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

Dear Friends:

Today’s update includes information about the November 8th General Election, crime updates, my “Good Eggs” Breakfast with Attorney General Bob Ferguson, an upcoming change to King County solid waste transfer facilities’ accepted mode of payment, a reminder about the end of daylight savings time and the status of the Sunshine Protection Act, two major projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, health updates and more.


Washington Trivia

This Washington State University alum is an American cartoonist who created The Far Side. Who is he?
(Answer is at the bottom).




General Election update

On October 19th, King County Elections mailed out ballots to 1.4 million registered voters. Here’s what you need to know about this coming general election:

• Drop Boxes. Boxes officially opened on Thursday, October 20th with driver teams picking up ballots since Friday, October 21st. A list of all 76 boxes can be found online and in the voters’ pamphlet. Staff will be on-site around 6:30 p.m. on Election Night, November 8th, to help manage traffic and close the box promptly at 8:00 p.m.

• Vote Centers. Satellite Vote Centers will be open across the county Saturday, November 5th, Monday, November 7th, and Tuesday, Election Day, November 8th. In addition to the headquarters in Renton, King County Elections staff will be at Kenmore City Hall, Bellevue College, Lumen Field in Seattle, Kent City Hall, Federal Way Performing Arts Center and the Student Union Building at UW. Voters can register for the first time, update their registration, get a replacement ballot, or use an accessible voting device.

• Sign-up for Ballot Notifications. King County Elections launched a text and email notification program. Voters can sign-up to receive text messages, emails (or both) about when their ballot is mailed, when received, and when their signature has been verified (or if there is an issue with their signature). This is available in all five of the languages they provide full service in – Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese. Voters can sign-up right in the My Voter Information Tool.

• For other FAQs, please visit the Elections website. You may also watch Elections staff live any time they are processing ballots.


Crime in our Community

This update is intended to inform you about what is happening in our communities and where. Too often, we rely on anecdotal examples to shape our perceptions. I want you to have the facts. In addition to what is reported in the local news, I will be providing you with the tools to explore your neighborhood and our region. 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.



According to the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Fund, the number of law enforcement deaths in the U.S. soared in the recent years. For a complete year-by-year breakdown of law enforcement deaths throughout U.S. history, click here.


“Good Eggs” Breakfast meeting with Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson

When I first joined the King County Council, I started a monthly breakfast for private and public leaders from across South King County to help us better work together. Yesterday’s guest speaker was Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who answered questions about the opioid crisis as well as the surge in local neighborhood crimes, and the impact of chess on his decision-making process.



With Pacific Mayor Leanne Guier, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Auburn Councilmember Larry Brown, Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus and Kent Mayor Dana Ralph



With Kent Mayor Dana Ralph, Federal Way Councilmember Lydia Assefa-Dawson and Attorney General Bob Ferguson


Personal checks no longer accepted at King County solid waste transfer facilities starting December 5

King County’s Solid Waste Division will no longer accept personal checks to pay for disposal services at its transfer stations and drop boxes effective December 5th. Customers can continue to use cash, debit card, or credit card, and are encouraged to reduce costs by using facilities with recycling and yard waste disposal services.

Some residents may be eligible for the CleanupLIFT discount of $14 off the fee to dispose of garbage, yard waste, clean wood, mattresses, and refrigerant-type appliances by presenting a ProviderOne, EBT, or ORCA LIFT discount card upon entering the facility. Click here for more information or contact the King County Solid Waste Division at 206-477-4466 or 711 TTY Relay.


Daylight Savings Time ends on November 6

Clocks will again fall back one hour at 2:00 a.m. on November 6th. However, the Sunshine Protection Act, a federal bill fully approved by the U.S. Senate that proposes permanent daylight savings time nationwide, could change this before clocks switch again in 2023. The bill currently awaits a review by the House of Representatives. Read more in the King5 news article here.


Two major projects advance to upgrade Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

This summer, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) unveiled the new International Arrival Facility, and in the coming years, SEA plans to invest in projects that aim to make the travel experience more predictable and convenient. This week, the Port of Seattle Commission authorized more than $250 million to advance two key projects, the SEA Gateway Project and S Concourse Evolution.

• The Commission approved $159.5 million for the SEA Gateway Project, a partnership with Alaska Airlines, to modernize the 40-year-old ticketing, security, and bag claim areas in the terminal’s north end. Newly light-filled, open spaces will help passengers move quickly and easily through ticketing and security.

• The S Concourse Evolution received $100 million to proceed with advanced work and design on a major remodel to restructure, repurpose, and renovate existing spaces with more amenities, brighter spaces, and an improved passenger journey.



Photo source: portseattle.org


Grant Opportunities

Heritage Professional Development Stipend

4Culture’s Heritage Professional Development Stipend program provides stipends ranging from $100 to $1,000 for heritage practitioners in King County to participate in a professional development or career maintenance opportunity. This stipend can be used by individuals seeking to build skills needed to thrive in the heritage field or King County-based heritage organizations to provide a training for their staff, board members, and volunteers. The deadline to apply is October 31st, 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit the grant website or contact Megumi Nagata at 206-263-3474 or megumi.nagata@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

Poison is so 1980s: How to protect your children and pets from rodent poisons

Wild rats and mice living too close to humans threaten our health. They can contaminate food, spread disease, damage property, and cause electrical fires. It makes good sense to keep rodents away from our homes. However, there are safe – and less safe ways – to get rid of them. Many people’s first instinct is to use rodenticides – also known as rat or mouse bait – to poison the intruders. Unfortunately, misuse and overuse of these poisons are common and can harm children and pets. For more information on safer and more effective strategies and on what to do if a child or pet ingests poison, please visit Public Health Seattle & King County’s blogpost.

10 things to know about flu season

As Fall rolls around and holiday gatherings approach, so does flu season. Public Health Seattle & King County shared ten things to know about the flu shot and why it’s so crucial this Fall.

King County COVID-19 Case Update

On Tuesday, Seattle – King County Public Health reported 181 daily average positive cases, bringing the total in King County to 522,866. In addition, Public Health reported 1 daily average deaths, bringing the total in the county to 3,247

Recent data may be incomplete. For more information, 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 King County COVID-19 Call Center at 206-477-3977.

To 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 9-8-8 to connect to the new Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, text TALK to 741-741 or visit https://988lifeline.org/.

Find your King County Council district here.


With best wishes,

Pete von Reichbauer
King County Councilmember




Washington trivia answer:

Gary Larson is an American cartoonist, environmentalist and former musician who was born and raised in University Place, Washington. He graduated from Curtis Senior High School and attended Washington State University, earning a degree in communications.

After realizing how much he hated working in a music store, he decided to try cartooning. In 1976, he drew and submitted six cartoons to a Seattle-based magazine known as Pacific Search (Pacific Northwest Magazine). He also contributed to another local Seattle paper, and in 1979, he submitted his work to The Seattle Times. Under the title Nature's Way, his work was published weekly next to the Junior Jumble.

While on vacation, Gary pitched his Nature's Way strip to the San Francisco Chronicle and, to his surprise, the Chronicle bought the strip and promoted it for syndication, renaming it The Far Side. Its first appearance in the Chronicle was on January 1, 1980. A week later, The Seattle Times dropped Nature's Way. The Far Side ran for fifteen years until Larson retired with his final strip published on January 1, 1995, when he was only 44 years old and today, he lives in Seattle with his wife. Although for 20 years, he objected to his work being on the internet, however, in 2019, The Far Side website stated that “a new online era of The Far Side is coming.”



Photo source: Paul Sakuma, nbcnews.com


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