The White Center Food Bank will bring together more than 30 local restaurants for its annual Taste of White Center fundraiser on Saturday, June 20, offering visitors an opportunity to sample a wide variety of foods while supporting hunger relief programs in the community.

The family friendly event will run from Noon to 3 p.m. in downtown White Center, with tickets available for purchase at the intersection of 16th Ave SW and SW 98th Street (map below).

According to the White Center Food Bank, attendees can purchase $5 tickets that may be exchanged for small plates, beverages or desserts from participating restaurants. Featured offerings include banh mi sandwiches, bubble tea, tacos, pizza and other specialties from neighborhood establishments, including Puffy Pandy, Sap Sap Lao Cafe, Young’s, Salvadorean Bakery and others.

“White Center Food Bank looks forward to hosting this celebration and sharing the diverse culinary talents of our neighborhood around the one thing that always brings community together: FOOD!” organizers said.

A menu and map identifying participating restaurants and available items will be distributed when tickets are purchased. Organizers said quantities at each location will be limited and available on a first come, first served basis.

The event will also feature local vendors, a children’s area, music and the debut of exclusive Taste of White Center merchandise, including limited edition T shirts, hats and tote bags available for a suggested donation while supplies last.

This year’s event will also introduce the White Center Food Bank’s new community cookbook, “Bringing People Together One Plate at a Time.” The collection features recipes contributed by food bank staff, volunteers and community partners, highlighting the cultural traditions and flavors found throughout White Center. Copies will be available for a suggested donation of $40, with proceeds benefiting the White Center Food Bank and Dream of Wild Health.

According to organizers, all ticket proceeds from the event will support the White Center Food Bank, while sponsorship funding helps participating restaurants cover ingredient costs and other event expenses.

More info here:

https://www.whitecenterfoodbank.org/taste-of-white-center

About the White Center Food Bank

White Center Food Bank began in the mid-1970’s as an emergency response to assist struggling families and individuals in the greater White Center and Highline areas during a major economic downturn.  Much like today, many in the community were faced with difficult economic conditions that left them in need of food resources. We were there then. We are here now.

Current food bank programs include daytime, and seniors-only food distributions; expanded home deliveries; mobile food bank program to three senior housing sites; pop-up food pantries; a Baby Pantry providing formula, baby foods and more; cultural foods buying program and grocery rescue. Intake services are provided in nine languages.

In 2025, we served 15,549 individuals (150,879 individual visits), 6,189 households (62,214 total household visits) and distributed 1.7 million lbs of food.

Artwork: Theary Chhim, PharmD, Designer

By Sarah Toce

The Highline School Board convened on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, for a nearly three-hour discussion on hot button items that included classified staff relocation, transparency concerns, and more.

While there was not an official June proclamation, the board recognized National Safety Month, Pride Month, Flag Day, and Juneteenth.

Highline Education Association President Jeb Binns took a few moments to recognize and thank retiring staff members, as well as guest teachers. Binns encouraged acceptance of all students and community members as a sponsor of Burien Pride.

Mobile Devices

SB 5346 (companion bill HB 1122) addresses student use of mobile devices in public schools. The Superintendent Student Leadership Team urged policymakers to utilize student perspectives in decision-making. The new policy is slated for implementation on June 11, 2026.

The Superintendent Student Leadership Team meets monthly at different schools throughout the year, offering leadership lessons and values-based leadership opportunities. Guest speakers from Evergreen and Tyee shared their findings on cell phone and social media usage, as well as access to smart devices. The survey included feedback from an estimated 946 students, 35 staff members, and close to 100 parents, according to their presentation.

“Phones affect the learning environment every day, so the rules around them can shape whether the classroom feels safe and focused, and also respectful and fair,” the group offered. “So when expectations are clear and consistent, students are most likely to feel able to understand the boundaries and make more responsible choices.”

The student leaders emphasized the need for transparency and inclusion for non-traditional circumstances, such as students using their mobile devices for familial interaction, translation apps, and general anxiety reduction.

