Quote of the Day
“I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” —Henry David Thoreau [Of course, I wish solely male pronouns hadn’t been used.]
Public Health Updates
COVID resources
King County’s community level of COVID remains currently classified as low, although there are still 350 daily new cases, according to the most recent reports. Please continue to exercise caution throughout each day to keep yourself, your family, and your community safe.
For up-to-date information on cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in the County, see the Daily COVID-19 outbreak summary dashboard. The links to the data by demographics and geography are on the same page.
COVID-19 Data Dashboards have been updated to provide a more intuitive view of King County Data. For more information on these updates, see this article from the Public Health Insider. View all County COVID-related Data Dashboards here, including vaccination rates and outcomes according to vaccination status.
View the most recent statewide COVID-19 data from the state Department of Health (DOH).
Visit this page to access the Say Yes! COVID test portal, which allows for two free orders per household, each month, while supplies last. Input your zip code on the website to see if you are eligible.
Monkeypox resources
New monkeypox cases in King County seem to have peaked in July and August. As of Thursday, September 29th, there have been a total of 455 cases in King County. For the most up-to-date data and advice from Public Health – Seattle and King County, visit this page.
The King County Department of Health has launched an interactive monkeypox virus (MPV) data dashboard. This new dashboard includes case counts at county and state levels, total weekly case counts, case information by sex at birth, and age groups of people who have MPV. This page will be updated every Tuesday and Thursday. More information is available on the Washington State Department of Health MPV information page. Visit the new dashboard here.
Helpful Public Health-related articles
10 tips for coexisting with COVID (and living a normal-ish life) – The Seattle Times
5 things about COVID we still don’t understand — at our peril – The Seattle Times
Why You Should Rest—a Lot—If You Have COVID-19 – Time
They Were Entitled to Free Care. Hospitals Hounded Them to Pay. – The New York Times
When’s the Perfect Time to Get a Flu Shot? – The Atlantic
Seattle Children’s emergency department sees ‘unprecedented demand,’ long wait times – The Seattle Times
‘It is sinking us even further’: STI clinics, already stretched thin, strain under weight of monkeypox response – STAT
New study sees possible link between aluminum in childhood vaccines and risk of asthma, but caveats abound– STAT
Women said covid shots affect periods. A new study shows they’re right. – The Washington Post
Big COVID-19 waves may be coming, new Omicron strains suggest – SCIENCE
For Black men like me, the pandemic’s been a reminder of our psychological masks – The Seattle Times
Seattle Library will allow staff to administer opioid overdose reversing Narcan – KUOW
As the smoke clears, a look at King County’s SafeStart ventilation improvement program – Real Change
This week at the King County Council
The King County Council met on Tuesday after a short special Council meeting at 10:00 a.m. at which Executive Constantine spoke on his proposed biennial budget. His proposal addresses his priority areas of battling the climate crisis, ensuring safe communities and housing, and uprooting racism. For more information on Executive Constantine’s 2023-2024 budget, click here.
After the Executive’s budget address, the Council reconvened at 1 p.m. Among the council’s busy agenda was action taken on ordinances to authorize Executive Constantine to enter leases with both the Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network Operator and Ardagh Glass Inc., an ordinance concerning a settlement agreement between King County and the Suquamish Tribe on West Point Treatment Plant, and on King County’s Open Space Plan which concerns parks, trails, and natural areas. The Council also acted on motions creating a recovery champion award and accepting a report on the water taxi expansion. The Council also approved a motion creating the Stop Hate Hotline in addition to King County’s having allocated $150,000 in COVID-19 relief funding for it. The Stop Hate Hotline is intended to allow victims easier access to services and institute a new, non-law enforcement reporting system that is easy to use and improves King County’s data collection on reported hate crimes. For more information on this meeting, click here.
The Council also unanimously passed legislation to identify resources to support food banks and meet increased needs. This bill calls on the County to conduct outreach in order to better understand the needs of these organizations and pinpoint the magnitude of food insecurity within King County. After the County’s outreach work, it will be able to implement new methods of providing support for these services. Read more on this passed legislation here.
Employment and Administration Committee
On Tuesday the Employment and Administration Committee met right after the council meeting concluded, receiving two briefings on the Council’s human resources office and an update from King County Council Chief of Staff. The committee also interviewed an individual for an appointment to the Citizens' Elections Oversight Committee. For more information on this meeting, click here.
