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

Dear Friends:

Today’s update includes news about the Dick’s Drive-In Federal Way Branch, South King County Fundraisers, KCSO's Seizure of $1.2 Million Worth of Narcotics and Stolen Firearms, 4Culture’s 2023 Cultural Equipment Grant, Visit Seattle's June Travel Industry Update, crime and health updates, and more.


Washington Trivia

This Washington State University horticulturist and research scientist developed the popular Rainier cherries in the 1950s. Who was he?
(Answer is at the bottom).




Dick’s Drive-In Opens Federal Way Branch

Dick Spady’s almost 70-year legacy of being a good neighbor and a good employer is alive and well with his granddaughter Jasmine Donovan and their staff at the opening of the 9th Dick’s Burgers in the Puget Sound Area. Dick’s Deluxe, fries, and milkshakes anyone?



I was honored by Jasmine Donovan, Dick’s granddaughter, who asked me to share words about her grandfather, Dick Spady.



Jim Spady helped his father grow from a business partnership to a family-owned business.



Dick Spady worked with me and Councilmember Larry Gossett to establish community forums to benefit public discourse.


South King County Fundraisers

In less than a week, we had three great South King County fundraisers to help our neighbors. First, was the Kiwanis Salmon Bake, where King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci joined us, then the Rotary Croquet tournament where Federal Way School District Superintendent Dr. Dani Pfeiffer dominated. I was also the honorary chair for FUSION where over 600 came together at Dumas Bay in Pacific Islander gear to support transitional housing. We can’t help everyone, but EVERYONE can help someone!




King County Sheriff’s Office Seizes over $1.2 Million in Narcotics and Stolen Firearms

On August 3rd, the King County Sheriff’s Office and Shoreline Police conducted an operation that seized more than $1.2 million in narcotics, including 290,000 fentanyl pills, along with fentanyl powder, cocaine, heroin, cash, and stolen firearms. The amount of fentanyl seized is enough to cause more than 2 million lethal doses and is one of the largest seizures ever for the Sheriff’s Office. Read more here.


4Culture’s 2023 Cultural Equipment Grant

4Culture’s Cultural Equipment grants will fund the purchase and installation of equipment that can be considered as fixed assets, including computer hardware. You can request a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $10,000 for this grant. Applicants often receive partial funding of their request. The deadline to apply is August 30th by 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit 4Culture’s website or contact Melissa Newbill at 206-263-1603 or melissa.newbill@4culture.org.


Non-Profit Corner

South King County may not have the same large benefactors that Seattle does, but our non-profits work just as hard to help people and good causes in our region. Below are a couple places where your donations go a long way:

Auburn Food Bank 
https://www.theauburnfoodbank.org/

Auburn Valley Humane Society 
https://www.auburnvalleyhs.org/

Bloodworks Northwest 
https://schedule.bloodworksnw.org/DonorPortal/

Federal Way Kiwanis
https://federalwaykiwanis.square.site/

Federal Way Senior Center
https://www.federalwayseniorcenter.org/

FUSION Décor Boutique
https://www.fusiondecorboutique.com/

Multi-Service Center Food Bank  
https://mschelps.org/getinvolved/donations/  

The Salvation Army 
https://federalway.salvationarmy.org/federal_way_corps


Crime and Law Enforcement Updates

This update is intended to inform you about what is happening in our communities and where. My hope is that this information will not only make us better informed, but also provide us with solutions for how we can address the issues facing our community as we move forward. Click the following links to see crime information in Auburn, Federal Way, and all of King County.

To report illegal street racing in your neighborhood, dial 911.



For a detailed 2022 end-of-year law enforcement officers fatalities report, click here. For a complete list of benefits for public safety officers and survivors as shared by Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), click here.



Click here to see the Crime in Washington 2022 Annual Report, which was compiled from data submitted by statewide law enforcement agencies to the Washington State Uniform Crime Reporting Program of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.


June Travel Industry Update

Visit Seattle recently shared their monthly travel industry update that shows data on key tourism indicators, lodging performance, and regional employment rate, comparing June 2023’s performance with data from previous years.

According to a recent King 5 News article, Taylor Swift’s concert and the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners games in Seattle caused the hotel occupancy to skyrocket at 97.8% on July 22nd and 95% in July 23rd, which is reported to be the second highest ever in Seattle’s history. Bellevue also reached 95% occupancy.






King County COVID-19 Case Update

Yesterday, Seattle – King County Public Health reported 66 daily average positive cases, bringing the total in King County to 566,006. In addition, Public Health reported 0.3 daily average deaths, bringing the total in the county to 3,595.

For more information on the latest data, visit the King County COVID Daily Summary Dashboard here.



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 206-477-3977, press option 3.

For veterans: Call 1-800-698-2411 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: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat https://988lifeline.org/ to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Find your King County Council district here.


With best wishes,

Pete von Reichbauer
King County Councilmember




Washington trivia answer:

In 1952 Harold Warman Fogle, Washington State University horticulturist and research scientist, cross-bred the Bing cherry, which originated in Oregon in 1875, and the Van cherry, which originated in British Columbia in 1936. These varieties of cherries yielded the Rainier cherries, named after Mount Rainier. The fruit was released to the public in 1960.

Harold finished his doctorate in 1948 at West Virginia University and accepted a research position at WSU in Prosser where he developed the Rainier cherries. He went on to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study and develop pitted fruits, including two peach varieties, apricots, and the Bluebyrd plum. Fogle died at 88 on October 6, 2006, after a heart attack.

The mother tree which produced the very first Rainier fruits still grows on the same orchard five miles from the University station in Prosser. Today, Washington state is the top producer of sweet cherries in the country. These cherries are in the state’s top ten cash crops with an economic impact of $899 million. Just this July, the Port of Seattle said 152 cargo flights will focus on carrying cherries from SeaTac International Airport to the Pacific, with cherries being the largest agricultural commodity shipped out of the airport.



Photo source: WSU Magazine, Natalia Esina

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