White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Closed for Tuesday, February 12th:

Highline Public Schools
Holy Family Bilingual School
West Seattle Montessori

8 PM UPDATE – WSB is functioning again so we have resumed updates there. Thanks for your patience!

UPDATED 6:58 PM: While our main site West Seattle Blog is still accessible, a technical problem temporarily has us unable to update its pages. While we work on fixing it, this site runs on a different system so here are important updates beyond what we have up on WSB already:

SCHOOL CLOSURES FOR TUESDAY:
Seattle Public Schools
Highline Public Schools
Vashon Island SD
South Seattle College
Hope Lutheran
Seattle Lutheran HS
Holy Rosary
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Summit Atlas
Holy Family Bilingual School
Kennedy Catholic High School
Taproot School
Community School of West Seattle
Westside School
Fauntleroy Children’s Center

Also:
O’Dea HS

POWER PROBLEMS

Almost 1,000 customers are out in southeast West Seattle

ROAD PROBLEMS
Currently numerous. Buses stuck on Avalon – photo from Gwen:

Delridge onramp to eastbound bridge, tree down across Jacobsen Road, Highland Park Way hill closed. Tree down on 35th SW southbound south of Morgan. Thanks to Brian for this photo:

Utility pole down on California between Dakota and Genesee. Thanks to Jeremy for this photo:

Don’t go out if you don’t absolutely have to. The city will need a while to catch up with this heavy snow.

We’ll add here as needed until we can update WSB links.

No waiting until the early-early-morning hours this time – as the next wave of snow arrives, Highline Public Schools has just joined the list of local districts that have already announced they’ll be closed tomorrow.

Enough snow for you? No? Gill Loring shared the photos of what’s already fallen, as more heads this way.

The current National Weather Service alert is a Winter Storm Watch taking effect Sunday aftternoon.

Could be a few more inches!

Hope you are staying safe and warm! The bulk of our snowstorm coverage is on our partner site West Seattle Blog but we’ll post White Center notes here as we get them. First one, from our business-info list:

WHITE CENTER BARTELL DRUGS: Closing at noon Saturday

Anything to add for WC/North Highline, let us know text or voice at 206-293-6302, our 24/7 hotline for both websites.

More snow on the way! So here’s the plan for Highline Public Schools for Friday:

All schools will be open and start on-time on Friday, February 8. Due to snow in the forecast, buses will stop at alternate stops before and after school.

(Photo courtesy Kevin Bui)

Yearning for late-night food? 9:30-11:30 pm tonight (Thursday, February 7th), the Bok-A-Bok Chicken space in White Center will be taken over by the Sin Reglas pop-up. After hearing about it, we asked the chef for a few details:

Sin Reglas: Late Nights is a weekly series every Thursday & Saturday at Bok a Bok White Center. My name is Kevin Bui, and I cook food that I crave late at night from my travels. It’s from 9:30 pm to 11:30 pm, and people should follow the instagram page @sinreglaspopup to see what’s going on. The menu will always have 5 items and 1 dessert. There’s canned beer and canned wine, as well as non-alcohol options for everyone. I do as much as I can by hand, so sausages, pita, falafel, curries, etc.

I’m looking to open a spot in White Center in the future, but right now, it’s about building community.

Address: 1521 SW 98th.

As announced tonight:

Here’s the Wednesday plan from Highline Public Schools:

Before we even got a chance to publish the agenda for February’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting, it was canceled due to weather concerns expressed by previously scheduled guests – so scratch it off you calendar for Thursday, and pencil in the first Thursday of next month, March 7th.

Highline Public Schools – now CLOSED for today, Tuesday, February 5th (as is Seattle):

Also closed in White Center: Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School and West Seattle Montessori.

5:26 PM: If you’re wondering what the helicopter and King County Sheriff’s Office activity is near 16th and 104th in White Center, here’s what KCSO is saying: “Deputies contacted suspect armed with a knife [related to domestic violence]. Attempted to tase him with no effect. Shots fired by deputy at suspect, unknown injuries. Suspect inside Subway where he is still armed and barricaded. All employees safe.”

5:38 PM: We’re monitoring this via radio communication. SWAT is involved. Deputies are talking with the suspect.

6:41 PM: Still working to get him to surrender.

6:57 PM: Per radio communication, they are taking the suspect into custody now.

11:11 PM: New information late tonight from KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Ryan Abbott:

On 2/4/19 at 4:15 PM Deputies were dispatched to a domestic violence disturbance near the 10400 BLK 16 AVE SW, in White Center. The suspect, a 29 year old male, had vandalized a car and then ran into the Subway restaurant that was nearby. When Deputies arrived on scene the victim directed them to the Subway.

Deputies approached the suspect inside Subway and he produced a knife. Both Deputies deployed their tasers, but it had no effect on the suspect. Instead the suspect charged at one of the Deputies with the knife, then turned toward the occupants of the Subway, at which point the Deputy fired a shot at the suspect, fearing for everyone’s safety. The shot missed the suspect, and he retreated into the Subway kitchen and barricaded himself. The employees and customers were able to exit the store.

KCSO HNT (Hostage Negation Team) spoke with the suspect for over an hour and a half, trying to get him to peacefully surrender. At one point the suspect gave both of his knives up to Deputies, but still refused to come out. Instead he began spraying WD-40 on himself, and throughout the room, threatening to light himself on fire. Just prior to that happening, the TAC30 SWAT team made entry into the kitchen area where the suspect was barricaded.

The suspect was using a bulletin board as a shield and had a screw driver in his other hand that he began swinging at the Deputies. A Taser was deployed, but had limited effect on the suspect. Several rubber bullets were fired at the suspect as well, but they also had limited effect.

