Come down and have yourself a freaky St. Valentine’s Day.

Just received the new North Highline Unincorporated Area Council newsletter from Heidi Johnson. It’s not on the NHUAC website yet but we’ve uploaded it here so you can read it if you’re not on the mailing list. Among its articles: Alerts about the future of Evergreen Pool and some of the King County parkland that’s been under discussion lately (we have a followup on that in the works). Read the newsletter here. (The council’s next meeting – everybody welcome – is March 5, 7 pm, North Highline Fire District HQ.)

There is just something about the word Brunch that I detest. Part of it is the need to take two words, that are just fine on their own, and smoosh them together to form a new word when either of the old words would have worked just fine. It also strikes me as some pretentious activity taken up by the country club set after a rousing round of golf. I love breakfast, one of my favorite meals of the day really. Lunch is normally my first actual meal of the day, since I tend to sleep in a little later than I should and I end up running out of the house snacking on a piece of dry bread. With those criteria, one would think that I would love brunch. I like the concept, just not the name.

The name normally brings on a big fuss over something that should be very simple. Breakfast should be simple. Pancakes. That is a breakfast. Eggs, potatoes, some sort of fried pork and toast. That is breakfast. Simple, easy breakfast. Brunch is something like this: “Bob’s Red Mill “mighty tasty” hot cereal vanilla-pear compote, Bellwether Farms fromage blanc, crunchy pecans $10”. That is really just freakin oatmeal with cream and nuts, but with the “brunch” tag on it, it is some how now worth TEN DOLLARS. You could buy an entire silo of rolled oats for ten dollars. Yesterday morning I had a four-egg omelet, with cheese and bacon, a side of pancakes, and hash browns for $6.75. Sure, I did not get to eat that in Belltown. There you pay for the view. Like watching a junkie nod off on a bus bench on 3^rd Ave. No, I had that breakfast at Young’s.

Young’s is a family owned dinner on 16^th just north of Roxbury. It is the kind of place that brings you the newspaper after the last guy was done reading it. The waitresses will know your name after you have been in there a couple of times. Omelets are less then eight bucks, and the booths are comfy. They also serve Chinese food, that I have never tried. Own of the daughters told me that when they opened 35 years ago, they just did Chinese food, and some one suggested that they try breakfast. They moved into a bigger spot a few doors down, and thought they would give breakfast a try to pay for the bigger space. Mr. Young did something right, because he is turning out the best breakfast plates in town. Huge. Low on the grease, and simple. Breakfast does not get better than this. Brunch might try. but this is the pinnacle of breakfast.

Young’s 

9413 16th Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98106
(206) 762-3438

Tues-Sat 8 am-5 pm, Sun 8 am-3 pm CLOSED MONDAYS. Cause Monday is starve White Center day.

From Aviva at Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle:

Community Harvest of SW Seattle in partnership with the White Center Food Bank will be removing some grasses and other ornamentals to make room for a food garden. This demonstration garden, designed by a SSCC horticulture student, will have sections for traditional Asian greens, square foot gardening, northwest berries, and containers. The intention of this garden is to inspire and educate on the possibilities for growing food, even in limited spaces.

Seattleworks volunteers will be digging up existing landscaping on February 21st, and we would like to offer some of these lovely grasses and bushes in exchange for compost (or $$ to buy compost!) All donations of time or money will be happily accepted and will go toward this project and other projects which encourage food growing amongst low-income residents of West Seattle and White Center.

Contact: info@gleanit.org

That’s just one of the cheery groups that joined in the WestSide Baby annual fundraising Valentine Tea this past weekend at South Seattle Community College. As reported earlier this afternoon on partner site West Seattle Blog (see the story here), the event made WestSide Baby history – the first sellout crowd, and the biggest total ever: more than $70,000. Even if you didn’t make it to the tea, you can help WestSide Baby any time – just go here.

Just a reminder, most county facilities will close this Friday (February 13) because it’s the next “furlough” day as part of the King County budget money-saving process. Here’s the list of the few places that will be open.

