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

Dear Friends:

Today’s update includes information about our “Good Eggs” breakfast forum in Auburn, the King County Council’s recognition of the New Korean Consul General in Seattle, a new flagpole in Kent, the King County Cup at Emerald Downs, the return of the King County Fair in Enumclaw, the King County Elections Vote Centers, the King County Citizens’ Elections Oversight Committee’s search for new members, available grant opportunities, health updates and more.


Washington Trivia

This University of Washington alum and Renton native was the man who brought live horse racing back in Washington state. Who is he?
(Answer is at the bottom).




“Good Eggs” Breakfast at Emerald Downs with Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to host my first in-person “Good Eggs” breakfast at Emerald Downs in Auburn. Our guest speaker was Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier. Executive Dammeier talked about the relationship between Pierce and King counties, as well as Sound Transit. South King County community leaders also had the opportunity to ask questions and engage in a dialogue about how Pierce and King counties need to work together to solve problems affecting our whole region.



(Top) With Auburn Councilmember Chris Stearns, Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus, Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier and Kent Mayor Dana Ralph; (Bottom) With Emerald Downs President Phil Ziegler, Federal Way Councilmember Lydia Assefa-Dawson, and Pacific Raceways President Jason Fiorito


New Korean Consul General Honored with King County Council Recognition

On Tuesday, I was honored to sponsor the King County Council’s Recognition of the new, and first ever female, Korean Consul General in Seattle, Eun-ji Seo. Through times of peace and times of war, the Republic of Korea and King County have forged strong economic and cultural ties which have enriched our region.

With more than 85,000 Korean Americans in King County alone, Washington’s strategic location on the Pacific Rim has led to a special relationship with the Republic of Korea. The Republic of Korea is Washington state’s fourth largest trading partner with commercial partnerships on items ranging from aerospace to computers and electronic devices, and machinery to agricultural products.

A former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Diplomacy and Cultural Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Consul General Seo’s jurisdiction covers Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.



In Consul General Seo’s closing remarks, she emphasized the symbolic slogan of the Korea-U.S. alliance – Katchi Kapshida; We go together.


New Flagpole in Kent

As we celebrated the birth of our nation this month, it was appropriate that US Congressman Adam Smith presented United States flags, which flew over the US Capitol, to both Kent Mayor Dana Ralph and local business leader David Malik. The Malik family generously sponsored the installation of a new flagpole at the corner of 4th and Willis in Kent. Thank you, David, Dana, and Adam!



With US Congressman Adam Smith, local business leader David Malik and Kent Mayor Dana Ralph


King County Cup at Emerald Downs

Doo Dah!! An integral part of Native American culture, horse racing is part of the fabric of our region, and today, the industry provides thousands of jobs and millions of tax dollars through Auburn’s Emerald Downs. On July 10th, I was pleased to present the King County Cup and was joined by King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall, Presiding Judge Patrick Oishi and Tax Assessor John Arthur Wilson. Thank you, Emerald Downs President Phil Ziegler, and Emerald Downs Founder Ron Crockett.




The King County Fair Returns

Last Friday, I was in Enumclaw to celebrate the return of the King County Fair. Whether it’s modern carnival rides, local agriculture, a variety of pets and livestock, or live entertainment for the whole family, the King County Fair has it all!



Thank you, Enumclaw Mayor Jan Molinaro and 4H leader (and WSU alum) Caroline Vadino for sharing time.


King County Citizens’ Elections Oversight Committee seeks to fill vacancies

The King County Council is recruiting members for the King County Citizens’ Elections Oversight Committee (CEOC). The CEOC is a 16-member committee of volunteers who have interest or expertise in elections and meets roughly seven times per year. The committee is charged with conducting oversight of election-related matters, and reporting to the King County Council its observations, findings, and recommendations through an annual report. It currently has 5 vacancies that it is looking to fill and the application deadline is July 29th. For more information, please visit www.kingcounty.gov/ceoc.




King County Elections Vote Centers

King County Elections will have six vote centers open for the Primary on Saturday, July 30th, Monday, August 1st, and Tuesday, August 2nd. Voters can register online or by mail until Monday, July 25th, and in-person up until 8 p.m. on Election Day. In addition to registering to vote or updating their registration, voters can also get a replacement ballot or use an accessible voting unit at one of the six locations. In South King County, the vote centers are located at the following places:

Federal Way Performing Arts & Event Center
31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S, Federal Way, WA 98003
Saturday, July 30, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Monday, August 1, 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Election Day, August 2, 8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Kent Centennial Center
400 W Gowe Street, Kent, WA 98032
Saturday, July 30, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Monday, August 1, 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Election Day, August 2, 8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.


Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center will close for repairs in August

The Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center will close the facility from August 1st to mid-September for repairs and improvements. Click here for more information.


Meeting with Federal Way High School Boys Basketball Coach Yattah Reed

With school out, it has been fun to connect with local teachers/coaches, like Yattah Reed of Federal Way High School (FWHS), for coffee. Yattah started off as an Eagle player and returned as a teacher/coach, not to mention the father of good scholar athletes himself! Yattah presented me with a game ball signed by last year’s FWHS team, which will have a special place in my office. Sports bring people together and give us something in this upside-down world to cheer about.



With FWHS Boys Basketball Coach Yattah Reed


Grant Opportunities available in July and August

Child Care Workforce Demonstration Pilot Project (Wage Boost) RFP

King County Best Starts for Kids is seeking to partner with one organization to design and implement the Child Care Workforce Demonstration Pilot Project that will provide a wage boost to approximately 1,400 child care providers in King County. There is a total of $15.5 million to be allocated over 3 years and the deadline to apply is Friday, July 22nd at 2:00 p.m. For more information, visit the grant website or contact Joanna Armstrong at joaarmstrong@kingcounty.gov.