“And some students have to text their parents because some of them have to pick up their siblings or other family members, or let their family know where they are, because some parents work while school hours happen, and they want to know where their students are (and their kids) – and if they’re safe,” the group relayed.

They said in conclusion, “As a policy is developed, families need clear, consistent information so they will understand the expectations, the reasons behind them, and how the policy will affect the students’ day-to-day. It is also important to make sure communication is accessible in different languages because families cannot support a plan if they do not fully understand it.”

2026 Bond Recommendation

The community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) presented its 2026 bond recommendation at the meeting. Co-lead Tova Tupper started by saying, “This community-led group has spent the past two years studying Highline’s facility needs and developing a recommendation for the board’s consideration. Additional co-leads were Jackie Bryan and Omaha Sternberg.

“The CFAC was formed in 2015 to support bond planning and has successfully recommended the 2016 and the 2022 bond packages,” Sternberg said. “Membership includes appointed representatives from local jurisdictions, high schools, labor, and community organizations. And about half of CFAC members are also selected through a lottery process. Our committee charge was to develop recommendations for future facilities. This is not easy work, as you can imagine, and requires hard decisions, thinking about the needs of students in our district as a whole, and not just in our own neighborhood.”

The committee’s bond recommendation includes two full replacements, two partial replacements, and additional funding for design work and critical needs.

Student co-chair Cheryl Forbes said:

“This $595.4 million bond package invests in Highline’s future by bringing our deteriorating neighborhoods’ middle schools up to modern safety and learning conditions, just as our community has done for our neighboring high schools.”

Eric Hustad, the father of a fifth-grade student at Hazel Valley, said:

“For Sylvester, CFAC recommends rebuilding Sylvester Middle School at the existing site based on urgent building system maintenance and safety needs. Sylvester’s campus includes multiple aging buildings, with some dating back to 1953. The school’s overall building condition is well into the poor category. CFAC believes rebuilding Sylvester at the current site is the most fiscally responsible approach and would provide students with a modern, safer learning environment.”

Hustad continued, “CFAC recommends rebuilding Cascade Middle School at the Salmon Creek site based on student safety, long-term site feasibility, and fiscal responsibility considerations. Cascade’s current campus includes multiple aging buildings dating back to 1957. CFAC reviewed significant challenges with rebuilding at the current site, which includes wetlands buffers, a large sewer easement, limited buildable space, and the need for a more complex multi-story design. After reviewing conceptual site plans and cost estimates, CFAC concluded the nearby Salmon Creek site provides a more practical and buildable location for a new middle school campus. Rebuilding Cascade at Salmon Creek will save $44 million compared to rebuilding at the current site.”

Hustad said CFAC “asked for and read community input, including a group of Salmon Creek neighbors who are concerned about Cascade being rebuilt adjacent to them, and community concerns about what would happen to the garden hosted on the school property.” CFAC members were strong in their consensus to prioritize students and their needs above other factors while also making the most fiscally responsible long-term decision for Highline.”

CFAC members “understand there will be extensive opportunity through the permitting traffic and feasibility review processes to study impacts in greater depth and address neighborhood concerns,” Hustad added.

“CFAC recommends a major rebuild and modernization of Chinook Middle School based on aging facilities, declining building systems, and equity with other neighborhood middle schools,” said CFAC member Terri Hewitt. Hewitt is an alumni of Tyee High School and the parent of three children who graduated from Mount Rainier High School. 

“The recommendation includes replacing several buildings with new construction, while modernizing portions of the existing campus where it makes sense to do so,” Hewitt added. “The redesigned campus would create updated learning spaces for programs like career and technical education, science, art, and music, while improving safety and overall learning conditions for students.”

Choice Academy is currently housed in the district’s lowest-rated school building. The CFAC recommends rebuilding the Southern Heights site “using insurance funding already available following the 2024 arson fire, while renovating portions of the existing classroom wings,” Hewitt said. “CFAC believes this project creates an opportunity to provide Choice students and staff with a modernized learning environment designed around the needs of the program and school community. While also maximizing available insurance dollars to reduce the overall impact of the bond funding.”

