White Center Now: The blog about White Center

If you want to get out and can walk or ride your trail bike, we’re here brewing up coffee.  Cheers!

The forecasters were finally right. No word of school changes yet, though (as of 5:25 am).

5:29 AM UPDATE: Seattle Public Schools are CLOSED for today.

5:40 AM UPDATE: Highline Public Schools are 1 hour late, “limited buses.” South Seattle Community College is starting at 10 am. We’ll keep checking for changes, which tend to happen if/as weather worsens.

5:57 AM UPDATE: Metro has updated its list of bus routes on “adverse weather” reroute. See it here.

6:16 AM UPDATE: Holy Family in White Center is closed today.

7:20 AM UPDATE: Shorewood Christian School will be open at 10:30 am.

7:42 AM UPDATE: Per scanner, SW 100th in 4th SW area “impassable.”

7:59 AM UPDATE: Shorewood Christian School changed status to CLOSED.

8:25 AM UPDATE: Myers Way is closed.

8:45 AM UPDATE: Highline Public Schools has changed its plan:

All elementary schools will be closed today due to snow. Because of developing weather conditions and late notice, middle schools and high schools will remain open.

10:55 AM UPDATE: Olson closed too.

11:56 AM UPDATE: Highline Public Schools changed its status again:

Due to worsening weather conditions, we will dismiss secondary students early today.

* Buses will pick up students at Puget Sound Skills Center at 11:45 a.m. and return them to their high schools.
* High schools will be dismissed at noon.
* Middle schools will be dismissed at 12:30.
* Emergency bus stops will be used on all bus routes.
* All after-school and evening activities, sports, and events and evening building use have been canceled.
* Also, we hope to make decisions about tomorrow this evening.

Also, Metro is warning its afternoon service will be limited; read more here.

Who knows what we’ll wake up to … the forecast’s truly all over the map. To check the status of Highline Public Schools (and others): schoolreport.org.

That’s what the metro area’s being called since it’s snowing almost everywhere else. The major school districts (Highline and Seattle) closed anyway, just in case. If you’re looking for salt/deicer, we just checked with McLendon‘s – they got that shipment in but (as of our phone call at 9:40 am) it’s going fast. 12:07 PM UPDATE: Now it’s raining, which is taking care of the remaining icy streets — at least in the short run.

Although the Rat City Rollergirls connection to White Center is somewhat attenuated these days, they still sport the unfortunate moniker of this community.  So we can be a bit proprietary about them and herein announce that they are holding tryouts for the team.  Where?   Why Bellevue, dahling.

The Rat City Rollergirls, the Northwest’s oldest and fiercest roller derby league, are having tryouts on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 8:30 p.m. at Bellevue Skate King, Bellevue Skate King, 2301 140th Ave NE, Bellevue. All who tryout must have primary insurance, a signed waiver, and bring a $5 tryout fee. Call backs are the next night, Wednesday, Dec. 17, at the same time and place.

For those ladies (21 and older) interested in trying out, there will be an informational open house at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10. You’ll get to watch a practice and ask questions about tryouts, the league, life as a rollergirl, and roller derby.

For tryout requirements or more information, e-mail freshmeat@ratcityrollergirls.com.

Highline Public Schools already will be 2 hours late tomorrow – and they’re asking families to check in the am for possible closure (since it may be snowing by 4 am or so). Here’s the message at SchoolReport.org.

Spotted that new business in the works on the far south end of Delridge while out surveying the roads: Tropical fish and pets. About a mile south, we checked McLendon, which hadn’t yet received the shipment of salt and deicer they were hoping to get today. Also, thanks to Rhonda for pointing out that the county has a roads hotline; it’s also mentioned in this news release we just received:

King County Transportation crews gear up
for another round of bad winter weather

Yet another winter storm with heavy snow possible in some King County communities by Wednesday evening has road and Metro Transit crews scrambling to get ready this afternoon.

The National Weather Service has issued a storm warning for up to 6 inches or more of snow for eastern areas of the county and a trace to two inches of snow by tomorrow afternoon in the Seattle metro area. Additional snow may fall tomorrow evening. That means virtually all areas of King County could be impacted by snowfall beginning early tomorrow morning with snow showers continuing throughout the day and evening.

While we may see varying degrees of snowfall around the county, residents should take this storm seriously if they plan to travel tomorrow. Depending on the timing and location of the snow, morning and afternoon commutes could become a major headache, especially for east King County residents. Travel conditions are expected to worsen as the day progresses.

In anticipation of the storm, the King County Road Services Division, which has been operating around-the-clock since Saturday, is applying anti-icer to major arterials, bridges and arterials located on steep hills. The division will also remain on 24-hour operations to plow and sand.

But depending on the timing and severity of the storm, it will be very difficult to keep roads clear, especially during morning or afternoon commute times. Motorists should be aware of this potential and plan their trip accordingly to avoid becoming stuck or having to abandon their vehicle. Given the forecast, motorists may even want to consider postponing non-essential travel.

King County Metro Transit is planning on chaining most of its buses for the Wednesday morning commute, and warns bus riders that service could be delayed by the weather conditions throughout the day – particularly in outlying areas of East and Southeast King County.

Many buses may be on snow routing, if not for the morning commute then by midday and late afternoon. Metro may have to switch to snow routes in some locations with little notice. So, the best way to stay on top of the reroutes is to check the adverse weather information on Metro Online at www.kingcounty.gov/metro, or call the Customer Information Office at (206) 553-3000.

