Nearly 300 people helped raise $65,500 for the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence Friday at the 9th Annual Gold Star Awards Benefit Luncheon at the Doubletree Suites in Tukwila, and here are some pics from Photographer Michael Brunk:
Former “Almost Live!” host John Keister acted as the Master of Ceremonies and brought down the house when he interviewed young scholars who spoke on behalf of their schools’ Excel Grant projects implemented with funding from the Foundation.
Other participants included Amy Pinon, who belted out the National Anthem, Kevin Rodal who played guitar at the pre-event and the Bow Lake Elementary Choir that provided luncheon entertainment.
The Gold Star Awards recipients were:
Outstanding Administrator – Dr. Steve Grubb
Dr. Grubb is a leader who models integrity, respect and professionalism at all times. He has an ability to stay focused on what is most important – the big strategic picture and the end goal without losing sight of the impacts on fron line staff.
Outstanding Classified Employee – Zenaida (ZZ) Newman
ZZ Newman evaluates and enrolls students who speak other languages and is often the first contact for families arriving at schools. She is caring and reliable and puts her knowledge and her personal concern for other individuals into practice.
Outstanding Teacher – Linda Drahn
Linda Drahn is a 1st grade teacher at McMicken Heights Elementary. She is a 28 year teaching veteran who is a loving , patient instructor and a mentor to new teachers, as well.
Outstanding Volunteer – Tamera Nason
Tamera Nason is in her 5th year volunteering at Aviation High School. She travels from Maple Valley to volunteer and is willing to assist with whatever is needed including flying her airplane to Moses Lake to deliver legal documents to students.
The final award of the luncheon, “The Lifetime Achievement Award” was presented to Geri Fain, Highline Assistant Superintendent in charge of Facilities, Transportation, Security and Nutrition at Highline School District. Geri has been at Highline Schools since she started as a teacher in 1971 at Tyee High School. Unlike the other awards, The Lifetime Achievement is the only one to be revealed at the luncheon.
The luncheon and awards were sponsored by Boeing, BECU and Rogers & Norman.
The revitalization of the White Center community received a major boost Thursday morning (May 28th) with the groundbreaking for White Center Square, an $11 million retail plaza in the neighborhood’s business district that utilizes a $6.25 million federal loan.
Here’s a photo slideshow of the ceremony as shot by Photographer Michael Brunk:
“There is very tight competition for these federal funds. This project won support from a review panel that includes representatives from across King County—and for several good reasons,” said Metropolitan King County Council Chair Dow Constantine, who represents the White Center neighborhood. “This project will create new retail space and new jobs, while providing a new home for a longtime community business, the Vong family’s Asian market.”
The White Center Square project will bring 60 new jobs to White Center.
Legislation approved by the King County Council in March authorizes the Executive to borrow $6.25 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and re-lend those funds to the White Center Investment Fund, LLC. The legislation also pledges the County’s Community Development Block Grants funds as additional security for the loans. The White Center Square project will also benefit from a federal tax credit.
The investment Fund will use the loan to leverage the additional funding needed to complete a new 26,500 square foot retail/office plaza near Greenbridge. Greenbridge is a mixed-income community built on the site of the former Park Lake Homes, the King County Housing Authority’s oldest and largest public housing development
“We have seen major public investments nearby—most notably in the form of Greenbridge project, White Center Heights Elementary School, and White Center Heights Park,” said Constantine. “King County has been a big part of this effort. I am proud to celebrate another step forward for the White Center neighborhood.”
The White Center PAL Boxing team (aka “The Bomb Squad,” who we recently reported on here) had a successful trip to the Vacaville PAL Boxing tournament on May 23rd, and here are the results:
- Duyly Lam won a unanimous decision over Chris Cuatro from Double Punches Boxing Club of Santa Rosa, California
- Rafik Iskandarian won unanimous decision over Felipe Verara from the Vacaville PAL Boxing club
- Carlos Reyes won a unanimous decision over Dalton Burgos from the Vacaville PAL Boxing Club
- Charles Nguyen lost a split decision to Thomas Diehl from Dreamland Boxing Club of San Jose, California.
All of here at The White Center Blog send our best congratulatory jab to these terrific athletes!
Go Dub-C Bomb Squad!
| May ’09 |
| 28 |
| 10:00 am |
Thursday morning (May 28th) at 10am, King County Council Chair Dow Constantine will join the owners of the White Center Square development for a groundbreaking ceremony at the new White Center Square site, which is located at the intersection of 15th Avenue SW and SW 100th Street.
