White Center Now: The blog about White Center

We’re still not back to the safety level that would enable donation drives at fire stations, so here’s how you can support firefighters’ gift-giving for area families:

It’s that easy!

Thanks to Gill Loring for the photos – he reports the White Center Library Guild‘s Holiday Bazaar last Friday and Sunday was a success!!

Among the shoppers, Gill reports, was someone buying things to help Ukrainian refugees this holiday season.

Shoppers ranged widely in age.

And if you wonder what that room at the library looks like post-bazaar – here’s the scene after the cleanup on Monday.

The White Center Library Guild is an all-volunteer group, and its work supports programming at the library.

From the White Center Pride Committee and Community School of West Seattle – you’re invited to Pride Family Story Time:

White Center Library
Sunday, December 4th, 2022
11:30 am

White Center Pride invites you and the whole family to an enchanting story time at the White Center Library. With uplifting stories, songs, and surprises, your family won’t want to miss out on the fun. Our reader for the event is Sarey Savy.

Seating is limited to 50 people so please reserve your free spots at:
kcls.bibliocommons.com/events/63600c2daf46f12800633d8b

The event is suitable for kids newborn to age 8+. Reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities is available by request. Email access@kcls.org at least seven days before the event.

The White Center Library is located at 1409 SW 107th Street. The library phone number is 206-243-0233.

For more information please email info@whitecenterpride.org. We can’t wait to see all your proud, smiling faces on December 4th.

12:21 AM: Firefighters are at what was described initially as a vehicle fire at a location on 15th SW near 106th listed on the fire lot as SK Used Cars. 15th is also blocked in the area right now as a result. We haven’t heard any detailed updates but they were calling for a fire investigator.

(WCN photo)

12:30 PM: We went by the scene a short time ago. Fire damage was in evidence, mostly involving the car in our photo above.

From a martini-themed plate to a cuddly plush octopus …

… gift ideas for all ages can be found at the White Center Library Guild‘s Holiday Bazaar and Book Sale, in its first of two days at the library 1409 SW 107th) until 4 pm. Lots of holiday stuff too:

If you don’t get to the library today, the bazaar’s second day will be on Sunday (the library’s closed Saturday), 11 am-3 pm. Proceeds help library programs.

A 45-year-old woman is charged with reckless burning in the September 28th fire outside Smoke Town in downtown White Center. Documents filed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office allege Evie M. Hell is the person shown in security images (including the one above) as burning cardboard grew into a fire that damaged the front of the shop. When the images were circulated, at least one King County Sheriff’s Deputy recognized Hell, saying he had seen her earlier in the evening wearing the same clothes as shown in the images. The images show the person walking away as the fire continued to grow; bystanders kept it from raging out of control before firefighters arrived. According to the charging documents, Hell has an extensive criminal history; jail records show that she spent nine days in jail in February and four weeks in jail in July and August, both in connection with burglary charges. There was already a warrant for her arrest at the time of the fire; she was arrested in late October and charged with the Smoke Town fire days later. She remains in the Regional Justice Center in lieu of $40,000 bail.

2:29 PM: Deputies and medics are responding to the 9900 block of 15th SW to investigate a shooting, They’ve found one person who has at least two gunshot wounds, A “gold sedan” might be involved. 15th SW is being blocked off. More to come.

2:56 PM: The victim was reported to be conscious. Our crew at the scene says it appears to the shooting happened right outside Hung Long Market.

The response, meantime, has led to reroute advisories for Metro Route 120.

3:29 PM: Southbound 15th has reopened.

3:48 PM: And now northbound too. As for additional information about the shooting circumstances, deputies and detectives at the scene would not comment, so we have questions out to the department’s media-relations office.

5:52 PM: KCSO will tell us only that the victim’s injuries are not life-threatening, and that no one is in custody.

Time to start holiday-season shopping! Next Friday and Sunday (November 18 and 20), the White Center Library Guild can help – with the Holiday Bazaar and Book Sale:

The library is at 1409 SW 107th.

