 News from and about King County… from health updates to community news affecting our daily lives.
Dear Friends:
Today’s update includes information about 2022’s Martin Luther King Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service recipient, George Weyerhaeuser’s legacy, the state’s first battery-electric heavy-duty truck, the end of COVID-19 testing requirement for international travelers arriving in the US, King County’s unemployment rate, the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, transit and health updates, and more.
Washington Trivia:
This Mercer Island resident and World War II veteran was “The Face in the Surf” depicted in Robert Capa’s iconic shot at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France on D-Day. Who was he?
(Answer is at the bottom)
Martin Luther King Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service
On Tuesday, June 14th, each King County Councilmember had the opportunity to present the Martin Luther King Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service to a chosen recipient who has answered Dr. King’s question, “What are you doing for others?”
It was an honor to present the District 7 MLK Medal of Distinguished Service to John Daniels Jr. for his advocacy for, and work within, the Muckleshoot Tribe. With his help, the Muckleshoot Tribe has created an economic, educational, and social services portfolio that includes the hotel & resort, a tribal school and college, child development center, medical center, and community health program. As a member of the tribal council, John has worked to build long-term relationships with non-tribal governments and agencies and to provide services to both tribal members and the surrounding community.
 We recognized John Daniels Jr. for his decades of service and dedication to improving the lives of the members of Muckleshoot Tribe and surrounding communities. John accepted the award with his wife and four children by his side.
George H. Weyerhaeuser
Rest in peace to the man and the legend, George H. Weyerhaeuser. To know George was to know someone who, in his 95 years, cared deeply about his family, his workers and his values. Look no further than George getting a job at one of his Oregon mills in 1963 for the then recently-released prisoner Harmon Waley, who kidnapped him in 1935 when he was only 9 years old.
 I was proud to be honored along with George and David Sabey for our collective work in building the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. It would not be the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center without George Weyerhaeuser’s commitment.
King County rolls out the state’s first battery-electric heavy-duty truck
King County became the first organization in the state to roll out a new model of battery-electric, heavy-duty trucks manufactured at Kenworth’s assembly plant in Renton, opening a new market for zero-emission fleets. It will be one of the first Class 8 battery-electric trucks in North America operated by a waste management agency. Read more here.
COVID-19 testing requirement ends for international travelers entering the US
As of Sunday, June 12th, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will no longer require air passengers traveling from a foreign country to the United States to show a negative COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board their flight. Read more here.
King County’s unemployment rate at all-time low
King County saw a record-setting unemployment rate of 1.9% in April 2022, compared to April 2020, when the County hit a peak unemployment rate of 15.3%, according to data from Washington’s Employment Security Department (ESD). The low unemployment rate suggests people who are looking for work are able to find employment. The King County labor force grew by nearly 60,000 (4.7%) over the past year.
Around 9,600 King County residents collected unemployment insurance in April 2022, while during the peak of COVID-19 lockdowns in April 2020, over 130,000 King County residents collected unemployment insurance. Read more in the Federal Way Mirror article here.
King County Sexual Assault Resource Center
The King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) is a vital resource for victims of sexual assault to receive necessary resources and care after a sexual assault crime has occurred. KCSARC is a connective service that aligns victims to resources for their next steps such as a legal advocate or medical services. KCSARC will see clients by appointment in their offices in Renton, Federal Way, Redmond and Seattle. Free and confidential support and information is available 24 hours a day. Read more here.
Transit Updates
Weekday bus service adjustments began Monday, June 13
On Monday, June 13th, Metro made minor adjustments to the current weekday service levels in response to operator availability. These adjustments to weekday bus schedules are to provide more accurate and reliable service for riders while Metro deals with staffing shortages. Metro will continue to hire and train transit operators to stabilize their workforce. Before traveling, customers are encouraged to check the online timetables, which will be updated to reflect these changes.
Free Youth Transit Pass forward, aiming for implementation in time for school
Under the state’s recently adopted Move Ahead Washington package, King County Metro became eligible for an estimated $31.7 million in grant funding if a zero-youth fare policy is adopted by Oct. 1.
The Free Youth Transit Pass will connect youth to the freedom of transit throughout our region. The proposed free youth transit pass builds on King County’s many years of success in providing ORCA passes to middle and high school students during the school year, and also stretching into summertime for those who most need travel support. By adopting a year-round free youth transit pass policy, King County Metro and other agencies across the state will provide access to a network of public transportation services that expand opportunity and provide equitable access for young people. Read more here.
Fireworks ban in unincorporated King County; how to report a violation
In 2021, the use and sale of consumer fireworks were banned in unincorporated King County. As King County finalizes its processes for reporting and responding to violations, here’s some information on how to report a fireworks violation in unincorporated King County:
Report online at https://kingcounty.gov/ReportFireworks or call 206-848-0800 and follow the prompts to leave a message. If there is an emergency or fireworks are causing an immediate threat, call 9-1-1.
To apply for a public fireworks display permit through Permitting Division’s website, visit http://www.mybuildingpermit.com/.