Budget and Fiscal Management Committee
On Wednesday the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee met at 9:30 a.m. The committee received presentations from separately elected officials on their priorities for the proposed 2023-2024 biennial budget. Among the presenters were King County Assessor John Arthur Wilson, King County Elections Director Julie Wise, King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg, King County Superior Court Presiding Judge Patrick Oishi, King County District Court Presiding Judge Matthew York, and Department of Public Defense Director Anita Khandelwal. The speakers shared with us relevant highlights of the proposed budget, and also used that as an opportunity to point out areas where the Executive may not have fully funded their request. These were the first conversations following the Executive’s transmittal of his proposed biennial budget. For more information on this meeting, click here.
Affordable Housing Committee
The Affordable Housing Committee met yesterday at 1:00 p.m. The committee received several briefings, including an analysis of the Jurisdictional By Income Level Housing Need Option and its alignment with key principles, as well as the method and process for establishing jurisdictional permanent supportive housing and emergency housing needs. For more information on this meeting, click here.
Next week at the King County Council
Full Council
The King County Council will meet on Tuesday, October 4th, at 1:00 p.m. When available, the meeting materials and agenda will be available here.
Committee of the Whole
The Committee of the Whole, which I chair, will meet on Monday, October 3rd, at 1:30 p.m. The committee will discuss the extension of the appointment of David Mendel as acting director of the King County Department of Information Technology as well as the appointment of Faisal Khan as the director of the Department of Public Health. To see the agenda or find information on how to call in, please join here.
2023-2024 Biennial Budget Panels for next week
The biennial budget sets the budget priorities coming out for the next two years, with additional supplemental budgets over that two-year period making adjustments to that guiding document. Since the biennial budget is a major undertaking, most other council committees will stand down from now until late November, and any timely pieces of legislation will be taken up in the Committee of the Whole which I chair. For more information on the biennial budget, schedules, public meetings, and opportunities for public comment, click here.
The Budget and Fiscal Management Committee will meet on Wednesday, October 5th, at 6:00 p.m. at the Redmond Community Center for a public hearing, where participation will be limited to in-person attendance. This public hearing will discuss the Executive’s proposed 2023-2024 budget. For more information on this meeting and how to provide public comment, click here.
Panel 1 - Housing and Homelessness; Behavioral Health; Fill the Gap
On Tuesday, October 4th at 9:30 a.m., Panel 1 will meet to review budgets related to appropriation units such as Housing and Community Development, Behavioral Health, Mental Illness and Drug Dependency, Public Health, and others.
Panel 2 - Climate & Environment; Invest in People
On Wednesday, October 5th at 9:30 a.m., Panel 2 will meet to review budgets related to appropriation units such as Parks, Recreation, and Open Space, Planning and Permitting, and Metro Transit, and others.
Panel 3 - Support a Safe King County for Everyone
On Thursday, October 6th at 9:30 a.m., Panel 3 will meet to review budgets related to appropriation units such as the Sheriff, Office of Law Enforcement Oversight, Prosecuting Attorney, Public Defense, and others.
For more information on these panels and how to join them, click here. I am serving on all three budget panels.
2023-2024 Biennial Budget Priorities
King County Executive Dow Constantine’s proposed budget, presented to King County Council on Tuesday at which I participated via Zoom, includes $15.8 billion to make investments in the climate crisis, eradicating homelessness, ensuring safe communities, and diminishing racial disparities. Executive Constantine has been rolling out some of these priorities lately in separate media announcements. Notably, the budget proposal includes financing for homeowners who wish to transition from fossil fuels to clean energy for heating, cooling, and cooking. This program, Executive Constantine says, will make it easier for families to access low-cost loans and get high efficiency heat pumps installed. The built environment, including single family homes, apartments, and commercial buildings, account for almost half of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. As retrofitting homes is incredibly expensive, this program allows King County residents to contribute to climate solutions in their own homes. Read the full story here.
Executive Constantine also has proposed public safety investments that focus on reducing crime, gun violence and behavioral health crises. This robust public safety network centers around four key themes: deploying a highly trained and coordinated safety network, ensuring safe and appropriate places for people in crisis, being data-informed and responsive to community needs, and providing accountability and victim support. The Executive’s biennial budget proposal includes these investments along with funding proposals for King County Sheriff, Public Health, Metro, Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, Department of Community and Human Services and more. Read more on the public safety initiative here.