After the first round of King County general-election results, here’s where local races/measures of note stand:

HIGHLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPOSITION 1 (bonds for school projects including Evergreen HS rebuild)
Approve 66%
Reject 34%

34TH DISTRICT STATE SENATE
Joe Nguyen* (D) 85%
John Potter (R) 15%

34TH DISTRICT STATE HOUSE POSITION 1
Emily Alvarado (D) 69%
Leah Griffin (D) 30%

34TH DISTRICT STATE HOUSE POSITION 2
Joe Fitzgibbon* (D) 82%
Andrew Pilloud (R) 18%

KING COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT 1 (county election-date change)
Yes 69%
No 31%

KING COUNTY PROPOSITION 1 (Conservation Futures levy)
Approve 68%
Reject 32%

The second King County ballot count is expected around 4 pm today (Wednesday).

This is (re)opening night for the Lumber Yard Bar at its new location, 9630 16th SW, 16 months after the fire that gutted its original location and neighboring businesses. Posted hours are 4 pm to midnight Mondays-Thursdays, 4 pm-2 am Fridays, 2 pm-2 am Saturdays, and noon-midnight Sundays.

If you haven’t returned your ballot yet, you’re running out of time. You need to either get it into USPS mail ASAP, so that it’s postmarked by Tuesday, or get it into a King County Elections dropbox by 8 pm (sharp!) Tuesday night – White Center has one, outside the library (1409 SW 107th).

One big local issue on the ballot is the Highline Public Schools bond measure, Proposition 1. It would raise half a billion dollars for projects including a new Evergreen High School.

Also big: An open seat in our area’s state legislative delegation. Rep. Eileen Cody is retiring; Emily Alvarado and Leah Griffin are the two finalists for Cody’s seat, 34th Legislative District House Position 1. Here are video interviews we published recently on partner site West Seattle Blog – first video below is Griffin, second is Alvarado:

Griffin and Alvarado also were at last month’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting; here’s our report.

The ballot also includes a King County charter amendment that would change elections, moving County Executive, County Councilmembers, County Assessor, and Elections Director to even-numbered years. Plus there’s a King County levy proposal, the Conservation Futures Levy.

Besides those issues, the ballot includes U.S. House, U.S. Senate, two other 34th Legislative District races, Secretary of State, King County Prosecutor, and 17 judicial positions, only two of which are contested. Two state advisory measures are on the ballot too. Not registered to vote but eligible? You can still do that in person Monday or Tuesday. But if you are already registered and waiting to fill out your ballot, don’t wait any longer!

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

Here’s what happened at tonight’s monthly meeting of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, held online:

CRIME STATS/TRENDS: Community Deputy Bill Kennamer spoke of some “pretty ugly crime trends.” Robberies totaled 40 this time last year, 72 so far this year – “an 80 percent increase – definitely a problem.” Weapons violations are up 65 percent. “Simple assaults” (lower level of injury) are up 40 percent – from 162 to 229. Drug offenses are up 110 percent – “we are seeing less and less hypodermic needle action, but an absolute ton of fentanyl smoking going on.” He believe that’s the reason for an increase in overdoses. If you have family or friends who use drugs, get Narcan just in case. “It works. … it keeps people alive.” He said there’s “some good news on the drug front” – a special-emphasis team in the precinct did a raid yesterday that got $5.5 million in drugs off the street. He couldn’t say where but the raid was executed by “precinct-level detectives.” Deputy Kennamer said today’s garage fire was in a garage used as a residence by the adult son of the adjacent homeowner. The resident went to the hospital with smoke inhalation (that’s an update from our earlier coverage). Asked about staffing, Deputy Kennamer said what’s happening now is “a staffing crisis.” They have the openings and the funding, both Kennamer and King County Councilmember Joe McDermott agreed, they just don’t have the people applying and training to fill them.

COUNCILMEMBER McDERMOTT: He’s budget chair this year. The first vote on the proposed “striking amendment” – which will go public tomorrow, with councilmembers’ proposed changes to King County Executive Dow Constantine‘s budget proposal – is planned one week from today. First, per the previous discussion, he wanted to emphasize that King County “has NOT defunded the police.” The alternative programs it has supported/will supported are in addition to law enforcement, not instead of. “We’re doing innovative things, responding to some issues (for alternative public safety),” but not proposing cuts in law enforcement. The proposed two-year budget was almost %16 billion, he said. That includes revenues collected for a specific purpose that must be spent for a specific purpose. Property tax revenue is limited to a 1 percent increase year by year, but “even in a good year” expenses go up more than one percent, so there’s what they call “a structural gap.”

