by Ralph Nichols

Although Puget Sound Park no longer is under consideration as a potential site for a new King County library, White Center and Boulevard Park residents remain concerned about the future of their community libraries.

And little was said to ease their fears when the Planning Committee of the King County Library System (KCLS), chaired by library trustee Lucy Krakowiak, who is also a Burien City Councilwoman, met at the Burien Library on Thursday, Jan. 14.

Library system Director Bill Ptacek did tell those in attendance from the Highline area “the park is no longer an issue.” In November, the library system considered buying Puget Sound Park as the site for a new facility to consolidate White Center and Boulevard Park libraries.

But the planning committee also got their first look at a list of goals and metrics for a Library System Area Analysis that, Ptacek said, would help determine “the equitable distribution of library resources” throughout the library district.

This process will guide the trustees in identifying what is needed to provide good library service, rather than just responding to “who talks the loudest,” he added.

Board of trustees president Robert Spitzer later observed that if their goal system wide is to be “oriented toward consolidation,” then the most equitable approach would be to “build a 200,000 square foot library in the center of our service area.”

“There is a balance to be reached between efficiencies and meeting community needs,” Spitzer continued. That includes “considering the level of community involvement and access.”

Rachel Levine, a member of the White Center Library Guild, said the “metrics don’t mean anything if they don’t meet the needs” of these under-served communities.

Noting that the 2004 library bond issue, passed by voters throughout the library district, included funds for new or expanded library buildings in White Center and Boulevard Park, Levine asked, “Why should we wait for that new library with the money there?”

Ptacek said the metrics would be only the first step in a process for siting any new library. “The nature of the library business is changing, with outreach and technology,” he noted. “There is more to it than just four walls … it is old fashioned to look at a library building only.”

But, responded Levine, “Library buildings are important because that’s where it happens … we have a very proud history [at the White Center Library] and we intend to keep it.”

Highline residents will have an opportunity to address the library trustees during public comment at board meetings on Jan. 26 and Feb. 23. Both meetings begin at 5 p.m. at the library administration’s administrative offices at 960 Newport Way NW in Issaquah.

The February meeting includes the board’s quarterly public forum at which those speaking can take longer to make their points than the usual three minutes.

North Highline’s community libraries became an issue in November when word got out that former King County Executive Kurt Triplett had entered into an agreement that would sell Puget Sound Park at 1st Ave. S. and SW 126th St. to the library system.

The library system planned to use the park as the site for a new facility, where the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries then would be consolidated.

However, Burien objected to the sale of the park, which is in southern North Highline that will be annexed by the city on April 1. Two weeks ago, new King County Executive Dow Constantine announced that the county will cede the park to Burien as part of annexation.

The future of the two libraries, which is a library system and not a city issue, remains unresolved.

Before the Planning Committee meeting started, some in attendance criticized Ptacek and Krakowiak for sitting with their backs to the audience and indicating they would not introduce themselves. Introductions by the trustees and staff subsequently were made.

by Ralph Nichols

Burien City Council members and Highline-area residents made their case on two issues of considerable local concern to trustees of the King County Library System (KCLS) at their Dec. 15th meeting in Issaquah:

1. Puget Sound Park is an asset that rightfully should go to Burien when the city annexes about half of the North Highline unincorporated area, perhaps in early March.
2. Neighborhood libraries in White Center and Boulevard Park should remain open and not be consolidated in a new library building, perhaps at Puget Sound Park.

And both matters should be discussed openly, with affected citizens given ample opportunity to express their views at conveniently located public meetings.

KCLS Director Bill Ptacek and several trustees responded that, until this meeting, they were unaware of the facts supporting Burien’s claim to the park, and of community concern about their neighborhood libraries.

They apparently lacked both information and perspective on these issues despite the fact that Burien City Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak is also a member of the KCLS Board of Trustees.

The comments were made during a scheduled public forum. No action was expected or taken. However, both Ptacek and trustees assured the representatives from Burien and North Highline that an involved public process will precede any decision on either the park or the libraries.

Puget Sound Park is located at 1st Ave. S and SW 126th St. just two blocks beyond Burien’s current northern city limit. Residents of the southern half of North Highline, which includes that five-acre site, voted in August to be annexed by Burien.

