Quote of the Week
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
- Oprah Winfrey, 2019
Public Health Updates
COVID resources
King County’s community level of COVID remains currently classified as low, although there are still about 256 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.
And you can view the most recent statewide COVID-19 data from the state Department of Health (DOH).
Also, recent reports on reported COVID-19 reinfections in Washington, COVID-19 cases among children and youth in Washington, and COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths by vaccination status have been published.
Care Connect Washington assistance provides food and other support to people who test positive for COVID-19 so they can isolate at home. Call the COVID-19 Information hotline at 1-800-525-0127 and then press #. The hotline hours are from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday, and 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and other healthcare providers will soon begin to offer Omicron variant-target bivalent booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines to people ages 5 and older. The DOH’s updated COVID-19 booster dose recommendations are:
- People ages 6 and older who have completed a primary vaccine series can receive the Moderna bivalent booster at least two months after their most recent dose. Providers who already have an inventory of Moderna can begin administering these doses immediately.
- Children ages 6 months to 4 years remain eligible for the primary, monovalent COVID-19 vaccine series from both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna and are not currently authorized for any COVID-19 booster doses.
To make a vaccine or booster appointment, visit VaccinateWA.org, or call the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 833-VAX-HELP.
Visit this page to access the Say Yes! COVID test portal, which allows for two free orders of home tests 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 last Wednesday, there have been a total of 470 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.
Dr. Jeff Duchin’s public health briefing on COVID and Monkeypox
On Thursday morning, Seattle and King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin briefed the public and took questions from the media about COVID-19, including the updated booster, as well as provided updates on the local monkeypox outbreak. If you missed this briefing, you can view a recording of it here.
Helpful Public Health-related articles
Navigators bring the personal touch to the COVID-19 response – Public Health Insider
Partnerships in the Black community during COVID-19 can help address other health disparities: A video story – Public Health Insider
Should I get an updated booster? We asked an expert. – Public Health Insider
New COVID booster rates lag in WA, despite urgent public health messages – The Seattle Times
Who won the pandemic? In our state it’s not even close – The Seattle Times
It's so hard to find Covid boosters in WA, experts worry people will give up – KUOW
What to know about the updated COVID booster in WA – The Seattle Times
This week at the King County Council
Full Council
The King County Council met on Tuesday. Two presentations were made – the first proclaiming October 10th, 2022, as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in King County and the second proclaiming September 15th to October 15th, 2022, as Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month in King County. The Council took action on motions to confirm several of the Executive’s appointments, the reappointment of Frank Finneran to the Washington State Convention Center; the reappointment of both Jeremiah Bainbridge and the Honorable Lynne Robinson to the King County Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Advisory committee; the appointment of David Mendel as acting director of the King County Department of Information Technology; and the appointment of Dr. Faisal Khan as the director of Public Health – Seattle & King County. Meeting materials and a recording will be available here.
 The official proclamation of Latinx/Hispanic Heritage month in King County; Luna Crone-Baron, Jorge Baron, and Julissa Sánchez along with Councilmembers.
 The official proclamation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day in king County; Stacey McQuade, Bryan Davis, Deputy County Executive April Putney, along with Councilmembers.
King County Flood Control District
The King County Flood Control District Board of Supervisors met on Tuesday, following the meeting of the Council. All Council members are Supervisors. Two briefings were presented, the first on the District’s acquisition policy and the second on the District’s bonding policy. A resolution relating to the operation and finances of the King County Flood Control Zone District was also discussed, which concerned the authorizing of expenditure of district funds for projects and activities in accordance with the Flood Reduction Grants. A District 4 organization, Queen Anne Ocean View Owners Association, was awarded one of these grants for its project on stormwater management remediation. Meeting materials and a recording can be found here.
Regional Policy Committee
The Regional Policy Committee met on Wednesday at which members received three briefings, including on the impact of professional sports in our communities with speakers Ed Goines, Chief Legal Officer for the Seattle Seahawks and Catie Griggs, President of the Seattle Mariners. (Very exciting that Pres. Griggs is the highest-ranking woman in Major League Baseball!) The committee also received briefings on the Tucson Crisis Center and the Redmond Thrive Program. To locate a recording of this meeting and its materials, click here.
Budget and Fiscal Management Committee
In addition to the second week of Budget Panels (outlined below), the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee met on Wednesday night at the Kent Senior Center, the second of three evening community meetings to discuss the Executive’s proposed 2023-2024 budget. More information on this meeting is available here.
 Constituents gathered for the meeting at the Kent Senior Center on Wednesday.
