Dear Friends:

Today’s update includes information on King County Fire Marshal’s Stage 2 burn ban directive, tonight’s virtual town hall with the Department of Local Services for residents in unincorporated areas in South King County, the Small Business Assistance Grant for businesses in unincorporated King County, King County Metro’s service innovations and route changes, and more.

Washington Trivia

Where did Milton get its name?

(Answer is at the bottom).



Extreme conditions prompt Fire Marshal to issue Stage 2 burn ban for King County

Today, King County Fire Marshal Chris Ricketts issued a Stage 2 burn ban for King County following the Red Flag fire danger warning issued by the National Weather Service for Northwest Washington that will last through Wednesday of this week.

The high temperatures, wind, and low humidity resulted to multiple brush fires and road closures in both directions of State Route 512 near the Interstate 5 interchange being the most recent. With 12 major fires burning as of this morning, Public Lands Commissioner Hillary Franz said air quality is poor across the state and is expected to remain poor throughout the day and possibly through midweek. Read more about it here.

September 8th Virtual Town Hall with Department of Local Services

Today, September 8th, I will be hosting a virtual town hall meeting with the Department of Local Services from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Although this year’s town hall won’t be in person due to public health guidance, I hope you are able to join us to hear from department leaders across King County about the services that are available to residents. Department leaders from King County Elections, the King County Sheriff’s Office, King County Parks, the King County Assessor and more will present to answer your questions and address your community’s concerns, specifically in the unincorporated areas.



Small Business Assistance Grant for Businesses in Unincorporated King County

Businesses in unincorporated King County may apply for a Small Business Assistance Grant through September 11th. These grants are for businesses that have been hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic and are located in unincorporated parts of King County (outside of cities). The updated requirements mean more businesses are potentially eligible for grant money than during the first round.

To be eligible for a grant in Round 2, businesses must meet the following criteria:

• Thirty or fewer employees (up from 15 in Round 1)
• Annual gross revenue of up to $3 million (up from $1.5 million in Round 1)
• Must have been in business since August 1, 2019
• Must have specific costs related to COVID-19 that have not been covered or reimbursed through any other grant funding or program

Visit kingcounty.gov/LocalBusinessHelp for more information or call 206-331-3275 (Relay 711) and leave a voicemail with your contact information and question. A technical services coach will call you back within two business days. If you need an interpreter, please also name the language you prefer when you leave your message. The technical assistance coach will have an interpreter on the line when they call you back.

King County Metro is "Ready When You Are" with New Safety Innovations and Route Changes

King County Metro is rolling out more than 1,400 first-of-their-kind automated safety partitions between passengers and the driver, to be installed on Metro buses, including Sound Transit Express buses operated by Metro. Metro will also equip over 100 buses with on-board dispensers to provide masks on the busiest routes. Additionally, starting September 19th, Metro will debut Route 160, which connects Renton, Kent, and Auburn and will convert into the RapidRide I line in a few years as transit improvements are made along the new route’s corridor. Read more about it here.



Weekly King County Health Update: School-Based Health Centers

Although most schools in King County will be online this fall, this does not mean that school campuses will be empty. More than 30 school campuses will house in-person healthcare services including routine primary care, vaccinations, mental health counseling, and dental services.

Access to healthcare may be difficult and consequently, many people could potentially fall behind on their routine vaccinations. Vaccines such as the seasonal influenza vaccine are very important to maintaining optimal health, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, students are required to have certain vaccines in order to participate in in-person learning, so it is critical to keep your children prepared to ensure a smooth transition when schools eventually open up.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, school health centers hope to make it easier to get healthcare and will implement new safety protocols such as staggered appointment times, a limitation on the number of people who can be inside the facility at one time, and a requirement that everyone wears a mask. To see a list of the nearest school-based health center near you, please click here.

TSA screeners bust 2 passengers with guns in carry-ons minutes apart at Sea-Tac

On September 4th, TSA screeners at Sea-Tac International Airport caught two passengers who had guns in their carry-on bags just five minutes apart while going through security. Port of Seattle police officers confiscated the guns, interviewed both passengers, and cited them on state charges. Investigators did not believe the two incidents were linked, so both were then allowed to continue their flight. Read more about this KOMO News article here.

Sea-Tac Airport wins FAA grant for residential noise reduction

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao announced a $6 million grant that the federal government has awarded to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to help finance noise-mitigation measures in residential areas near the airport. Read more about it here.

2020 Census: Time is Running Out!

Time is running out to take the 2020 census and make an impact for the next 10 years. Complete the census by September 30th and count for the next 10 years. If our community is undercounted, we will not have a fair and full voice in policy and decision-making. Please do your part to make sure we are counted and represented. Visit 2020Census.gov to complete the census or call 844-330-2020.



King County Case Update

As of yesterday, Seattle – King County Public Health reported 56 new cases, bringing the total in King County to 20,320. In addition, Public Health reported 0 new death, keeping the total in the county at 734.

*Case reporting data for today was impacted due to power outages in King County.

Stay In. Stay Healthy. Stay Strong.

Pete von Reichbauer
King County Councilmember



Washington trivia answer:

Located between northern Pierce County and southern King County, Milton was previously known as Mill Town. According to the city of Milton, a mill was constructed in the early 1890s amid tall evergreens overlooking the Puyallup Valley, and the first settlement was occupied by several homesteaders and lumber camp workers who furnished timber to feed the mill. Following the rejection of the U.S. Postal service to use the name Mill Town, as well as the existence of another Mill Town in Washington, the name was then changed to Milton.