But before leaving office late last month, former King County Executive Kurt Triplett put in his 2010 county budget $600,000 from a planned sale of the park to the KCLS.

Triplett included that item after a letter of intent for the purchase of Puget Sound Park was signed by the library system in early November.

He also budgeted the one-time anticipated revenue to pay for maintenance of parks in other unincorporated areas of the county next year.

Burien city officials were never told by Triplett about the pending sale, learning of it only in a second-hand way on Friday, Nov. 20.

The new budget was approved by the county council on Monday, Nov. 23; new Executive Dow Constantine took office the next day.

In the past, Constantine has strongly opposed efforts by the executive’s office to sell Puget Sound Park.

Ptacek has expressed an interest in the library system acquiring the property and consolidating the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries, which would be closed, in a new facility at that location.

Asked earlier this week about this conflict, Constantine said, “Clearly we need to have an arrangement that works for the city of Burien … as well as for King County. We need to slow this process way down to hear from everybody.”

Constantine said the county is “entering into a conversation with the city of Burien” – something that was not done by Triplett – “with everyone at the table … to make the best of the situation that I inherited.”

Burien City Councilwoman Rose Clark told the library trustees, “I’m heartbroken that such a deal could be struck [by the county] with the library without anyone coming to us [the city council] and … the two libraries in North Highline that would be closed.”

“I had a lot of [negative] emotions when I learned the county wanted to sell Puget Sound Park. No one came to us to ask our interest … it was presented to us as a done deal.”

“I encourage you to have a good public process … before final decisions are made about the park and the neighborhood libraries,” added Councilwoman Kathy Keene.

“We have some real concerns,” Keene said. “The park needs to go back to the people where it belongs.”

“This kind of 11th-hour dealing by the county really gives the county a bad name in its dealings with the city,” Councilman Gordon Shaw declared.

“Many details remain unanswered should the library system eventually buy the park,” Shaw continued. “Would the library system build a new facility on part of the land and give the rest to Burien? Would it use the entire park? Would it leave the land undeveloped?”

“This whole thing doesn’t seem to be well thought out,” he said, voicing the hope that the issue is settled with the park going to Burien.

“Just to set the record straight,” Ptacek interjected, “I was led to believe there was communication … between the city and the county [executive’s office]….

“I was told if we were able to purchase the park, some of the money would go the city” for park maintenance along with the rest of that property for use as a park. “Now,” he said, “we hear that Burien considers this an asset….

“I assure everybody in this room that we will not proceed without a full public process,” Ptacek added, noting the letter of intent has expired so it no longer is an issue.

Burien “never asked anybody for money for [city] parks,” Clark advised the library trustees.

White Center resident Rebecca Wells said “to take away the White Center Library and move it to Puget Sound Park would be a prohibitive distance for White Center residents,” including students who use it after school.

Ed Dacy, a member of the Burien Parks Board, highlighted the importance of this park to east Burien, which is underserved by parks. Then, pointing to a wall map of the library district, he reminded the trustees that distances appear closer than they really are.

If the White Center and Boulevard Park libraries were consolidated, residents of both neighborhoods would have to take buses into downtown Burien and transfer – just a few blocks from the city’s new library – to get to another new library at the park site, Dacy said.

“To close both of these libraries would really be a disservice to both communities,” he concluded.

White Center Library Guild member Rachel Levine told the trustees that the 2004 library bond, which was approved by county voters, includes funds for new or remodeled libraries in both White Center and Boulevard Park.

“Maybe it’s not the most efficient or economic thing to have small community libraries, but libraries are part of the people infrastructure of a community,” Levine said. “People depend on them. So it was a shock to us to hear about a possible consolidation … [that] would be very inconvenient for many.”

She said people “still need libraries that serve the community, that are within walking distance, that are within biking distance, that are within busing distance.”

“The bottom line,” said Liz Giba of White Center, “is that there is a lot of poverty, a lot of people who walk to the library. To consolidate these libraries would really put at risk a lot of my neighbors and would really put at risk a lot of kids.”

Closing the two neighborhood libraries and using Puget Sound Park for a library “would take away three assets” from the Highline area,” Giba continued.

