White Center Now: The blog about White Center

You’re invited to an open house next Wednesday at the new shelter:

That’ll be almost six months after its opening day back in March (WCN coverage here).

It’s the first day of school for Highline Public Schools – and that includes White Center’s newly “reopened” Evergreen High School:

Festivities were scheduled to continue with an 8 am assembly and campus tours for community members.

Summer’s over; your fall season of community involvement is about to begin. Thursday night, get it going by being at the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council‘s info-packed September meeting – here’s the announcement!

North Highline Unincorporated Area Council Meeting
When: Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 7 pm
Where: North Highline Fire Station at 1243 SW 112th Street in White Center
(Parking and Entrance are in the Back of the Station)

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

The state legislature finally passed a new state budget. What does it mean for our schools, students and property taxes? Join us and find out! Duggan Harman, Highline School District’s Chief of Staff and Budget, will help educate us about the anticipated effects of the state budget on our schools and young people. John Wilson, King County Assessor, will explain the expected changes to our property taxes.

We will also be joined by Sarah Margeson of King County’s Department of Natural Resources/Parks. Sarah will tell us about Youth and Amateur Sports Grants, which support fit and healthy communities by investing in programs and capital projects that reduce barriers to physical activity. Come learn about the anticipated $1.5 million that will be available to government agencies and nonprofit organizations in North Highline and the other unincorporated areas of King County.

Scott Dolfay is a regular participant in NHUAC meetings. This month, Scott is going to share news about a project that is near and dear to him: the restoration of Seola Pond.

Deputy Bill Kennamer will join us once again to answer our questions, share crime statistics and help increase our awareness of what is happening in North Highline.

Good of the Order: Do you have something of community import on your mind? Join us and share!

See you Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 7 pm – Because Knowledge Is Power!

Evergreen High School is again Evergreen High School, and you’re invited to the “grand reopening” next Wednesday. Here’s the announcement:

Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Time: 6:45 am – 9:30 am
Address: 830 SW 116th St

Evergreen High School administration would like to invite parents, alumni, and community members to join them for the grand (re)opening of Evergreen High School!

Help welcome our students back to campus at a morning rally in the front of the school with the Evergreen band, cheerleaders, and Wolverine mascot! Meet school leaders at a community reception in the Library and learn more about exciting plans for Evergreen and ways to help. Join students at an all-school assembly in the Main Gym to kick off the school year and help us hand out EHS sweatshirts. Finally, tour campus to see improvements for this school year but also the need for updated facilities because our students deserve a high-quality learning environment.

Tentative schedule:
Check-in begins at 6:30am in the Main Office
6:45am – Welcome Rally – Front of School
7:30am – Community Reception – Library
8:00am – Back to School Assembly and hand out sweatshirts – Main Gym
Campus tour to follow

Questions? Email us at friends@evergreensuccess.org

Sorry we missed day 1 – but here’s word that the White Center Library Guild‘s Sidewalk Sale continues Saturday!

White Center Library Sidewalk Sale

1409 SW 107th Street

Continues Saturday, September 2, 10 am-2 pm

Raffle drawing for a gift basket including a gift card from McLendon’s Hardware. All proceeds benefit White Center Library programs, supplies, and books. Household donations gladly accepted – please no clothing or apparel items.

(UPDATED THURSDAY NIGHT with garage-sale dates/times, Saturday and Sunday 10-4)

ORIGINAL EDITOR’S NOTE: We promised more on the Brass Knuckle Bistro when we first mentioned it a week and a half ago. And now – the rest of the story!

By Linda Ball
Reporting for White Center Now & West Seattle Blog

Case Justham says he doesn’t sleep very well, so he stays up and reads cookbooks all night. His mom Linda Justham says her son looks at the science of food, down to the molecular properties of a dish. Case is quick to point out that he’s not a scientist, but he likes to try non-traditional cooking methods.

Case (photo at right), a self-taught chef, is presently the sous chef and butcher at The Swinery in West Seattle. With mom Linda, sister Piper Carscadden, brother Drew Justham, and wife Amy Justham, they are partnering to open the family’s first restaurant, Brass Knuckle Bistro in White Center. Case will be the chef, Carscadden will work the front end and social media and Linda will do the books, eventually turning them over to Carscadden. The others will be mostly silent partners, although Drew has extensive front-end experience and will probably be present in the first few weeks.

The entire family lives in West Seattle but they chose what was until three months ago the location of 3.14 Bakery at 9602 16th SW for the bistro (and are having a “garage sale” there later this weekend – more on that below).