His budget priorities in general include: public safety, law-enforcement oversight, rider experience in transit, firearm safety, promoting helmet use, supporting the White Center Food Bank as it moves to its new location, affordable-housing investments, more money for participatory budgeting, Narcan availability, and more. Public comment can be given in-person or online at next Thursday’s budget meeting; the budget then goes to the full council on November 15th.

In Q&A, clarification was requested on the 1 percent cap. It’s the maximum percentage by which county revenue can go up – so just because your valuation goes up X percent doesn’t mean what you owe will go up that much – it’s a cap on what the county can collect. Why does the county rely so heavily on property taxes? McDermott explained that property and sales taxes are the main sources approved by the Legislature – even cities have more options for raising revenue. Subsequent discussion involved how much revenue was and wasn’t being spent on/in North Highline – there’s no specific breakdown by geography within the county budget, said McDermott. He also reminded everyone that while the county collects property taxes, it’s just the treasurer – only a fraction of what you pay actually goes to King County.

On other topics: Councilmember McDermott had an update on the Subarea Plan; legislation won committee approval in July, and a full-council public hearing will be at 1 pm November 22nd – online or in-person – and you can comment via email too: CouncilCompPlan@kingcounty.gov. He talked about some refinements that are being proposed. NHUAC’s Barbara Dobkin asked about inclusionary zoning and whether it was really right for North Highline – something Seattle’s been doing for several years – and McDermott said it should lead to a greater variety of housing availability. NHUAC’s Liz Giba voiced concern that the Subarea Plan documentation had only recently appeared online but had been otherwise in existence for months. She read some criticism attributed to the White Center Community Development Association saying the process had been inadequate. Giba suggested any decisionmaking be delayed, and more outreach be done. Dobkin also alleged that the WCCDA itself didn’t reach out to all parts of the community. Permitting division head Jim Chan jumped in to say that inclusionary zoning is meant to be anti-displacement, not to lower taxes for some so others pay more. If all housing that was built was market-rate, people will be displaced. Also, he said, the Comprehensive Plan will have an Environmental Impact, and that will cover the Subarea Plan as well. Giba asked the question, is there no chance the Subarea Plan might lead to more tax-exempt housing in North Highline? McDermott said no, he couldn’t say that.

MICROHOUSING DEMONSTRATION: David Neiman Architects won an RFP process for this and plans to submit a permit application within a few weeks; a pre-application meeting already has been held. They’re asking the county how flexible it will be on a variety of standards. They need to justify anything that would deviate from code, Chan says they were told. One deviation they’ll propose: No parking for the units, Chan said. Dobkin voiced concern about more tree loss contributing to warmer temperatures. McDermott reiterated that they authorized one project to be built in a certain area – just one. He also said he’s proposing an update to the Urban Unincorporated Tree Code, as an offshoot of concerns voiced earlier this year about tree removal on lots where homes are being built. The site under consideration is 16th/102nd, Giba noted – 1619 SW 102nd, per the county website.

HOOKAH LOUNGE: A permit application to remedy a violation was submitted last week and will be reviewed, Chan said. Is the building safe? asked Giba. An enforcement person has, Chan said, and he affirmed that all safety concerns were investigated and nothing of note was found.

FORMER TARADISE CAFE: They did a walkthrough with an inspector two weeks ago, Chan said. “They still have some work they need to do with Labor and Industries – electrical – and Health,” he said, adding that the inspector advised them that more permits may be required “if they expand any further,” and electrical work/fire safety issues were discussed.

WHY NO IN-PERSON MEETINGS YET? Dobkin said they just can’t find a space, though they hope to have some sort of gathering in December somewhere.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: White Center Kiwanis is selling nuts again this year – if interested, call Scott at 206-465-9432.

The new Lumber Yard Bar location in downtown White Center hasn’t opened for business yet but it’s hosted community events including the chance for people to get vaccinated against monkeypox, and another opportunity is coming up this Sunday. Public Health – Seattle & King County says the shots will be available free to those eligible (check eligibility here) noon-4 pm Sunday (November 6th). They say limited walk-ups will be available but they’d rather you sign up in advance – just one problem, they haven’t provided the correct registration link yet, and we can’t find it anywhere. As soon as we have it, we’ll add it here, but we wanted to let you know about the announcement for starters. Lumber Yard is at 9630 16th SW. (Update: This is the correct link, even though the eventual landing page says COVID rather than monkeypox.)