“Please do the right thing,” she urged the library trustees. “Please stand up for the people of White Center and Boulevard Park. Please show that you really do care.”

ACORN will be hosting a summer candidate forum for the five Seattle Port Commissioner candidates on Sunday, Aug. 9th at 2pm.

The forum will take place in a neighborhood backyard at South 124th Street and 12th Ave South, with an old fashioned summer picnic-like atmosphere.

Candidates scheduled to participate include:

• Rob Holland
• Max Vekich
• Tom Albro
• Al Yuen
• John Creighton

This forum will give the community a chance to hear answers to prepared questions and to ask a few questions of their own.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Boulevard Park ACORN sponsors Seattle Port candidate forum

WHEN: Sunday, August 9th, beginning at 2pm

WHERE: South 124th Street and 12th Avenue South

INFO: From the ACORN press release:

In an effort to learn more about the people who may become the next Port of Seattle Commissioners, Boulevard Park ACORN, one of many active neighborhood-member groups of ACORN, is sponsoring a Port of Seattle Candidate Forum.

For the past two-and-half years King County ACORN has worked to improve the air quality in neighborhoods near the Port of Seattle and get those improvements into the Port’s clean air standards. King County ACORN has fought to bring the plight of the truckers who work at the port to light and improve their working conditions. Many of the truckers are ACORN members.

The forum will be held on Sunday, August 9 at 2:00 PM. The location is S 124th Street and 12th Avenue S. It will be held outdoors in a big neighborhood backyard with the BBQ grill cranking out hot dogs. Soda pop and chips will be available. A donation is requested to help cover the cost. For more information call the ACORN office at 206-723-5845.

ACORN is the nation’s largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families with over 350,000 member-families organized into 800 neighborhood chapters in 103 cities nationwide. Since 1970, ACORN has taken action and won victories on issues of concern to our members, including better housing for first-time homebuyers and tenants; living wages for low-wage workers; more investment in our communities from banks and governments, and better public schools.

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.

The male suspect in a shooting last July of a man outside a Boulevard Park apartment pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning, according to The Seattle Times.

The suspect, Cesar Trochez-Jimenez, 28, is accused of shooting Mario Batiz-Castillo, 25, on July 7th.

He was arrested a few days later in Vancouver, B.C.

Batiz-Castillo was shot four times and died inside his SUV, which was parked at the Willow Terrace apartments in the 1100 block of South 99th Street in Boulevard Park.

Prosecutors say that the shooter believed the victim was having an affair with his girlfriend, which was the likely motive.

Read the full story here.

by Marilee A. Cogswell
Community Liaison, White Center Library

Happy belated New Year as well as a premature Valentine’s Day to all!

Please Note:

All King County Libraries will be Closed Monday February 16th for Presidents Day.

DID YOU KNOW?
That the King County Library System offers many programs and program series throughout the county that are FREE and open to all:

• See details of our “Many Voices, One Land” series here: http://www.kcls.org/manyvoicesoneland/
• See details of our “Fiscal Fitne$$” series here: http://www.kcls.org/events/fiscalfitness.cfm
• For a complete list of all programs here: http://www.kcls.org/programs/index.cfm
• To see a complete list of all KCLS Libraries OPEN HOURS and LOCATIONS: http://www.kcls.org/locations/index.cfm

BOOK REVIEW:
“Puss ‘n Cahoots” (Mrs. Murphy) by author Rita Mae Brown

If you like mysteries, small towns, and animals as detectives, then the “Mrs. Murphy” mysteries are for you.

“Puss ‘n Cahoots” is the 14th in the series where all the animals belonging to Mary Minor ‘Harry’ Haristeen, post mistress of a small Virginia town, get in on the action.

In this series the critters serve not only as friendly human companions but are central characters in the story. They find clues, solve mysteries, and most importantly, protect ‘Harry’.

Mrs. Murphy (tabby) is the brains of the operation, lazy Pewter (a slightly overweight cat) and Tee Tucker (corgi) exuberant and fearless, team up with a wide range of farm and wild animals to uncover who done it every time. A fun twist on the relationship between animals and their humans, discussed from the animal’s point of view.

Many of the books in the ‘Mrs. Murphy’ series are available in audio format and in Large Print. Check the KCLS catalog here: http://catalog.kcls.org/

Highly recommended!

PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AT THE BOULEVARD PARK LIBRARY:

Preschool Story Time:

• Tuesdays at 10:30am
• Ages 3-5 with an adult
• 30 minutes of stories, songs and Fun!

Family Story Time:

• Wednesdays at 6:30pm
• 30 minutes of fun for the whole family

PROGRAMS AT THE GREENBRIDGE LIBRARY:

Family Story Time:

• Wednesdays at 2pm
• 30 minutes of fun for the whole family

PROGRAMS AT THE WHITE CENTER LIBRARY:

Mealworm Mania!

• Saturday, February 21st
• Starts at 2pm
• ‘Debbie the Science Lady’ will share fun experiments to discover mealworms’ favorite foods and colors – lots of hands on FUN!

Sponsored by the White Center Library Guild.

Vietnamese Story Times Chương Trình Đọc Truyện Cho Thiếu Nhi!:

• 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month through March 24th
• From 6pm-7pm
• Everyone is welcome!

Sponsored by the White Center Library Guild.

Happy Valentines Day!!

Marilee A. Cogswell is the Community Liaison of the White Center Library.

Last May, Feds ambushed a Boulevard Park restaurant called the El Flamingo for a major drug bust that netted about 40 pounds of cocaine, a pound of heroin, guns, methamphetamine and about $240,000 in cash.

Wednesday, a second man was sentenced for being part of a crime ring that was run out of the Mexican restaurant:

JAVIER GASTELUM-INZUNZA, 29, of Auburn, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison and three years of supervised release for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine.

GASTELUM-INZUNZA was arrested in May 2008, as part of “Operation Pink Tiger.” The operation took its name from the original target of the probe who went by the nickname “Tigre,” and the fact that cocaine was wrapped in distinctive pink cellophane.

GASTELUM-INZUNZA was found with more than $118,000 in cash at the time of his arrest. The money and two vehicles were forfeited to the government. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart imposed the sentence.

Alonso Rojo-Lopez, 21, of Burien, Washington, was sentenced last month to 46 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine. Oscar Manuel Vargas-Feliz, 32, of Federal Way, Washington, was sentenced in October 2008, to 30 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine. Gustavo Rojo-Melendez, 18, of Burien, Washington, was sentenced last month to 19 months in prison for Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute.

This was an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, providing supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved. The case was investigated by the King County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the FBI.

by Marilee A. Cogswell
Manager, 
White Center Library

Holiday Greetings to all my new Readers from your White Center Library Empress of Information™!

While I truly enjoyed the recent snowfall, and the subsequent studying to determine if indeed any two snowflakes are exactly alike (alas, they are not…but I vow to keep looking!), it’s nice to be able to see the gray cement again.

And welcome to my first column for the White Center Blog, the first local blog for this community, which first burst onto the scene Aug. 11, 2008!

Onward…

SCHEDULE UPDATE:

• On New Year’s Eve, all Libraries will close early at 5pm (Wednesday, December 31st).
• All Libraries will be CLOSED on New Year’s Day (Thursday, January 1st).

DID YOU KNOW?
You can access lots of business and investing information including the ‘Valueline’ & ‘Morningstar’ databases through the KCLS databases page, which is located here – all you need is a current KCLS library card and a current pin number (usually the last four digits of your phone number).

UPCOMING PROGRAMS:

WHITE CENTER LIBRARY:

• Game ON! Teen Program: Wednesdays beginning at 2:30pm, January 7th; also Jan. 14th, 21st, & 28th – Play your favorite multi-player video game on GameCube, Xbox 360, and the Wii! We’re turning the meeting room into an arcade so don’t miss the fun! Check out our webpage for more program details!
• Family Story Time: Stories, songs and finger play fun, Thursdays beginning at 11:30am, January 8th, 15th, 22nd, & 29th.
• Study Zone (K-12): Tuesdays in January beginning at 5pm, AND Wednesdays beginning at 6pm in January-Drop in and Get Help with your Home Work from our volunteer tutors! More information here.

GREENBRIDGE LIBRARY:

• Family Story Time: Thursdays January 15, 22, & 29th beginning at 7pm.

