White Center Now: The blog about White Center

UPDATED FROM ORIGINAL FRIDAY MORNING VERSION: MagnoliaVoice.com covered a Magnolia meeting Thursday night regarding the proposed jail site in Interbay. That site’s original report said that Burgess thought the Interbay and “South Seattle” sites were the most likely ones of the “final four” — since there is no “South Seattle” site, but rather two West Seattle sites (Highland Park Way SW/West Marginal Way and Myers Way South), we contacted the Magnolia Voice editor (a veteran journalist who I worked with for years in Seattle citywide media), who reported he’d said Myers Way (which she confirmed when we checked with her again just now). However, Councilmember Burgess left a comment on this post saying he had mentioned the “First Avenue South Bridge” site, and pointing to a post on his own blog from early August in which he said Interbay and “First Avenue South Bridge” were the sites most likely to meet the criteria. No site is identified as “First Avenue South Bridge” on the city list; the Highland Park Way SW/West Marginal Way site is the closest to that bridge. We have a message out to Councilmember Burgess to clarify that’s the one he describes as “First Avenue South Bridge.” and will update this again if/when we hear back. *Note that we have not amended the comment thread below, so it refers to the original version of this post, up through my response to Councilmember Burgess’s comment; anything after that would be responding to this updated post.* UPDATED SUNDAY AFTERNOON: Councilmember Burgess’ reply to our request for clarification of which site he meant:

Correct, the West Marginal site which is about 1.5 blocks off the southwest corner of the bridge. The site is partially owned by the city and partially owned by WSDOT which used it as a staging location when the bridge was repaired a few years back. I refer to it as the First Avenue South Bridge site because that helps people understand the geographic location better than the intersection.

A customer walks into Cafe Rozella and before I have chance to say anything he blurts out, “so, how many times have you been robbed?”  I stuttered, “What?”  He replied, “This is such a dangerous neighborhood, you must be robbed all the time.”  I got his order and looked him over:  silk pants, expensive sport shirt, Italian loafers — looked like a salesman.  “None,” I replied.

Ruminating for a minute, I said, “actually this is a very safe neighborhood.  Crime statistics show this is much safer than most other urban Seattle neighborhoods.”  Yeah, but you have so many creeps around here… blah, blah, blah… he stammered on.

“Where do you live?” I asked him.  “White Center,” he said with a laugh.  When he saw that I wasn’t in on his joke, he mentioned the very same neighborhood that I live in.   Now, I could clue this fool in, but I knew that he had a bagful of prejudices and preconceptions that no amount of small conversation would alter.

I thought about all the Rozella regulars who make this their second home:  tradespeople, programmers, biotech scientists, teachers, counselors, government workers, students, writers and artists.  Does this guy have a clue about the richness and diversity in this community?  I’ll admit that, as with any urban neighborhood, there are a fair number of street alcoholics who wander around like extras in the Blade-Runner movie.  But what of all the families walking to buy groceries at the Asian and Latin American markets?  Are they invisible?  Only to those too blind to see.

My dad was a mechanic and hence I relate well to people who do the complex jobs known as the trades.  God has a special place for the grace of those who work with their hands.  I love these people and they represent the best of our community.  And what of the artists who struggle to fulfill a vision — that takes courage.

All this went through my mind from that small exchange.  And the guy didn’t even leave a tip.

REPTET brings their award-winning and energetic jazz to Rozella.

Friday September 12th at 7 p.m.

Reptet is a sextet consisting of six multi-instrumentalists all of whom are members of the internationally acclaimed Monktail Creative Music Concern based out of Seattle, WA. They have established themselves as a group of considerable excitement, flair and vision while simultaneously debunking preconceived notions of what a jazz group ought to be. Their music has been aired on radio stations across the United States and Europe, and their members have toured internationally. The arts organization Earshot Jazz has described them as, “A hot progressive combo of Seattle’s best young players. Their music is intense, taut, and fresh.” With the release of their second full length CD Do This!, Reptet has established themselves as an irrepressible force in modern jazz.

Press Quotes
“This Seattle sextet does it all: it grooves, it rocks, it squawks – occasionally, it even talks. Mostly, it sounds like a New Orleans jazz band on crystal meth.” ~Alex Gelfand’s Critics pick for the best release of 2006, Jazziz Magazine~

“Trumpeter Samantha Boshnack’s open voicings, jaunty tempos and buoyant timbral mixes for two winds and two brass have a friendly monster feel that conjures a bittersweet and elegiac mood of orchestral grandeur.” ~Downbeat~

“A juggernaut jazz band, arresting, compelling, and just plain cranked-up. Do This! is one of the most convincing albums of the last several years from Seattle jazz players.” ~Earshot Jazz~

The Puget Sound Regional Council is looking for your opinion on several transportation projects around the metro area that are slated to get millions of federal dollars – and one of them happens to be proposed “Intelligent Transportation System” work along 16th SW through White Center, from Roxbury to 116th. Find out more – and find the direct online link to send your comment – by going to this PSRC webpage. Comments will be accepted through October 9th.

