 Last Saturday was one of those days that reminds me why I love this community so deeply. Under the most beautiful fall sunshine, Auburn gathered along Main Street to celebrate the 60th Annual Veterans Parade, in its sixth decade of honoring service, sacrifice, families, and the values that bind us together.
This year’s parade stretched a full two hours, and it was packed with energy and heart. We had nearly 140 parade entries with close to 3,500 participants, including 16 incredible marching bands and one drum corps who brought Main Street to life. Even though the federal shutdown meant our military units couldn’t join us this year, the spirit of service was still very present, carried by our Junior ROTC groups, veteran service organizations, historical societies, elected officials, and a lineup of antique military vehicles that always bring a smile.
 And the crowd… wow. Thousands of you lined the route! Families, kids waving flags, older generations remembering loved ones, and so many Auburn residents simply showing up with gratitude.
One of the things I treasure most about this parade is that it isn’t just about tradition -- it’s about connection. Every year I see moments that stay with me: a veteran saluting from the sidewalk, a child cheering with all their might, a family holding a photo of someone no longer here. It’s those small moments that speak louder than anything I could ever write.
 And with Veterans Day on Tuesday, I was reminded once again of the tremendous gratitude we owe to the men and women who have served, and to the families whose sacrifices often go unseen. Auburn’s appreciation runs deep, and it was on full display last weekend.
Thank you to everyone who marched, volunteered, performed, organized, cheered, or simply showed up. You helped make this milestone year one we will be talking about for a long time -- and I couldn’t be more grateful!
And the 2025 Veterans Parade award winners are...
Gold Star Families of Washington
General’s Award – Best in Parade
Gold Star Families of Washington
Admiral’s Award – Best Military Entry
Graham Kapowsin Junior ROTC
Memorial Award to Harold Page - Best Veteran Service Organization Entry
Veterans of Foreign Wars Riders Chapter 3
Colonel’s Award – Best Motorized Entry
WA Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association
Veteran’s Award – Best Non-Motorized Entry
Auburn Junior ROTC
Mayor’s Award – Best Musical or Drill Entry
Sumner High School Spartan Marching Band
 The following is a new release written by our partners at the Washington State Department of Transportation.
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Permanent repairs are set to begin on the northbound State Route 167 bridge across Third Avenue Southwest in Pacific. It was damaged this fall by an over-height vehicle. To set up the work zone, all northbound lanes of the highway between Stewart and Ellingson roads will close Wednesday night, Nov. 19. When traffic reopens the next morning, there will be just one northbound lane.
As announced last month, contractor crews working under an emergency contract for the Washington State Department of Transportation will reduce northbound SR 167 to one lane around the clock during construction. The left and center lanes will be closed to allow safe access for crews to make repairs and stage equipment. The bridge is expected to fully reopen in early 2026.
“Our engineers have done everything possible to minimize the effects of this incident on people who live, work and commute through this area,” said Northwest Region Administrator Brian Nielsen. “Crews will be working seven days a week to complete the repairs and reopen the bridge as quickly and safely as possible.”
Earlier this month, WSDOT awarded a $1.6 million contract to Johansen Construction Co. of Sumner to complete the repairs.
Upcoming traffic changes
Repairing the Third Avenue Southwest overpass will require temporary changes to traffic in the area. Here’s what people can expect during construction:
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Full overnight northbound SR 167 closure: All lanes of northbound SR 167 will close from 11 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, to 5 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, between Stewart and Ellingson roads. A signed detour will guide people around the closure.
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Northbound SR 167 reduced to one lane 24/7: After the overnight closure, northbound SR 167 will be reduced to one right lane between Stewart Road and just north of the Third Avenue Southwest overpass. Expect additional traffic, congestion and delays.
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Third Avenue Southwest closure: The road beneath SR 167 will close starting Wednesday night, Nov. 19, until bridge repairs are complete. A signed detour will be in place using local roads.
Roughly 50,000 vehicles travel over this section of northbound SR 167 each day.
WSDOT urges people who travel on this corridor to plan ahead, allow extra travel time and consider alternate routes.
Construction timeline
An over-height commercial vehicle struck the Third Avenue Southwest bridge on Sept. 23, 2025, damaging a concrete girder near the middle of the span. On Sept. 30, the governor’s office issued an emergency proclamation (PDF 132KB), allowing WSDOT to seek federal reimbursement for the repairs.