Quick followup to our Monday coverage of the Seattle City Council vote against accepting the “memorandum of understanding” with Burien and two fire districts: We asked Burien city manager Mike Martin for comment, and he replied:

We’re focused on August 18, 2009, the day we expect to ask North Highline residents in our proposed annexation area whether they want to join the City of Burien. Everything else at this point is just a distraction.

Reminder, the next date in the annexation process is a Burien-sponsored open house tomorrow night (Thursday 2/12), Boulevard Park Library, 6:30-8 pm (more info here).

The temperatures are warming a bit and the snow that’s been falling most of the day is turning to rain. Here’s the latest forecast.

After a lively discussion which we’ll recap shortly, Seattle City Council members have just voted 8 to 1 NOT to endorse the “memorandum of understanding” with Burien and two fire districts, regarding allowing Burien first rights to annex part of North Highline, and Seattle first rights on the other. Council President Richard Conlin said repeatedly that he believes the agreement is “falling apart at the executive level” – we will be checking on that. More shortly. ADDED 3:30 PM: A few more details – read on (including a comment from the Seattle mayor’s office, added 5:17 pm): Read the rest of this entry »

Big changes ahead for the White Center/South Delridge Community Safety Coalition, and you might qualify to be part of them. Here’s a letter from its staff liaisons:

We are excited to be preparing to hold our first elections! As this is the first election, we are accepting nominations for the new Executive Committee until Thursday, February 19th, at 4:00 pm.

Read the rest of this entry »

Although descriptions of White Center often include the adjective, “gritty,” the reality is that the neighborhood has, in recent years, changed considerably.  Not long ago, prostitutes flaunted their wares throughout the area, drug markets operated openly, drunkards stumbled from tavern to tavern and ruffians roamed the area like extras in a Mad Max movie.  As Herb, the owner of Central Heating on Delridge, put it, the stretch from his business on Cambridge to Cafe Rozella was a freeway of drugs and prostitutes.  I, who have seen some rough neighborhoods, would not step out of my car on the stretch of 16th Ave south of Roxbury.  As far, as I was concerned, this was a no-man’s land of losers and predators.  I am not sure how the area became so blighted but part of the reason lies in its netherworld as a piece of unincorporated King County.  In many ways it was the lawless wild west.

White Center was changing before we decided to open Cafe Rozella in 2004.  King Country Sheriff’s Deputy, Steve Cox was well underway in his campaign to clean up the neighborhood.  The community had been up in arms against the criminal element for some time.

I grew up in the south side of El Paso, Texas, where biculturalism is a norm.  As well, there were some pretty rough areas and you had to hold your own in a fight.  So when Leiticia and I looked at White Center as a location for a traditional coffee house, one that would honor the best traditions of the European gathering place, we were not put off by the rich medley of cultures.  To the contary, we embraced the immigrant communities who were opening up markets, restaurants, Pho shops, fruit stands, taquerias and carnicerias.  This melange of people were in the process of changing the character of White Center.

In 2003, we scouted out a location for our cafe.  After much searching, we found a lovely gem of a building sitting unadorned in the heart of White Center.  We decided that the Rozella Building would be perfect for what we had in mind.  The Rozella Building was built by Italian immigrants and named after Patriarch’s daughters.  Good kharma there.

As we took possession and started the demolition before the build-out, we started to get a taste of the old White Center.  Every morning, as we got to work, we would find used condoms, needles, malt liquor cans, and other paraphernalia of the sordid in front of the building.  A resident of the apartments upstairs, told us that four people had died in the aparments in the last year, mostly from acute alchohol intoxication.  Doug, from Center Tool Rental informed us that his alarm went off so many times, he was getting sick of being fined by the police who often arrived after the miscreants had left.  At least two of the upstairs apartments were notorious drug dens and homes for alcoholic denizens looking for a place to pass out.  The laundry room was used by prostitutes to take care of their clients.  And the gangbangers regularly parked in front of the building, hip hop blasting, cold stares at my crew of workers.  Yes, this was going to be a project.

As patrons of the cafe know, we have an outdoor sidewalk cafe with tables and chairs.  Drunkards saw the outdoor cafe as just another place to squat while they downed their cans of malt liquor.  When you are as large as I am, it usually doesn’t take much convincing to get these guys to move on.  But occassionally, one would mouth off and refuse to leave.  I found it effective to grab their cans of liquor and squash them.  A couple of times they would lunge at me and I would push them into the cement.  This eventually discouraged vagrancy.

