West Seattle, Washington
03 Monday
Those renderings were on easels at an event we covered for partner site White Center Now last Sunday, the White Center Food Bank‘s farewell party at their soon-to-be-ex-location (8th SW/SW 108th). Sometime early next year, they’ll have to vacate as that property is being redeveloped into affordable housing and a “community hub.” We’ve reported previously on the WCFB’s search for a new site, and the search is finally over – today they’re officially announcing the new location and the capital campaign to get it ready:
After years of searching for their new home, White Center Food Bank (WCFB) purchased a building in the heart of
downtown White Center (10016-10024 16th Ave SW). This location will provide ample space for WCFB to grow and is centrally located along several major bus lines. However, substantial renovations and other upgrades are necessary to make the food bank’s new home welcoming and hospitable to everyone.To raise the 6 million dollars necessary for this project, on September 25 WCFB launched their capital campaign with a group of customers, donors, staff, and board celebrating together. “This is a community effort and we know that by bringing our neighbors together, we can find a way to keep our community fed,” says WCFB Development and Communications Director, Jefferson Rose.
White Center Food Bank is looking beyond the old models of service and working to develop new ways to nourish the community with equity, accessibility, and dignity as their guiding principles. The new White Center Food Bank will be more than just a place where people can get food. It will be a welcoming community hub located directly in the heart of the changing and growing downtown White Center.
This new facility will bring together an incredible array of community programming, hosted both by the food bank and partner organizations. WCFB wants people from all walks of life to enter through our doors together, so that everyone feels comfortable receiving food whenever they need it.
“We’re excited for this next chapter to better serve the community and revitalize this part of the neighborhood. We hope that our supporters will continue to show up alongside us to ensure our community thrives,” says Carmen Smith, Executive Director.
To learn more, check out an informational video, renderings, and more here.
The WCFB’s service area includes south West Seattle as well as White Center and vicinity.
You have until 6 pm to get to downtown White Center for this year’s Block Party. Dozens of vendors and organizations are there. Kid activities, too, like the bouncy toys on 16th south of 98th:
The intersection of 98th/16th is where you’ll find the main stage:
South of 98th is also where you’ll find Lariat Bar‘s wrestling ring – we caught part of an early match, highlighted by the pre-match bluster:
The “Hammer Brothers” (Jack and Sledge) were so loud, we didn’t catch the names of their opponents. So go wander 16th between Roxbury and 100th until 6 pm, and look for the special wristbands you can buy for discounts and freebies at participating businesses! Proceeds this year benefit local nonprofits. (The event originated last year as a benefit for the businesses ravaged by a series of fires.)
One week ago, we noted that King County was wrapping up voting in its first-ever “participatory budgeting” – asking people who live/work/study/recreate in unincorporated urban areas to choose who should get a share of county funding. White Center/North Highline voters also got to rank proposals for use of cannabis-tax revenues Tonight, the winners were announced. Two of the White Center-area grants will have West Seattle benefits – Nepantla Cultural Arts Center in South Delridge will get $150,000, and the White Center Food Bank – whose service area includes south West Seattle – will get $875,000 as they move to a new site. The project that’s going in where the WCFB is now, the White Center HUB (a center for nonprofits plus affordable housing) is getting $750,000. See the full list of recipients here.
Today is the last day of “participatory budgeting” voting for $3.6 million that King County has set aside for projects in unincorporated White Center/North Highline. You don’t have to live in that area to vote – it’s open to anyone 12 and older who “lives/plays/works/worships” there. It’s a two-part vote – ranking proposals for $3.1 million in spending here, and ranking proposals for $540,000 in cannabis-tax revenue here. Some of the money could wind up in West Seattle – the first list includes money for the impending move of the White Center Food Bank (which also serves south WS) and the second list includes the Nepantla Cultural Arts Center, which is based in South Delridge.