It’s close to home for Case, who resides in the Westwood neighborhood and worked in White Center in the early 2000s; Linda said it’s a place where they were able to find affordable rent. They came close to opening a restaurant on Bainbridge Island, where they all lived at one time, but decided against it when they all moved into Seattle. Case worked at Bene Pizza on Bainbridge before coming to The Swinery, where he’s been for three and one-half years. He appreciates the freedom he was given to be creative at The Swinery. “I wear a lot of hats there,” Case said.

So, where did the name Brass Knuckle Bistro come from? “White Center still has a tough-guy characteristic,” Case said. “It evolved from knuckle sandwich to brass knuckle to Brass Knuckle Bistro.”

It will be a casual restaurant, geared toward lunch and early dinner. He found it frustrating on Bainbridge to find a good Mexican or Thai restaurant so he wants to do things differently, for example, putting his own spin on Caribbean pulled pork. He said his Philly is an “anchor sandwich” which he’s perfected at The Swinery, but the Philly he has planned for White Center will “knock people’s socks off.”

Brass Knuckle Bistro will also offer salads and vegetarian and vegan sandwiches. Instead of gluten-free sandwiches, he’s planning dishes that would be presented like sandwich fillings atop, for example, ribs, cole slaw, or gourmet fries. He said the reason is that he hasn’t found gluten-free bread that he finds suitable. Case said he plans a small fixed menu and a large rotating cast of specials, which he said are where he shines. “I like the idea of a secret menu.”

Keeping the price points affordable is very important to the partners – they want everyone to be able to afford to eat there. They have applied for a beer and wine permit, and have a great deal of build-out to do, so opening isn’t anticipated until sometime in November. Expecting a rush in the beginning days, Case plans to call on some of his industry pals to jump in; then, he will gauge what sort of permanent help he will need.

This coming weekend – (updated) Saturday and Sunday, September 2-3 – the Justhams will be having a farewell-to-3.14 sale, like a garage sale, to get rid of fixtures and items they don’t need – espresso machines, a pastry cabinet, and so forth – from 10 a.m. -4 p.m. each day, so stop by if any of that appeals to you. They want the space empty by early next week, so the remodel can begin in earnest.

The Justhams do have a website started up, though not complete, at brassknucklebistro.com. Tentative hours when they open will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, closed Mondays.

Coming up in White Center in less than two weeks!

ROCKTOBERFEST: A Benefit Event
Supporting production of the “Circle of Cells” Documentary

Rocktoberfest is an age 21+ Oktoberfest-themed event benefitting Circle of Cells: a unique, autobiographical documentary about international stem cell donation and cancer survivors. Rocktoberfest takes place on Saturday, September 9th at Company Store in White Center, starting at 6:00 pm.

“Rocktoberfest is a fun way for people to contribute to cancer survival methods,” says Sara Rose Hansen, producer of the Circle of Cells documentary.

“The mission of my film is to increase awareness of the simple, yet often misunderstood, process of stem cell donation; and bolster registration on the National Marrow Donor Program.”

As Zoe Mandels, the owner of Company Store, said, “I am so excited to help Sara Rose get this information out there; her documentary will have such a positive impact on people helping people.”

Rocktoberfest boasts many attractions, including:

“Be The Match” registration and information booth for potential stem cell donors.
Bavarian beer garden, bratwurst and pretzels open at 6:00 pm.

Four talented, local bands starting at 8:00 pm:

Tripp Rezac Band
Snaketopus
Cartoon Heart
Valerie Cavell

Silent auction and raffle prizes from Seattle businesses and artists.

Happening tomorrow (Saturday, August 26th) at 8th/108th:

Two updates on the changes at City of Seattle-sanctioned Camp Second Chance on Myers Way:

-This month’s Community Advisory Committee meeting, postponed from its early-August date, has now been rescheduled for this Sunday, August 27th, 2 pm at Arrowhead Gardens.

-We’ve published another update on the camp’s status, after covering a meeting Wednesday afternoon at CSC with city reps, campers, and leaders of the camp’s likely new operator, LIHI. Here’s the full story.

Just announced – happening in White Center next Saturday:

Furry Faces Foundation and Cascade Heights Veterinary Center announce our First-Ever ‘Mutts ‘n Martinis… a yappy hour’.

Get your cocktail attitude on and bring your dog! Guest bartenders from Whisky West and The Lumber Yard Bar, each featuring their signature drink; Gourmet Sausages, including Vegan, plus salads and sides; doggie pools; a dog ruff-le; games for humans; silent auction; dog costume contest, and more. You don’t have to bring a dog to attend…you just need to love dogs like we do.

