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 Council’s recent trip to Washington D.C., the Good Eggs breakfast meeting with the new Sound Transit CEO, a van donation to PICA-WA in Federal Way, the upcoming King County Council Budget Town Hall, grant opportunities, health updates and more.


Washington Trivia

This former Major League Baseball pitcher, pitching coach and television commentator made it to the Major Leagues and won multiple World Series Championships, and was recently featured on King5 TV after his video went viral. Who is he?
(Answer is at the bottom).




Fall Trip to Washington, D.C.

Members of the King County Council went to Washington D.C. for the first time in over two years to meet with our congressional delegation, White House staff, and cabinet staff. We were fortunate to be able to speak in person with Senator Cantwell, as well as Representatives Smith, DelBene, and Schrier. Among the issues I raised were my opposition to the proposal to site an airport in Enumclaw, as well as the status of the Federal Way Triangle Project. The meetings were productive, and I appreciate the time they took between votes to listen to our concerns.



(Left) With US Congressman Adam Smith, King County Executive Dow Constantine, Councilmembers Sarah Perry, Rod Dembowski, Joe McDermott and Girmay Zahilay; (Right) With US Congresswoman Kim Schrier and King County Councilmember Sarah Perry


“Good Eggs” Breakfast Meeting with new Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm

On September 28th, I hosted another in-person “Good Eggs” Breakfast meeting in Federal Way with new Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm as the guest speaker. Julie joined us just three days into her job at Sound Transit not only to meet South King County leaders and community members, but to get to know the local stakeholders and listen to their perspectives on the importance of transit in their communities.



With Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell, Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus, Sound Transit CEO Julie Timm, and Kent Mayor Dana Ralph


Pacific Islander Community Association of WA (PICA-WA) receives a van

Pacific Islander Community Association of WA (PICA-WA) is one of this year’s recipients of the annual allocation of retired King County Metro Vanpool vans in District 7. It was great to meet with Operations Director Bronwyn Talaga and Community Services Director Amelia Bai and learn about their great work in our community.



With Amelia Bai and Bronwyn Talaga at PICA-WA’s office in Federal Way






Grant Opportunities

Best Starts for Kids Child Care Subsidy Program

KBest Starts for Kids (BSK) is accepting applications for Kids Child Care Subsidy program. Families may be eligible for the subsidy if they live in King County, have one or more children aged 12 or younger, choose a licensed child care provider, are not eligible for Washington State’s Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) subsidy; and fall below the income cap.

• Families who are interested in the subsidy can fill out a five-minute eligibility form to see if they may qualify for help paying for child care. This is the first step in the application process. BSK will contact families selected to complete a full application.

• Website and eligibility form available in Amharic, English, Oromo Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Interpreters available for all other languages to complete an application.

• For more information, visit the grant website, call or text 206-208-6865, or email support@bskchildcare.org.



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.


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. To see crime information for all of King County, click here.

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.




Health Updates

Vaping Prevention & Quit Resources: Tips for Parents & Schools

School-age kids are using vaping devices at an alarming rate. According to a 2020 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 5 high school-age kids now say that they use e-cigarettes, and many falsely believe the products are safe. Driving their popularity is a discreet and high-tech look. To make things worse, they can deliver much higher concentrations of addictive nicotine than regular cigarettes, leading to a new generation of addicted tobacco users. So, what can educators and parents do? Check out these five great resources on the latest in vaping prevention and quit resources from Public Health – Seattle & King County.

This Fall, take action to reduce the risk of falls

One in three adults over age 65 fall at least once a year. A significant number of calls to King County’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system are related to falls by older adults in their home. The impact of a fall can be significant. Injuries from a fall can cause cascading problems that prevent someone from remaining safe in their home.

Two-thirds of older adults who experience a fall will fall again within six months. King County’s One Step Ahead Fall Prevention Program provides free in-home or virtual visits from a fall prevention educator to adults ages 50 or older who have previously called 9-1-1 for a fall-related reason. Many of the referrals to the program are made by emergency medical service professionals who have responded to a fall-related 9-1-1 call. To enroll or receive more information about the One Step Ahead Fall Prevention Program, call 206-263-8544 or email FallPrevention.EMS@kingcounty.gov.

King County COVID-19 Case Update

On Tuesday, Seattle – King County Public Health reported 256 daily average positive cases, bringing the total in King County to 519,958. In addition, Public Health reported 2 daily average deaths, bringing the total in the county to 3,217.

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:

Wesley “Wes” Stock, is one of Washington State University’s baseball players who made it to the Major Leagues and won two World Series Championships. He played college baseball for the Cougars and later signed with the Baltimore Orioles. In his nine MLB seasons, he won 27 of 40 decisions, with 365 strikeouts and 22 saves in 517 1/3 innings pitched.

In his two years as the minor league pitching coordinator for the New York Mets, Wes helped develop mound talent that would contribute to the Mets’ 1969 world championship. He also became a pitching coach for the Athletics in both Kansas City and Oakland, Milwaukee Brewers, and Seattle Mariners. He was a coach on the 1975 American League All-Star team and on the 1973–1974 World Series champion A's. In addition to coaching, Stock was also one of the Mariners’ TV broadcasters in 1982 and 1983.

Stock returned to the A’s as pitching coach in 1984, putting in another three seasons. He retired from baseball in 1994, at age 60. Recently, Wes and his granddaughter Megan went “viral” and appeared on King5-TV after their “Baseball Stories” series shot at his home in Lakewood reached over 23 million people.



Jeff Stock, the Mariner Moose, Wes Stock, and me at a Mariner game


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