That’s the note on the door of Zippy’s Giant Burgers in White Center after its final day on Saturday. We saw it there at 8 pm, when would-be customers were still showing up in hopes they weren’t too late. But they were. WSB reader Margo says her family got “the last Zippy’s burger ever sold” – and sent this photo of her 10-year-old son Chase enjoying it:
Margo says they got that last burger around 3:15 pm. The early sellout was not surprising considering this was the line before they opened at 10 am:
Zippy’s owners Blaine and Rahel Cook announced on Tuesday that they’d be closing this weekend after 14 years. They were in Highland Park for the first three years before moving to a larger space in White Center.
(Thursday photo sent by Corianton Hale)
As reported here last night, Zippy’s Giant Burgers has closed early the past two nights, after selling out of food both nights following their announcement Tuesday that they’re closing permanently after 14 years. Just got word from Zippy’s proprietors Rahel and Blaine Cook that the overwhelming response means tomorrow (Saturday, July 9th) will be their closing day, one day sooner than first announced:
Just a heads up that tomorrow will be our last day instead of Sunday.
Our final food order that we received today won’t be enough to sustain beyond then and there are no deliveries tomorrow.
We are grateful for everyone’s support over the last few days. It has meant the world to us.
They plan to open Saturday at 10 am.
(Wednesday photo sent by Carolyn Dean)
A lot of people want to go to Zippy’s Giant Burgers (at least) one more time before they close forever after Sunday (as announced two days ago). Two nights running now, we’ve gotten word that they’ve sold out and closed early. The lines started early, too = we went over this morning to confirm they had reopened after the early closure last night, and in the 11 am hour there was already a line out into the parking lot.
(Thursday photo sent by Corianton Hale)
So if you’re going, get there early tomorrow if you can – we’re told they plan to open at 10 am. (Thanks to everyone for the tips and photos!)
(WSB photo from Zippy’s opening day in 2008)
In May 2008, punk rocker Blaine “Zippy” Cook (above right) opened a hole-in-the-wall burger joint in Highland Park and drew a crowd. They followed him to a bigger space in White Center three years later. But now – Zippy’s Giant Burgers has just emailed some giant news: They’re closing. Here’s the announcement:
It is with heavy hearts that we are closing Zippy’s Giant Burgers after 14 years. Sadly, our last day of business will be Sunday, July 10th, 2022.
To say this decision is heartbreaking is a monumental understatement. Over the last two years, we have done everything we could to try to keep Zippy’s open for business. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, all of our efforts have been thwarted.
Our issues are no different from those we’ve all heard about with other businesses closing recently; staffing, inflation, and an unreasonable landlord are the contributing factors that ultimately led us to this decision.
Zippy’s will be open (staffing permitting) the following days:
Tuesday through Saturday 10 am – 9 pm
Sunday noon – 8 pmHeartfelt thanks to the community for supporting us from our humble beginnings in Highland Park to the current location over the last 14 years. It was a good run.
Blaine, Rahel and Jesse
For newcomers, Zippy’s original location was at 16th/Holden, where Wanna Burger/Teriyaki is now. Its current White Center location at 9614 14th SW was previously a halal restaurant among other things; they added more space two years after the move. Zippy’s also had a Georgetown location from 2014 to 2018.
The booth on the northwest corner of 16th/98th is one of three places you can buy $5 tickets for the Taste of White Center, benefiting the White Center Food Bank – each ticket gets you one of the special menu items that 31 establishments are offering – here’s the list:
The participants are all flying red balloons:
The Taste of White Center (which includes 4 South Delridge participants) is on until 4 pm, but take note that some venues are starting late – for example, Tomo, at left above, has a sign saying it’ll open at 2 pm (it’s offering smoked sable fish congee), and Good Day Donuts is participating until 2 (their menu item is listed as simply “surprise”). The other two ticket booths are outside Mac’s Triangle Pub at 16th/Delridge/Roxbury and outside Patrick’s Café and Bakery at 15th/100th. Along with the $5 taste tickets, you also can buy tickets for a drawing that’s also benefiting WCFB – two round-trip Alaska Airlines tickets.
So far almost 30 restaurants in White Center and South Delridge are ready to serve up tasty bites on Saturday during the first-ever Taste of White Center.
