March 12, 2019

Dear Friends,

Many of the cities in District 3 earned an exciting award.

The National Council for Home Safety and Security named Snoqualmie the safest city in Washington. Congratulations to Mayor Larson, the Snoqualmie Police Department, and the Snoqualmie City Council for this great ranking. The rankings are based on combining the total number of property crimes and violent crimes for each city, then creating a crime rate as the number of crimes per 1,000 people. Congratulations to Snoqualmie for their number one ranking, as well as to Issaquah and Redmond for making this important list too.

These last few weeks have been so busy as we are working on a number of different topics. I am excited to announce that King County is currently seeking a study on the feasibility of a waste-to-energy plant as a predictable solution to our waste issue. Modern waste-to-energy would allow King County residents to dispose of their trash while turning their waste into energy and reducing emissions from escaping. Stay tuned for updates on this and other topics.

It's a pleasure to represent District 3.

Kathy Lambert

In this Issue:

      1. Upper Tokul Creek Bridge lane restriction
      2. Upper Preston Frontage Bridge/Upper Preston Road SE lane restriction
      3. 4Culture is coming to Issaquah
      4. King County Parks update
      5. Snoqualmie Fire Department seeking volunteers
      6. King County finance update
      7. Be sure to check your makeup/cologne/sunscreen
      8. Texting 911
      9. Wear Blue for Kindness Day

1. Upper Tokul Creek Bridge lane restriction

On Wednesday, March 13th, geotechnical drilling work will take place at Upper Tokul Creek Bridge #271B near Snoqualmie. The purpose of the work is to collect soil information for a future bridge replacement project. The work requires a lane restriction from 7am-5pm from Upper Tokul Creek Bridge/Tokul Rd SE to approximately 300 feet north of SE 53rd Way. Drivers will be directed through the work zone and should expect delays. If needed, the work will also take place on Thursday, March 14th.

2. Upper Preston Frontage Bridge/Upper Preston Road SE lane restriction

Also on Wednesday, March 13th, a bridge inspection will take place on Upper Preston Frontage Bridge #5046, near 1-90 and 312th Ave SE in the Preston area. This project will utilize an Under Bridge Inspection Truck and will require a lane restriction 100 feet west to 100 feet east of the bridge from 9am-noon. Vehicles will be directed through the work zone and should expect delays.

3. 4Culture is coming to Issaquah

Are you interested in applying for a 4Culture grant or learning more about art in King County? On Tuesday, March 19th, 4Culture (the King County cultural funding agency) is hosting office hours for residents to drop in and ask questions, give their ideas, and more at the Issaquah Depot Museum from 10am-1pm. 4Culture staff members from all four departments –arts, heritage, preservation, and public art- will be on hand to hear your questions, ideas, plans, and more. To learn more, click here.

4. King County Parks update

With winter in full swing and the snow coming down recently, King County Parks staff have been busy removing obstructions from trails and parks. Help them out by reporting downed trees on King County trails or parks by clicking here. Thank you for helping keep our parks and trails safe!

5. Snoqualmie Fire Department seeking volunteers

Do you live near the city of Snoqualmie and are you looking for a way to give back to the community? The Snoqualmie Fire Department is currently recruiting volunteer firefighters and volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians who can volunteer for at least two 10-12 hour shifts per month, either during the day or at night. EMT training and firefighter training will be provided to volunteers. Potential volunteers must be at least 21 years old and live within 15 minutes of the city limits. Those who apply will need to pass a physical ability test as well as a written general knowledge exam. For more information and to apply, click here.

6. King County finance update

Each quarter, the King County Office of Economic and Financial Analysis (OEFA) releases a publication called “EconPulse,” which offers a quarterly look at the King County economy. OEFA is an independent agency of King County that produces economic and revenue forecasts for King County budgeting purposes. Read the issue that covers Q4 of 2018 by clicking here.

7. Be sure to check your makeup/cologne/sunscreen

Did you know that some of the makeup that you use could be harmful for your skin and overall health? Though the makeup industry has been changing rapidly over the years, cosmetic regulations have not been updated since 1938! Just earlier this month, the Washington Post reported that the Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that asbestos has been found in some makeup products.

Thankfully, there is a tool that you can utilize to find out more about the makeup you use. The Environmental Working Group has created a “Skin Deep” database for consumers to check the toxicity of over 70,000 products including makeup, sunscreen, tanning lotion, hair products, fragrances, and more. They even created an app where you can scan a product using your phone and pull up all of the helpful information. To begin looking up the products you use, click here.

8. Texting 911

While it is better if you can call 911 in case of an emergency, there is now another option when you are unable to call.

Thanks to a helpful new program being rolled out in the area, you can now use your cellphone to text 911 in an emergency in King County.

Here are some helpful tips for texting 911 from King County:

• Include the location and city in the first message
• Include the type of emergency help needed in the first message (police, fire or medical)
• Keep messages brief
• Don’t use abbreviations
• Stay with your phone and be prepared to answer questions and respond to instructions

We will welcome our new Emergency Director, Brendan McCluskey from New Jersey, on March 15th!

9. Wear Blue for Kindness Day

On March 14th, schools from across the state will be participating in Wear Blue for Kindness Day. This event was started last year thanks to McAuliffe Elementary in Sammamish and it was created as a day for students to wear blue (the color of peace), perform random acts of kindness, and look out for those who are lonely and reach out to make new friends. This year, the City of Sammamish is joining the festivities by officially proclaiming March 14th, as Wear Blue for Kindness Day. Learn more by clicking here.