licensing revenue also supports animal control
enforcement, and to bring those that abuse animals to justice through
the animal cruelty investigation program.

King County is building a model animal care and control program that
focuses on saving lives through proactive licensing education and
enforcement, enhanced pet adoption programs, and a stronger veterinary
medical program. Pet license sales provide the primary revenue source
needed for this important effort. In the last two years, King County has
used pet license revenue to make significant improvements to its animal
care program, lowering the euthanasia rate to 21 percent, making it one
of lowest in the country. Pet license revenue has also been used to
revamp King County’s animal cruelty investigations program, increasing
the number of cases sent to prosecutors by more then 300 percent.

From Tina, in a comment on our coverage of the last White Center Arts open house night:

They are doing it again! Open studio art tour, Saturday, March 21st, from 5pm to 10pm. There will be several local guest artists showing their art too.

9639 16th Ave SW
White Center for the Arts building

And as already reported here, Rat City Rummage plans an encore March 28.

That’s according to the announcement of King County road-construction work scheduled for the upcoming season.

UPDATE FROM ORIGINAL POST: The King County Council is on “furlough” this Friday, but the rest of county operations will be running as usual.

Snow showers are expected for much of the day (and the next few days, at this point). No bus/road trouble reported by King County yet; they’ve now added a blog-format website (see it here) and a Twitter account (@kcnews) for informal updates.

SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Snowing in White Center as of about 9 pm. Nothing big around the area so far, though North Seattle neighborhoods have even had thunder/lightning/hail tonight.

March 28th is now set as the second round of Rat City Rummage in White Center’s old skating rink. First one last weekend was a blast – as we showed you here (and as you can tell from Dina Johnson‘s photos on the Highland Park Action Committee site). RCR’s website says vendor spots are still open, so you can e-mail at ratcityrummage@hotmail.com.

This is an annual event that means your assistance for the White Center Food Bank (and West Seattle Food Bank too) goes farther than ever this month and next – read the announcement from WCFB’s Rick Jump:

$1 MILLION FEINSTEIN CHALLENGE TO BENEFIT LOCAL FOOD BANKS

March and April donations to White Center Food Bank and West Seattle Food Bank will qualify for Feinstein Challenge

The White Center Food Bank and West Seattle Food Bank are encouraging community members to make donations between March 1st and April 30th so they can receive additional funds from the Feinstein Foundation’s $1 Million Challenge.

For the past 12 years Rhode Island philanthropist, Alan Shawn Feinstein, has made $1 Million available to help anti-hunger agencies. For every cash and food donation received by the end of April the Feinstein Foundation will add a financial contribution.

“During these tough economic times local food banks are serving more families than ever. Many of them are first time visitors to a food bank,” said Rick Jump, executive director of the White Center Food Bank. “This increased demand for services is likely to continue over the next several months and we urgently need to support of the community to insure that we are able to provide nutritious meals to our neighbors in need,” said Jump.

For the White Center Food Bank, donations may be mailed to 10829 8th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98146. To make a donation online or for information about the White Center Food Bank’s programs benefited by the $1 Million Challenge, visit www.whitecenterfoodbank.org or contact Rick Jump at (206) 762-2848, or e-mail rjump_wcfb@yahoo.com.

For the West Seattle Food Bank, donations may be mailed to 3419 SW Morgan, Seattle, WA 98126. To make a donation online or for information about the West Seattle Food Bank’s programs benefited by the $1 Million Challenge, visit www.westseattlefoodbank.org or contact Fran Yeatts at (206) 932-9023, or e-mail wsfb@teleport.com.

Information about the Feinstein Foundation and the $1 Million Challenge, visit www.feinsteinfoundation.org

ORIGINAL WEDNESDAY REPORT: In the latest bulletin from the King County Public Health Department:

*Taqueria EL Rincon #1 located at 11066 16th Ave SW, Seattle* was closed by a Public Health food inspector on March 3, 2009 at 12:40 pm due to wastewater draining to the ground. The establishment will be reopened when all issues have been resolved

THURSDAY UPDATE: It’s open again, according to the KCPH website.

From Sgt. John Urquhart at King County Sheriff’s Office:

On March 3, 2009 at about 8.30 PM a home located in the 11000 block of 8th Ave S was invaded and robbed by three armed suspects. The suspects ransacked the house while holding the occupants at gunpoint. The preliminary investigation indicates the suspects were after money and drugs. They left in what was described as a tan newer Cadillac taking with them an undetermined amount of cash, 2 shotguns and other property. The suspects are described as a white male and 2 Hispanic males all in their mid to late twenties. They were wearing black stocking hats, black sweatshirts and dark jeans. The suspects were all armed with handguns.
Detectives are seeking the public’s assistance with any information that might assist them with their investigation.

The agenda for this Thursday night’s meeting of the North Highline UAC is available online, and includes:

7:30 p.m. Burien Deputy Mayor – Rose Clark – July 4, Parade

7:45 p.m. Code Enforcement – DenoBi Olegba & Randy Sandin

8:05 p.m. Old Business –
Meeting with Ron Sims – Heidi Johnson
Puget Sound Park – Heidi Johnson
Annexation Update
Abandoned Shopping Carts – Heidi Johnson
AIA – Heidi Johnson

The AIA is the alcohol-impact area proposal, which was discussed again at last Thursday’s White Center/South Delridge Community Safety Coalition meeting, though nothing major was resolved there – it continues to be a situation where each side of the city/county border has to develop a proposal and take it to their respective governing body for approval, for starters. From what was said at the CSC meeting, the county side seems to be further ahead at this point. Meantime, the Thursday night meeting is at 7 pm at North Highline Fire District HQ, and everyone’s welcome.