BOULEVARD PARK LIBRARY:

• Preschool Story Time: Tuesdays at 10:30am beginning January 13th.
• Family Story Time: Wednesdays at 6:30pm beginning January 14th.
• Spanish Story Time: Cuentos en Espanol para Ninos – Thursdays at 4pm, Los Jueves a las 4pm.
• Study Zone (K-12): Mondays & Wednesdays in January 6-8pm. Drop in and Get Help with your Home Work from our volunteer tutors! More information here.

BULLET POINT BOOK REVIEW:
‘Touchstone’ by Laurie R. King

• A suspenseful tale set in the English countryside circa 1926.
• Politics, old families, class struggle, and love set the stage for this compelling drama.
• The story opens as FBI agent Harris Stuyvesant arrives in England to ‘informally’ follow the trail of a possible bomb-making union organizer, whose latest work in America has rendered Stuyvesant’s younger brother incompetent.
• Stuyvesant gets no help from the British government and is about to give up when he is inadvertently put in touch with Aldous Carstairs, a very shadowy British operative whose motives for helping Stuyvesant are at the very least questionable.
• The touchstone in ‘Touchstone’ is a British veteran of WWI by the name of Bennett Grey.
• Carstairs has worked with (and exploited) Grey in the past and knows of his uncanny abilities- now Carstairs is looking for ways to control and use him again.
• To Carstairs, Stuyvesant looks like the perfect patsy to help him reclaim his leverage over Grey.
• The story is further complicated by Grey’s sister Sarah, who Stuyvesant seems to be falling for.
• This is a page turner with a surprise ending that will leave you wanting more.
• Highly recommended!
• Also available in large print and on CD.
• For a list of the Best Books of 2008, visit this website.

Marilee A. Cogswell is the Manager of the White Center Library.

Of course it’s a snow day today, with all schools (far as we know at least) closed, kids at home and icy streets awaiting sleds.

Which also means: STREET CLOSURES due to snow and ice.

Here are two in the White Center area that we know of, courtesy King County Road Services:

1. CLOSED: The entrance to SR509 at 5th Ave South @ 11248 North in Boulevard Park due to ICE HAZARD
2. OPEN BUT ICE HAZARD: SW 108th St. between 4th Ave. SW & 12th Ave. SW in White Center

According to The Seattle Times, police have arrested two suspects in the shooting death (reported here Oct. 31st) of a 15-year old boy in Boulevard Park on Thursday, Oct. 30th.

The two teens, from Kent, include a 14-year-old believed to be the shooter and a 15-year-old alleged to be the driver.

Both are accused in the Oct. 30th shooting death of James Jametsky during a marijuana sale in an apartment building parking lot.

According to police, Jametsky was at a Boulevard Park apartment babysitting his 3-year-old nephew when he went outside to talk to someone in a car, who then shot him dead.

According to numerous sources, a 17-year-old 15-year old boy was shot and killed Thursday night in the 1800 block of South 118th Street in Boulevard Park neighborhood.

Apparently, the boy was talking to someone inside a white car in the parking lot of an apartment complex when he was shot.

The car, a white Toyota or Mitsubishi, then sped off.

SOURCES:

• Seattle P-I
• KING-TV (with video)
  
• KOMO News

B-Town Blog’s Mark Neuman filed this late-night missive with Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer around 11pm Thurs. night:

Scott -

Got back, about an hour ago, from the City of Burien’s community meeting at Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church earlier tonight (Thurs., Aug. 28). Topic: proposed annexation of North Highline and the temporary withdrawal of the City of Burien’s request to pursue said annexation.

About 45 people attended, and one could reasonably assume that a goodly portion of the attendees (this correspondent included) would have preferred to view, live, the televised acceptance speech of Senator Obama. Must rely on delayed broadcast for that.

About half of those in attendance were Boulevard Park residents, and about half of those are home owners. As noted by one attendee, most everyone there was Caucasian and not exactly springing from the younger side of life.

But all were earnest, many were skeptical, and few were without opinion.

While this was only my second meeting regarding the annexation proposal, I believe I came away with some accurate observations:

Burien City Manager Mike Martin is a very decent fellow, with a reserve of patience greater than that which most folks, myself included, would likely muster and maintain in assemblages such as tonight’s.

