Our 2nd Annual Turkeys N’ Diapers Fundraiser!

It’ll run until 4pm today, and all donations will go to the White Center Food Bank (food) and WestSide Baby (diapers & baby stuff).

Albertsons is located at 16th Avenue SW and SW 106th Street in White Center.

Come by and say Hi!

The B-Town Blog, along with our sister site The White Center Blog, look forward to seeing as many of our Readers and Neighbors as possible this coming Saturday, Nov. 14th, at the White Center Albertsons for a special Thanksgiving-related food drive: our 2nd Annual Turkeys N’ Diapers Fundraiser!

It’ll run from 10am to 4pm, and all donations will go to the White Center Food Bank (food) and WestSide Baby (diapers & baby stuff).

Albertsons is located at 16th Avenue SW and SW 106th Street in White Center.

We’ll be collecting turkeys and diapers (yes, that’s correct: turkeys and diapers!).

Important note about the diapers – says Nancy Woodland, Executive Director of WestSide Baby:

“We only need diapers in large sizes, Size 5 or 6 or Pull-ups in size 4T. Thanks!”

Stuffing and canned vegetables and other Thanksgiving-related food items would be greatly appreciated.

Donations in the form of cash and checks (made out to “White Center Food Bank”) will also be gratefully accepted.

The crew will be lead again this year by the blog’s own Bart Bryan, host of the recurring interview segments “Whaddaya Think?”

“We raised over $1,100 last year. Let’s double that this year!” said Bart. “Folks around here can really use the help!”

The  White Center Food Bank will make available the food, as they do year-round, to nearby families in need.

The Food Bank works hand-in-hand with WestSide Baby, a nonprofit organization that collects previously-owned items for children and babies and distributes them free of charge to South King County families in need.

In 2008 WestSide Baby served more than 12,000 children.

“See you all Saturday at the White Center Albertsons!” says Bart.

Here’s year-round contact information:

White Center Food Bank
10829 8th Ave SW
Seattle WA  98146
www.whitecenterfoodbank.org
Phone: 206-762-2848

And:

WestSide Baby
10032 15th Ave SW
Seattle, WA  98146
(206) 767-1662
www.westsidebaby.org

Click image (or here) to download a printable PDF poster (feel free to print & post!)

by Gina Bourdage

Here are notes from Monday night’s (March 2nd) Burien City Council meeting:

THE PASSING OF DOTTIE HARPER:
Dottie Harper passed away recently, and the Burien City Council opened with condolences for the passing of a long time council member, community activist and Burien’s’ first Deputy Mayor.

Mrs. Harper played a pivotal role in the incorporation of Burien, had a passion for the local arts and was honored by the city with a park named after her located on SW 146th street (where the blue Burien Arts Gallery is located, next to the library).

The council recognized Mrs. Harper for leading the way in making Burien a sustainable community, years before it became a popular idea.

NAVOS BURIEN CAMPUS UPDATE:
Currently located in Sunny Terrace Elementary under the third runway, Navos will be moving to Burien Heights property to assist the mental health community in providing housing in the Burien Height Residences.

On site there will be a new mental health center, with the hope to move residents in by the summer of 2009.

The facility will also include a state of the art conference and training center which can be reserved by groups seeking a meeting or event location and will be able to benefit from the catering program that will be run by residents.

Phase III construction for the project is set for winter/spring 2010 with the aim of being completely done in 2012, pending funding. With the rising costs of construction, obstacles have come up in the funding process. To date, 29% of the necessary money has been raised with a total project cost of $21.2 million. This will be the third largest facility in the state of its type.

Mr. David Johnson, CEO of Navos, said: “At Navos, we take on the challenge of serious mental and emotional illness everyday, providing services in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. We staunchly advocate for optimal public policy while leveraging new and progressive practices to surmount the barriers confronting our clients.”

“It’s amazing to me the amount of progress that has been made in a short amount of time,” said Council Member Gordon Shaw.

Council Member Sally Nelson added: “As a former mental heath educator I want to thank you (Navos) for your contribution to the community.”

More info at the Navos website.