We told you a few days ago that the time, date, and location are all now set for the upcoming Youth Summit – and now, here’s the flyer for the event described as “An opportunity for young people to help create the future of the White Center/Boulevard Park Community.”

Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen has just told White Center Now that “improperly discarded smoking materials” were the cause of last night’s fire — ruled an accident — that damaged what Ricardo reports is a Muslim prayer hall (or “masjid” – see photo at bottom of this post) in the building on the alley immediately north of his building (home to Cafe Rozella and the Platinum salon). The fire started on/in a “vinyl couch,” she says – you’ll note the photos we took outside the building this morning include a badly burned couch.

Damage from the fire is estimated by SFD at $25,000.

(added 7:14 pm, photo by Tony Bradley, replacing our original iPhone photo)
We’ve been covering this on partner site West Seattle Blog. Nobody inside, nobody hurt, no major damage from the outside, but flames were briefly visible from inside. As of 7 pm, that block of Delridge was still blocked off, as was 17th SW between Delridge and Roxbury, so avoid the Triangle area for a while, though fire crews should clear before TOO long. MONDAY MORNING UPDATE: Our fellow White Center Now contributor Ricardo Guarnero at neighboring Cafe Rozella says the fire actually was in a Muslim prayer hall in this building. We are still awaiting word from Seattle Fire investigators regarding cause/damage. Ricardo adds that there’s a note on the door saying “MASJID is closed indefinitely,” and adds, “The sign is on the door where Muslims gathered to pray five times a day. Next door is the ‘Hope Academic Enrichment Center.’ Both were there for the Muslim community in White Center – mostly African immigrants from the horn of Africa.”

Come down and try Laughing Buddha’s newest creations paired with some Asian-influenced ice cream. Today at 3 pm, Full Tilt Ice Cream.

We just stopped by. Lots of vendors and shoppers. Amazing quirky stuff like an item we picked up – Hunter S. Thompson, stenciled onto an old vinyl disc (we looked at the back – Saturday Night Fever, the album – fitting in an odd way).

Adding a video interview with stencil artist Dave Ryan shortly. Rat City Rummage continues till 6 tonight in the old roller rink – you can enter from 16th SW. 11:35 AM UPDATE: Here’s that clip:

ADDED 9:53 PM: Thanks to Highland Park’s Dina Johnson for sharing this page full of photos of other artists and craftspeople who were on hand at Rat City Rummage.

It’s happening at the old roller rink – while the recent swap-meet attempt didn’t quite get off the ground, organizers say all the vendor spots are filled for today’s event, so there should be plenty to browse and buy: ratcityrummage.com

White Center resident, writer and historian, Ron Richardson has just penned a history of the building, most commonly known as the Southgate Roller Rink.  You may recall that Ron previously penned a detailed history of White Center. Both articles can be found at HistoryLink.org website which has a compendium of articles on Washington State history.   The Roller Rink originally started as a boxing gym and, in fact, produced some nationally ranked boxers, including Harry “The Kid” Mathews who went on to fight Rocky Marciano at Yankee Stadium.  To wit some excerpts from Ron Richardson’s excellent and well-researched piece.

The Southgate Roller Rink (now Southgate Event Center) is located in the center of White Center (at 9646 17th Ave SW), a neighborhood of South Seattle. It was originally built by Hiram Green (1863-1932) in 1920 as a boxing arena. From 1937 for the next 70 years it became a roller rink, most recently famous for hosting the Rat City Roller Girls.

snip

Green and his arena established a connection between boxing and White Center.   A regular fighter at the arena was young Al Hostak (1916-2006) from Georgetown.  Over the years Hostak trained, boxed, and tended bar in White Center. In 1939 Hostak won the middleweight championship of the world against Tacoma’s Freddy Steele in front of  30,000 at Seattle’s Civic Field. White Center resident Harry “The Kid” Matthews (1922-2003) kept White Center on the boxing map into the 1950s.  Harry turned pro at the age of 15, hence the nickname “The Kid.” He fought former middle weight champion Al Hostak in two memorable fights, winning one and drawing the second.  Later in his career Matthews defeated Ezzard Charles (1921-1975), former world  heavyweight champion  After 20 years of boxing Matthews record was 87 wins, 7 draws and 7 losses out of 101 fights. His biggest fight was at Yankee stadium in 1952.  Matthews was knocked out by Rocky Marciano (1923-1969), future heavyweight champion of the world. This was a big disappointment, but no disgrace as no one ever did beat Marciano.

Rocky Marciano knocking out "The Kid" Mathews at Yankee Stadium

Hiram Green died in 1932. The Depression took down many an enterprise and boxing in White Center ws no exception. The building passed in to the hands of Green’s daughter, Ethel Green (b. 1909).  Ethel married William “Pop” Brown (d.1969).  William Brown had come from England to the United States during World War I. By 1934 the couple brought in dance bands to replace boxers and the building became a dance hall.

In 1937 Ethel, and ‘Pop’ Brown made a crucial and profitable decision.  They reopened the large hanger like building, calling it the Southgate Rollerdrome.  The name reflected a local attitude in that they considered White Center as the south gate to Seattle.  As it turned out, a large skating rink was the right idea at the right time and in the right place.  Generations of people recall the good times, friendships, skating instructions, and competitions.

And the story goes on to the present.  I invite readers to peruse the piece, as it is full of delightful anecdotes and trove of historical information.   Thanks Ron!