Katie Kresly said she served on the CFAC for the past three years and challenged:

“For the committee described as community led, but [composed] of 50% hand-selected members, that raises questions. If transparency, equity, and being a good neighbor are true priorities, then community members deserve meaningful opportunities to be heard in person before major decisions are made and finalized. That’s how trust is built, and that’s what being a good neighbor looks like.”

The CFAC said they also considered potential rebuilds or major modernization projects for both Hilltop Elementary and Valley View Early Learning Center. 

“Ultimately, members prioritized the schools and projects previously discussed based on urgency, student impact, and available funding,” Hewitt added. “At the same time, CFAC recognized both schools have facility needs and recommends including funding for initial design work and targeted critical need improvements at both sites while they await a future bond.”

The committee made the recommendation to set aside $40 million for critical facility needs district-wide, allowing Highline to address required building system upgrades, emergency repairs, and site improvements.

Raisbeck Aviation High School

Multiple pleas for outgoing Raisbeck Aviation High School Principal Therese Tipton to be allowed to attend graduation on June 11 radiated throughout the room.

“For four years, Principal Tipton has shown up, not as a title, but as a person. She has celebrated these students and their victories manual or measured in a performance metric. It is earned slowly, consistently, one student at a time,” said commenter Amy Ely. “Today, 92 seniors stand on the threshold of one of the most significant moments of their lives. They are proud, they are ready, and many of them are hurting, because the principal who walked with them through four years of growth may not be allowed to witness the moment they cross the finish line.”

Ely continued, “What we do not understand is why student voices carry so little weight in a decision that directly affects their experience. They are not abstract stakeholders. Graduation is not about policy or politics. It’s about students, always has been. Everything we do as educators, leaders, family members, and community partners exists to serve them.”

“When you removed Ms. Tipton, you left an enormous void,” said Rehana Meyer, a parent of a sophomore attending Raisbeck Aviation High School. “She is the backbone of Raisbeck. Her dedication to her staff and students is a major reason this school is successful, and we want her back.”

Cascade Relocation

Third-generation White Center resident Haley Matsui commented, “My grandmother taught in Highline schools, my mom and I attended Highline schools, and I am expecting my first child, who will be a fourth-generation Highline student, and a future Cascade Middle School student. So this upcoming bond to rebuild middle schools in our district is really personal to me, because I’ve heard, and more tonight, that there is talk that Cascade might be left out of this bond.”

Matsui added, “My mom went to Cascade in the ’70s and also remarked that it needed to be rebuilt back then. And so learning that rebuilding Sylvester and Chinook, but not Cascade, feels really unacceptable to me, and it’s not an equitable option. I am a future Cascade parent, and I care deeply about North Berrien, White Center, and every middle school across the district deserves to be rebuilt, not just those in the wealthier south end. Let’s not leave behind the communities that have been historically underserved.”

Mika Sundberg, a parent of students at Hazel Valley Elementary and Cascade, is also the co-chair for Yes for Highline and has served on CFAC since 2018.

“For two years, CFAC reviewed enrollment projections, facility conditions, and tax impacts. Throughout the process, we worked to balance student needs with financial responsibility and considered how voters across the whole district would view the proposal. As part of our work, we asked the district to look at different options for several projects to see if there are ways to save money while still providing students with the schools they deserve. This included relocating Sylvester and Cascade to better sites, and consolidating Choice Academy and Big Picture at Southern Heights.”

Sundberg continued, “Not every option proved feasible. Relocating Sylvester proved more expensive than rebuilding on site, and Big Picture depends heavily on transit access and asked not to be included at this time. Concerns were also raised about relocating Cascade to Salmon Creek, though many in the Cascade community indicated a new location was okay if it resulted in a better school. Ultimately, CFAC recommended adding Chinook Middle School, along with Cascade and Sylvester, to the bond package, because investing in Chinook now allows the district to reuse portions of the existing building, avoiding higher costs in the future and ensuring all Highline Middle School students have the benefit of a new building.”

Current Cascade student Pascal Global spoke about why he felt his school should be replaced.

