News from and about King County… from health updates to community news affecting our daily lives.

Dear Friends:

Today’s update includes information about Dick’s Drive-in coming to Federal Way, our recent virtual “Good Eggs” community forum, KCLS clearing late fines for all patrons, King County’s Reimagining Public Safety report and community-driven recommendations, King County’s newly appointed Sheriff, the King County Parks Levy Grants, salmon habitat restoration on the Green River, transit and health updates, and more.


Washington Trivia

This former professional baseball outfielder played 28 seasons and lived in Issaquah while he was with the Seattle Mariners. Who is he? (Answer is at the bottom).




Dick’s Drive-in comes to Federal Way

Dick Spady was a man of ideas and ideals. Last week, I was proud to be at my second groundbreaking of Dick’s, joining his granddaughter Jasmine and grandson Saul. Whether a first generation immigrant or Bill Gates, we have all stood in line for a burger at the iconic orange sign. Dick’s is family-based and family-oriented. Welcome to South King County, Spady family! The heritage lives on!




Virtual “Good Eggs” Community Forum with Horizon Air President Joe Sprague

On April 27th, I had the opportunity to host our monthly “Good Eggs” community forum with Horizon Air President Joe Sprague as the speaker. Joe provided his insights on the state of the airline industry post-COVID, as well as his outlook on summer air travel. He also shared the challenges the airline industry continues to face, as well as their efforts to mitigate these issues. You can watch the recorded version of this forum on my Facebook page.



With Horizon Air President Joe Sprague


King County Library System clears late fines for all patrons

Yesterday, May 4th, the King County Library System (KCLS) cleared late fines for all patrons with a new initiative called A Fresh Start for All. This one-time waiver gives patrons a fresh start on their account and enables access to all KCLS materials. KCLS will return to pre-pandemic circulation practices on September 15th, and will start assessing late fines again at that time. Patrons will have until September 15th to return items before late fines resume.




King County releases Reimagining Public Safety report and community-driven pilot program recommendations for urban Unincorporated King County

King County released the community-driven recommendations from a report on reimagining public safety in urban Unincorporated King County with the results of the Reimagining Public Safety Survey. The survey, which was conducted with the public last fall and winter, asked residents of the county’s urban unincorporated areas to share their ideas and feedback on how county government can think differently about public safety. Read more here.


Patti Cole-Tindall appointed as King County Sheriff

On Tuesday, May 3rd, Interim Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall was nominated to serve as King County Sheriff, following a nationwide search and thorough interview and public engagement process. Cole-Tindall has a background in law enforcement, labor relations, human resources as well as service to the community. She was appointed Interim Sheriff in November 2021 and began serving in her new role in January. The King County Council will now proceed with a hearing and confirmation process, set to begin on May 18th, with a final vote expected later this month. Read more here.


King County Parks Levy Grants

The King County Council unanimously approved the allocation of more than $21 million in grant funding for 40 community-led projects that will connect trails, build parks, expand aquatic facilities, and renovate community centers. The funds are generated by the 2019 voter-approved King County Parks Levy.

I am pleased that as part of this package, $250,000 has been designated for the installation of a new waterslide and play structure at the Federal Way Community Center. This investment will help the Community Center maintain its reputation of one of the Puget Sound’s premier recreational destinations and continue to provide a much needed space for our families to enjoy year-round fun in the water, rain or shine. Read more here.




Salmon habitat restoration on the Green River

A successful floodplain restoration project along the Green River near Auburn is improving habitat for fish and wildlife while also protecting farms and homes from flooding and erosion. It now provides greater diversity of habitat for native salmon that provide sustenance for Puget Sound orcas. Read more here.




Transit updates

New ORCA card system begins on May 16

Starting May 16th, ORCA transit customers across the Puget Sound region will have access to a new website, smartphone app, and real-time value loading for their ORCA cards. Customers will also begin to see new card readers and vending machines as technology is updated and rolled out at transit locations throughout the region. This will mark the start of ongoing improvements to the ORCA system over the next several years. Read more here or click on the image.



Sound Transit seeks public feedback on Auburn Station parking and access improvements

Yesterday, Sound Transit kicked-off the first in a seres of community activities to gather feedback on the visual design of the new garage for the Auburn Sounder Station. The first event is an online open house that runs through May 25th. On May 10th, Sound Transit staff will be on-site to talk to the community about the new garage and access improvements. On May 16th, Sound Transit will host a virtual Q&A on Zoom. Read more here.


Non-Profit Corner

Below are a couple places where your donations go a long way:

Auburn Food Bank
930 18th Pl NE, Auburn, WA 98002
Donations accepted in person Monday-Friday (8:00 am to 3:00 pm)
https://www.theauburnfoodbank.org/

Auburn Valley Humane Society
4910 A St. SE, Auburn, WA 98092
1123 E Main St., Auburn, WA 98002 (Thrift Store)
To donate supplies, call 253-545-0314 Monday-Saturday (10:00 am – 6:00 pm), Sunday (11:00 am – 5:00 pm).
https://www.auburnvalleyhs.org/

Bloodworks Northwest
1414 S 324th St., Suite B101, Federal Way, WA 98003
Whole blood and apheresis donations are accepted Monday-Tuesday (10:00 am to 6:00 pm), Wednesday, Friday-Saturday (8:00 am to 4:00 pm), and Sunday (9:00 am to 5:00 pm). To schedule a donation appointment, call 253-945-8660 or 800-398-7888 or visit https://schedule.bloodworksnw.org/DonorPortal/.