Bus riders are reminded to:

Be patient. Buses are not always on schedule in snowy or icy conditions. And, increased ridership during bad weather can result in crowded buses and a longer-than-usual wait on the phone for the Customer Information Office;
Dress warmly for the walk to the bus stop, expect delays, and wear appropriate footwear for the weather;
Head for bus stops on main arterials or at major transfer points such as park-and-ride lots, transit centers, or shopping centers; and
Riders should wait at bus stops at the very top or very bottom of hills, because buses are often unable to stop for passengers on inclines.

And of course, the county is again reminding motorists to be prepared for winter driving. That means: having plenty of gas in the car; driving with all season tires, chains and warm clothing; and please don’t abandon your vehicle in the middle of travel lanes.

Residents are also encouraged to report problems on roads in unincorporated King County by calling (206) 296-8100, or 1-800-KC ROADS if they live outside the greater Seattle calling area.

Here’s a link with more on the county road hotline. Meantime, another photo – this is from a couple hours ago, on SW 99th looking east across 15th SW (which was in decent shape, as was 16th SW through the business district, though both were wet and likely to reglaze tonight):

Highline Public Schools will be 2 hours late today; Seattle Public Schools is also going to start 2 hours late. Meanwhile, a winter storm watch is up for late Tuesday through late Wednesday (forecasts here). For Metro bus updates, here’s the latest list of the ones on “adverse weather” reroutes.

Some pictures of White Center on this sunny winter day.

Rozella Building

Sidewalk on 16th Avenue SW

Winter sun seen through maple tree

Looking Down 16th Avenue SW

Cafe Rozella

From the Metro website just minutes ago:

That warning, and complaint, on the scanner just now, on a frequency where we’ve been monitoring everything from police to sheriff to Fire Department communications for the region, including a frequency on which school-bus drivers and dispatchers have been communicating — after that line, came the rebuke, “I don’t know who drove this to make it OK.” If the professional drivers are having trouble, that’s another good reason to avoid hitting the road if you possibly can. We’ve heard “sheet of ice” dozens of times in these communications.

The side roads have not been sanded so the hills remain very trecharous and icy.  Avoid if you can.  Myrtle SW in front of Sanislo Elementary School is an ice-sheet on a hill.  DO NOT attempt going up or down Myrtle in front of Sanislo.  Parents can park a block away – preferably away from Myrtle – and walk their kids up the sidewalk.  Very bad accident on this street yesterday.  If you don’t have chains you will not be able to go up the hill and you will skid down the street – endangering pedestrians and property.  Same goes for all non-arterial hills.  Be Safe – Avoid the Hills and Dont’ drive if you don’t have to.

We’re calling around to try to find chains. Schuck’s in White Center doesn’t have the size we need and told us they’d sold $10,000 in chains and antifreeze this weekend alone!

Highline Public Schools and Seattle Public Schools are both on two-hour delay; those and other districts are listed on SchoolReport.org. Holy Family School is starting at 10 am; Shorewood Christian School is closed. More as we get it. Here are various info-links:

County info on snow/ice routes/procedures (including Metro reroutes)
Metro “adverse weather” service status
King County road alerts
Latest forecast
WSDOT trouble spots via Twitter

5:57 AM UPDATE: Metro has now updated its page with Monday morning info. The 128 is on its “adverse weather” routing, among other White Center/West Seattle-area routes listed here. Here’s the table:

Another update tonight from the county – read it here. We are also keeping watch for any updates from both the Highline and Seattle school districts on potential school changes/closures for tomorrow and will post that information as soon as it’s available; you can also watch the regional closure-information site SchoolReport.org. 9:03 PM UPDATE: We have word that Holy Family School will start late tomorrow, 10 am.

We noticed earlier that there was no updated “bus problems” information on the Metro website – despite numerous reports in our West Seattle Blog snow/ice coverage about stranded buses – and sent County Executive Ron Sims a Twitter message wondering what the problem was. He replied the system was down but being fixed. Sure enough, now there’s updated information – hope it helps.

Icy roads everywhere, even if you’re not on a hill. More snow showers on the way, says the National Weather Service, which has a “winter weather advisory” in effect till 3 pm (see the newest forecast here).

Three-plus hours of snow now, and the National Weather Service says it may not entirely let up before midday Sunday (a “winter weather advisory” is now in effect through noon). Check the “live” traffic camera on our right-hand sidebar for the latest look at the roads; here’s the latest forecast – note tomorrow’s high is predicted as “near 30.” Brrrr!

4 pm, holiday party and open house at Cafe Rozella – Ricardo wrote about it here. Remember, bring donations for the White Center Food Bank. After that, if you are still searching for holiday fun in the area, one of Seattle’s most popular Christmastime attractions will visit West Seattle tonight — the Argosy Christmas Ship (5:15 pm Seacrest Pier, 8:50 pm Lowman Beach north of Lincoln Park, 9:40 pm Alki Beach; here’s its full-season schedule – if you miss it tonight, it’s back in West Seattle at Don Armeni Boat Ramp Sunday night, and in the South Sound at Des Moines and Dash Point Monday night).

A new Harris Survey asks the question, which would you forgo first, sex or internet access.   According to the New York Times:

According to the study, 46 percent of women and 30 percent of men would opt to forgo sex for two weeks instead of giving up access to their precious Internet for the same period.

More broadly, those surveyed said access to the Internet ranked highest among the discretionary spending items they could not live without. Cable television, dining out, shopping for clothes and gym memberships followed in declining importance.

Well, I for one would easily give up TV over internet access.  As for sex, well, that’s a tougher call.