Earlier this month, I sat down with Northwest sportscaster legend Tony Ventrella to talk about some of the work I’m looking forward to in 2022. From housing people experiencing homelessness to making our communities safer for everyone to bringing the joy of cricket to more King County residents, we have a lot of work to do.
 Click on the image above to watch my conversation with Tony Ventrella.
As your representative on the King County Council, I’m here to listen to you, have frank conversations about difficult issues, and to work together to find and implement real solutions that will make our community stronger. I work best when I know what’s on your mind.
Take my survey to tell me what your priorities are for 2022. I look forward to working with you to make King County the vibrant, welcoming place we want it to be.
To mask or not to mask
State mask requirements ends March 21, but King County indoor mask mandate remains for now
There was a flurry of announcements regarding vaccination verification and mask mandates this week from both King County Public Health and Governor Inslee. These announcements are all in response to decreasing case counts and hospitalizations in recent weeks, but none take effect immediately and caution continues to be warranted. While the number of positive COVID cases is down by 42% and hospitalizations are down by 5% over the last seven days, both remain about three times higher than they were last December.
Here are some key dates to remember right now:
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Starting March 1: King County restaurants, bars, and gyms will no longer be required to verify COVID vaccination status of their patrons.
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Starting March 21: Washington state is ending the mask mandate in most indoor settings, including restaurants, schools, and grocery stores. But local public health officers have the ability to impose stricter guidelines in their counties and King County Public Health continues to monitor the progression of COVID-19 in our community. What makes sense in more sparsely populated counties, may not make sense in densely populated King County. Stay tuned for more information on local rules in coming weeks.
 Our public health experts are moving forward cautiously to prevent more unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths and will continue to monitor the situation, assess the risks, and update guidance as needed. Stay up-to-date on the latest King County mask requirements here:
Black History Month: celebrating Judge Patricia Clark
 Click on the image to watch Judge Clark talk about what the Family Treatment Court taught her.
Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate and learn more about people who have contributed to our nation and our area’s history. Among those worth celebrating is Patricia Clark who as a mother, social worker, prosecutor and judge, dedicated her life to helping all children and left a lasting legacy in King County.
Born in South Carolina, Patricia Clark spent much of her adult life as a Bellevue resident until her death in 2015. Appointed to the King County Superior Court in 1996, Judge Clark was known for her innovation and her compassion for the young people and families who came before her at Juvenile Court. Among her many accomplishments was leading the creation of the Family Treatment Court, which is designed to improve the safety and well-being of children in the dependency system by providing parents access to drug and alcohol treatment, judicial monitoring of their sobriety and individualized services to support the entire family.
Today, the Patricia H. Clark Children and Youth Family Justice Center bears her name in honor of her service as chief judge in the Juvenile Division of Superior Court and a lifetime of service to the community, especially our young people.
A day that should also live in infamy
 Credit: ARTXIV
On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which ordered the forced removal and incarceration of people of Japanese ancestry living on the west coast based solely on their ethnicity. Here in East King County, dozens of Japanese families who farmed the land in Bellevue were incarcerated, often losing their property and possessions along with their freedom.
Tomorrow, on the 80th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, let’s reflect on how we can honor those who endured incarceration and fight the fear and racism that led to this dark chapter in our history. You can join an online virtual program with artist Michelle Kumata, Bellevue Arts Museum creative director Tani Ikeda, and Densho founding director Tom Ikeda honoring this important historic day. The program will highlight the stories of Bellevue’s Nikkei farmer community, introduce descendants of the farmers depicted in artist Michelle Kumata’s Emerging Radiance mural, and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the installation at Bellevue Arts Museum.
Register for this virtual event here:
Spread the word!
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Sincerely,
 Claudia Balducci
King County Council
District 6
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