All you have to do is buy $5 tickets, each good for a special menu item at participating restaurants, from shave ice to smoked chicken, pho to pizza, banh mi to burgers, roasted corn to congee, and much more – and then wander around to those venues to start chowing down. The list of participating establishments is here. The event is happening 11 am-4 pm Saturday; during that time, the $5 tickets – benefiting the White Center Food Bank – will be on sale at three locations: the corner of 16th/98th, Mac’s Triangle Pub (Delridge/16th/Roxbury), and Patrick’s Bakery & Café (10003 15th SW),
Street-fair season has begun! First big one of the year is happening now on two blocks of 16th SW south of SW Roxbury in downtown White Center – the White Center Pride Street Festival.
Dozens of booths line the street, for local businesses large and small (like WSB sponsor Verity Credit Union above), as well as resource organizations. Entertainment too – DJ Baby Van Beezly was spinning while we were there (the full entertainment schedule is on the WC Pride website):
And we found something unexpected – a sneak peek inside the soon-to-open new location of the Lumber Yard Bar:
It’s right across 16th SW from the fire-ravaged original location. Proprietors Nathan and Michale say they’re aiming to open the bar side July 1st:
That’s the north side; the south half of the space will be the performance side. Back to the festival:
There’s plenty of room to roam, or to stop and savor (Moonshot Coffee has a beverage garden out front, for one). Vendors are open until 6, entertainment continues until 11.
12:18 AM: Tuesday evening, police arrested four north-end bank-robbery suspects in South Park and White Center. It was a relatively lengthy helicopter-assisted operation, and the Guardian One crew has released video this past hour showing how it unfolded.
11:12 AM: The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says that the four suspects will have bail hearings on Thursday, since they weren’t booked into jail until early this morning.
(WSB photos)
Two days before their first game as the DubSea Fish Sticks, collegiate baseball players from all over the country were at the stadium in Steve Cox Memorial Park today for practice. It’s the team’s home stadium for the summer, and the first game is Saturday night.
Today, the players were mostly wearing apparel from their college teams – but the brand-new Fish Sticks uniforms and hats were awaiting pickup:
This year’s roster features players from 30 different colleges, according to Fish Sticks general manager Justin Moser. He promises a trip to the park will get you more than baseball – they’re also offering food, beer, music, and “crazy promotions.”
The Fish Sticks will play 27 home games, including every Friday and Saturday from June 4th to July 31st. Single-ticket prices are $12 adults, $8 youth (12 and under), seniors, and military, or you can get discounted tickets in “flex packs” for three to 14 games. If you haven’t been to Steve Cox Memorial Stadium, it’s at 1321 SW 102nd. Opening-night game time is 6:35 pm Saturday vs. the Everett Merchants.
8:33 PM: This is just developing now along 16th SW in White Center – according to emergency-radio traffic, King County Sheriff’s Deputies were pursuing a vehicle (we don’t yet know why) and, after use of the PIT maneuver, it ended with collisions reported on 16th SW – one around SW 104th and another around SW 100th. We’re on our way to find out more. In the meantime, if you have to go through White Center, avoid that stretch of street.
8:44 PM: Photo above is from the scene at 16th/100th. Road closures start there/southward. So far, we’ve learned only that this began with an incident in SeaTac. A suspect is in custody.
9:17 PM: Added photo from 104th scene. Deputies at the scenes aren’t commenting but we just talked by phone with KCSO Capt. Tim Meyer. He says they started chasing the suspect as a “followup to an open and active investigation from a couple days ago” and that the 104th collision happened during the pursuit, with the suspect’s vehicle coming to a stop at the WC Starbucks. Capt. Meyer said two people were taken to hospitals – one to St. Anne in Burien, one to Harborview Medical Center.
9:54 PM: Going back through archived radio exchanges from the start of the pursuit, the only additional detail we can deduce is that the red pickup truck (partly seen in the background of the top photo) is what the suspect was in, and that the deputy who started trying to pull him over recognized him from a “bulletin” that had been circulated regarding the earlier case.