“Cascade is very old school. It’s infested with roaches. The ceilings are caving in in some places. And as I’ve learned, the buildings are sinking,” Global said. “So when I’m in math class and all of a sudden, a roach comes out of nowhere, it disrupts the entire class. And kids are yelling, and it’s hard to focus. So it would be good to have a new school because being in an old school, it feels somewhat unsafe, and it’s always having to be [repaired].”

Carson Ivins asked the board to reconsider building Cascade at the Salmon Creek site and instead rebuild Cascade at the shared Evergreen Cascade campus. 

“As many of you have seen, there is a petition signed by nearly 400 Burien area residents asking the board to take a closer look at these concerns before adding it to the bond package,” Ivins said. “What concerns us is that one of the district’s largest middle schools is now being proposed for one of its smallest sites. Salmon Creek is only 6.65 acres, while Washington State siting guidelines recommend five usable acres plus one acre per 100 students and an additional five acres for schools serving grades above sixth grade, which puts the Salmon Creek site at almost one-third the space recommended.”

Additional public comments can be viewed in the video below.

Video

Watch video of the full this school board meeting:

EDITOR’S NOTE: The author of this story is a CFAC committee member and worked on the 2026 bond package recommendations. She is dedicated to fair and accurate reporting.

The Bridge School Cooperative Elementary will close at the end of the current school year, according to a letter released by the school’s Board of Directors.

In a message addressed to alumni families and friends of the school, board members said the decision came “after much discussion and careful consideration” following ongoing financial challenges.

According to the board:

“Like many independent schools across the country, we have experienced significant challenges in recent years due to rising operational costs and declining enrollment. Unfortunately, these pressures have impacted our small school especially hard, and despite tremendous efforts from staff, families, and supporters, we are no longer able to sustain the program financially.”

The board said the school is working to complete its final year “with stability and care for our students, teachers, and staff,” but acknowledged that it is facing a serious budget deficit as it prepares to wind down operations and close out the nonprofit organization.

To help address those costs, school leaders announced a final fundraising effort and appealed to the broader Bridge School community for support.

“Any contribution, no matter the size, will help us carry the school through these final weeks with dignity and care,” the board wrote.

The letter also reflected on the school’s legacy, saying:

“The relationships, learning experiences, traditions, and care that have defined The Bridge School are something we will always carry with us. We are deeply proud of what this school has been and the impact it has had on children and families throughout its history.”

The Bridge School Cooperative Elementary is a small, independent, nonprofit K–5 cooperative school in White Center that was founded in 2010 by educators and parents seeking a more community centered approach to elementary education. Built on the traditions of parent cooperative preschools, the school emphasizes multi age classrooms, hands-on learning, outdoor education, the arts, and strong family involvement. Over the past 16 years, The Bridge School has served generations of South King County families.

Below is full text of the letter:

“Dear Bridge School Alumni Families & Friends of the school,

“It is with heavy hearts that we share some difficult news with our alumni community. After much discussion and careful consideration, the decision has been made to close The Bridge School Cooperative Elementary at the end of this school year.

“Like many independent schools across the country, we have experienced significant challenges in recent years due to rising operational costs and declining enrollment. Unfortunately, these pressures have impacted our small school especially hard, and despite tremendous efforts from staff, families, and supporters, we are no longer able to sustain the program financially.

“This community has meant so much to so many families over the years. The relationships, learning experiences, traditions, and care that have defined The Bridge School are something we will always carry with us. We are deeply proud of what this school has been and the impact it has had on children and families throughout its history.

“As we work to finish this final year with stability and care for our students, teachers, and staff, we are facing a serious budget deficit. We are considering many strategies to address this, but we need your help to ensure we can conclude the school year strong and smoothly wrap up the non-profit.

“To help make that possible, we are organizing a final fundraising effort and reaching out to the broader Bridge community for support. Any contribution, no matter the size, will help us carry the school through these final weeks with dignity and care.

“We know this news will be deeply felt by many members of our community. Thank you for being part of The Bridge School story and for the many ways you have supported this school over the years. We are profoundly grateful.