Location: Cascade Heights Veterinary Center, 9832 15th Ave SW
(Enter the event from 14th Avenue)

Date: Saturday, August 26th
Time: 4 pm – 7:30 pm

SPECIAL GUESTS
-Cascade Heights Veterinary Center: Tour their clinic and learn about their high standards of loving care for your pets
-DJ RAY! Spinning you into a dog dance
-Ola Salon
-K9 Natural Pet Food: Learn about proper nutrition
-Full Tilt Ice Cream: Yummy samples
-The Escape Artist: For just $5, experience deciphering clues and escaping the red room
-Lika Love (mobile fashion van): Get ready to find the outfit of the year

DOG COSTUME COMPETITION
-Best Pool Party Attire: Get your skimpy suit on and remember the accessories
-Best Cocktail Ensemble: It is a cocktail Yappy Hour after all!

PRE-PURCHASE TICKETS
TWO OPTIONS: Dog tickets = $5; Human tickets = $20*

Human tickets include a yummy meal* and four $2 drink tickets. Dog Tickets include a ruff-le ticket and costume contest. (*Vegetarian and vegan options are included)

Get your human tickets online (here).

You can purchase dog tickets at the event for $5.

Spotted while passing through downtown White Center tonight: Papered windows and a liquor-license application at the former 3.14 Bakery space (9602 16th Avenue SW), which has been closed almost three months. According to the State Liquor and Cannabis Board‘s online files, the application is for Brass Knuckle Bistro. We’re working to find out more.

For those tracking homelessness-related issues on Myers Way: On our partner site West Seattle Blog, we’re reporting on management changes at city-sanctioned Camp Second Chance. Its official fiscal sponsor and managing organization, Patacara Community Services, is withdrawing, and the city is talking with the Low-Income Housing Institute – which has a role in all five of the other Seattle-sanctioned encampments – about taking over. Meantime, its resident manager and co-founder Eric Davis says he was evicted and fired – he says it happened after camp leaders asked questions about the status of private funding to build more “tiny houses” at CSC; Patacara says it was “because he was failing to uphold the camp’s code of conduct.” Read the full story here.

(Photo courtesy West Seattle Montessori: Former library, new enrichment center)

The former White Center Library is becoming an “enrichment center” for neighboring West Seattle Montessori School & Academy. Here’s the announcement:

West Seattle Montessori School & Academy, a Pre-K through 8th grade school serving West Seattle, White Center, North Highline, and Burien families since 1985, is pleased to announce exciting changes this coming school year.

*A fifth pre-primary classroom (2½ – 6 year-olds) will be opening this fall.

*A new enrichment center will be opening this coming school year, located in White Center’s former King County Library. This enrichment center will be home to a performance stage area, kids’ kitchen, and a student-run store, The Owl’s Nest. This new community-centered space will extend student learning and cultivate all-school connections.

West Seattle Montessori School & Academy strives to create an environment where students embrace differences and can connect on compassionate levels with others and the world around them. West Seattle Montessori School & Academy is still accepting applications for the 2017-2018 school year.

The school’s open-house dates looking beyond this coming school year are already set, for preschool through 8th grade – November 7th, 6 pm-7:30 pm; January 27 (2018), 1 pm-3 pm; March 7, 6-7:30 pm. The school is at 11215 15th SW.

Know a family with kid(s) that need a little help getting ready to go back to school? Check out this event on Sunday at the Mary’s Place White Center shelter (8th and 108th):

Organizers say they have two barbers and two hairstylists confirmed to help out, and that manicures will be available for the children too.

Just out of the inbox:

Eight years after King County closed what was then Evergreen Pool — which was rescued by a community nonprofit months later – the county is pitching in to help with some updates.

County Council chair Joe McDermott, who represents White Center, West Seattle, and vicinity on the council, joined Evergreen Aquatic Center’s Bryan Hastings and Paloma Duarte at the pool this afternoon to officially announce a $61,000 county grant. Here’s what they all had to say:

The money is from the county’s Youth and Amateur Sports Fund. Hastings says the money will help with badly needed mechanical updates to not only the pool’s mechanical infrastructure but also to its shower system – which is also serving homeless people who need access to showers, including guests at the White Center shelter operated by Mary’s Place. Hastings says the system improvements will extend the pool’s life by decades.

Haven’t been to the pool? 606 SW 116th in south White Center. Find schedule and lesson info on its website.

The folks who are turning the ex-Big Al Brewing site into Unified Brewing are inviting you to their big sale today – noon-5 pm, benefiting WestSide Baby.

We’re encouraging people to come by and say hi even if they’re not in the market for anything, but are curious about our project.

Some of things we’re selling are:

Patio Furniture
Speakers
Glassware
Shelves
Filing Cabinets
Bistro Tables
Couches
Chairs
Mirrors
Lamps
Coat rack
Cash Register
Chalkboard
Brewery Memorabilia
ETC.