This new retail project was funded through a $6.25 million loan from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The $11 million project, which will provide 60 new jobs for the White Center neighborhood, was authorized on March 30th by the King County Council.
Here are the details:
WHAT: Groundbreaking ceremony for White Center Square retail project
WHEN: Thursday, May 28 at 10am; Dow Constantine will speak around 10:30am
WHERE: The new White Center Square site, which is located at the intersection of 15th Avenue SW and SW 100th Street
Photo of Burien City Manager Mike Martin by Michael Brunk
It’s official. Several thousand North Highline residents now can mark Aug. 18th – primary election day – on their calendars as the date they will decide at last whether to be annexed by Burien.
City Manager Mike Martin said Friday (May 22nd) the 30-day period to appeal the King County Boundary Review Board’s prior approval of Burien’s plan to annex the south part of the North Highline unincorporated area expired May 18 with no challenge being filed.
“In all these years of talking about annexation, we’ve never been to this point,” Martin noted. “This is a major advancement … I encourage them, whether they like the idea of annexation or not, to vote.”
The August primary marks “the first time the county will hold an all mail-in election,” he continued. “I hope this increases voter turnout. After all these years, we’re looking for something definite about the preference of residents up there.”
In the meantime, language for the ballot measure will be written, and Burien will continue to hold informational forums in North Highline. The next forum is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at Southern Heights Elementary School, 11249 14th Ave. South.
State law requires a simple majority vote of residents in an area designated for annexation before the merger can take effect. Residents of an annexing city do not vote on the question.
As seen in the map at left, the south part of the North Highline unincorporated area that will become part of Burien if annexation is approved by voters is defined by a zigzag line that extends west to east along Southwest 112th Street in north Shorewood, South 116th Street, South 112th Street, and South 107th Street in Boulevard Park, ending at Tukwila.
Left in the remaining unincorporated area between Burien and Seattle would be the North Highline fire station, Evergreen High School and Pool, and the Top Hat neighborhood. Much of Beverly Park and Boulevard Park, including the Rainier Golf and Country Club, would be absorbed by Burien.
Proposals to annex North Highline have generated controversy in both Burien and North Highline – and between Burien and Seattle after Mayor Greg Nickels claimed the White Center area and beyond for his city – ever since Countywide Planning Policies, a regional offshoot of Washington’s Growth Management Act, called for King County’s unincorporated urban areas to be included in cities by 2012. The county also targeted North Highline for annexation in 2003 in the wake of the first in a succession of severe budget shortfalls, and offered financial assistance to cities that annex unincorporated urban areas.
In 2006, Burien, Seattle and King County agreed to work cooperatively for annexation of the entire unincorporated area by one or both cities. But despite their Memorandum of Understanding to resolve the issue, Seattle never responded to offers by Burien to settle competing claims on North Highline. This inaction led Burien to adopt independently early last year its plan to annex the south part of the unincorporated area.
Seattle objected to Burien’s annexation plan and challenged it before the Boundary Review Board. Following a public hearing in March, the board formally approved Burien’s request on April 16.
If North Highline voters approve annexation on Aug. 18th, the city will begin the legal and logistical processes of incorporation and those residents will become part of Burien in March 2010.
by Bart Bryan
King County Police Activities League (PAL) at White Center’s Steve Cox Memorial Park is sending a boxing team to a tournament in Vacaville CA this weekend.
The team is coached by Tony Ragu, and Assistant Coach Lori Graham; Coach Ragu’s wife, Pam, will serve as chaperone on the trip.
The team includes:
- David Imoesiri (pictured at right)
- Rafik Iskandarian
- Duyly Lam
- Carolos Reyes
- Rod Diezel
- Charlie Nguye
David Imoesiri recently competed in the national Golden Gloves competition and beat the top ranked heavyweight in the nation.
Everyone here at The White Center Blog wishes David and the the team and the coaches best of luck in their upcoming competition!
by Diana Arney
If only all interviews could be like the one we just had with Trudy, the owner of Envy on Alki skin boutique on Alki Beach! Envy on Alki is The B-Town Blog’s latest Advertiser, and like we do with all new advertisers, we write a “Blogvertorial” feature story on them. 
In order for that to happen, we must first interview the owner, Trudy Muller.
