White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Announced today by the King County Council:

Communities in unincorporated King County will see increased traffic safety patrols after today’s unanimous approval by the Metropolitan King County Council of funds for emphasis patrols. Sponsored by Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn, the legislation allocates funds for an additional 1,100 hours of increased traffic enforcement by the King County Sheriff’s Office.

“I heard concerns about traffic enforcement from residents of unincorporated King County over and over again at my annual town hall meetings,” said Dunn. “Increased visibility by the Sheriff’s office in unincorporated King County will help keep our children and our community’s safe by reminding drivers to obey traffic laws.”

“The number one complaint I hear from residents is speeding in neighborhoods,” said King County Sheriff John Urquhart. “These funds will help to address that concern, as well as help to keep our streets safe from drunk drivers.”

Today’s legislation appropriated $100,000 to the Sheriff’s Office and restricts the funds for use in increasing patrols for traffic safety enforcement in Unincorporated King County. Enforcement will focus around schools, patrols for Driving Under the Influence (DUI), and speeding drivers.

Passing 16th SW/SW 100th on Monday, we spotted the signs, one year after we brought you first word that Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Starbucks would be opening new stores where White Center Chevron used to be.

While the Starbucks building signage wasn’t up yet, the sign answers a question we hadn’t been able to get the company to answer – yes, it’ll be a drive-thru, as will Popeyes. We did reach Starbucks today for comment on the opening timeframe; they tell us they expect the store to open in August. (As you might recall, the location will also feature a job-training program.) We are still trying to get opening info from Popeyes, via either their local franchisees or national HQ; no luck yet.

From South Seattle College:

With graduation season in full swing, the TRiO Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) at South Seattle College wants to help community members achieve their own academic and career goals. From June 19-25, EOC advisors will hold Educational Opportunity Week, visiting seven local community centers to offer free one-on-one help to adults with questions about paying for and attending college.

The EOC provides guidance and assistance to adults who want to begin or restart their college education or career training. Services are free to eligible individuals, and EOC staff primarily aims to support low-income students, first-generation college students and veterans (including family members). EOC advisors are trained to provide assistance with financial aid (FAFSA), funding options, career guidance and college admissions applications to adults who seek to enter or continue an academic or vocational degree or certificate program, whether that program is at South Seattle College or another college or university in the area.

(Here’s the local community center getting a visit:)

· June 22: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Greenbridge Community Center, 9800 8th Ave SW, Seattle

Educational Opportunity Center Hours and Contact Information

The EOC is located at South Seattle College’s main campus (6000 16th Ave SW in West Seattle), and open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Please note the Center will close at 1 p.m. on Fridays from June 23 – Sept. 28. Extended hours are available by appointment.

To learn more about Educational Opportunity Week, schedule a one-on-one appointment or to create a personalized educational plan with an EOC advisor, please call 206-934-5208 or email trio-eoc@seattlecolleges.edu.

It’s the first week of summer vacation for Highline Public Schools students – last Friday (June 16th) was the last day of the school year. The calendar on the HPS website says students’ first day back will be September 6th.

Power went out for more than 2,000 homes and businesses in parts of White Center, South Park, and West Seattle at 11:19 am. Seattle City Light says a crash caused it; some traffic lights, including 8th/Roxbury (which is dangerous enough when the signal’s working), are out, so please remember that means they’re all-way stops until restored. SCL hopes to have this fixed by 2:30-ish pm.

The photo and report arrived tonight:

Today, White Center residents Mark Ufkes and his oldest son Patrick have finally reached the furthest point east on the North American continent that a person can drive to, Cape Spear in Newfoundland, Canada. The drive is over 5,000 miles from Seattle. The Seattle Heart Canada sign is a big hit here. People honking and waving all the time. Next stop, Ice Berg Alley, and then a drive across Labrador in search of Polar Bears to photograph before heading home.

We don’t know what route they took but if you put Seattle and Cape Spear into Google Maps – here’s what you get.

(Photo courtesy Unified Brewing)

Just in – the announcement that the former Big Al Brewing location at 9832 14th SW in White Center has a new brewery moving in:

After nearly two years of searching for a location, and trying to keep our plans under wraps, we are excited to introduce to the world, Unified Brewing Company. We recently signed a long-term lease to move into the old Pacific Rim Brewing / Big Al Brewing location in White Center. There has been a brewery in that building for nearly twenty years and we’re happy that we can continue that tradition of being White Center’s Brewery.

We’ll be doing a little more than putting on a fresh coat of paint. We recently put down our deposit on a new 20bbl Brewhouse from JVNW out of Canby Oregon, a manufacturer we feel is at the top of their game for brewing equipment. We’ll brew a wide variety of styles to be served in our brewpub as well as some limited distribution.

Our team collectively has over 50 years experience in the beer world in all facets from Production, Importing, Distribution, and Publican:

Our partner and Brewer, Kevin Watson, has brewed for over 18 years for the likes of Hales, Allagash, and most recently Elysian Brewing. Having grown up in White Center, he is pleased to be making beer just down the street from where he played little league and mere blocks from where he first homebrewed in his parents kitchen.