Lastly, Executive Constantine announced a proposed levy to address the behavioral health crisis by investing in five crisis care centers countywide, growing the behavioral health workforce pipeline, restoring residential treatment beds, and providing immediate services while the system gets up and running. Behavioral health needs have increased significantly over the course of the pandemic, and I look forward to reviewing this proposal with my colleagues. If passed by the King County Council, it would be submitted for voter approval in April 2023. For more information, click here.
Virtual town hall focused on the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget
Please join me and King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski on Tuesday, October 11th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for a virtual town hall focusing on the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget. We will be joined by Dwight Dively, Director of the Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget to take an in-depth look at the Executive’s proposed biennial budget and take questions from the audience.
This event will be livestreaming on either of our official Facebook pages:
www.facebook.com/CMKohlWelles
www.facebook.com/CouncilmemberRodDembowski
Submit questions here: https://forms.gle/Ae7FPz7Q9x3VyrV79
During the event, questions may also be submitted in the comment section of the stream.
Live captions will be enabled. For other questions, including about accessibility accommodations, please call 206-477-1001. Links will also be posted on www.kingcounty.gov/townhall
News from King County
King County Regional Homelessness Authority may see budget boost
 On Tuesday, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and King County Executive Constantine proposed budgets that may allocate an increase in funding to the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. However, Seattle City Council and Metropolitan King County Council still need to approve them. Mayor Harrell’s budget proposed $87.7 million to the Authority, a 13% increase from last year. These additional funds are proposed to go toward expanding shelter beds within the city. Read more information here.
Seeking Consultants for King County's Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan
King County is updating its Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan to better focus on undoing historical and current systems of racism and other forms of injustice. King County is looking for partners to support with engagement, data analysis, surveys, and best practices research. A Request for Proposals (RFP) has been published and can be viewed on King County's E-Procurement Portal. (Use the search bar and enter “Equity,” then select Solicitation # KC000671 and download the attachment for the full RFP information.) Proposals will be accepted up until October 10 at 2:00 p.m. If you have any questions, email swong@kingcounty.gov.
Chinatown International District pushes back against expanded homeless shelter
Many residents of the Chinatown International District community are organizing to stop the expanding of the homeless shelter in north Sodo with many speaking in public comment at Tuesday’s Council meeting. The expansion of this shelter plans to offer 419 beds, room for RVs, tiny homes, and mental health and addiction treatment to a neighborhood that already has shelter and low-income housing. However, fueled by trauma of racism and being overlooked in community decisions, community members fear that their neighborhood will continue to diminish in safety and security. Read more from the article here.
UW systems experts focus on youth health as King County surges toward “zero youth detention”
King County is working to reach its goal of eliminating the practice of juvenile detention in the county, closing the juvenile detention center by 2025. UW systems experts are working on an implementation science project to build a system for managing healthcare of currently detained youth. This project aims to give incarcerated youth a good and comfortable experience with health care and improve the chances that these youth will continue to engage in health care services in the community. On Tuesday, the Council took action on a motion approving the second of two reports showing the plan for achieving zero youth detention and for instituting a strategic planning process for the future of secure juvenile detention at the Children and Family Justice Center. Read more here.
Join a conversation on federal efforts to end homelessness
On Monday, October 24th at 4:30 p.m., We Are In will be hosting a conversation on federal efforts to end homelessness with Executive Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) Jeff Olivet. USICH is the singular federal agency driven to prevent and end homelessness in America. Join this conversation and learn more about the Biden Administration’s efforts to end homelessness.
Many Health Through Housing Initiative buildings remain empty
As a part of King County’s Health Through Housing Initiative, the County has continued to buy hotels and apartments in order to provide permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless people. However, six out of the ten purchased properties remain empty. Though the county has set a goal for 1,600 unhoused people to settle into these properties, only 357 people are living in them. Read more information in this Seattle Times article here.
Fall Prevention Awareness Week
The first week of each fall season is Fall Prevention Awareness Week. For older adults especially, a fall can have life-altering impacts and prevent someone from keeping safe in their home. In recognition of Fall Prevention Awareness Week, take steps to prevent the risk of falls in your home or in the home of older adults. Read about how you can make your home more safe from falls here.
Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) sends provider relief
The Washington State Care Authority has begun the distribution of a $100 million workforce provider relief fund to provide support to behavioral health treatment agencies. These funds can be used for immediate workforce retention and recruitment, costs incurred due to COVID, or childcare stipends. HCA’s efforts toward this relief are a result of deep appreciation for behavioral health providers in Washington state who remained steadfast in providing essential services throughout the pandemic. Eligible agencies have already been notified by HCA, and payments will begin on September 30th.