I showed up at Envy on Alki, prepared with my mini-recorder, and a list of questions. The boutique is the cutest thing you’ve ever seen; located on Alki Beach, mere feet from the boardwalk and sand. Envy on Alki’s décor is all black and white, and as Trudy says, “black and white because the color lies in our personalities and with the people that walk through the door.” There are adorable table and chairs in the lobby, decorative mirrors with Envy etched on them, wonderful natural light flowing in with just the right amount of privacy for your spa experience.
As I sat down, Trudy asked if I would like a complimentary mini-facial while I interviewed her. Are you kidding me?! What a treat! However, I discovered that conducting an interview while receiving a highly relaxing facial proved more difficult than I anticipated.
Trudy explained each step in the facial process. From the pre-cleansers, to the exfoliation, to the High Frequency (HF) wand and the toner, Trudy takes pride in educating her clients on what each product does and the benefit from it. The HF wand sounds intimidating, but it’s not at all. The most intimidating thing she did was get the big lighted mirror and look at my pores up close and personal!
Trudy uses two product lines: Dermalogica (www.dermalogica.com) and Vera Botania, and explained the natural ingredients they use as well as the fact that Vera Botania is completely organic. All I really noticed was that they smelled amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed identifying the various scents of each lotion.
Trudy has a special interest in helping teenagers with their skin and has been heavily involved with a teen line of skin care products and regiments specially created for their often problematic skin. Trudy remembers how difficult that time of your life can be, and having skin problems only made it worse. Now, Trudy has a teenage daughter of her own and emphasizes with her the importance a good skin-care routine.
Trudy enjoys hosting bride parties, where the bride-to-be and her select friends show up for a day of pampering…Facials and mimosas for everyone! (over 21 of course!) Envy on Alki does accept walk-ins but appointments are always preferred. Her normal hours are from 10-4, but will be extending her hours during the summer months.
You know, it’s a real good thing I brought my mini-recorder for my mini-facial, because NOTHING got written down during the 30 minutes that Trudy worked me over. In fact, there are moments of complete silence during this time…I might have even drifted off; it’s hard to tell. I do know that my face feels wonderful; incredibly smooth and soft and I left there feeling like a million bucks! Please do yourself a favor and make an appointment with Trudy at Envy on Alki the next time you need some “Me-time.”
Envy on Alki specializes in:
- Waxing
- Express Micro-zone Treatments
- Facial Peels and Exfoliation
- Lash Perming
- Facials
- Back and Body Treatments
- Brow and Lash Tinting
- Hand Treatments
For a full list of Envy on Alki’s services and pricing, visit their website: www.envyonalki.com.
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[Would you like to have a "Blogvertorial" story like this for your Business, along with an Ad on every single page on a focused, rich and local website? Email us for more info, or check out our Advertise page!]
The King County Council Monday announced that they’ve unanimously appointed Kurt Triplett as King County Executive, with members citing “his professionalism and knowledge of the issues.”
Triplett was unanimously approved by the council to serve in the role which he took on in early May in an interim capacity after Executive Ron Sims stepped down to join the Obama administration.
Triplett will serve until the results of the November general election for County Executive are certified.
Triplett was one of two nominees recommended last week by a Blue-Ribbon Selection Committee co-chaired by former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice and Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke. The Council interviewed Triplett and Royer in-depth Monday morning, along with former County Councilmembers Louise Miller and Steve Hammond.
“As Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee, I look forward to working with Kurt Triplett in this time of transition and economic uncertainty,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett. “He will draw on his 17 years of experience and leadership in County government to inform the difficult choices before the Executive’s office in the next six months.”
“With the 2010 budget in the process of being written and many other extraordinary challenges confronting us, we need an interim Executive who knows the day-to-day operations of King County,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips. “We need stability now in preparation for the new direction that will come when voters make their decision this November.”
“King County will benefit from Kurt’s perspective and experience during this time of transition in the Executive’s office,” said Councilmember Kathy Lambert. “I look forward to working with the Executive on giving King County’s unincorporated areas the attention and assistance that they deserve. In addition, I hope he will work closely with the district representatives on the Council both on budget and policy issues. At this time of economic stress, we need to weigh all costs carefully and be sure they are prioritized. It will take teamwork and cooperation to develop a budget within existing revenue.”
“In the dire financial crisis we’re facing, Kurt Triplett represents what we need in King County in the short term – continuity and stability,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson. “New leadership will come this fall, but for now, we need someone who can ably steer our government through our upcoming budget and help transition staff from Ron Sims’ leadership to a new Executive this November.”