Mike Baker, former founder and owner of Baron Brewing Company in South Park, Seattle, is also responsible for bringing delicious German beers to the U.S. through his import company NW Beverage Group.

Dean Hudgins and Ian Roberts are the owners of The Pine Box, a successful craft beer bar on Capitol Hill.

New to the beer biz is Larry Solomon, a friend from across the bar top with a wealth of business knowledge.

Mike Baker and Ian Roberts are also two of the founders and organizers of Seattle Beer Week, a ten-day celebration of all things beer across the city, now going on its 10th year.

With all of our renovations, licensing, and equipment on order, we plan to be open to the public early 2018.

Jubilee Days is huge this year – on 16th AND 17th SW – and has just announced an appropriately huge music lineup:

White Center Jubilee Days, Monumental Undertaking, and Match + Gasoline present
WHITE CENTER JUBILEE DAYS 2017
Live Music on the Jubilee Days Main Stage
July 22-23, 2017

ABOUT WHITE CENTER JUBILEE DAYS MAIN STAGE
For the 2017 Jubilee Days festival, we are thrilled to be presenting a broad and dynamic main stage lineup featuring some of our favorite bands from around the Seattle area, including several bands based out of our very own White Center. The 2017 Main Stage will be located at 16th Ave SW & SW 100th St and there will be a rockin’ beer garden (21+, with proper ID required) running from noon-10pm’ish each day.

White Center Jubilee Days Live Music poster design by Dan Cunneen at Oranj Screen Printing & Graphic Design

MAIN STAGE LINEUP
Please see for more information about the bands, including links to their websites and Facebook pages.

SAT, JULY 22

HOBOSEXUAL – 8:30pm
THE BLACK TONES – 7:30pm
ACAPULCO LIPS – 6:30pm
SKATES! – 5:30pm
TOUGH TIMES – 4:30pm
DYNAMITE NUGGET – 3:30pm
THE DEAD LETTERS – 2:30pm
TWICE NICE – 1:30pm

SUN, JULY 23

DELVON LAMARR ORGAN TRIO (DLO3) – 7:30pm
THADDILLAC – 6:30pm
THE SPOILS (of Seattle) – 5:30pm

More Sunday lineup information coming soon!

Just announced by the White Center Food Bank – the new WCFB executive director:

On behalf of our community, our clients, and the Board, staff and volunteers at the White Center Food Bank, we would like to cordially and excitedly welcome our new leader, Dr. Angela Beard.

After an exhaustive search for a candidate to lead our amazing Food Bank into the future, we are excited to welcome Dr. Beard into our community.

Dr. Angela C. Beard has been a nonprofit practitioner, board member and scholar for nearly 30 years. Dr. Beard began her fundraising career as the grants manager for Pacific Northwest Ballet and has held leadership positions in fund development at ArtsFund, the Museum of History and Industry, the Seattle Repertory Theatre and Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras.

Dr. Beard served as Executive Director at Cancer Lifeline, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of life for cancer patients and survivors.

Before joining the White Center Food Bank, she was an instructor in the Masters of Nonprofit Leadership program at Seattle University.

Dr. Beard has provided consultant services to numerous local and national organizations including Delridge Neighborhood Development Association and a year-long project national project studying fundraising practices in social justice organizations with the Research Center for Leadership in Action at New York University. In 2011 she received her doctorate in public administration from the Robert F. Wagner School at New York University, specializing in nonprofit management, financial management, applied statistics and survey/sampling techniques.

Dr. Beard has also served on the boards of several nongovernmental organizations in both the arts and human service sectors. In her spare time, she loves to read, travel, craft, rollerblade and chase after her four rescued critters Tinsel, Poppy, Raven, and Momo.

She will officially be joining us in July, but feel free to extend a warm welcome to our new leader and Executive Director, Dr. Angela Beard!

Longtime WCFB leader Rick Jump announced his retirement back in January.

1:06 AM: In case you wanted to go to Wednesday night’s “town hall” for North Highline, part of the King County Community Service Area program, but couldn’t – we recorded the presentations and Q/A. It was held at Seola Gardens.

Of the three top-billed county officials mentioned in previews, King County Council Chair Joe McDermott – who represents our area on the council – and Deputy County Executive Rhonda Berry were there; Sheriff John Urquhart was not – his chief of technical services (including 911) Patti Cole-Tindall was there instead. Many other county officials there, including County Assessor John Arthur Wilson, County Transportation Department Director Harold Taniguchi, County Parks Director Kevin Brown, and more – you will see all the introductions at the start of our video, which runs an hour and a half and is unedited. Alan Painter, manager of the Community Service Area program, facilitated.

7:33 AM: One attendee, community advocate Gill Loring, tells WCN that a participating county official talked with him afterward to correct something she had said – Karen Freeman from the county executive’s staff said that local businesses are not required to have garbage pickup, but later acknowledged that’s inaccurate – they are.