“With appreciation,

“Board of Directors
“The Bridge School
“Tony Benson
“Jessie Jacobs 
“Jeremiah Job
“Zoe Kraus
“Sara O’Hern”

School Holding Community Garage Sale June 13

The school will host a community garage sale and popsicle playdate as it prepares to close its doors. The event is scheduled for Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the school, located at 10300 28th Ave. SW (map below). Organizers say the sale will feature books, musical instruments, art supplies, curriculum materials, toys, learning resources, furniture and more, with proceeds helping support the school during its final chapter. The event is open to the public, and organizers encourage the community to stop by as “everything must go.”

SPONSORED:

This month, the world’s biggest sporting event comes to our region, and there’s no better place to kick off the excitement than at the Tukwila United Block Party on Saturday, June 13.

On June 13, the City of Tukwila invites residents and visitors alike to gather on Baker Boulevard in Tukwila’s Southcenter District for a free, family-friendly celebration of soccer, culture, and community. From 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., the street will transform into a vibrant festival filled with live entertainment, great food, and activities for all ages.

The Tukwila United Block Party is more than a watch party—it’s a celebration of the diverse cultures and communities that make Tukwila so special. Guests can enjoy live match viewing alongside fellow fans.

Live Match Schedule: 

• Qatar vs. Switzerland: 12 p.m. 
• Brazil vs. Morocco: 3 p.m. 
• Haiti vs. Scotland: 6 p.m.

Throughout the day, attendees can explore a variety of local food trucks serving up delicious eats, enjoy live music performances, and experience cultural dance presentations that showcase the global spirit of the game.

Families will find plenty to keep kids entertained with interactive activities and hands-on fun designed for all ages.

Guests 21 and older can also relax and enjoy the beer garden while soaking in the festival atmosphere.

Whether you’re a lifelong soccer fan or simply looking for a fun way to spend the day with friends and family, the Tukwila United Block Party offers something for everyone.

Wear your team colors, bring your cheering spirit, and join fellow fans in celebrating the sport that brings the world together.

The event is free and open to the public – learn more at:

https://www.tukwila26.com/event/tukwila-united-block-party/

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sponsored Posts like this are paid, “Native Advertisements” that help businesses and organizations improve their internet presence and all-important SEO. South King Media also underwrites fundraisers from local nonprofits. To learn more about how your business or organization can directly reach our expanding, engaged audience in South King County, please email Theresa Schaefer at vtheresa@comcast.net.

White Center Pride will go “All Out” this Saturday, June 6, with a full day of celebrations featuring live entertainment, local vendors, food, community resources, family activities and more.

Organizers said the annual street festival will run from Noon to 11 p.m., bringing residents and visitors together for a day of community celebration in White Center.

“Experience a day filled with excitement with over 100 merchant booths, multiple stages of entertainment & drag performances, locally operated beverage gardens, a kids area with a super-slide & bouncy castle, and more!”

The event is organized by White Center Pride, which encourages community members from across South King County to attend and take part in the festivities.

The annual event continues to serve as a gathering place for LGBTQ+ residents, allies and supporters from across South King County.

The Rotary Club of Burien and White Center recognized six local high school students during its final Student of the Month meeting of the school year held last week.

Six students from Evergreen High School, Highline High School and Kennedy Catholic High School were honored through the club’s ongoing recognition program, which highlights student achievement and contributions within their schools and communities.

The students recognized were:

Evergreen High School

• Alisca Rhun
• Jannah Yakkob

Highline High School

• Andre Oyoghok-Boyd
• Betz Ahira Vazquez Vergara

Kennedy Catholic High School

• Riley Burns
• Max Hoppe

Rotary’s Student of the Month program recognizes students from local schools and provides an opportunity for community leaders and Rotary members to celebrate their accomplishments throughout the academic year.

More info on your local Rotary is here: https://www.bwc-rotary.org

Photos

Click arrows or swipe images to view slideshow:

Congrats to these outstanding students!

Community members are invited to ‘Gather for Goals’ in the heart of White Center from 11 a.m, – 7 p.m. on Friday, June 26, for a free public soccer watch party and street festival celebrating the world’s largest soccer competition.

This free event is being organized by the King County Department of Local Services and White Center Pride, and will take place along a three block stretch of 16th Ave SW between SW Roxbury Street and SW 100th Street (map below).