2023-2024 Biennial Budget Panels
As we’ve shared previously, the biennial budget sets the budget for the next two years. Since the biennial budget is our most important work, most other council committees are standing down from now until late November, and any timely pieces of legislation are being taken up in the Committee of the Whole, which I chair.
This week was the second week of panel discussions, during which we had the opportunity to dig into the budget in more detail. This year, the topics are split into three different panels, which are outlined below. For additional information on the proposed biennial budget, schedules, public meetings, and opportunities for public comment, click here.
Panel 1 - Housing and Homelessness; Behavioral Health; Fill the Gap
On Tuesday, October 11th, Panel 1 met to review appropriation units such as housing and community development, behavioral health, mental illness and drug dependency, public health, and others. A video of the panel’s discussions as well as its meeting materials are available here.
Panel 2 - Climate & Environment; Invest in People
On Wednesday, October 12th, Panel 2 met to review appropriation units such as parks, recreation, and open space; planning and permitting, and metro transit, and others. A video of the panel’s discussions as well as its meeting materials are available here.
Panel 3 - Support a Safe King County for Everyone
On Thursday, October 13th, Panel 3 met to review appropriation units such as the sheriff, Office of Law Enforcement Oversight, prosecuting attorney, public defense, and others. A video of the panel’s discussions as well as its meeting materials are available here.
Next week, the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee will meet next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (if needed) to solidify final discussions on appropriation units not yet closed (those agreed to by our members). More information on these meetings is available here.
Virtual Town Hall
On Tuesday, King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski and I co-hosted a virtual town hall focusing on the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget. The Executive’s proposed budget includes $15.8 billion in investments in the climate crisis, eradicating homelessness, ensuring safe communities, and diminishing racial disparities. We were joined by Dwight Dively, Director of the Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget, and took an in-depth look at the Executive’s proposed biennial budget. If you missed this Budget Town Hall, you can view a recording of it here.
Next week at the King County Council
Full Council
The King County Council will meet on Tuesday, October 18th at 1:00 p.m. One special item will be the proclamation of October 23rd to 29th as Pro Bono Week in King County. The council will also discuss an ordinance on an agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 587 representing benefits-eligible employees in the Metro transit department. The council will also discuss several of the Executive's reappointments, including Deryl Brown-Archie to the Washington State Convention Center; Frank Immel to the Fauntleroy Ferry Advisory Committee; Sunny Lovin and Mario Paredes to the King County Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Advisory Committee; Liway Hsi, Jeff Boyce, and Wyatt Golding to the King County Rural Forest Commission. For more information on this meeting and how to join it, click here.
Committee of the Whole
The Committee of the Whole will meet on Monday, October 17th at 1:30 p.m. The Committee will receive two briefings from the King County Library andfrom our 4Culture agency. The Committee will also hear and discuss several ordinances, including the removal of land from the Ames Lake Water Association for water service and the removal of land from the city of Issaquah’s sewer service area. The Committee will also take action continuing a one‑year moratorium prohibiting the acceptance of applications for the establishment of new or expansion of existing wineries, breweries, distilleries and remote tasting rooms, as primary or accessory uses or as home occupations or home industries. Furthermore, the Committee will discuss the Executive's appointment of Quanetta West as acting Director of the Juvenile Division within the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, as well as a motion to establish the King County 2023 State Legislative Agenda. For more information on this meeting, its agenda, and how to join it, click here.
Regional Transit Committee
The Regional Transit Committee will meet on Wednesday, October 19th at 3:00 p.m. The Committee will discuss an ordinance relating to public transportation, revising rates of low-income fare on buses, trolleys, transit vans, dial-a-ride vehicles and streetcars to $1.00 for one year. The Committee will also hear a briefing on the performance measurement dashboard from the Metro Transit Department. For more information on this meeting, its agenda, and how to join it, click here.
Budget and Fiscal Management Committee
The Budget and Fiscal Management Committee will meet on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. for a public hearing to discuss the Executive’s Proposed 2023-2024 Budget. As we Councilmembers continue to do the important work of finalizing the next two-year budget, take this opportunity to comment on what matters most to you. Unlike the first two community meetings that were in-person only (unfortunately), this one can be attended in person or remotely via Zoom. More information can be found here.
The Committee will also meet Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (October 18th-20th) from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for final briefings on budget panel items that require continued deliberation.
Board of Health
The Board of Health will meet on Thursday, October 20th at 1:00 p.m. at which it will receive a briefing on sexual and gender-based violence in K-12 schools, which was added to the workplan as a result of an amendment of mine to the Board’s Workplan, as well as discuss a resolution for identifying the Board's selected nonelected member candidates to begin serving in 2023. For more information on this meeting, its agenda, and how to join it, click here.