3:38 PM: In case you saw the smoke and/or heard the sirens, there’s a big fire response right now at a home near 28th/110th. It was first reported as a garage fire but then grew, and the callout size was increased. Streets are shut down in the area, so stay clear for a while.

4:20 PM: That photo is from someone who was in the area in the early stage of the fire. Our crew is at the scene and tells us it is mostly out now. Nobody was hurt; the fire was confined to the detached garage, firefighters tell us. The initial report, as we heard on the scanner, came in from deputies who were in the area.

5 PM: Here’s the garage, post-fire:

7:16 PM: At tonight’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting, Deputy Bill Kennamer said the garage is used as a residence and the man who lives there was taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation.

The White Center Teen Program wants to get the word out about this online – or in-person – career exploration this Thursday!

Virtual Aerospace Job Launch for ages 16 – 24 is coming up on Thursday, November 3rd from 3-4:30 pm.

The Fall Job Launch Program features Pathways to Aerospace including aerospace jobs, employers, and free/low-cost training programs to launch a career in aerospace. Ages 16 – 24 are encouraged to join virtually through Zoom or in person at the White Center Teen Program on Thursday, November 3, 2022 from 3 pm-4:30 pm.

Participating Employers and Programs include SEKISUI Aerospace, Pioneer Industries, AJAC Aerospace Joint Apprenticeships, & Renton Technical College. Partner Agencies include King County Parks White Center Teen Program, Pioneer Human Services, Southwest Youth and family Services, the YWCA, Job Source, and Communities of Opportunity.

In=person viewing party hosted at the White Center Teen Program at Steve Cox Memorial Park at 1321 SW 102nd St. More details are available at joblaunchaerospace.eventbrite.com

If you live, work, study, and/or play in White Center and/or vicinity, the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council is your community council. The next info-packed meeting is this Thursday – here’s the announcement:

The Opportunity to Be Informed, Be Involved and Be Heard!

Where? North Highline Unincorporated Area Council Meeting

When? Thursday, November 3, 2022, at 7 pm

Join Zoom Meeting:
us02web.zoom.us/j/83376874452?pwd=Z3JEMUYxQXM3WFN0d1N1aGVtdGZCQT09

Meeting ID: 833 7687 4452
Passcode: NHUAC2022 (Case Sensitive)

Unable to join via Zoom? Please call 253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 833 7687 4452
Passcode: 742851493

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human-beings.” -Nelson Mandela

King County Department of Public Health recently released its updated City Health Profile Report. The report includes demographics, social and health indicators for 48 King County cities and communities. The report’s data confirms that the North Highline/White Center community struggles with poverty, segregation, and their ramifications. City health profiles – King County

What can be done to improve the health and opportunity in our neighborhood? The job of planning belongs to our King County government. Joe McDermott, our representative on the King County Council, will be joining NHUAC’s November 3rd meeting to update us on a variety of proposals and issues facing the North Highline/White Center community. They include the Proposed North Highline Subarea Plan, King County’s Proposed 2023-2024 Budget, and the White Center Microhousing Demonstration Project, which was approved by the King County Council over 2 years ago. How will these plans and projects improve life in our neighborhood?

We have also asked Jim Chan, King County’s Division Director for Permitting, to provide updates on the Microhousing Demonstration Project, the hookah lounge, and other buildings in the area and the effect of the upcoming budget on hiring in the Department of Permitting.

Our Community Deputy Bill Kennamer will also join us with an update from the Sheriff’s Office.

Knowledge is power.

Learn, share, and help make North Highline a healthier community.

November 3, 2022 at 7 pm – Invite Your Neighbors!

Tons of fun about to begin – here’s the announcement:

The White Center Teen Program is thrilled to welcome families back to Steve Cox Memorial Park for our annual Halloween Carnival! This year the festivities return outdoors and families can stroll thru the park to participate in FREE interactive games and other Fall inspired activities. In addition to the Carnival, families and teens are also invited to join us in person or on zoom the week prior to participate in a series of Spooky Town related programs.

This year’s festivities are sponsored by the Teens and Staff of the White Center Teen Program. The WCTP offers free recreational, educational and social enrichment programming to youth ages 12-19 between Tuesday – Saturday from 3-8 pm. WC Teen Program participants are volunteering in person and remotely during the month of October to help create the carnival games, arts and crafts giveaways, and park wide decorations. Teens interested in volunteering can reach out to Peanutt at angeth@kingcounty.gov or 206.482.1910.