From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., attendees will be able to watch international soccer matches on one of five giant screens positioned throughout the event area, including:

• Norway vs France
• Senegal vs Iraq
• Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia
• Uruguay vs Spain

King County said the event is intended not only to bring the excitement of international soccer to local residents, but also to highlight White Center’s welcoming and diverse community.

In addition to the match broadcasts, visitors will be able to enjoy dozens of local street food and merchandise vendors, as well as nearby restaurants and shops that will remain open during the event.

Family-friendly activities are also planned, including a children’s area featuring face painting and balloon artists.

King County said the free event will give residents an opportunity to enjoy the international soccer tournament close to home while celebrating the community’s appreciation and respect for people of all backgrounds.

Additional details about Gather for Goals are available through the King County Local Blog.

King County is seeking residents from White Center and Skyway to serve on a new Community Advisory Board that will help shape the Department of Local Services’ 2026 Participatory Grantmaking process.

According to King County, applications are now open for community members interested in joining the board and helping design a community led funding process intended to support local priorities.

The new grantmaking model builds on the county’s previous Participatory Budgeting program, which allowed residents to help determine how public funds were spent in their communities.

Board members will work together to create the grantmaking process, including designing a Request for Proposals process and developing outreach and community engagement plans aimed at encouraging participation from local residents.

King County said the advisory board will play a key role in ensuring the funding process reflects community needs and priorities in White Center and Skyway.

Learn more about the new Grantmaking process and the board on the King County Local blog.

Applications to join the board are now open: Apply by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 7.

If you would like help applying, email ukcpb@kingcounty.gov or call 206-477-4000.

SPONSORED:

No one flies into SeaTac expecting an international food destination. San Francisco has its sourdough, New York has its pizza, and Los Angeles has its street tacos, but a mere three miles past the parking lots and rental car returns, SeaTac boasts a culinary capital that has been quietly thriving for decades; the rich, aromatic world of authentic East African cuisine. 

Though the food is excellent, these places aren’t simply a stop for a wonderful meal. Each restaurant is paired with its own market, where the ingredients, spices, and pantry staples of East African cooking are yours to explore.

Zain Restaurant & Bakery Cafe

Zain Restaurant & Bakery Cafe is family-owned and operated and home to the best gyros you’ve ever had in your life.

Choose from lamb, beef, or chicken, and be served a bursting gyro stuffed full of bright, fresh vegetables, tzatziki sauce, and mild spicy mustard next to a pile of hot golden fries.

The medley of flavors in Zain’s gyros is sensational, the spices of the meat blending with the fresh peppers, cucumber, and tomato to find a perfect balance, married perfectly to the neutral backdrop of soft pita bread.

The fries come lightly sprinkled with seasoned salt and crisped to perfection, with an outside that has a satisfying crunch and an inside that melts in your mouth.

While Zain Restaurant Bakery & Cafe is a prime lunch spot, it’s also an excellent choice for breakfast.

Zain’s pastry case is full of tempting confections, including coconut cake, baklava, and donuts (come early for these, they will be sold out by the afternoon!).

All pastries are made fresh in-house every morning, and you can tell as soon as you take your first bite.

The baklava in particular bursts with sweet flavor. Layers of carefully-crafted flaky pastry are stuffed with ground pistachio and almond and soaked in a sweet syrup for a final touch. Enjoy with a coffee or a hot cup of aromatic Somali tea for a fully rounded sensory experience.

Tawakal Mini Market

Directly adjacent to Zain Restaurant & Bakery Cafe is the Tawakal Mini Mart, owned by the same family as the cafe and in operation since 1999.

Once you’ve tasted the brilliance of your East African breakfast or lunch, hop on over to the mini mart and pick up some ingredients to experiment with in your own kitchen.

Tawakal serves its East African community with well-stocked shelves of pantry staples, including Ugali, Injeria, grains, and legumes in large rough sacks piled against the wall, and boxes of pasta ready for the freshly prepared meat butchered directly in-shop.