Before his designation as interim County Executive upon the resignation of former County Executive Ron Sims on May 8th, Triplett served as the Executive’s Chief of Staff. He has also served as deputy director of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks, and as Senior Legislative Assistant to former County Councilmember Cynthia Sullivan.
The appointment is the culmination of a selection process that began April 6 when the Council adopted legislation to establish the blue-ribbon selection process. Former Executive Ron Sims resigned his office following his swearing-in as Deputy Secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama Administration.
Triplett will be formally sworn into office as soon as Tuesday (May 19th). He will serve as County Executive until the results of the November general election are certified in late November
According to the King County Council website:
Kurt Triplett has spent 17 years in leadership, policy development and management roles in King County government, both in the executive branch and on the legislative side. He has served as Deputy Director of King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Senior Legislative Assistant to King County Councilwoman Cynthia Sullivan, and was a legislative aide to State Representative Judy Roland.
As Deputy Chief of Staff for two years when Sims first took office and most recently as Chief of Staff since July of 2003, he has been instrumental in implementation of major initiatives and served as Sims’ chief budget negotiator and lead policy advisor.
Triplett earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Stanford University and his master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Triplett and his wife Heather live with their three children, Matthew, Daniel and Meredith, in Seattle’s Crown Hill neighborhood.
Saturday’s White Center Clean Up was a resounding success, and not only did The White Center Blog cover it, we pitched in to help as well!
Here’s a great photo slideshow by Photographer Michael Brunk:
A King County Sheriff’s deputy who was speeding toward a burglary call in White Center was seriously injured in a rollover crash early Friday morning as he lost control of his vehicle on Des Moines Memorial Way near 17th Place South.
According to the report, the officer was racing to a burglary call around 2:15am when he lost control of the car and rolled down a 20-foot embankment in the 10000 block of Des Moines Memorial Way. When the deputy’s car went off the roadway it took down a part of a cyclone fence along the edge of the sidewalk. One of the fence rails went through the vehicle windshield and impaled the shoulder harness the deputy was wearing. The harness ended up around the deputy’s neck and he was unconscious when found.
The deputy, age 30, has been with the Sheriff’s Office, working for the city of Burien for just over 1½ years. His identity has not yet been released.
Three residents nearby ran to the accident after hearing the crash, and a passing deputy in route to the same White Center call stopped. They were able to pull out the smashed windshield and pole, likely saving the life of the deputy.
It took the fire department about ½ hour to extradite the deputy from his vehicle, and they had to cut off the top of the car to do so. He was taken to Harborview Hospital and is in serious but stable condition.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
We here at the White Center Blog do our best to not only report on local news and events, but unlike other local websites, we also try to help our community (that’s right – we’ve gotten our hands dirty with fundraisers, helped the Rat City Roller Girls clean up the streets, and you’ll see some of us at this Saturday’s Spring Clean Up as well).
That’s why we’re posting this “Help Wanted” Ad for the White Center Community Development Association, which is seeking to hire a “Happy Techie” – but act fast as the deadline to apply is Monday, May 18th:
The White Center Community Development Association in SW Seattle is currently seeking a Data Specialist, responsible for gathering, entering and assuring the quality of data for use in our web-based database (as prescribed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation), as well as producing reports to funders and the association. The White Center CDA is a community development organization with three lines of “business” – neighborhood revitalization, community building and family development. Please visit our website at www.wccda.org
Minimum requirements:
- BA degree and experience with data and in quantitative analysis. Experience can be substituted for a degree.
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience with web-based databases.
- Ability to troubleshoot problems.
- Flexibility to adapt to changing funder expectations.
- Ability to effectively communicate in writing and verbally.
- Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining positive working relationships in a multi-cultural environment.
Compensation and Timing:
Hourly rate of $40 not to exceed maximum of $15,000 for 2009. Work is anticipated to be part-time with more intensive periods during reporting due dates (quarterly, mid-year and end of year).\Start date: ASAP but no later than June 1. Contract is expected through 2009, with 2010 to be negotiated. If interested, please submit cover letter, resume and three professional references to Kate Stannard, Administrative Director, kate@wccda.org or via mail by Monday, May 18 at 5 pm.
To see other job listings in the White Center area, please visit another part of our website you won’t see on other local sites: our Jobs Page.
| May ’09 |
| 16 |
| 5:00 pm |
This Saturday (May 16th) is the next White Center for the Arts Open Studio Art Tour, from 5pm to 10pm, at 9639 16th SW (map below), and here are the details:
Once again, it is time for the White Center for the Arts Open Studio Tour
This coming Saturday, May 16th, 2009 5 PM until 10 PM
Please join us as we present seven artists’ new work.