The prostitutes usually showed up on the weekends.  I would take out my digital camera and say, “hey, how’d you like to be on the web?”  The pictures were emailed to the Sheriff.

The gangbangers were a little more difficult.  Lucky for us, Deputy Cox was quick to respond with a couple of extra deputies.  “Ricardo, you want me to move these guys out?” he would ask.  But by this point, the sight of three patrol cars was enough to scatter them like roaches in light.

More pernicious still were the dealers upstairs.  They had a good gig going and they were not about to let it go — easily.  I shot pictures of their customers, and of the dealers and passed them along to Steve Cox.  Still, these guys were obstinate.  Even friendly visits by Cox and his deputies would not convince them to shut down. One of them was especially mean and violent and he not only threatened me but also that big rock of a man Steve Cox.  Weed and Seed folks talked to the landlord and finally convinced him to start removal actions.  The landlord would invariably ask me to serve the legal papers as he was too frightened to do it himself.  A couple of times, Deputy Cox and his deputies had me go do a knock, as they searched for cons with outstanding warrants.  It was a rush.

During this time we had the support of the community, including Russell Parks, Betsy Harris, Peggy Weiss, Melinda Bloom and the weed and seed folks, amongst others.

But what really changed the course was the cultural events that we began to sponsor.  Shortly after opening, we had a Brazil night and a Mexican Independence Day celebration.  For the latter, we hired a wonderful conjunto band from South Park.  The place rocked. People were dancing outside of the cafe on a Friday and Saturday night.  Nobody had seen anything like this in White Center.  It was a blast.

During the summer we started having at least one weekly musical performance in front of the cafe.  Where once the place was littered with vagrants, prostitutes, drunks and dope dealers, we had families and children enjoying the music, frolicking and dancing under the stars.  Surprisingly, there was resistance from some of the old timers in the business community.  But the community loved it.  We followed up with poetry readings, a writers’ group, a conversation cafe and other cultural affairs.  Things changed and the continue to change.

From the preview of next Monday’s Seattle City Council slate, they’ll be considering the annexation Memorandum of Understanding at 2 pm. Here’s how it’s written up in the preview:

This resolution, if passed, expresses an agreement between the Council, the City of Burien, King County, and Fire Districts 2 and 11 to resolve various issues related to the potential annexation of the unincorporated North Highline area. Issues include the identification of areas for potential annexation; ensuring sufficient fire service to North Highline and surrounding neighborhoods such as Arbor Heights, North Burien and unincorporated areas in South Park; and, agreement by the parties to support state legislation that would enable Seattle to tap a state sales tax credit should it decide to annex the agreed area for Seattle.

If you have the Seattle Channel on cable, you can watch live on Channel 21; if not, you can watch live (or, later, archived) online at seattlechannel.org; or you’re of course welcome to attend the hearing in the Seattle Council Chambers at City Hall downtown.

By David Whelan
Reporting for White Center Now

For last night’s meeting of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, the main event was clearly the prospect of annexation.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here is the email that they are sending out. They are also going to be reopening the swap meet and calling it the Rat City Rummage.  They told me they have almost sold out of booths. If you want to get one, email ratcityrummage@hotmail.com

Join us for our first
Open Studio Art Tour
At The
White Center For The Arts Building
(The Big Skate Rink)
Feb 21st from 5:00-10:00pm
Located at:
9639 16th Ave SW
White Center • Seattle, WA
(Free Street Parking & Parking in the Back of Building,Entrance on 16th Ave in front of Building)

also

Rat City Rummage
Saturday, February 28th 10am to 6pm
www.ratcityrummage.com/
For a vending application and questions, please send email inquiry to ratcityrummage@hotmail.com
Please state if you need electricity and what type of goods you are selling and how many spaces you would like.
Vending is open to handmade arts and crafts, baked goods, non hand made goods such as household items, furniture, clothing, cd’s, bicycles, small electronics, dishware, etc, basically anything you want to sell that you can fit into your 10×10 space.

