 At this point, you've probably seen the news that Kevin Coe, also known as the South Hill Rapist, was moved to Auburn after initially being released to Federal Way. While the facts surrounding the move are still being investigated, including why I was never notified of the change, I wanted to share a statement I shared on social media and with the local media, about my incredible disappointment with the way things were handled.
We deserve better.
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"The City of Auburn was not notified by the King County Sheriff’s Office or any other agency that Mr. Kevin Coe was being relocated here. Like many of our residents, we learned of this recent development through newspapers and TV stations. That is not how effective public safety partnerships should operate, and we should expect better.
When decisions of this magnitude are made – especially involving individuals with a documented history of violence – local jurisdictions such as Auburn deserve to be informed in advance so we can ensure the safety, communication, and peace of mind of our community. Transparency and coordination among agencies are essential to maintaining public trust.
It’s disappointing that this process appears to be unfolding in the media rather than through professional collaboration between local, county, and state jurisdictions. Moving people from one city to another in response to public pressure is not a sound public safety strategy. It’s reactive, and it erodes community confidence. Auburn cannot, and should not, be treated as a community of last resort when other placements are met with opposition. That’s not how responsible governance works.
Auburn has always stepped up to do its part in addressing regional challenges, especially public safety, but we will not quietly accept becoming a fallback option for difficult decisions made elsewhere. Our residents deserve better than to have these decisions made without transparency or thoughtful planning.
We will do everything within our legal authority to keep our community protected and informed. Now that we are aware of Mr. Coe’s presence, the Auburn Police Department has verified his location and will immediately begin the process of notifying the community as allowed under law. Our officers will also conduct frequent verification checks to ensure Mr. Coe remains compliant with all registration requirements. We are also in close communication with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe for further remedies.
And let me be clear: I am angry that Mr. Coe was released into our community. Auburn was not part of this decision, and we should not be asked to shoulder the consequences of choices made without consultation. Decisions of this significance must be based on safety, communication, and logic – not on convenience, reaction or circumstance.
We demand better coordination moving forward to ensure that every community, including ours, is informed and protected."
Nancy Backus
Mayor of Auburn
 Good news and bad news this weekend, after a fall already chock-full of highway closures!
The good news -- SR 167 is going to two lanes next week while WSDOT prepares a long-term plan for bridge repairs near Pacific, including storing and staging all of the necessary materials and finalizing timelines.
The bad news -- northbound SR 167 will have to close overnight this weekend to restore the additional lane. The full news release from WSDOT is below.
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Contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will temporarily restore an additional northbound travel lane on State Route 167 this weekend. The bridge at Third Avenue Southwest was struck by an over-height vehicle on Sept. 23, resulting in immediate lane closures.
Closure details
To safely complete this work, travelers should plan for a full closure of northbound SR 167:
- From 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11 until 6 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 12, all northbound lanes will close between Stewart and Ellingson roads, while crews shift traffic and install new barrier.
During the full closure, northbound SR 167 traffic will exit at Stewart Road and follow a signed detour using West Valley Highway South and Ellingson Road, where people can merge back onto northbound SR 167.
Crews will place nearly 3,400 feet of concrete barrier during the overnight closure to establish a new traffic pattern to the north and south of the damaged Third Avenue Southwest overpass. This new traffic pattern will:
- Temporarily reopen the outside right lane and inside left lane to traffic.
- Install a barrier to prevent traffic from entering the middle lane and merging into the open inside and outside lanes.
- Restrict truck traffic to the right lane.
- Require Ellingson Road traffic to remain in the right lane.
- Reduce the speed limit to 45 mph.
This work is weather-dependent and is the first phase of WSDOT’s effort to restore the SR 167 bridge to pre-strike condition as quickly as possible.
The Governor’s office issued an emergency proclamation on Tuesday, Sept. 30, in response to this incident, allowing WSDOT to seek federal reimbursement for repairs. More information about the bridge repairs can be found on the SR 167 Bridge Over Third Ave SW project page.
Real-time travel information is available via the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT travel map or by signing up for WSDOT's email updates.
Hyperlinks within the release:
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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at wsdot.com/traffic.
 Below is a news release shared by WSDOT.
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All lanes of eastbound State Route 18 will close for two nights beginning Monday, Oct. 13, between the West Valley Highway and C Street Southwest for pavement repairs in Auburn.
From 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. nightly Monday, Oct. 13, to Wednesday morning, Oct. 15, all eastbound SR 18 traffic will need to take the off-ramp to the West Valley Highway. The northbound and southbound SR 167 ramps to eastbound SR 18 will close at the same time.
Signed detours will guide people to the C Street Southwest on-ramp to eastbound SR 18 using 15th Street Southwest.
During the closures, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will grind and repave SR 18, creating a smoother ride and preserving the highway for years to come. The work requires dry weather and may need to reschedule if rain is forecast.
Additional lane reductions
Eastbound SR 18 also will be reduced to a single lane near Auburn Way South from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly Wednesday, Oct. 15, to Friday morning, Oct. 17. The Auburn Way South on-ramp to eastbound SR 18 will close at the same time Wednesday night, Oct. 15.