Five months after suiting up a new name – the DubSea Fish Sticks – our area’s summer collegiate baseball season is selling tickets for the upcoming season, which starts in just four weeks. The Fish Sticks are sponsoring WSB right now to get the word out – here’s the announcement:
The DubSea Fish Sticks summer collegiate baseball team launched its single game ticket sales for the month of June this morning.
The team recruits players from colleges across the country to come and play for the months of June and July. The 2022 summer roster is comprised of players from thirty different colleges. The players report in late May and play with the team to hone their skills and hope to one day play professionally.
You may have seen some of the billboards in West Seattle, White Center, and Burien this week donning the tough-looking fish-stick character logo with his hat backward, swinging a french-fry bat. The billboards use the catch phrase “Not Your Average Baseball Game.”
“This is going to be a circus where there happens to be a baseball game going on. This is guaranteed to be the most fun you’ve ever had inside a baseball stadium. From the music, to the great food, beer, and crazy promotions, this will be something you’ll never forget.” promised General Manager Justin Moser.
Tickets to Fish Sticks games are $12 for Adults and $8 for Youth (12 & under), Military, and Seniors. There are also Flex Packs with discounted ticket options ranging from three to fourteen games. The team will host 27 home games this summer, including every Friday and Saturday night from June 4th – July 31st.
The Fish Sticks also allow youth organizations and nonprofits to run ticket fundraisers at every game and sell discounted group packages.
You can find more information on the Fish Sticks at GoFishSticks.com/tickets and secure your tickets today.
The Fish Sticks play home games in the stadium at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center (1321 SW 102nd).
(Photo by Patrick Sand for WSB/WCN)
This morning at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center, Interim King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall was introduced by County Executive Dow Constantine as his choice for the permanent job. If confirmed by the King County Council, she will be the county’s next appointed sheriff, succeeding its last elected sheriff, Mitzi Johanknecht, a West Seattleite whose term ended last year. Voters approved the switch from electing to appointing a sheriff. We were at the announcement for partner site White Center Now; you can see the coverage, with video, by going here.
2 PM: If you’re headed to a business in the main White Center district, check first – as reported on our partner site White Center Now, 268 customers are without electricity because of an outage blamed on a balloon. (Thanks to Cindi for the initial tip.)
3:48 PM: Power’s restored, according to the SCL map.
(Photo courtesy DubSea Fish Sticks)
Got room under your roof for a summer visitor? The DubSea Fish Sticks – the newly renamed collegiate baseball team that plays home games in White Center – are looking for a few more host families for the players who will spend a big part of their summer in this area. Here’s the pitch:
The team recruits players from colleges across the country to come and play for the months of June and July. The 2022 summer roster is composed of players from 26 different colleges. The players report in late May and play with the team to hone their skills and hope to one day play professionally.
Similarly to junior-hockey teams like the Seattle Thunderbirds out of Kent, the Fish Sticks rely on the support of local families to host players for the summer months, also known as billets in the hockey community.
General Manager Justin Moser said, “Host families are the backbone to successful summer collegiate teams. Being able to recruit players from a broader range of area improves our ability to be as competitive as possible. It also allows us to expand our reach into other communities and give college student athletes an experience of living in our community.”
The Fish Sticks aren’t just a baseball team, though. They require players to volunteer within the community weekly, performing community-service hours at the food bank, with local non-profit organizations, help run youth baseball camps, and do community cleanups regularly.
“We’ve seen host families in the past start out as a safe place to stay, and then the relationship grows and many players become an extension of the family. Most of our former players and their families still have relationships with their former host families,” explained Moser.
If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a host family, please visit gofishsticks.com/hostfamilies. The team is still in need of hosts for 8 players this summer.
You can find more information about the Fish Sticks at GoFishSticks.com, where you can join their priority ticket list. Season tickets and flex packs go on sale in mid-April and single-game tickets go on sale in May.
If you’re not sure about inquiring, take a look at the info packet for prospective host families here.
That’s Mel Olson Stadium at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center, where the DubSea Fish Sticks (aka the ex-Highline Bears) will play baseball starting in June. First, a job fair this Sunday! Here’s the announcement:
The DubSea Fish Sticks summer collegiate baseball team is holding a job fair Sunday, April 10, 2022 at Mel Olson Stadium inside King County’s Steve Cox Memorial Park. The job fair will run from 1 pm-3 pm.