OUTDOOR HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL on Saturday, October 30th from 2-5 pm
Families are welcome to walk thru the park to pick up FREE goodie bags to fill with carnival game prizes, DIY arts and crafts projects, official Spooky Town slime, community resources and giveaways, and even pumpkins (while supplies last.) Families can also keep it moving through a “Pumpkin Patch Maze” on the outdoor basketball court, a Dragon Eye hunt on the multipurpose field, the I Spy Spooky Town Adventure in the windows of the Historic White Center Field House, and several step and repeat photo opportunities throughout the park.

FALL FAMILY PROGRAMS at the Log Cabin (1321 SW 102nd) between October 25th – 27th
Programs hosted in person with zoom options available. Follow the full schedule of remote Spooky Town programs here

Highlights to include:

–Fall Arts and Crafts for ages 19 and under hosted by the WCTP Recreation Aides with Special Guest WC Librarian Destinee on Tuesday, October 25th at 6 pm.

–Bilingual Bingo with Vana and Sunny (the Log Cabin Baby Bearded Dragon.) for ages 19 and under on Wednesday, October 26th at 6 pm

–Spooky Town Painting Party with local artist PAZ (all supplies proved) for ages 12-19 on Thursday, October 27th at 6 pm.

Six months after being shut down by Public Health-Seattle & King County for food-code violations, White Center’s popular Crawfish House restaurant reopened today. The restaurant at 9826 16th SW – which previously had a sign up saying that it was remodeling – announced that today’s its grand-reopening day, open until 11 pm, with a number of specials.

Something new in downtown White Center – waffles! Here’s the announcement from Full Tilt Ice Cream, which will host the new endeavor for starters:

Full Tilt Ice Cream today announced Waffle Wizards, a new breakfast and brunch concept. Waffle Wizards is scratch-made waffles and toppings, brought to you by Melisa Nielsen, a longtime Full Tilt employee

“This has been in the works for awhile.” says Mell, creator of Waffle Wizards. “It just seems like a natural extension of ice cream.”

Waffle Wizards will be available October 22nd, inside Full Tilt in White Center. Service will start at 11am until the sell out. Last weekend was the soft opening, and they sold out in under 2 hours.

Waffle Wizards will be converting to a mobile breakfast truck in the coming weeks after getting everything worked out at the Full Tilt storefront.

FT/WW is at 9629 16th SW.

King County Elections will send out general-election ballots later this week. Though you’ve probably heard a lot about local and national Congressional races, you’ll find a lot more on your ballot – including King County Proposition 1, which raises money for land conservation/acquisition by restoring an existing levy to the original rate that’s been reduced by various state actions. Five months after announcing it at White Center Heights Park, County Executive Dow Constantine returned there this morning with other supporters to ask for your “yes” vote. Here’s our video of what they all had to say:

In order, the speakers were:
King County Councilmember Joe McDermott
Paul Winterstein from the Issaquah Alps Trails Club
Executive Constantine, who stressed that the quest to preserve green space is “racing to keep up with population growth, racing to keep up with environmental changes”
Sammamish Mayor & Former DNR wildland firefighter Kali Clark, whose observations about the relevance of land preservation to wildfire prevention were timely for obvious reasons
King County Open Space Equity Cabinet member Sarneshea Evans, who observed that too many KC residents don’t live close to green space
Zazueta Family Farm owner/farmer Guillermo Zazueta, who told the story of starting his organic permaculture farm earlier this year (Constantine had explained that the measure would preserve farmland as well as other types of green space)
King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski, who declared that Prop 1 is “incredibly affordable (and) incredibly meaningful”

As noted when the ballot measure was announced in May, it would add about $2 per month to the taxes of a median-priced King County home. Supporters say tens of thousands of acres of land have been identified for potential acquisition/preservation; we asked what percentage are in urban areas like White Center – here’s the written response from the campaign:

Of the 45,000 acres targeted for acquisition as part of the Land Conservation Initiative, 10% are for urban open space and regional trails.

Since 2016, 30% of LCI acquisition dollars (all sources) have been spent on urban greenspaces and regional trails.

Since 2020, 25% of Conservation Futures funding has been awarded to match waiver projects in opportunity areas (those projects meeting specific criteria for need)

Read a summary and/or the full text of Prop 1, as well as statements for/against, by going here. Once you get your ballot, you’ll have until November 8th to vote and turn it in.