The work is part of a project repaving a 3-mile stretch of eastbound SR 18 in Auburn.
Real-time traffic information is available on the WSDOT mobile app and the real-time travel map.
Hyperlinks within the release:
 This week we welcomed a delegation of city officials from our first Sister City, Tamba, Japan! Tamba has been a part of the Kent-Auburn-Tamba Sister Cities Association for decades, beginning with our very first student ambassador way back in 1969.
 We had the pleasure of welcoming Tamba Mayor Tokihiko Hayashi and his wife, Rie Hayashi, in addition to Yuichi Tanimizu, President of Tamba City Council; Naoko Tokura, President of Tamba International Association; Noriyuki Shimizu, City Dept. Manager (Policies); Saori Adachi, City employee (Int'l Relations); Kyosuke Hosomi, City employee (Cultures and Sports); Saki Furukawa, City employee (Tourism); Soushi Nagayama, City employee (Adults Education and Cultures).
 Our Sister Cities staff and City of Auburn team worked diligently to give the Tamba delegation an exciting and lasting impression of the Pacific Northwest and Auburn. The crew went to Seattle to check out the market, to Renton to tour the Boeing facility, and of course, to Auburn to see Green River College, taste the pastries at Pie Styles, sample the beer at Rail Hop'n, and finish it all of with a banquet at the Auburn Community and Event Center.
 A HUGE thank you to Team Auburn staff who helped plan and organize the entire event! And of course, to Mr. and Mrs. Tokihiko for their warm generosity and for allowing us to show them around the region!
 Did you know that in just one hour, you can help save multiple lives right here in the Northwest? Auburn, we’re calling on you to step up and donate blood during our October blood drive at City Hall!
Here’s how you can make a difference:
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Schedule your appointment -- it's quick and easy at BloodworksNW.org
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Enter to win amazing giveaways, including an all-expenses-paid trip to Tokyo for a music festival.
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Donate your pint -- and enjoy a post-donation cookie (because heroes deserve snacks)
Whether you’re a first-timer or a regular donor, your generosity helps cancer patients, trauma victims, and so many others who are counting on someone like you. There’s a critical need for donors this month -- let’s show Auburn cares.
📅 Tuesday, Oct. 14
⏰ 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
📍 Auburn City Hall | 25 W. Main Street
Help us make a lifesaving impact. Sign up today and bring a friend or a fellow department hero!
 One of my favorite fall traditions in Auburn is our Halloween Harvest Festival at Les Gove Park -- and it’s just around the corner! On Saturday, Oct. 25, families from across our community will gather for an afternoon filled with games, crafts, food vendors, a “BOO-seum,” and of course, our crowd-favorite Trunk-or-Treat. It’s a wonderful time to see little ghosts and goblins -- ages 2 to 10 -- light up with excitement as they make their way around the park in their costumes.
 This event truly captures the spirit of Auburn, and I'm so excited for it later this month. We’ll be collecting donations for the Auburn Food Bank and accepting gently used costumes for next year’s free Costume Swap, so if you’re able, please bring something to share. I hope to see you there, rain or shine, for another magical and memorable Halloween Harvest Festival!
And if you're interested in participating, the deadline is 5 p.m. today! Fill out and submit this vendor application, which includes a fee.
 The Wizard of Oz opens THIS FRIDAY, October 10 at 7:30pm. Follow young Dorothy Gale as she travels from Kansas, along the yellow brick road, to the magical Land of Oz.
 An Auburn Community Players Production and part of Auburn's BRAVO Performing Arts Series. On stage October 10-19. Reserve your tickets now at www.auburnwa.gov/theater.
📅 Friday, Oct. 10-19
⏰ 7:30 p.m.
📍 Green River College Student Affairs Building | 12401 SE 320th Street
💲Tickets ($35 regular, $22 student/senior, $30 & 27 at the door)
 Each year on the second Monday of October, we come together to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a time to honor the sovereignty, resilience, and invaluable contributions of Native peoples. Auburn is deeply connected to the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, whose ancestors have cared for and lived on this land for thousands of years. Their stewardship, culture, and traditions continue to shape our community in countless ways.
I encourage all of us to take on Monday to appreciate and reflect on the deep history of this land and the strength of the Indigenous Peoples who have helped make Auburn the city we love today.
 October is also Filipino American History Month, and I’m proud to celebrate the vibrant Filipino community here in Auburn and across our state. Filipino Americans have enriched our community through education, business, health care, and the arts, making lasting contributions to our shared history and success.
Their values of family, service, and community deeply align with Auburn’s own spirit. This month, and every month, I invite our residents to recognize and celebrate the stories, culture, and achievements of Filipino Americans who continue to make Auburn a stronger, more connected place for all.
 Thank you everyone who came out to City Hall Wednesday for our Community Safety Town Hall -- especially because we had to pivot last minute when our original venue became unavailable!
Nonetheless, we had another great conversation and I'm looking forward to Wednesday, Oct. 22 at Green River College!
📅 Wednesday, Oct. 22
⏰ 6 - 8:30 p.m.
📍 Green River College | 12401 SE 320th St.
💲 Free
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