Bridging a Gap (BAG)
33313 1st Way S, Federal Way, WA 98003
Food donations can be dropped off at the following locations:
St. Luke’s Church - 515 S 312th St., Federal Way, WA 98003
Communities in Schools - 1825 S 316th St., Federal Way, WA 98003
Red Canoe Credit Union - 33616 Pacific Hwy S, Federal Way, WA 98003
https://www.bridgingagapfw.org/get-involved/

Federal Way Senior Center
4016 S 352nd St., Auburn, WA 98001
To volunteer, please call 253-838-3604 or email director_fwsc@hotmail.com.
https://www.federalwayseniorcenter.org/

FUSION Décor Boutique
1108 S 322nd Pl, Federal Way, WA 98003
Donations are accepted Tuesday-Saturday (10:00 am to 6:00 pm)
Please call beforehand at 253-839-4045 with a description of the items.
https://www.fusiondecorboutique.com/

Multi-Service Center Food Bank
1200 S 336th St., Federal Way, WA 98003
Donations may be dropped off at the warehouse Monday-Friday (8:30 am to 4:00 pm)
https://mschelps.org/getinvolved/donations/

The Salvation Army
26419 16th Ave S, Des Moines, WA 98198
Open Monday-Thursday (9:00 am to 4:30 pm) and Friday (9:00 am to 12:00 pm)
https://federalway.salvationarmy.org/federal_way_corps


2022 South King County Scholar Athlete Auction and Lunch

Please join the South King County Scholar Athlete Fund auction and lunch on May 21, 2022, at the Federal Way Performing Arts & Event Center, with NBA Legend Lenny Wilkens, hosted by the Voice of the Seahawks, Steve Raible. In past years, over 250 community members raised more than $50,000 for scholar athletes in South King County school districts. Please consider attending this year’s event to continue supporting our local scholar athletes and athletic programs.

Tickets can be purchased in advance of the event for $50 at www.skcscholar.org. The ticket includes admission to our lunch, live silent auction, and remarks by Lenny Wilkens and Steve Raible. All event proceeds will benefit the South King County Scholar Athlete Fund.



Left: Seattle Seahawks Wide Receiver Doug Baldwin speaks to more than 250 supporters at the 2018 South King County Scholar Athlete Breakfast. Right: Auburn High School Athletes with Jim Zorn and Steve Raible.


Health Updates

Mental Health Month

Since the start of the pandemic, more and more people are talking about mental health and seeing it for what it is: one important component of overall health and well-being, just like physical health. But mental health conditions, resources, and conversations can still feel complicated and out of reach. To learn more about mental health services in King County, click here or call 206-263-8997 or 1-800-790-8049.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255, text TALK to 741-741 or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

What does medium COVID-19 level mean for you?

Based on Public Health’s latest data, the rate of cases now puts King County into the Medium COVID-19 Community Level as defined by the CDC: over 200 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period. This means that COVID-19 risk is increasing for individuals and for our community. We can use this information to lower our own risk and those around us by increasing our protection. Read more in the Public Health blogpost here.


King County COVID-19 Case Update

Yesterday, Seattle – King County Public Health reported 900 daily average positive cases, bringing the total in King County to 400,181. In addition, Public Health reported 1 daily average deaths, bringing the total in the county to 2,748.

Recent data may be incomplete. For more information, visit the King County COVID Daily Summary Dashboard here.







Order free COVID home test kits: www.covidtests.gov | https://sayyescovidhometest.org/.

Vaccine Locator: To find COVID-19 vaccine appointments, visit Vaccine Locator.

For King County residents: Register here to schedule your appointment at one of the high-volume vaccination sites in King County.

For in-home vaccination: Call King County COVID-19 Call Center at 206-477-3977.

Register by phone: Call King County COVID-19 Call Center at 206-477-3977 or Washington COVID-19 Assistance Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #.

For veterans: Call 206-716-5716 or visit www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine.

For more information, visit Getting vaccinated in King County.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255, text TALK to 741-741 or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Find your King County Council district here.


With best wishes,

Pete von Reichbauer
King County Councilmember




Washington trivia answer:

Ichiro Suzuki is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder who played 28 seasons – 9 with the Orix BlueWave of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), 14 with the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB), 2.5 with the New York Yankees, and 3 with the Miami Marlins.

During his combined playing time in the NPB and MLB, Ichiro received 9 league batting titles, 17 consecutive selections both as an All-Star and Gold Glove winner, and was named most valuable player four times. He became the second player in MLB history to be named rookie of the year and MVP in the same year. Among his other awards, he was the first MLB player to enter the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ichiro and his wife Yumiko lived in Issaquah while playing in Seattle for the Mariners. Now that he’s back in Washington, he works as an instructor for the Mariners and lives in Medina.



Ichiro Suzuki with Hall of Famers Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey Jr.


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