News from King County
COVID-19 booster and overdose prevention resources
Public Health – Seattle & King County has released updated resources for COVID-19 boosters and overdose prevention resources. Information on overdose prevention, response data, and educational materials can be found here. For updated community materials on the COVID-19 booster, click here.
The King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) releases Phase I of new consolidated DCHS dashboard
The new DCHS dashboard reflects five years’ worth of DCHS’ work to collect individual data and establishing trusting relationships with providers, illustrating demographics, geographic distribution, and methods of access for how tens of thousands of King County residents are accessing human services. This new resource integrates data about the people DCHS serves from separate dashboards for the Best Starts for Kids, MIDD, and the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy. It also includes a blog post to help spread the word about the dashboard.
Executive Constantine’s proposed Crisis Care Centers Levy
The DCHS has closed on King County’s purchase of Cascade Hall, a north Seattle mental health residential facility. This purchase of this 64-bed residential treatment center will allow the continuity of mental health care for dozens of clients. Executive Constantine pointed to this purchase as an important reminder that the behavioral health system remains underfunded, and that it is necessary to save, upkeep, and expand facilities like Cascade Hall. The proposed Crisis Care Centers Levy, soon to be considered by the King County Council, will allow for more treatment centers like Cascade Hall to stay open.
In September, Executive Constantine announced a proposal for a property tax levy to fund mental and behavioral health. This proposal, slated for the April 2023 ballot, aims to raise $1.25 billion over a decade to fund mental health care services and five regional crisis care centers. King County does not currently have a walk-in mental health crisis facility that is readily available to the public, and these new facilities would alleviate the current issues of overcrowding in such facilities. This proposal will also aim to increase the behavioral health workforce by increasing wages and supporting apprenticeship programs. The Seattle Times Mental Health Project is dedicated to monitoring the progress and implications of this tax levy and will continue to provide more information.
Announcement of the Housing Command Center
On Tuesday, the King County Regional Homelessness Authority in partnership with We Are In announced the opening of the Housing Command Center. As a part of the Partnership for Zero initiative, this center focuses on providing housing for people living outside, starting with individuals unsheltered in Downtown Seattle and the Chinatown-International District. This initiative aims to treat homelessness with the best practices from learned experience with floods, fires, and other major displacements, and treats homelessness like the emergency that it is. For more information on the HCC, click here.
Executive Constantine launches ‘It’s a Great Day to Ride Metro’ rewards program
King County Executive Dow Constantine announced Transit GO Rewards, a countywide program to encourage residents and visitors to take public transportation rather than driving alone.
How to participate:
Download the Transit GO Ticket app and, after signing up, receive 800 reward points, which can be redeemed for a free King County Metro adult day pass.
Taking future trips on transit allows riders to earn more rewards to get around – via transit, e-bike, or e-scooter.
For more information on this program, click here.
Funding Opportunities
Applications for the School-Based Health Centers Enhancement Grants are open
Best Starts for Kids is now accepting applications for School-Based Health Centers Enhancement Grants. This grant seeks health care organizations or schools and community organizations that work with health care organizations to advance equity in health, implement culturally responsive health care, and uphold anti-racist practices and policies. Apply soon, as the application will close on November 21st at 2:00 p.m. For more information on this funding opportunity and how to apply, click here.
Application for Best Starts for Kids Child Care Subsidy is now open to families
The King County Council recently approved the Best Starts for Kids Child Care Subsidy program, and it is now available to help families gain better, more equitable access to childcare. This program is a taxpayer investment, with $20 million each year, for the next six years, allocated to expand childcare accessibility in King County. Interested families may fill out the eligibility form here. Families must reside in King County and have one or more children under the age of twelve. More information can be found here.
Other news of interest
Free eye exams and glasses at the Seattle / King County Clinic
If you struggle or someone you know struggles to get needed vision care, the Seattle/King County Clinic offers a great opportunity. From October 20th to 23rd, the clinic will offer free eye exams and prescription eyeglasses for those who have difficulty accessing eye care. For more information, see this article.
The debate on whether Latin Americans should use “Latinx,” “Latine,” “Latino,” or “Hispanic”
On Tuesday, Luna Crone-Baron spoke at the Council’s Latinx-Hispanic Proclamation. She was an exceptionally gifted speaker. As a transgendered high school student, she was recently appointed as one of three non-voting members of the School Board for Seattle Public Schools. And as a Columbian-American, her careful use of the inclusive term “Latine” illustrated the need for balance when honoring both gender and ethnic identities. Spanish is a very gendered language, and thus the words “Latino” and “Latina” provide difficulty for gender-variant people to identify with. The debate concerning which term to use to inclusively identify Latin Americans has been ever evolving. To learn more, read about 8 LGBTQ+ people and what term they prefer in this article.
