White Center Now: The blog about White Center

That photo’s just in from the FBI – from the White Center WaMu robbery reported here on White Center Now yesterday. And here’s some additional information from Seattle FBI spokesperson Robbie Burroughs, who says the same man is suspected in other robberies:

He uses a note and has not displayed or threatened a weapon. Yesterday he was described as being 5’6″ with a round face, wide eyes and a thin mustache. He was wearing a black shirt with vertical white stripes and a black brimmed hat.

Click here to see the flyer put out earlier this summer for two Burien robberies believed to be the work of the same robber. Meantime, here’s the second photo from yesterday’s heist:

If you have any idea where this man is, call 911.

We posted a reminder a few days back, and now the big day’s here. Still looking for info? Here’s the Highline Public Schools website; here’s the one for Seattle Public Schools. And it’s time for drivers to keep an eye out for school zones and buses, too. (Any back-to-school pix? E-mail us!)

The result wasn’t surprising – in a Tukwila meeting room tonight, the Boundary Review Board accepted Burien’s move to withdraw its North Highline Annexation proposal, at least tentatively – but what happened in the moments before the hearing ended, held a little drama, particularly the statement made by an attorney representing the city of Seattle. ADDED 10:30 PM: Here are full details: Read the rest of this entry »

That’s King County Executive Ron Sims and White Center/West Seattle-area County Councilmember Dow Constantine at a just-concluded media briefing in Sodo detailing a state-funded plan to add Metro bus service when major Alaskan Way Viaduct work starts next spring. Full details later; the White Center/Burien-area routes mentioned as “candidates for service enhancement” include 21, 22, 23, 60, 113, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125, 128, 131, 132, 134, 174. (West Seattle routes are listed in this report on partner site WSB.) ADDED 1:36 PM: Here’s the official news release from the county website. We’re working on getting electronic copies of the collateral (including a countywide map of potentially affected routes) that was handed out at the media event. ADDED 5:30 PM: Full report now posted on WSB, including video clips.

Thanks to Paul for the tip, which we subsequently confirmed with the King County Sheriff’s Office: The White Center Washington Mutual branch was robbed this morning. KCSO’s Sgt. John Urquhart says it happened around 9:40 am today, and the robber got away “on foot” – he was described only as a black man, 35 to 45 years old, and “handsome.”

Looking ahead to the start of school tomorrow for Highline Public Schools (Seattle too, if you’re on that side of the line): One of White Center’s public schools has a new principal – Mark Demick is starting his first year leading Mount View Elementary, after almost a decade of principal work in Federal Way. Here’s his online message to families.

Even though the City of Burien has withdrawn its North Highline Annexation proposal for now (as first reported here), tomorrow night’s hearing before the Boundary Review Board is still on – 7 pm, hearing room’s behind the main building at Riverside Residences Inn, 11244 Tukwila International Blvd. (here’s a map). This is a public hearing (official notice here), so if you have something to say, this is your next chance to say it when/where decisionmakers will hear it.

For today’s holiday:

-Most county facilities, including White Center Library and Evergreen Pool, are closed.
-Metro buses are running on Sunday schedules, as are Sound Transit buses.
-If you have Monday solid-waste pickup, it’s on a normal schedule.
-State-run liquor stores (including White Center and Boulevard Park) are closed.

Did not even know this was going on until just now. Expo Seattle is a Hispanic celebration of all Christian faiths. http://exposeattle.org/

There is music going on almost every corner in the neighborhood.

Just added to the White Center Now events calendar: King County’s Solid Waste Division is presenting a “recycling event” at Evergreen High School on September 13th, and the list of what they’ll accept that day is so long, it just might help you with a fall cleanup: Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re not already a regular user, Highline Public Schools‘ web site has tons of information for families, well-organized and specific. That includes bus schedules for each school; they’re all linked here. If you’re in Seattle Public Schools‘ service area, general transportation information is here – though not specific stops, which are available on a phone hotline – plus maps to walking routes for each school. Wednesday is the first day of classes in both districts (private schools’ start dates vary; Holy Family, for example, starts Tuesday).

Click To Play

Clouds? Drizzle? Breeze? Not on the patio at Cafe Rozella tonight, where the Brazilian music of Eduardo Mendonca transported listeners to a more tropical place, or at least mood. In case you couldn’t be there, we’ve provided a minute and half of it in our video clip above; next Friday night Charanga Danzon performs at the cafe, and there’s live music tomorrow night at Full Tilt Ice Cream, with Talbot Tagora.