Child Care Health Consultation Service Delivery

King County Best Starts for Kids is seeking to fund community-based organizations to provide Child Care Health Consultation (CCHC) services to child care providers. There is a total of $7.9 million to be allocated and the deadline to apply is Wednesday, July 27th at 2:00 p.m. For more information, visit the grant website or contact Phillip Thompson at phithompson@kingcounty.gov.

Zero Suicide Initiative Pilot Program

This program will attempt to prevent youth suicide through increased and supported organizational implementation of the evidence-based Zero Suicide systemic suicide care program model in the King County region. The Zero Suicide Initiative Pilot Program (ZSIPP) will provide up to 16 funding and participation access awards to eligible applicant organizations. ZSIPP awardee organizations will receive up to $10,400 each in deliverable-based task payments. The deadline to apply is Friday, July 29th at 12:00 p.m. For more information, visit the grant website or contact Erin Carosa, ZSIPP Program Manager, at Erin.Carosa@kingcounty.gov.

Building for Equity: Cultural Facilities

4Culture's Building for Equity: Cultural Facilities grants will help organizations acquire, build, or renovate the bricks and mortar buildings that make cultural experiences possible and create a pathway to racial equity. There is a total of $1.1 million available for funding and the deadline to apply is Friday, July 29th at 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit the grant website or contact Maya Santos at maya.santos@4culture.org.

Collections Care Grant

4Culture’s Collections Care grant will help King County’s archivists, librarians, and historians protect the tangible objects that make up history so that the generations of today and tomorrow can continue to learn from them. Funds are provided to assess, organize, catalog, clean, repair, document, digitize, and, ultimately, preserve heritage resources in King County. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, August 10th at 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit the grant website or contact Chieko Phillips at chieko.phillips@4culture.org.

Working Washington Grants: Round 5

The Washington State Legislature has allocated a new round of grant funding for small businesses affected by the pandemic. Funds will be set aside for the arts, heritage, science, hospitality, fitness, and personal services. $70 million was appropriated for this round of funding. Applications will open soon and are due Wednesday, August 31st. For more information, visit the grant website.

Community-Based Parenting Supports

Best Starts for Kids is seeking proposals from organizations to partner on three areas of work to support families with children from birth to age 5. The programs are Parent Caregiver Information and Supports, Basic Needs Resource Brokers, and Kaleidoscope Play and Learn. There is approximately $5.23 million to be allocated and the deadline to apply is Wednesday, August 31st at 2:00 p.m. For more information, visit the grant website or contact Phillip Thompson at phithompson@kingcounty.gov.

Open 4Culture Funds

Open 4Culture is all about expanding their reach and supporting projects being done by and for underserved communities in King County. Through this grant, which has no deadline, 4Culture awards amounts up to $1,500 to cultural doers serving underserved populations across the county. Artists and arts groups operating outside of Seattle and those working in Heritage and Preservation anywhere in King County may apply. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information, visit the grant website or contact Melissa Newbill at melissa.newbill@4culture.org.

King County Child Care Financial Assistance Program

King County has allocated $7 million of its federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding to support King County families with the cost of their child care. Eligible families may receive financial assistance to pay for their child care at eligible providers. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information, visit the grant website or email KingCCFA@childcare.org.


Health Updates

Monkeypox Vaccine

Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by a virus that, although not commonly seen in the United States, is spread through close physical contact. With the news of monkeypox transmission in our community, we’ve heard very important questions from our community about access to monkeypox vaccine and who is eligible for vaccine now. For more information, read more in the Public Health Insider article here.

Free COVID-19 testing reopens at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center

Free COVID-19 testing is available again at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. After temporarily closing in May, the testing site, previously operated by Public Health - Seattle & King County, reopened June 17th in the parking lot to provide free testing to the community. Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, the testing lab supporting the site, was invited by King County to take over individual testing. Click here to schedule a test.


King County COVID-19 Case Update

Yesterday, Seattle – King County Public Health reported 893 daily average positive cases, bringing the total in King County to 483,881. In addition, Public Health reported 2 daily average deaths, bringing the total in the county to 2,966.

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 or getting tested 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:

Ron Crockett, the man who kept horse racing in Washington, grew up in Renton and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington in 1961. He worked as an engineer at Boeing until 1970 and eventually opened Tramco, an airplane repair business with only $10 in its checking account.

Crockett's passion for racing started back in 1974 when he decided to claim his first horse for $4,000. At the request of several horsemen, he formed the Northwest Racing Associates Limited Partnership, using $10 million of his money and another $11 million from a group of about 30 others, to get Emerald Downs built after Boeing bought the old Longacres racetrack in Renton and then closed it in 1992.

From the beginning, Crockett’s group faced opposition, but in April 1993, the state racing commission picked his group. In April 1995, after redrawing plans three times, and agreeing to a $1 million mitigation plan to maintain 56 acres of wetlands a half-mile from the track, his group received federal approval to build Emerald Downs.

Emerald Downs opened on June 20, 1996, with a crowd of 18,423. In November 2014, Northwest Racing Associates reached a deal to sell Emerald Downs to the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, which already owned the land the racetrack was on. Crockett continues to work at Emerald Downs as a consultant.



With Auburn Councilmember Yolanda Trout-Manuel and Ron Crockett


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