The walls are lined with spices imported from over a dozen countries, making them a perfect item to pick up as a useful souvenir from your travels.

Choose from Tandoori, Kenyan curry, lemon pepper, cardamom, cloves, star anise, nutmeg, niter kibbeh, Berbere spice mix, and so many more.

SeaTac Cuisines

SeaTac Cuisines is a bustling place. Packed with diners catching a late lunch, the restaurant serves as a community hub, with nonstop comings and goings as neighbors greet each other at the door, pull up a chair, and start happily chatting over their plates of lamb, rice, and pasta.

When asked what his favorite thing on the menu is, the smiling server points to the Injera Ethiopian Combination Dish. When asked why it is his favorite, his smile widens, and he says, “It’s simply delicious!”

The description is apt. The Ethiopian Combination Dish is served on a large piece of Injera bread, a spongy, flexible flatbread meant to easily sop up sauces and grab meat and vegetables. 

The platter includes a generous portion of lamb shank smothered in a spicy tomato sauce. Tender and falling off the bone, the lamb’s spiciness is perfectly mellowed by the Injera and the toasted, nutty spinach served on the side.

The lentils blend with all other foods in the dish, creating a pleasing variety and excellent balance to the overall meal.

The portions at SeaTac Cuisines are generous and filling, so come with an appetite and bring a friend!

Tabarak Market

Like the Tawakal market next to Zain Restaurant & Bakery Cafe, Tabarek Market is connected to SeaTac Cuisines and ready for browsing as soon as you’ve finished your delicious meal.

You will find many of the same spices and staples at Tabarek as you did at Tawakal, but there’s one aisle in Tabarek you don’t want to miss.

In the middle of the shop, you will find shelves of tea and coffee. Make your own Somali tea at home with blends infused with cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom, and snag a bag of locally roasted single-origin African coffee beans to elevate your morning coffee!

Easy to Overlook, Impossible to Forget

Every year, thousands of travelers rush through SeaTac, never pausing to discover the extraordinary culinary world unobtrusively setting its table for anyone willing to walk through its door. Don’t let SeaTac’s East African food community be the best meal you ever missed. 

The invitation is open. Come on in.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sponsored Posts like this are paid, “Native Advertisements” that help businesses and organizations improve their internet presence and all-important SEO. South King Media also underwrites fundraisers from local nonprofits. To learn more about how your business or organization can directly reach our expanding, engaged audience in South King County, please email Theresa Schaefer at vtheresa@comcast.net.

SPONSORED:

Shred Day is this Saturday, May 30!

NOW is the time to go through those old file cabinets, shoe boxes, and piles on your table to see what you can get rid of! Think about all the unnecessary documents, receipts, and papers that are just taking up space and collecting dust. Take this opportunity to declutter your workspace and get organized! Plus, it’s a great way to protect your identity by securely shredding sensitive documents. So, get started today and make the most of Shred Day!

Community members will have a chance to securely dispose of sensitive documents and old electronics for no charge during the 8th Annual Shred Day and E-Cycle Event, hosted by Sunrise Financial Services this Saturday, May 30, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 431 SW Ambaum Blvd. in Burien (map below).

The free event offers on-site shredding with no limit on paper materials, including old bills, medical forms, personal files, and even CDs, floppy disks, and sticky notes.

It will also include e-cycling services for approved electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, printers, monitors, and phones.

The E-Cycle portion of the event — now in its fourth year — will accept a range of devices, including modems, routers, game consoles, cameras, and more.

Televisions, plastic materials, batteries, and binder clips will not be accepted.

Organizers note that e-cycle services may be limited to ensure that as many attendees as possible can participate.

In addition to shredding and recycling, the event will also collect donations of unopened, non-perishable food items to support the local food bank.

For more information, residents can contact office@sunrisefinancial.net or call (206) 420-8520.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sponsored Posts like this are paid, “Native Advertisements” that help businesses and organizations improve their internet presence and all-important SEO. South King Media also underwrites fundraisers from local nonprofits. To learn more about how your business or organization can directly reach our expanding, engaged audience in South King County, please email Theresa Schaefer at vtheresa@comcast.net.