Last night, our first report brought you the biggest news from the monthly White Center/South Delridge Community Safety Coalition meeting, held at St. James Place (photo above) — King County Parks’ new graffiti-fighting proposal (read about it here). But that was only part of what was discussed at an information-packed meeting. A special presentation on best practices for calling 911 will be featured in our third report later today, but right now – here’s the newest information on crime/safety concerns in the area: Read the rest of this entry »

That whiteboard holds a few of the questions asked by some of the dozens in attendance at tonight’s gathering in Boulevard Park, the first in a new round of informational meetings planned by Burien city leaders in hopes of answering questions about their North Highline Annexation proposal.

Besides “how would annexation affect me?” type questions like those you see in our whiteboard photo, the biggest question underlying the event: After yesterday’s withdrawal of the proposal, what now? Here’s what we found out, including video from our interviews with two top Burien leaders: Read the rest of this entry »

White Center Now also covered tonight’s annexation-information meeting presented by Burien city leaders in Boulevard Park; we will bring you a complete report, including video, a little bit later, but one highlight: Burien Councilmember Gordon Shaw explained the reasoning behind one frequently asked question — why isn’t Burien seeking to annex the entire White Center/North Highline area right now? He believes that Burien runs “efficiently” right now and that could change if the city takes on too much territory all at once. Stand by for much more information from tonight’s meeting, including the status of plans for more meetings like this, even as ramifications of the procedural development we first reported last night continue to unfold.

Just back from the White Center/South Delridge Community Safety meeting, with lots of information that we will break into at least three reports. First one — King County Parks’ draft proposal for dealing with graffiti, in the wake of the latest wave of tagging vandalism at White Center-area parks. The county Parks Department‘s Evergreen District manager Sam Whitman presented the four-point plan: #1, parks staff will try to remove or cover up graffiti “as soon as it appears,” with county painters following up to restore the original color scheme. #2, community members need to report graffiti-vandalism damage as soon as possible by calling Whitman (his number’s at the end of this post), and by helping clean up/cover up graffiti IF parks staff can’t get to it soon enough. #3, extra support for graffiti removal from Community Service officer Vary Jackson and Department of Corrections crews. #4, proactive work to develop and maintain murals in the parks, as a way of discouraging tagging vandalism. Whitman says the goal here is to remove/cover graffiti within 24-38 hours, and adds that the county has hired “seasonal” painting help to support the effort; to report park graffiti, call him at 206/296-0572. More from the Community Safety meeting in separate reports later tonight.

Though yesterday’s move by the City of Burien (first reported here at White Center Now last night) takes its North Highline Annexation proposal off the table, Burien city manager Mike Martin confirms to WCN that the Sept. 2 Boundary Review Board hearing is still on – as is Burien’s annexation-info open house in Boulevard Park tonight (6:30 pm, BP Presbyterian, more info here). We asked Martin what happens next regarding a timetable; his reply: “As for negotiations, Seattle has steadfastly refused to talk, respond to e-mails or anything else, so the ball is in their court. We’ll send them a formal letter asking them to meet, but so far not successful.” (Here’s what Seattle Council President Richard Conlin told us earlier.) P.S. Another meeting of interest to White Center neighbors tonight — NOT annexation-related – the White Center/South Delridge Community Safety monthly meeting, with the agenda including a presentation on 911-call “best practices,” 6 pm tonight @ St. James Place, 9421 18th SW (map).

Brazilian musical performer Eduardo Mendonca and his group will perfrom at Cafe Rozella this Friday at 7 p.m. Mendonca is a fire-cracker of a performer who always brings the house down. Admission is free and the place is kid-friendly.

Click To Play

(video from today’s WCCDA open house added @ 4:45 pm)
The White Center Community Development Association is holding its open house today, Thursday 8/28/2008, from 11:00 am to 4:00 p.m. Check out the CDA’s new facilities and the great new members of the CDA team. Free BBQ and drinks! The CDA is locatedat 1615 SW Cambridge St., (corner with Delridge Way SW), Seattle 98106. You can phone them at (206) 694-8344. Stop by, chow down and say hi to the great CDA folks!

Michelle Smith-Lewis’ photos of vintage signs from Seattle will be showing for the month of Sept. Artists reception is at 8pm this Friday the 29th of August. 9629 16th Ave sw Rat City, wa 206-767-4811