Unified Brewing is at 9832 14th SW.

Just in:

King County Executive Dow Constantine today announced that Senior Deputy Executive Fred Jarrett will take on a major new body of work, leading an initiative to explore new and better ways to serve the people of unincorporated King County.

About a quarter of a million people live in unincorporated King County, nearly as many as in the County’s second- and third-largest cities – Bellevue and Kent – combined. The initiative will study ways to improve how direct and contracted services – including roads, public safety, clean water, and increasing access to opportunity – are delivered in unincorporated areas even as the County’s General Fund revenues fall behind population growth and inflation due to revenue limitations imposed by the state.

“The people of our unincorporated urban and rural communities have unique needs, from maintaining long stretches of country roads to ensuring public safety across a vast territory,” said Executive Constantine. “With his long record of public service, Fred has the experience and strong community connections to lead our efforts to improve how we deliver services across departments and agencies. His expertise in innovation and accountability, and his understanding of our commitment to equity and social justice, will ensure King County government works at the highest level for every resident.”

“Unincorporated areas and cities with whom we contract services have their own priorities and challenges,” said Jarrett. “I look forward to working with our County departments and many community stakeholders to understand how we could make meaningful changes, and I look forward to getting them done.”

Previously a state senator, Jarrett served four terms in the state House of Representatives, after stints as Mercer Island Mayor and as a Mercer Island City Council and school board member. He also had a 35-year career at The Boeing Co.

“I am very excited to see the county take the next very important and vital step in its role as a local government provider for over 200,000 people,” said King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert. “This will allow us to be more precise in how and what services we deliver to our citizens. Then we will have the data to see how we can improve and provide even better quality services. This is a great step forward for county unincorporated areas.”

King County Roads has issued an alert for four blocks of SW 107th next Saturday night, in the White Center/North Shorewood area – it’ll be closed between 22nd and 26th SW because “epoxy and anti-skid material (High Friction Surface Treatment) will be applied to increase traction for vehicles. Data shows that this treatment helps dramatically decrease the numbers of crashes.” It’s one of 23 areas around the county where this is being done this summer. It means the road will be fully closed for several hours at a time between 6 pm and 6 am Saturday, August 12th, and: “During this time, there will be no access to driveways and side streets within the project limits.” More here.

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

A few hours from now, the new White Center Starbucks coffee shop at 16th/100th will start its second day of business.

We were first to bring you word it was on the way, a year ago, and first to report its opening date. Now it’s here, and the company has gone to great lengths to try to ensure that this doesn’t play out as a case of a corporate marauder moving into a fiercely independent community, albeit one that’s not far from its corporate HQ in SODO.

Before the opening-day bustle, we were invited to visit earlier this week, to hear about the store’s unique features.

What you see atop this story is one of them – a mural near the entrance, painted by an employee – “partner” in Starbucks’ parlance – Victor Melendez. And the people are what the Starbucks reps most wanted to talk about. We sat down for a few moments with Nicole Lopez, district manager (West Seattle, White Center, SODO, Georgetown), and Rodney Hines, director of U.S. social impact.

We photographed them in the “training center” area of the White Center store, which will be used for vocational training that could lead to jobs at Starbucks or elsewhere. The company had announced in September of last year that it would partner with a local nonprofit, in a model it’s already used in a handful of other stores around the country, and the one chosen here is the YWCA (which has a nearby base at Greenbridge). They’ll also work with Highline Community College. The curriculum for the training center will teach customer service. The training-center space also potentially will be available as a community hub for meetings and gatherings.

Meantime, they tout the fact that the White Center opening means some Starbucks workers who live nearby could transfer to the new store – workers who, Nicole explained, were taking multiple buses to their jobs at stores farther away. The new store has a staff of 22, five part-time and the rest full time (at least 32 hours). Nine were new hires, the rest transfers.

The staff, as a result, Rodney added, reflects the community. And they’re proud to say the store – one of two new buildings constructed where the old White Center Chevron was razed – was built by a woman-owned business, Saybr Contractors, the firm’s first project for Starbucks.

As of our pre-opening visit, Starbucks was still seeking one more component to their local economic-development program – a local maker – woman or person-of-color-owned business – with whom to partner, creating consumable products that could be sold in the store, and perhaps beyond.

Speaking of consumable – something unique to this location, Nitro cold brew on tap – so they’re expecting to be offering “lots of samples.” Also , this is one of a few Starbucks stores selling Mercato food, made fresh daily and donated (if there is unsold food) nightly to food-security programs.

The new store is open 5 am to 9 pm.