Ron Richardson is preparing a brief history of the historic Southgate Roller Rink.    He would like to include your memories, descriptions, thoughts about the place.   It was built by Hiram Green as a boxing arena, then briefly was a dance hall, and, since 1937, a roller rink.   It has been an important a community gathering place for 60 years.  Please contact Ron to share your memories.  email him at ron.richardson@comcast.net Feel free to attach photos.  Include a caption with photos.

From the Highline School District eHighlights blog: Three schools (none in White Center, though) are now using the district’s new online info system eSIS – and by next school year, all schools in the district are expected to be plugged into it. Read more here; also check out several other new posts on eHighlights, including a $10,000 grant for the New Start High School library. Meantime, watch White Center Now later today for our interview with Mount View Elementary’s new principal, following his first week on the job.

This is taken directly from the website Moontown Foundation http://moontownfoundation.org

White Center Energy Festival & Prosperity Project

Date: September 27, 2008
Time: 8am to 6pm
Location: White Center Heights Elementary School

On Saturday, September 27^th, 2008, tens of thousands of Americans will mobilize for “Green Jobs Now: A National Day of Action to Build the New Economy.” Green Jobs Now is a National Day of Action that will empower everyday people to stage hundreds of grassroots events throughout the country. Special emphasis is being focused toward low-income communities and communities of color.

Moontown Foundation is spearheading the largest Day of Action event in the state of Washington. Over 300 volunteers are being called into action and tasked to canvass an estimated 32,000 residents living in approximately 7,800 households and small businesses to spread the word.

The event, aptly called the White Center Energy Festival & Prosperity Project, will occur in the White Center Community, a highly diverse, economically challenged, neighborhood located south of Seattle in unincorporated King County. The event is designed to promote home energy efficiency, spur economic development, increase awareness the emerging green job market, as well as raise funds for the Eco Apprentice Scholarship Fund. A Fund meant to help low-income youth and young adults pursue educational training and certifications in so-called green job trades (i.e., energy efficiency auditing and solar panel installation) at local vocational and community colleges.

Residents may be eligible to win free home energy audits, as well as energy efficiency improvement products and services, as well as, low interests loans to finance improvements.

To register, please visit http://events.greenjobsnow.com/greenforall/events/show/5211.

Yeah, we don’t normally do midweek shows but this one is going to be amazing. Fatigo from Phoenix is a Latin/Americana freakout. Oh Man is the local support on this bill. They are a delightful dance explosion.

Ohman
http://www. myspace. com/ohmanthatisawesome

Fatigo
http://www.myspace. com/fatigo

Not your usual yard sale. Spotted on CL – “preschool closing sale,” Saturday and Sunday. Here’s the ad; here’s a map to the sale location.

As we reported here earlier, the prospect of a potential community fireworks ban came up at this morning’s meeting of the North Highline Fire District‘s commissioners. Now, as the legendary Paul Harvey says, “the rest of the story” — at least, the rest of what was discussed before commissioners went into executive session. First: Annexation, since the district is one of the agencies whose future depends on whether the area is annexed and if so, by whom. It was announced that the commissioners plan a special meeting with City of Seattle reps at NHFD HQ, 8 am Sept. 24, the day after their next regular meeting at the same time/place on Sept. 23. (This is now added to the White Center Now Events Calendar page, along with other dates announced at today’s meeting.) Read the rest of this entry »

White Center Now covered this morning’s North Highline Fire District commissioners’ meeting at NHFD HQ, and several news items emerged. Perhaps the biggest one: Commissioners are looking into sending a letter backing a new county proposal to allow communities (such as White Center and the rest of the unincorporated area) implement fireworks bans. One meeting attendee expressed concern that this might hurt fundraising efforts by local groups that make money from fireworks sales each year. No formal action has been taken so far. The commissioners also discussed a variety of items from annexation to training; more on that in the next post.

From the county’s Food Establishment Closures list:

*Pho Thu Thuy* restaurant located at 9627 15th Ave SW … was closed by a Public Health food inspector on Sept. 8, 2008, 2:00 pm due to the imminent health hazard of no hot water available for handwashing. The establishment will be reopened by the inspector once confirmed that hot water has been restored.

We’ll let you know when there’s word of that confirmation and the restaurant reopening. TUESDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: It’s reopened.

This Friday afternoon at White Center Library, you’ve got the chance to find out more about the anti-discrimination laws designed to protect you, in a free forum sponsored by the county’s Office of Civil Rights. From the website for it:

The sessions are designed for employers and employees, property owners, managers and renters, small business owners – anyone providing or seeking services in unincorporated areas of King County.