General information on the event:
$20.- for one 10×10 foot booth space
First come first serve, we have about 70 spaces available so this is a large event!
No entry fee or other “hidden” fee’s
Vendor set up at 8am take down no earlier than 6pm.
You or a booth sitter must stay until 6pm, no early take down
Event runs 10am to 6pm
Bring your own displays, plenty of change, tables, chairs, snacks and whatever else you may need for the day.
This is an indoor event, which is going to take place in the Skate Rink itself.
Wheel chair accessible and bathrooms on premise.
Location:
White Center For The Arts Building
(The Big Skate Rink)
Feb 21st from 5:00-10:00pm
Located at:
9639 16th Ave SW
White Center • Seattle, WA
(Free Street Parking & Parking in the Back of Building, Entrance on 16th ave in Front) White Center for the Arts is a group of six artists with diverse backgrounds who have come together to form a non-profit organization focused on supporting the arts in White Center. Our desire is to offer space where local artists can show their work, and to provide a place to learn learn about art. We want to provide classes to young and old in many media, bringing out the rich diversity of culture that can be found in White Center. And we want to have fun!

A lot of people are familiar with the Hom Bow. A baked bun stuffed with veggies or often curried ground beef. They are tasty, but a far inferior cousin to the Bahn Bao.

The Bahn Bao is about the size of a softball. Inside that is a meatball about the side of a baseball, and inside that is an egg and sliced sausage. I know this sounds like a gut bomb, but it is not. For some reason it is actually rather light. Virtually no grease.

There are a few places in the area to get these, but the only place worth going is Haung Xua, The White Center Deli. This place is also great for sandwiches and rice desserts. Actually by far the best Bahn Mi sandwich in the area. I’ll save that debate for another time.

9629 16th Ave Sw (9 am till 6 pm) right next to Full Tilt. They normally run out way before six.

Bellow is a drawing that one of Ann’s students, Savendra, did of the famed Bahn bao.

7 pm at the North Highline Fire District HQ (map) as usual, the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meets, and you’re invited. Items on the agenda (see it here) include elections and annexation.

Reminder that United Way is offering two locations to get tax help, free, if you meet income and other criteria – read all about it here – then note these two locations:

White Center:
Salvation Army Community Center
9050 16th Ave SW
Tuesdays and Wednesdays: 5 PM – 9 PM
Saturdays: 9 AM – 1 PM
This site has Spanish translators

White Center Assembly
10237 16th Ave SW
Thursdays: 5 PM – 9 PM
Saturdays: 11 AM – 3 PM
This site has Samoan translators

Since this was an all-mail election, the votes won’t all be counted for days – some just got mailed today/tonight. But the “final election night count” is in, for the King County Elections Director race, and so far Sherril Huff, who holds the job now, is way out in front: Huff has 44% of the vote, to 19% for David Irons, and 17% for Pam Roach. See the full results here; another vote count will be announced tomorrow.

Part of the North Highline annexation process just moved forward with votes during tonight’s Burien City Council meeting: Burien councilmembers first authorized the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with Seattle and other parties, by a 4-1 vote tonight (the “no” vote was from Councilmember Lucy Krakowiak, who says she thinks the annexation area, with 14,000 people, is too big, and she would rather start with 10,000). Second, they approved a resolution that will send the proposed Burien annexation to residents for them to approve or reject in an upcoming election, by the same vote. Next steps, according to city manager Mike Martin, would be to take the issue, with the proposed boundaries to which the parties agreed, to the county/state-run Boundary Review Board. And Seattle city leaders have to decide their next steps — whether they will pursue annexing the rest of the North Highline area (the Memorandum of Understanding with Burien and the other parties does not require them to). Then, there’s the initiative that former Burien councilmember Stephen Lamphear is pursuing, seeking to cancel the deal between Burien and Seattle – he thinks the North Highline area should be annexed intact, and should be annexed by Burien; initiative petitions will be circulated. Also, as councilmembers were reminded tonight, an annexation open house is planned for February 12th in Boulevard Park.

Just announced this morning, King County Executive Ron Sims has been nominated to become a deputy secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Detailed coverage, including comments from White Center’s King County Councilmember (and council chair) Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, on our partner site West Seattle Blog.