A K9 dog was then used to try and take the suspect into custody. The suspect was able to slip by Deputies and used his screwdriver to try and stab at them. A shot was fired by a TAC30 Deputy at the suspect, but it did not hit him. The suspect was then taken into custody.

King County Medic 1 was on-scene immediately and treated the suspect, who was rushed to Harborview Hospital. He was listed in stable condition with a dog bite. The attending physician has confirmed the suspect was not struck by a bullet.

No Deputies were injured in this incident.

The two Deputies who fired their weapons are on paid administrative leave, which is standard in Officer involved shootings.

Sheriff Johanknecht has asked the Seattle Police Department Force Investigation Team to investigate the officer involved shooting.

The snow has stopped but overnight temperatures are expected to drop into the low 20s, meaning an icy morning, so Highline Public Schools are tentatively planning to open 2 hours late on Tuesday.

5:17 AM: Update – Highline Public Schools are now CLOSED for today:

Read the rest of this entry »

Notes about the Seattle-sanctioned encampment just over the line from North Highline, Camp Second Chance (9701 Myers Way S.):

-The encampment’s Community Advisory Council meets this Sunday at Arrowhead Gardens (9200 2nd SW), 2 pm. The meeting is scheduled to run no longer than 3 pm because it’s Super Bowl Sunday.

-If you are interested in the camp’s future but weren’t at either of two West Seattle meetings last week and haven’t seen our coverage on West Seattle Blog, here are the links: The Westside Interfaith Network‘s meeting for camp supporters (Monday, January 21), and the Highland Park Action Committee‘s meeting for community comment as it decides whether to support an extension (Wednesday, January 23rd).

-If you have a comment, the city says you are welcome to send it to homelessness@seattle.gov – no timeline yet for decisionmaking on a possible extension but one is promised “soon.”

School-shopping for next year? Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School invites you to its open house on Sunday (January 27th), 10:30 am-2 pm, at 9615 20th SW. Their announcement:

Looking for an affordable, safe, academics- and language-focused school?

Come see what we are all about, learn about our programs and enjoy food, raffles, and fun activities with your family.

New information tonight about the Department of Local Services, county government’s new way of serving areas like this one. The announcement:

>The King County Executive’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved four partnership agreements between the new King County Department of Local Services and the county departments that provide the following services to unincorporated areas:

· Department of Natural Resources and Parks – Parks Division

· Department of Natural Resources and Parks – Surface Water Management Program, Stormwater Services

· Regional Animal Services of King County

· Public Health – Seattle & King County – Environmental Health Services Division, On-site Sewage Systems Permitting, On-site Sewage Operations and Maintenance, and Plumbing and Gas Piping Inspection.

These four service partnership agreements mark a significant milestone in the new model for delivery of services to the 250,000 residents and the businesses in unincorporated King County.

These agreements will enable the new department and its partners to improve the coordination of services and data sharing. This will allow the county to report back to the residents we serve in a more meaningful way and provide a better understanding of how effectively our services are being delivered.

These new agreements position King County Local Services to provide timely responses to issues that affect area residents and businesses and improve transparency and accountability by more accurately measuring how county service providers are performing in the unincorporated areas.

“Through these agreements, Local Services can respond more quickly and be more accountable on issues affecting residents and businesses outside city limits,” said Local Services Director John Taylor. “The agreements put us on the same page with data sharing, creating policy improvements, and aligning services. This will allow us to better coordinate our resources and work more effectively with the communities we serve.”

Local Services will spend the next year working to create similar agreements with other service providers. We’ll also continually improve our existing agreements as needed. And we’ll work with other non-King County service providers to create similar partnerships that could benefit residents and businesses.

“These new agreements between the Department of Local Services and other county departments are a great step towards providing exceptional services to the residents of unincorporated King County,” said King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert.

“When working to serve 250,000 unincorporated residents, coordination, teamwork and communication are vital. The newly formed Department of Local Services is already making substantial changes to the way these residents access their local government, and I’m excited to continue working with them to better serve the residents of unincorporated King County,” Lambert said.

The Service Partnership Agreements are available on the Department of Local Services website.

Here’s the direct link.

Announced tonight by the King County Sheriff’s Office:

On 01/16/19, Martin Burton was killed at the 10400 block of 15 Avenue SW in White Center.

Today, 01/24/2019, King County Major Crimes Detectives arrested a 24 year old male who was booked into the King County Jail for investigation of murder. Detectives continue to investigate the motive for the murder of Burton. Detectives are also seeking any witnesses who saw or have information about the murder of Burton to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at 206/296-3311.

We’re researching the suspect and will add anything more we find out.

ORIGINAL 6:27 PM REPORT: A reader asked us about all the sirens they could hear from White Center and we subsequently found out a 2-alarm apartment fire is burning in North Burien, at Ambaum and 122nd. Even Seattle Fire has sent units for “mutual aid.” No other info so far but avoid the area!

ADDED LATE TUESDAY NIGHT: Regional media report one death in the fire. It was started by “smoking material” and considered accidental, according to investigators. 25 survivors are getting help from the Red Cross.

(Photos by Patrick Sand for White Center Now and West Seattle Blog)

Fixing up gently used car seats to help keep kids safe is part of what dozens of volunteers did at WestSide Baby in White Center today, for an MLK Day of Service project organized by United Way of King County. WS Baby has a mountain of car seats to move:

Volunteers were from businesses and organizations including Starbucks and Nordstrom.

They also helped process and package donated clothes and diapers for some of the thousands of families WS Baby serves in a growing area of King County.

Many brought their own kids to help out. WS Baby’s executive director Nancy Woodland reminds us volunteer help is needed and welcome year-round.

Here’s how you can help!