Just be at the library 3-5 pm Friday. Full details here.

Results from the August 19th primary are official as of the last count and certification this past week. The State Senate race in the 11th District, which includes part of White Center (the rest is in the 34th), is an example of how the new “Top 2 Primary” worked — for the primary, there were three candidates, all Democrats; in the old-style primary, the top votegetter in each party would have advanced to the general – but now, it’s the top 2, whoever they are. In this one, it’s incumbent Sen. Margarita Prentice, whose final primary percentage was 48%, and Juan Martinez, whose final primary percentage was 28% (most of the rest of the votes went to a third Democrat who is now out of the running). You can find the full results of this and other races on the King County website; the general election is on November 4th.

The following events are as I recall them.  Witnesses and participants are welcome to elaborate or correct my recollections.

Reptet, is a local jazz group, scheduled to perform at Cafe Rozella on Friday September 12th at 7 p.m.  You may recall that Reptet performed at last year’s Music Nights at White Center in what became known as the Night of the Reptet.  The event was historic.  It all started innocently enough, with Reptet doing their jazz thing at The Triangle.  The crowd seemed normal enough with a smattering of knuckle-draggers looking for a fight.  Reptet stroked hypnotic rhythms, the crowd began to murmur.  An Alaska fisherman, just returned from the Bering Sea, shouted, “what is this jazz shit? I want some Led Zeppelin!”  Reptet’s saxophonist pulled up to the fisherman and stroked the tenor with his fingers moving up and down the instrument’s keys.  Transfixed, the fisherman cracked a smile and began doing an Irish jig.  The crowd circled round the dancing fisherman and clapped and hollered as he introduced complex gyrations into his dance routine.  Women jumped on the bar and danced above the crowd.  Reptet revved up the tunage and now the crowd was theirs.

They marched outside and the crowd followed in a long conga line.  Bystanders jumped in and everyone was whooping and hollering.  The parade snaked around the Delridge Triangle and more and more bystanders joined the procession til dozens were snaking in the impromptu conga line.  The jazz swelled with the crowd and the tunage from Reptet was primal, calling some atavistic desire for tribal bonding.  The intersection of Delridge and Roxbury was now owned by the Reptet nation.  Cars stopped in the middle of the intersection and people jumped out to join the bacchanalia.  As it happened Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowskie was stopped in his car by the impromptu party.  He had misplaced his gun, and thought he might have left it in the bathroom at the Pho shop where he had been lunching with the local constabulary.   Grimacing and irascible, the Chief was none too pleased by this street show.  Some revelers recognized Kerlikowskie and began chanting, “remember the Battle of Seattle!”  Soon the Chief’s car was surrounded by an angry mob.  Reptet knew they had to do something to save the day.  They jumped on top of the chief’s car and grooved on a Coltraine acid jazz lick that transfixed the crowd.  The dancing resumed and before long the conga line was streaming through White Center.  Reptet led the crowd back to The Triangle where hundreds cheered them on with chants of “more, more, more…”  The evening ended with everyone spontaneously breaking into a rendition of “American Pie.”

And in the streets: the children screamed,

The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed.

But not a word was spoken; The church bells all were broken.

And the three men I admire most:

The father, son, and the holy ghost,

They caught the last train for the coast

The day the music died.

And they were singing, “bye-bye, miss american pie.”

Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry.

And them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye

Singin’, “this’ll be the day that I die. “this’ll be the day that I die.”

And that became known in local folklore as “The Night of the Reptet.” 

Just posted at our partner site WSB because it’s happening at a West Seattle business: Art-glass apples on sale, with half the purchase price going straight to the White Center Food Bank. To see the story (including a photo of the art-glass apple), click here.

Click To Play

First of two White Center Now video clips – that’s Charanga Danzon, “Seattle’s new Cuban music ensemble,” playing outdoors at Cafe Rozella tonight. Full Tilt had live music too – from a much different island nation – Tom Matchett from the UK rocked the shop tonight:

Click pic to play vid

Charanga Danzón is a fluid ensemble of wonderful musicians, with a repertoire of Cuban music including traditional charanga, son/danzón, cha-cha-chá, classical, and jazz.
Friday, September 5th at 7 p.m.

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A Great  benefit for a TERRIFIC kid!

Please join us in a benefit for Cora, a four year old who is struggling with Cancer.  The benefit will be held at Seattle Lutheran High School Gym, which is located at 4141 – 41st Ave. SW, Seattle (98116).

WHEN:  Sunday September 21st,  2:30 p.m.

Phone:  206.349.3848

Please come by and help us celebrate. Cora, Cupcakes, a Clown, need I say more?

Join us from 2:30-5:30 or  stop by just to say hello.

There will also be a silent auction with lots of tempting items,  and Team Cora tshirts for sale.

Hope to see you there!