Dear Friends:

Today’s update includes information on a recent visit with the Auburn Lions Club, the Governor’s new guidance for certain establishments and activities, the new COVID-19 testing sites in South King County, King County Metro updates, health updates, and more.

Washington Trivia

How did Eastern Washington University get its nickname?

(Answer is at the bottom).




Auburn Lions Club Glasses Donation

Last week, I donated over a thousand prescription glasses, sunglasses and cases to the Auburn Lions Club, who will distribute them to programs throughout the region. As the cost of glasses can often be a barrier to many of our community members, I have been partnering with King County Metro for over twenty years to collect unclaimed glasses lost on Metro buses and donate them to community organizations in South King County like the Lions Club. We appreciate this great opportunity to work with Metro and the Lions Club in providing a new home to these glasses.

With Auburn Noon Lions President Pete Lewis, Monty Moore, Bob Baggett, Gloria Taylor, Patrick Taylor, Patti Baggett and Allen Geiszler.


Governor announces new guidance for restaurants, movie theaters, outdoor sports and more

Today, Gov. Inslee announced a variety of new guidelines for specific activities in our state. This includes looser guidelines for restaurants, movie theaters, sports and more. For counties in Phase 2 of the reopening plan, movie theaters will be allowed to operate at 25% capacity and at 50% capacity in Phase 3. Restaurants in Phase 2 or 3 can serve alcohol up to 11:00 PM. These establishments may expand their table size to six in Phase 2 and eight in Phase 3. You can read more here.


New COVID-19 Testing Sites in South King County

Two additional free COVID-19 testing sites will open in Federal Way and Tukwila. The testing centers will be operated by King County in cooperation with St. Anne Hospital and St. Francis Hospital, part of CHI Franciscan, and our local fire department partners. People are encouraged, but not required, to register for a testing appointment. While walk-ups are welcome, people can also receive a test in their vehicle. Visit https://www.chifranciscan.org/freetesting for more details on scheduling and registration at these two sites.

Tukwila (Now Open)
The Church by the Side of the Road
3455 S 148th St., Tukwila, 98168
Monday to Saturday 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM

Federal Way (Opening October 13th)
Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center
650 SW Campus Dr., Federal Way, 98023
Monday to Saturday 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM

If you need help with registration or information on other free test sites, call the King County COVID-19 Call Center at (206) 477-3977 or visit Public Health’s testing webpage.


King County Metro Updates

Access paratransit riders: new scheduling options and fares coming soon

King County Metro’s Access paratransit team is pleased to present an easy and convenient way to book trips ahead with their new online Trip Manager, which is scheduled to launch this October. The team also reminds riders that Access restarted fare collection on October 1st along with all other Metro services. Riders can pay with cash, Transit GO Ticket app, or ORCA monthly pass. In the coming months, an online fare payment for Access will also be launched. Read more about it here.

Celebrating 10 years of RapidRide

October 2nd marked the 10-year anniversary of King County Metro’s first RapidRide, the A Line. The A Line has carried an average of 9,100 riders each day over the past decade, providing frequent service that connects Federal Way, Kent, SeaTac, and Tukwila, Read more about it here.




Weekly King County Health Update: Sleep - Key to Health and Infection Prevention

Most people will spend about one-third of their lives sleeping and this is for good reason – sleep directly affects every aspect of one’s health. Past studies have shown that a chronic lack of good sleep (proper amount and quality) is linked with a higher risk for health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, poor mental health, and behavioral/cognitive issues in children and adolescents.

During the past six months, an increasing number of people have reported experiencing sleep issues due to anxiety and/or changes in their daily routines brought by the pandemic, and healthcare providers are concerned. A recent article discusses the ways good sleep may help prevent and lessen the seriousness of many respiratory infections, including COVID-19. In fact, sleep may even play a role in boosting “the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines when they become available.”