Funding Opportunities
WRIA 8 small grants award program
The Water Resource Inventory Area 8 (WRIA 8) has announced the launch of a small grants award program. The program is designed to support innovative or conceptual projects with smaller grant awards, and fund projects that might not receive funding through WRIA 8’s traditional Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB)/Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration (PSAR) and Cooperative Watershed Management (CWM) grant rounds. Proposals must connect to one of more WRIA 8 salmon recovery strategies, which can be found on the grant description. Submit your application to cbyron@kingcounty.gov before October 21st at 5:00 p.m.
Other news of interest
Seattle looks to transform Downtown’s Third Avenue
Downtown Seattle’s Third Avenue moves more people through transit than almost any other transit corridor in the country. However, the cramped sidewalks, movement, noise, and blockade of transit vehicles has made drug-related activity and violence a persistent issue in the area. On Tuesday, Seattle City Council voted to advance the pitch from the Downtown Seattle Association to rebuild sidewalks and transit lanes for a better, more efficient infrastructure. Although the goal of this major infrastructure work is to make the space more inclusive, inviting, and efficient, residents want action taken now for better safety measures. Read more about this transition here.
Denny Hill still exists
From 1897 to 1930, Denny Hill was lowered by 100 feet through five regrades. The fourth and fifth regrades, which resulted in dumping the hill out into the deep water of Elliot Bay. However, UW oceanographer Mark Homes discovered a structure of coarse sand, gravel, and flanks of clay and silt, measuring 120 feet thick and 1,500 feet by 2,500 feet wide. This is where the deposits of Denny Hill had settled, meaning that Denny Hill still exists, just underwater. For full detail of this interesting piece of Seattle history as well as an informative video, click here.
Seattle Salmon Bay Bridge gets $25 million from grant
Last week, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell announced that the Salmon Bay Bridge would receive $25 million from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant program. This bridge connects the Magnolia and Interbay communities to Ballard, and after 108 years of serving both freight and passenger transportation, this grant is necessary for the continued safe use of the bridge. The funds will be applied toward replacing the drawbridge’s mechanical system and extending the operational life of the bridge to another 50 years. For more information on the grant and how repairs will begin to take place, see this article in the Queen Anne & Magnolia News here.
Mike’s Chili Parlor celebrates it 100th year of business on Salmon Bay in Ballard
 The Semandiris family began spooning out giant bowls of chili in 1922, then built and opened Mike’s Chili Parlor in 1939, which has been in business ever since. Four generations of Semandiris have now run the Parlor and it is an iconic piece of Seattle history. Read more about the Semandiris’ story and the upcoming city proclamation here.
50th anniversary of Discovery Park
On Saturday, October 1st, Discovery Park will celebrate its 50th anniversary. The anniversary event will have many activities spread throughout five different locations. Guided walks, tours, games, and ceremonies await at this exciting event. Plan your day at the 50th anniversary event with this informational flyer.
A vision for health in Washington State
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) was recognized this week for its dedication to sustainable and equitable access to nutrition. This recognition came alongside the White House’s announcement of a comprehensive strategy to address American food insecurity and food-related illness. This plan is based off of five pillars: improved food access and affordability, integrated nutrition and health, empowerment of consumers to make and have access to healthy food choices, support of physical activity for all, and enhanced nutrition and food security research. See the DOH Transformational Plan for more information on how Washington will implement these pillars into the state’s nutritional needs.
September is Puget Sound Starts Here month
Small actions in our everyday activities make a difference within our environment. Reducing pollution is a necessary undertaking for people who want to keep the waters and the land of the Puget Sound clean and bountiful. This year, Puget Sound Starts here features how car maintenance can help produce pollutants. Watch the informative video and read more information here.
A moment of inspiration
Washington’s last surviving female WWII-era pilot, Betty Dybbro
Betty Dybbro, now 100, is the last living member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) in Washington state. As most male pilots were overseas in 1942, the U.S. military called women to join up. With twenty-five thousand women applicants for WASP, Dybbro was one of only 1,830 who were accepted. WASP pilots went through rigorous training and then began to handle domestic flying duties and training. Read more about this inspirational female pioneer here.
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my updates. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here. And you can click here to visit the archive page where you can find all of my previous enews updates.
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