The team is currently looking to hire 20-30 part-time employees for the months of June and July. High school and college students are welcome to apply with select positions being available to those 15 years of age and older. There are select positions such as servers and security that do require the applicant to be 21 years of age or older.
The job fair will allow those interested in working for the Fish Sticks to find out more information about each position and apply on site. For those that are interested but cannot attend the job fair, they can apply online at GoFishSticks.com/jobs. Positions that are currently available include concessions, ticketing, game day operations, servers and security.
The DubSea Fish Sticks’ season begins on Saturday, June 4th, running through July 31st. They will host 27 different home shows (games) this summer at Mel Olson Stadium also known as The Fryer by fans. The team hosts upwards of 40 college players from around the country for the summer where they will play 48 games throughout the Pacific Northwest.
For more information on the DubSea Fish Sticks, you can visit GoFishSticks.com.
If you’re on one of the orange-shaded blocks of Westwood, South Delridge, and White Center, you should have received a notice from Seattle Public Utilities about a planned overnight water outage next week for about 500 homes/businesses: 9 pm Tuesday, March 22nd, to 6 am the next morning, Wednesday, March 23rd. SPU says the outage is needed because “SPU crews will be testing the water main shut off valves and preparing for some hydrant and water main work that will occur in April.” If you didn’t receive a notice, here’s the one-sheet explaining what to do and what not to do before and during the outage.
Last month, we reported on King County Road Services‘ plan to rechannelize 16th SW between 100th and 107th, after a short presentation to the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council. This month, a county rep returned to NHUAC with a more-detailed presentation, including early results of the online survey asking people about two options. Both options would change that stretch of 16th SW to one vehicle-travel lane each way. If you’re interested in the project, we’ve published our coverage of the newest briefing on partner site White Center Now. Also, the survey is still open, so if you haven’t responded, you can go here.
7:14 PM MONDAY: The Chief Sealth International High School community is mourning an educator who also served as the school’s tennis coach. 37-year-old Steadman Mathis died after an early-morning fire at his home in White Center on Sunday. Firefighters responded to the house in the 400 block of SW 108th [map] around 3:45 am on Sunday (March 6th). They quickly pulled Mr. Mathis out of the house, says Fire Chief Mike Marrs, but it was too late to save him – the King County Medical Examiner’s Office says he died of smoke inhalation. Two children in the house were rescued as well and they survived. Marrs says the fire was ruled accidental. CSIHS athletic director Ernest Policarpio remembers Mr. Mathis as “a good man.”
ADDED TUESDAY MORNING: Chief Sealth principal Ray Morales sent families a note about Mr. Mathis, and we’ve obtained it from the district. From that note:
It is with profound sadness that I am sharing news of the death of a staff member from our community. Steadman Mathis tragically passed away in a house fire early Sunday morning. He supported our community in many ways, both formally and informally. He was an Instructional Assistant in the Access Program and was Chief Sealth’s Tennis Coach. He was not just an educator and a colleague but a father, a brother, a son, a nephew and more. …
… We are a community because we care about each other. In this time of sadness, our hearts and thoughts go out to Mr. Mathis’s family. As we learn of more ways to support them, we will let you know. If you have any questions, please contact the school.
The full letter also includes resources for coping with loss.
Just in from the White Center Food Bank, which also serves part of West Seattle:
CALL FOR BABY FORMULA DONATIONS!
There was a recall of formula, and White Center Food Bank is running extremely low on supplies for our baby pantry.
We could use our community’s help to restock the shelves!
Here are the recall guidelines so you can check before you buy.
Donation hours at the food bank are 8-3:30 Mondays-Fridays (10829 8th Ave SW)
If those hours or location are not convenient, we have donation barrels located at:
– BECU in Roxbury Safeway
– Burien Press
– Moonshot Coffee
– Good Day Donuts
– Future Primitive Beer
– White Center and Fauntleroy Starbucks locationsYou can also donate online at: whitecenterfoodbank.networkforgood.com
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