“This annexation, if approved, will be revenue neutral,” Mike said. “This move would not make a dime for Burien, nor cost Burien a dime. In that sense, financially, annexation as proposed would be a wash.”

Mike said this several times, not because he is a repetitive person, or one who forgets what he just said, or loves the sound of his voice.

The reason Mike said this more than once is because it is the truth and because some in the audience either weren’t listening or suffer from CDS (Chronic Disbelief Syndrome).

With respect to emergency services, I think it’s pretty clear that the King County Sheriff’s Department works quite smoothly with local police departments.

And for Pete’s sake, does anyone really think the good men and women of any Fire Department would indeed fail to respond to an emergency because it’s occurring a block or two beyond a city boundary? Of course this won’t be allowed to happen.

The only things that should be left to helplessly smolder are the scare tactics of some and the ignorant fears of a few others.

Scott, I know you were looking for a Wake ‘Em Up in The Morning Headline, but frankly, I think the temporary withdrawal of the annexation request is a wise, brief and prudent move.

Perhaps the headline for this report should be: Extra! Extra! Sometimes Truth is Dull.

Well, gotta go, Scottso. Somewhere sits a PBS station ready to roll tape on Barack and Michelle and those two cute kids of theirs.

A local Boulevard Park-based Director/Producer named Frank Oliver is seeking donations and locations from area residents and businesses for his upcoming film production “The War of the Grandmas.”

The film’s plot:

“War of the Grandmas” is a family-fun-packed, independent comedy – half live action and half cartoon animation.

This is a screwball comedy in the vein of “Grumpy Old Men,” but with women.

PATTY, a sixty-something frugal tomboy, reigns as queen of her cul-de-sac until an arch enemy from her past – flirty, glamorous ROSE, also in her sixties – invades Patty’s territory and the queen declares war. The grannies fight the only way they know how – over a man. But when the old gals try to bring their twenty-something granddaughters into the fray, the young gals decide it’s time to teach the old gals a lesson: A woman does not need a man to make her happy! (Or does she?)

Oliver, 33, is seeking local sponsors, including residents and businesses, to help defray some of the film’s $15,000 budget. His intent is to film and edit a six-minute scene, then promote that at film markets in the next year or so in hopes of turning it into a full-length feature film.

“I’m trying to get the community involved, as this is a great opportunity for locals to help create a fun and entertaining project,” Oliver said as he took a break from his regular day job as a Construction Inspector. “I’ve received a grant from the Northwest Film Forum, but we’re still in need of funds to pay actors and crew.”

We spoke with Oliver on the phone recently, and found him to be a very passionate and ambitious man. We know personally that making a feature-length movie is a huge undertaking, and we admire his goals and passion.

From Texas originally, Oliver has been in the Northwest for six years.

“I moved up here for a variety of reasons, one of which is that I was inspired by the WTO riots,” he said. “I love activism, and am also a huge fan of the artistic and independent spirit of the region, which I love.”

Oliver is currently seeking:

• Access to locations in exchange for product placement in the film; specifically three houses situated next to each other, perhaps in a cul-de-sac, to serve as the movie’s major location
• Donate money (any amount, even minor)
• Visit the website, download the flyers, and post at their workplace/social activities
• Everyone is welcomed to audition for the cast or participate as crew

Here’s his self bio:

Frank is creative, resourceful, and entrepreneurial. He helped manage the family business while still attending high school and learned about taking calculated risks and surrounding himself with talented people to help achieve a goal. He founded a non-profit dance organization in Texas and taught swing and lindy hop to inner city youth. Frank is socially conscientious and passionate about social and economic justice. When he relocated to WA, he joined the union construction trades and actively helped organize and educate others about the struggles and gains of the labor movement. Frank enjoys cinema and aspires to be much like Ken Loach, the filmmaker, and serve the people through his art. Frank hopes to achieve credibility as a director by successfully completing the “The War of the Grandmas” production and attracting well-versed writers to collaborate with him on docudramas and films of social commentary.

We encourage all our WCB Readers, and anyone who enjoys supporting the arts, to visit the “War of the Grandmas” website, and consider volunteering their location(s) and/or time, as well as making a donation to the film.

Rest assured, the White Center Blog will keep you posted on the progress of this creative endeavor as things develop.