The pandemic has taken away a lot that we can control, but the good news is that there are still many ways we can improve our overall health and reduce the likelihood of infections, including COVID-19. We can continue to practice the basics of wearing face coverings, social distancing, and washing our hands. To learn more about why it’s important to get a good night’s sleep during the coronavirus outbreak, click here. For better sleep quality, healthcare providers suggest we try the following:

• Create a sleep schedule – go to sleep and awake at the same time each day, every person requires a different amount of sleep. For more information, click here.
• Limit screen time before bedtime – turn off devices one hour before bedtime.
• Avoid a big meal or drinking a lot (especially caffeine) right before bedtime.
• Limit amount of daily COVID-19 news – information overload can hinder sleep.
• Allow for personal time and relaxation – one hour before bedtime.
• Minimize naps – less than 30 minutes and before 2 pm if possible.
• Improve your sleep environment if possible – control lighting, temperature and noise in your room.
• Stress management – stay virtually connected with friends and family, exercise, hobbies. Click here for mental health resources.
• Follow a structured daytime schedule that includes regular activities.


New Washington State Airport Standards

Last week, Gov. Inslee announced a new statewide approach to the COVID-19 pandemic to help protect the health and safety of workers, passengers and crew in the aviation sector. In addition to the new baseline guidance from the state, Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines and the Port of Seattle announced additional steps to protect the health and safety of airline passengers and staff. The guidance requires face coverings in the airport; signage and spacing for physical distancing; protective barriers between travelers and workers; sanitizer and disinfectant protocols; and that airport vendors and businesses follow state and county health agency requirements. Read the full story here.


Free vaccination clinics in Kent this week

Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) recommends infant, child, adolescent, and adult immunizations as a safe way to keep individuals and the general public protected against many other dangerous communicable diseases. To help address these problems, PHSKC, in collaboration with the Seattle Visiting Nurse Association (SVNA) and the Kent School District, is organizing two drive-thru clinics at the ShoWare Center in Kent on Wednesday, October 7th, 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, October 10th, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

All vaccinations will be provided at no cost and available to all kids regardless of insurance status. SVNA will be providing adult flu vaccinations at no cost to uninsured and underinsured community members but will require registration at schedule.seattlevna.com. The clinics are open to all King County residents. For a list of other vaccination opportunities, visit Find a Vaccination Clinic webpage.


Auburn Valley Humane Society Online Auction & Week of Giving

The Auburn Valley Humane Society (AVHS) is inviting you to participate in their Online Auction and Week of Giving! The signature annual fundraiser will kick-off on Saturday, October 24th at 6:00 PM and will run through Friday, October 30th. This is a great opportunity to support the homeless animals in our community. Make sure you get the winning bid for your dream getaway, artwork, or fun items for your furry friend!

1. Register for the event here.
2. Like AVHS on Facebook and join the Facebook event here.
3. Please consider making a gift anytime now through October 30th. Your donation saves animals' lives!


King County Case Update

Today, Seattle – King County Public Health reported 119 new cases, bringing the total in King County to 23,268. In addition, Public Health reported 3 new deaths, bringing the total in the county to 769.

Stay In. Stay Healthy. Stay Strong.

Pete von Reichbauer
King County Councilmember




Washington trivia answer:

Founded in 1882 in Cheney, Washington, Eastern Washington University was previously known as the Benjamin P. Cheney Academy, a private institution that was equivalent to a combination of elementary and junior high school. Renaming the city after Benjamin Pierce Cheney, a member of the Northern Pacific Railroad’s board of directors, he donated $10,000 to establish the eight-acre academy.

According to Wikipedia, in 1890, the private institution ceased operations after losing pupils to the competing public school district. But after Washington was admitted to the union, the Enabling Act allowed the establishment of normal schools in the new state. According to HistoryLink, the state legislature voted to create a teacher’s college in Cheney – the State Normal School. The existence of the old academy building was one of the selling points in winning the school. Though it weathered financial crisis during its first decades, many students eventually enrolled, and the school focused on its teacher-training function. In 1937, the name of the school was officially changed to Eastern Washington College of Education, and eventually to Eastern Washington University in 1977.

The athletic team of the university was originally called the Savages. According to University Archivist Charles Mutschler, the struggle to change the mascot began in the early 1970s, when most other colleges had not yet considered the ramifications of potentially offensive mascot names. Though students wanted to keep the Savages mascot and tribal councils were not bothered by the name, the trustees insisted on taking it to a vote themselves and overruled the student body. In 1973, the mascot was officially changed to the Eagles, and was specifically called Swoop.