A wine and cheese event.
White Center for the Arts Building at 9639 16th Ave SW, White Center, WA
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On April 21st we reported that the city of Burien had requested August 18th as the day for the vote on its annexation of the North Highline area, and Monday (May 11th) it was made official by a King County Council confirmation vote.
Burien’s annexation attempts have been going on for several years, and this will give residents of the proposed “Area X” (seen in the map above in yellow) a chance to decide whether they want to officially become Burienites or not.
The proposed North Highline annexation area is bordered on the west by West Seattle, the south by South and SW 128th Streets, Tukwila on the east and a border of South and SW 107th to 116th Streets to the north.
Valuation has been assessed at $1.16 billion dollars, with 1,679 acres and just over 14,000 residents.
From WCB Reader Marsha Hargrave comes this email about a missing Bernese Mountain dog, lost in Boulevard Park on Wednesday May 6th:
LOST 5/6/09
MISSING FROM BOULEVARD PARK
SCARLETT IS 4 ½ YEARS OLD, 88LBS.
SHE WAS RECENTLY FROM OREGON SO SHE DOES NOT KNOW THE AREA.
PLEASE CONTACT MARSHA IMMEDIATELY IF YOU SEE HER –
CELL 206-819-5087
SHE MAY COME TO YOU BUT SHE IS PROBABLY EXTREMELY SCARED.
SHE HAS HER “HOME AGAIN” NUMBER & HER NAME AND OREGON PHONE NUMBER ON HER COLLAR.
Tracy Clark, the man accused of “gutting” Scatt, a therapy cat at White Center’s Cross Church, plead “Not Guilty” to a first degree animal cruelty charge Wednesday morning at King County Superior Court.
Clark allegedly attacked Scatt, the church’s therapy cat for the last eight years, on Sunday April 19th, resulting in multiple injuries including a “collar-bone to tail” knife wound.
According to KOMO News, Clark told deputies the cat attacked him first, forcing him to defend himself. He admitted that he grabbed the cat by the throat, threw it against a wall and then stabbed it with his own knife.
Clark, 47, claimed that he’d enrolled in rehabilitation at the church, which offers a full-time residential discipleship program for distressed men.
According to the report, another church resident told police that Clark awoke him late that night and said he had “gutted the cat.”
Scatt is still recovering after being treated for 10 days at South Seattle Veterinary Hospital. He was near death when admitted.
Clark is currently in custody with a $50,000 bail, and he faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- “Scatt” The Therapy Cat Doing Well, Attacker’s Arraignment Date Set For May 6th
- Update On “Scatt” The Cat’s Injuries
- Man Arrested In White Center For “Gutting” Cross Church’s Cat “Scat”
| May ’09 |
| 9 |
The 17th annual Letter Carriers’ National Food Drive will be this Saturday, May 9th, and residents are asked to leave non-perishable food donations at their mailboxes.
Food donations stay local, with over 13,000 pounds going to the White Center Food Bank from the White Center/West Seattle area.
According to the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), this is the nation’s largest one-day effort to stamp out hunger.
The postal union is seeking to exceed last year’s record 73.1 million pounds of food delivered to community food banks and pantries, and this is an easy way for people to donate.
NALC President William H. Young said the food donations from postal customers will help millions of American families caught in the downward economic spiral that has caused high unemployment and tightened credit. The drive is especially important for children who, during the summer months, see most school lunch programs suspended.
“This is a difficult time for many families. It is critical that the food banks and pantries across the nation have sufficient supplies to provide nutritious meals for the growing number of people needing assistance,” Young said. “Letter carriers take pride in delivering the generous donations of their postal customers to those in need in their community.”
Donations will be collected along postal routes in over 10,000 cities and towns in all 50 states and U.S. jurisdictions. Citizens should leave non-perishable food donations – such as canned meat and fish, soup, cereals, pasta and rice – in a bag near their mailbox on Saturday before their letter carrier arrives. Glass containers and expired items should be avoided. (In Chicago and New York City, residents should take their donation to their local post office or make an online donation.)
Over 120 million postcards, sponsored by the Campbell Soup Company and the U.S. Postal Service’s Priority Mail, have been mailed to postal customers to remind them of the drive. Other national supporters are Valpak, United Way of America, the AFL-CIO and the Feeding America food bank network, formerly known as America’s Second Harvest.
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