Tonight, the annual King County Community Service Area town-hall meeting for North Highline is set for 7 pm at Seola Gardens (11215 5th SW).

Those in attendance at last Thursday’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting got several reminders that it will be a good place to take concerns about ongoing issues.

Those concerns included the ongoing unauthorized camping along Myers Way, the plan currently under review for a marijuana-processing facility on the basement level of the building where Beer Star just opened, and the big multifamily-housing complex under construction at the old grocery site in Top Hat.

Also at the NHUAC meeting: Charlie Governali, King County’s land conservation projects manager, was a guest. He was asked if there was any chance the county could buy the Myers Way Parcels. No, he said, that’s city of Seattle property. Meantime, he was asked about trade-offs for developers that can help preserve land. One example, he said, are fees that go directly to the conservation fund, but that doesn’t happen often in the county’s unincorporated area. He asked for suggestions of green spaces that should be preserved, and NHUAC president Liz Giba suggested that when the King County Public Health building that currently houses the Mary’s Place shelter is available, that would be a good addition to the nearby parkland. (Currently there’s an early-stage plan to develop the site, including the White Center Food Bank HQ to the south, into affordable housing and headquarters for nonprofits.)

The other guest was Carlos Marquez, who spoke about Block Watches and the Citizen’s Academy. For the former, he’s working on reviving Block Watch captains’ meetings, initially the Burien and North Highline captains, and he expects to have more information by fall. Before then, Night Out is coming up on August 1st, and people can get started now on forming Block Watches. He had suggestions for safety improvements at home – more lighting, video doorbell, better networking with neighbors. And: “If you see something, say something.”

NHUAC SCHEDULE: July’s meeting will be board-only, but the board hopes to see everyone at this year’s new-and-improved Jubilee Days festival. No meeting in August, but September, it’ll be back to the first Thursday, 7 pm, NH Fire District HQ (1243 SW 112th) – watch northhighlineuac.org for updates in the meantime.

New information today on a case we reported yesterday on partner site West Seattle Blog after learning of this big police response on SB Highway 509 (shown in our video above).

Police now believe the death of a 25-year-old man in an unauthorized encampment on the slope between 509 and Myers Way was a homicide. This morning, they reported a 43-year-old man has been arrested and jailed. The cause of the victim’s death has not yet been announced but police say they learned “an assault” had taken place. The suspect has a fairly lengthy criminal record, according to state records online; the felony cases are mostly drug-related.

One woman is dead and another in custody after an early-morning shooting. From King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West:

The shooting happened just before 1 am in the parking lot of the Avenue Apartments in the 10700 block of 14th Ave SW [map]. Police responded to the complex after receiving numerous 911 calls of a shot being heard.

When police arrived they found a 28 year old woman lying in the parking lot suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Another 28-year-old, who reportedly fired the shot, was taken into custody at the scene and transported to Highline Hospital with minor injuries from the fight.

Detectives learned the women knew each other and had been at a party at a nearby apartment prior to the shooting. Detectives are interviewing witnesses to determine what led up to the shooting.

Sgt. West says the suspect will be booked later this morning for investigation of murder.

For those interested in Camp Second Chance, the City of Seattle-authorized encampment on Myers Way, its Community Advisory Committee meets again tomorrow (Sunday, June 4th). Even if you already knew that – take note that the location has been moved; when the 4 pm Sunday meeting was first announced, it was set to happen at Arrowhead Gardens, the senior-living complex a few blocks south, but now Polly Trout of camp operator Patacara Community Services says it’ll be at the camp instead, as was the first meeting (which we covered). The meeting is open to everyone.

From Linda at Mary’s Place:

The Mary’s Place kitchen is being renovated and we need help with meals at our White Center Family Center next week.

We need groups or individuals to bring a meal for 50 people each night next week! If someone can help or would like more information they can email volunteer@marysplaceseattle.org.

ORIGINAL REPORT, 10:53 PM TUESDAY: If you’re seeing/hearing a big King County Sheriff’s Office response south of downtown White Center – we’re hearing via the scanner that Super Saver Foods at 10616 16th SW is reported to have been robbed at gunpoint. KCSO was told that five people were involved; no description so far. The store’s online listing says it’s usually open until 11 pm on Tuesday nights, so this happened shortly before closing time.

UPDATE, 11:02 AM WEDNESDAY: From Sgt. Cindi West of KCSO, who says it was a shoplifting case turned to robbery:

3 juvenile males went into the Super Saver and stole some drinks. A security guard followed them out of the store. The three suspects went outside and met up with 2 other juveniles. The security guard confronted the teens and one produced a handgun and threatened the security guard. The suspect then ran. Patrol deputies located the suspect who had displayed the handgun and threatened the guard nearby. He was arrested and booked into the Youth Services Center for Robbery. K-9 attempted a track for the other suspects but none were located.