Contractor crews will use precision methods to remove and replace the damaged girder while leaving the remaining bridge support structure intact. Construction will occur 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the bridge is restored to its pre-strike condition.
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.
 On Wednesday, I had the good fortune of catching up with Ken Nelson, the longtime owner of Nelson's Jewelry. For decades, Nelson's was a mainstay along Main and Division, as assured and expected as November rain. The shop was an Auburn legacy that ended in the 2010s when the store closed and then unfortunately, when it was torn down after the downtown fire in 2021.
 After that teardown, the clock out front went into storage at City Hall, where it remained for four years. It wasn't until this year that it was finally put back up where it belongs -- it now sits proudly on the corner, happily sharing the time to anyone who happens to look!
I'm so happy to see the clock restored to its rightful place, and to catch up with Ken and reminisce about all of the happenings on Main and Division over the years. Ken and his family have been so very generous to this community throughout the years, and it felt good to give him a couple of hugs as we caught up.
While time certainly won't slow down for any of us, it's the little things over the years that make the difference -- like honoring our past as we charge forward into the future
 On Thursday, I spent most of my day focused on Sound Transit - as a member of the System Expansion Committee and as a Board Member for a 1/2 day retreat. This is our second 1/2 day meeting to discuss the affordability of the ST3 ballot measure that was passed in November of 2016. Not surprisingly, costs have escalated significantly since the proposed projects were on the ballot. As a board member, it is my responsibility to be engaged in the discussions to ensure the approved projects are built and at a reasonable cost. There are “levers” that ST can pull to reduce costs, and there are some costs that are seemingly out of the agency’s control. That brings up the question of how do we balance the projects within the service area that includes Snohomish, King and Pierce Counties. During COVID (another fun topic), we held a similar exercise, but we failed to consider not just the construction costs, but the on-going maintenance costs of the system. The projects are divided into five sub-areas: Snohomish, North King Co., East King Co., South King Co., and Pierce County.
 For our South King Co. sub area, there’s excitement about the upcoming opening of Federal Way Link Extension (opening December 6th!), but our focus was on Sounder. The options included longer trains and platforms to accommodate more people per trip vs. adding more trips each day. Surveys and personal discussions have proven to me that you want additional trips each day. I am a huge supporter of this - so that we can utilize Sounder as more of a “lifestyle” train. There’s much more discussion to be had about the entire system, and I’m optimistic that we’ll be able to come up with the right solutions to keep our region moving!
 Last night’s Auburn Sister Cities Annual Membership Meeting at Postmark for the Arts was such a warm and energizing gathering. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces together in one room! These are the moments that remind me just how meaningful our international partnerships truly are.
Our connections with communities around the world, especially our long-standing Kent–Auburn–Tamba relationship, continue to thrive because they’re built on authenticity and people-to-people friendship. Families hosting families, students forming lifelong memories, and communities discovering how much we share.
Youth Amabassador Andrew Dobbs
One of the true highlights of the evening was hearing from our Youth Ambassadors. Their reflections, curiosity, and leadership give me such confidence in the future of these programs.
Youth Ambassador Lauryl Dela Cruz
Another highlight was welcoming in the new leadership -- welcome to the program Queen Liang, Mercy Lewis, Rayanna Miller and TJ Spring! You have big shoes to fill but I know you're going to do great!
(from left) Queen Liang- VP; Ryan Foster, Past President; Mercy Lewis, Treasurer; Rayanna Miller, Secretary; TJ Spring, Incoming President; Tony Demonte, Outgoing President
Thank you to everyone who attended, supported, and helped make the night a success. Our Sister Cities partnerships are strong because of you.
 This week seems to have some very complex topics on the agenda. On Friday I attended an all-day summit discussing the rising costs of utilities in the Puget Sound region. The basic issue is the cost of infrastructure. Much of our systems for water, storm, sewer, waste water treatment, electricity, etc. have aging infrastructure, and it’s not going to last much longer.
 Today was a level setting exercise to help electeds and staff understand why costs continue to rise, and how much more they are projected to cost in the future. Some of this has to do with deferred maintenance, and also population growth and the exponentially increased reliance on the systems, but the major reason is public policy. That means regulatory decisions at the Federal, State, and Local levels. I’ve (over)simplified today’s discussion, but I don’t mean to diminish the importance of it. We all committed to continuing these discussions to deliver the most affordable systems possible.
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