Celebrate World Polio Day 2022
Join Rotary International and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center in celebrating World Polio Day on Thursday, October 20th at 5:00 p.m. This all ages, hybrid event will celebrate progress in the ongoing fight against polio, as well as discuss barriers to overcome for a polio-free world. The event will feature a panel discussion moderated by Seattle Rotary President and former King 5 anchor Mark Wright, and will feature Lara Paige from the Gates Foundation’s Polio Team, and Ezra Teshome, Rotarian, and Polio Plus Chair. Learn more about this event and RSVP here.
Wildfire smoke likely to linger across Washington throughout the weekend
The Washington State Department of Health warns that several parts of Washington will likely still experience smoke into the weekend, and that it will likely get worse before it gets better. Some parts of the state still experience unhealthy levels of air quality; however, air quality specialists say it is necessary to monitor impacts of lower levels of smoke for extended periods of time. To track air quality levels, visit the Washington Smoke Information website and see the Smoke from Fires webpage for more information on how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.
Webinar for updated COVID-19 booster information
The Washington State Department of Health is holding an online event on October 20th at 5:00 p.m. to answer questions about the updated COVID-19 boosters. A panel of Washington medical experts will answer questions submitted before the event, as well as discuss:
- How are the updated COVID-19 boosters different from previous boosters and why does this matter? • What are the myths around the updated boosters and what are the facts? • Who should get the updated COVID-19 booster and when should they get it? • How can people minimize COVID-19 risks with upcoming holidays and festivals? • What is the latest guidance on the COVID-19 vaccines for children? • How can caregivers talk to their children to address their concerns?
To register for this online event and to submit your questions in advance, click here.
Belltown Community Council meeting moved to Zoom
If you were planning on attending the Belltown Community Council meeting on Wednesday, October 12th, be advised that this meeting has now been moved to a joint Zoom meeting with Belltown United on October 19th at 6:00 p.m. The Zoom link will be sent out to subscribers this week.
White House Community Call
Join the White House health community for a call on Wednesday, October 19th at 2:30 p.m. ET. You may register for the webinar here. The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs will also host a call each Thursday at 2:00 p.m. ET for a weekly briefing on Monkeypox. RSVP for this weekly call here.
The City of Seattle will end its state of emergency by the end of the month
After over 2½ years of its COVID-19 emergency, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced on Tuesday that it is to end by the end of October. Mayor Harrell credited the city’s ability to move on toward city-wide recovery to its high vaccination rate and strong health care system. As for policies still tied to the emergency order, some are to end after November 1st and others will be phased out over time. Read more information here.
In the community
Leaves of remembrance
On Wednesday, I attended the Homeless Remembrance Project’s Leaves of Remembrance Dedication at Seattle City Hall on Fourth Ave. and then on Fifth Ave. This event dedicated new brass leaves to be installed on sidewalks to honor homeless people who have died in King County. Leaves were dedicated to community members Antonio Toingco, Tyler Osburn, Jacob Johnson, Treasa Sides, Anthony Williams, Zachary Morris, Joshua Swann, Kurtis Johnson, Matthew Anahonak, Trenton Harris, as well asScott Morrow – the founder of SHARE that eventually merged with WHEEL. I am pleased to have attended this event along with Seattle City Councilmember Dan Strauss, and that I had obtained $5,000 in my Councilmanic funds for the organization in asupplemental budget in memory of Scott Morrow. It was an honor to bear witness to the remembrance of beloved community members.
 On Wednesday, community members gathered at the WHEEL/Women in Black vigil, which led into the Homeless Remembrance Project's Dedication of 11 new bronze Leaves of Remembrance outside City Hall. (Courtesy of the Homeless Remembrance Project)
A moment of inspiration
University of Washington professor of computer science Yejin Choi has been awarded one of this year’s fellowships from the MacArthur Foundation, also known as “genius grants.” Choi worked to develop new ways to train computers to process and understand human languages. Choi is one of only three other people who research natural language processing to have received this grant. For the whole story, see this link. Congratulations, Professor Choi!
Helpful and informative links
New King County homelessness effort modeled after disaster response – KING 5
Seattle mayor shares policy insights on crime, homelessness following polling results – Komo News
Mayor Harrell seeks to expand Seattle’s homeless encampment response – The Seattle Times
Wallingford Must Not Neglect Its Present or Its Future as It Celebrates the Past – The Urbanist
Not just an Eastern WA issue; King County prepares for wildfires – KUOW
King County Wants to Help You Clear Your Weed Conviction – The Stranger
WA Supreme Court hands WSDOT a $77M win in Highway 99 tunnel dispute – The Seattle Times
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.
|