METRO TRANSIT FUNDING CUTS:
Mr. Jack Lattemann, King County Transportation Planner, presented info about how funding cuts may cause route changes for buses in Burien. Metro plans to reduce duplication of bus system and link service. Plans for improvements to current services include adding neighborhood connections, & looking for new east west service. A 12-member citizen sounding board has reflected the residents concerns on how King County should communicate to residents on the progress.

Route 140 will have additional access due to community demand increased usage while route 180, which is relatively new, will no longer follow the air cargo road and redirected to the new Sea Tac airport station. Community is expected to see first phase of implementation of changes in Sept 2009 with the second phase happening in February 2010.

The new Burien Transit Center will open May 30th, and there will be a community celebration to follow.

CITY MANAGER REPORT FROM MIKE MARTIN:
The Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County will hold a public hearing at 7pm on Monday, March 30th (and if required, on Wednesday, April 1st).

The hearing will take place at the Riverside Residences Inn, 11244 Tukwila International Blvd, Seattle, WA. The Hearing Room/Building is located behind the main building of the Inn.

The purpose of the hearing is to consider proposed annexation to the City of Burien of the area known as “North Highline”.

Burien City Manager, Mike Martin said “We encourage all public comment, for and against the proposed annexation, to be presented at this event.”

More information at the City’s website.

(right-click this graphic and "Save As" for downloadable version)

It’ll run from 11am to 4pm.

Albertson’s is located at 16th Avenue SW and SW 106th Street, White Center.

We’ll be collecting turkeys and diapers (yes, that’s correct: turkeys and diapers!)

And stuffing and canned vegetables and other Thanksgiving-related food items.

And baby blankets and strollers and high chairs.

The folks at the White Center Food Bank will make available the food (as they do year round) to nearby families in need.

The Food Bank works hand-in-hand with WestSide Baby, a nonprofit organization that collects previously owned items for children and babies and distributes them free of charge to South King County families in need.

In 2007 WestSide Baby served more than 7,000 children.

As always, at any time, here’s how to contact the Food Bank:

White Center Food Bank
10829 8th Ave SW
Seattle WA 98146
www.whitecenterfoodbank.org
Phone: 206-762-2848

You can also donate online directly here.

WestSide Baby:

WestSide Baby
10032 15th Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98146
(206) 767-1662
www.westsidebaby.org

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The White Center Blog's Bart "On The Street" Bryan (left) lent a hand (and extendable grabbing thingy) to the Rat City Roller Girls as they cleaned up 16th Ave SW Saturday.

Our sister site The White Center Blog reports that everyone’s favorite sk8ers – the Rat City Roller Girls – spent most of Saturday (Oct. 11th) cleaning up 16th Ave SW in White Center.

Here’s the story.

Far as we know, no other local neighborhood blogs in the Seattle area are utilizing this feature, which is now active and available on both this here B-Town Blog and our sister site, the White Center Blog:

AUTOMATIC LANGUAGE TRANSLATION!

To see it in action, just click on either the Korean, Chinese or Spanish flag under the “Translator” heading on the right sidebar under the “Current Weather” area; the page should automatically translate to whichever language you chose (including reverting back to English with the American flag.

Give it a try (and please be patient – not every single page has been 100% translated yet):

• In Korean
• In Chinese
• In Spanish

We hope to add additional languages soon, but for now these three languages should help us reach out to a larger number of non-English speaking residents.

Please email us if you have any problems or suggestions – we’re always trying to improve both the B-Town Blog and White Center Blog, as well as helping to serve this wonderfully diverse community.

According to authorities, The B-Town Blog’s new ownership of said website will instantly raise property values (both on and offline) of the formerly-unincorporated portion of King County, as well as allow all local North Highline residents rich resources of a well-designed, active community website available at no charge 24/7.

“As part of our contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers,” said an anonymous LOL Dudez coder, “we have built into the root code structure a ‘rat city‘ filter, which will only allow the usage of said phrasing when applied to the words ‘roller girl‘ or when used in a quote from an unliked government official.”

To learn more, please go to http://www.whitecenterblog.com and be sure to say hello to your new neighbors!