Health Updates
Kent Isolation and Quarantine Site Will No Longer Serve Guests
King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) announced that the Kent Isolation and Quarantine (I&Q) site will no longer serve guests, starting Monday, June 13th. Last week, the building stopped accepting referrals. With relatively stable COVID-19 hospitalization and death rates, King County made the decision to transition to a more traditional model of I&Q. In preparation for the transition, Public Health – Seattle & King County has developed a new program to ensure King County residents have a safe, stable, and comfortable place to isolate and quarantine through a new Mobile I&Q team. Read more here.
King County Fire Chiefs/Medic One Foundation Adopt Life Saving App
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The King County Fire Chiefs Association and Medic One Foundation announced the county-wide launch of PulsePoint, a free life-saving mobile app that notifies users when someone nearby is in cardiac arrest and needs immediate help. The announcement highlights National CPR & AED Awareness Week which was celebrated last week.
PulsePoint is like an AMBER alert for sudden cardiac arrest victims. It uses location-based technology to alert community members to a sudden cardiac arrest in their immediate vicinity so they can get to the victim first and start hands-only CPR in those critical, life-saving minutes before first responders are able to arrive.
The app only alerts individuals to a cardiac arrest in public locations, not a private residence, and will now be available for the first time county-wide. In addition, the companion app, PulsePoint AED, allows users to report and update public AED locations so that community members can find a nearby AED when a cardiac emergency occurs. King County 911 dispatchers will also be able to access and share these AED locations with 911 callers. For more information, visit Medic One Foundation.
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Non-Profit Corner
Below are some organizations located in our area where your donations go a long way:
Auburn Food Bank
930 18th Pl NE, Auburn, WA 98002
Donations accepted in person Monday-Friday (8:00 am to 3:00 pm)
https://www.theauburnfoodbank.org/
Auburn Valley Humane Society
4910 A St. SE, Auburn, WA 98092
1123 E Main St., Auburn, WA 98002 (Thrift Store)
To donate supplies, call 253-545-0314 Monday-Saturday (10:00 am – 6:00 pm), Sunday (11:00 am – 5:00 pm).
https://www.auburnvalleyhs.org/
Bloodworks Northwest
1414 S 324th St., Suite B101, Federal Way, WA 98003
Whole blood and apheresis donations are accepted Monday-Tuesday (10:00 am to 6:00 pm), Wednesday, Friday-Saturday (8:00 am to 4:00 pm), and Sunday (9:00 am to 5:00 pm). To schedule a donation appointment, call 253-945-8660 or 800-398-7888 or visit https://schedule.bloodworksnw.org/DonorPortal/
Bridging a Gap (BAG)
33313 1st Way S, Federal Way, WA 98003
Food donations can be dropped off at the following locations:
St. Luke’s Church - 515 S 312th St., Federal Way, WA 98003
Communities in Schools - 1825 S 316th St. Federal Way, WA 98003
Red Canoe Credit Union - 33616 Pacific Hwy S, Federal Way, WA 98003
https://www.bridgingagapfw.org/get-involved/
Federal Way Senior Center
4016 S 352nd St., Auburn, WA 98001
To volunteer, please call 253-838-3604 or email director_fwsc@hotmail.com.
https://www.federalwayseniorcenter.org/
FUSION Décor Boutique
1108 S 322nd Pl, Federal Way, WA 98003
Donations are accepted Tuesday-Saturday (10:00 am to 6:00 pm)
Please call beforehand at 253-839-4045 with a description of the items.
https://www.fusiondecorboutique.com/
Multi-Service Center Food Bank
1200 S 336th St., Federal Way, WA 98003
Donations may be dropped off at the warehouse Monday-Friday (8:30 am to 4:00 pm)
https://mschelps.org/getinvolved/donations/
The Salvation Army
26419 16th Ave S, Des Moines, WA 98198
Open Monday-Thursday (9:00 am to 4:30 pm) and Friday (9:00 am to 12:00 pm)
https://federalway.salvationarmy.org/federal_way_corps
King County COVID-19 Case Update
Yesterday, Seattle – King County Public Health reported 1,010 daily average positive cases, bringing the total in King County to 449,027. In addition, Public Health reported 2 daily average deaths, bringing the total in the county to 2,857.
Recent data may be incomplete. For the most current information, visit the King County COVID Daily Summary Dashboard here.
   Order free COVID home test kits: www.covidtests.gov | https://sayyescovidhometest.org/
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 in King County.
Find your King County Council district here.
With best wishes,
Pete von Reichbauer
King County Councilmember
Washington Trivia Answer:
Every June 6th, I remember my friend, Huston “Hu” Riley, and his bravery on D-Day. Private First-Class Riley, 16th Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Company F, landed on Omaha Beach with the Allied forces’ first wave of the D-Day invasion, Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944.
Riley struggled with a heavy load on his back as bullets rained down. He was hit several times but was not seriously injured until he reached the shore, where machine gun fire hit his shoulder. Riley remembered that a photographer and another man, a sergeant, pulled him out of the water to safety. The photographer was Robert Capa, Riley later realized. When Capa’s “The Face in the Surf” photograph of the unidentified American soldier appeared in “LIFE” magazine on June 19, 1944, Veta Riley recognized him as her son, Huston.
In June 2009, I was fortunate to introduce Hu during a Flag Day ceremony at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. Hu was 90 years old when he died on October 2, 2011. As a lifelong Mercer Island resident, the state named the cove near his home on Lake Washington, Riley Cove, in 2021. Heroes are not born; they are made by their times.
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