Quote of the Week
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
— George Eliot, English Victorian novelist and poet
 The King County Council held several committee meetings this month, taking action on important measures to improve our region. Here are some highlights:
- During Tuesday’s meeting, the Local Services and Land Use Committee received a briefing from the King Conservation District and took action on ordinances adopting and ratifying amendments to the 2021 King County Countywide Planning Policies, making an honorary road name designation in recognition of Northwood Middle School, and changing the name of South King Fire and Rescue to South King Fire.
- At Tuesday’s Full Council meeting, a recognition of the six 2022-23 Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellows and a proclamation of July 2023 as Disability Pride Month in King County were presented. The council took action on an ordinance relating to the King County office of public complaints. My motions acknowledging receipt of a final report with an analysis and recommendation on whether to establish a capacity charge exemption or reduced rate for King County residents whose descendants or themselves were victimized by redlining and covenants, and transferring retired vanpool vans to nonprofit organizations and local governments were approved. I will be continuing to work on the issue of reparations relating to redlining.
 The council presented a recognition to six 2022-23 Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellows.
- During Wednesday’s meeting, the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee took action on the Chair’s striking amendment of an ordinance related to our COVID 10 supplemental budget. I was very pleased my requests were included for funds for SIFF’s purchase of the Cinerama Theater, construction of a new Rainier Valley Food Bank, and Superior Court’s reducing its backlog of cases from the pandemic.
- At Wednesday’s Forecast Council meeting, resolution KCFC2023-03, the 2024 economic forecast for King County was adopted. These projections are used as the basis for our next proposed budget.
If you missed any of these meetings, you can watch a video recording by choosing the meeting on this page.
 From Monday, August 1st to Friday, August 11th, the King County Council will be on our summer recess; therefore, no Council or Committee meetings will take place and my enews will take a pause except for intermittent announcements.
 COVID
For up-to-date information on cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in the County, see the Daily COVID-19 outbreak summary dashboard.
Helpful Public Health-related articles
Amid Congressional Efforts to Strengthen Vaping Product Regulations, FDA Struggles to Close Loopholes – South Seattle Emerald
Sen. Cantwell visits Seattle to discuss area’s fentanyl crisis – KIRO 7
New report indicates increased food needs in King County – Public Health Insider
Washington health experts agree COVID-19 isn’t going anywhere – Columbian
Free vaccination events for south King County students provide COVID-19 vaccine and school-required – The Facts
Cantwell holds fentanyl roundtable as WA becomes overdose epicenter – The Seattle Times
Is WA’s health ‘hub’ model the 'secret sauce’ in treating fentanyl addiction? – The Seattle Times
WA doctors detail pros, cons of fentanyl addiction treatment methods – The Seattle Times
 King County makes historic investment to tackle “Racism as a Public Health Crisis” with $25 million in grants
Today, $25 million in grants were awarded to 123 nonprofits, community organizations, and small businesses to address racism as a public health crisis across the region. The selections were made by the Gathering Collaborative, co-chaired by Dr. Ben Danielson and Abigail Echo-Hawk. Read more about these awards here.
Demographics of our District
Updated demographic information is now available for D4 and more broadly for Seattle. This information can provide meaningful insights on our district’s income and poverty levels, education, employment, housing, health, and much more – you might find out something new about your own neighborhood! Click here to see a single-year American Community Survey of Seattle, or see specific data tables based in D4 zip codes below.
King County’s first Eat Local Month
 Next month, eat local! In August, King County will celebrate its first Eat Local Month, capturing the abundance of local food available in the county. From heritage varieties of blueberries to pasture-raised beef to fresh greens, there is something delicious for everyone at the county’s 41 farmers markets and dozens of locally sourced markets and restaurants. Learn more about our region’s farmers markets and how King County is celebrating National Farmers Market Week August 6th – 12th here.
Remember to return your ballot before August 1st and sign up for ballot alerts
 Please remember to either mail in or return your ballot for the primary election before August 1st – Election Day is coming up fast. Once you return your ballot either through the mail or to a nearby drop box, be sure to sign up for ballot alerts. With ballot alerts, you can receive text or email alerts so that you know where your ballot is at every step of the process. Click here to learn more and sign up.
King County Elections to Open Special Filing Period for Select Offices
King County Elections will hold a special candidate filing period for those offices that drew no candidates during the regular filing period in May 2023. See those positions here. Perhaps you might decide to run for an office, which is still possible for the November 7th General Election.
The special filing period lasts from August 2nd at 8:00 a.m. to August 4th at 5:00 p.m. Candidates must file online or submit a Declaration of Candidacy in person at Elections Headquarters in Renton. All candidates will appear on the November General Election ballot. Candidates can find more information about running for office on the King County Elections website.
Cooling Centers
With warm summer temperatures, it’s important to be aware of cool spaces for yourself or others who may need them. Information from Public Health – Seattle & King County on preparedness for heat can be found here.
KCOEM aggregates lists of open facilities during heat waves (link below, but currently not listing cooling centers). This will include cooling centers set up by each city. KCRHA oversees cooling center resources for unhoused people. You can find relevant resources below:
Tolt-MacDonald Park & Campground closure
 Remember that from now through Saturday, July 29th, Tolt-MacDonald Park & Campground will be fully closed to support the Timber Outdoor Music Festival. If you were planning to visit the City of Carnation and its gorgeous outdoor wonders, be sure to reschedule your trip.
 Sound Transit Board of Directors Meeting
If you missed the South Lake Union webinar on July 20th and 25th where Sound Transit shared project updates for the Denny and South Lake Union stations, answered questions, and collected input from transit riders, you can access the presentation slides from the webinars here. You are also invited to attend the Sound Transit Board of Directors meeting on July 27th to hear how feedback from the South Lake Union webinars has informed the status report and potential action.
Today’s Puget Sound Regional Council’s Executive Board meeting
 During today’s PSRC Executive Board meeting, the Board received an update from the Equity Advisory Committee as well as updates on transportation safety and climate, and
Puget Sound Trends. Check out the full agenda and materials packet here.
Awardees announced for the Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy Community – Vets Engaged Program
This program seeks to fund an entity or entities to convene community-building events and networks that increase social connection for veterans and military servicemembers and their respective families in King County. Congratulations to Ballard Eagleson VFW Post 3063, Hearing, Speech, and Deaf Center, and Win with Warriors on being awarded funding through this program and thank you for your work to support veterans in King County.
Cinerama reopening could get $2M boost from Seattle and King County councils
 The iconic Cinerama was purchased by the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) earlier this year, planning to breathe life back into the theater. Now, both Seattle City Councilmember Andrew Lewis and my King County Council colleague Joe McDermott and I are working to present budget proposals that would allocate nearly $2M to support SIFF. Click here to read more in an article from The Seattle Times.
Drowning prevention awareness
 Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center’s Summer Research and High School programs joined forced virtually to learn all about drowning prevention. Undergraduate and high school students helped craft several PSA graphics – check them out here and share with your friends to spread awareness.
 My visit to the Recovery Café
 Pictured above with Clovelle Harvey, Café volunteer Kevin, David Coffey, Crystal Duncan, Brica Henry, and early Recovery Café Member Campbell.
I recently enjoyed a recent visit to the Recovery Café in South Lake Union, led by its Executive Director, David Coffey. I’ve visited several times in the past but am always eager to do so again. I met with several volunteers and staff members and learned additional information about the history and accomplishments of the café.
Upon arrival to the building, members are greeted by smiling faces of staff and volunteers, a bulletin board of events, services, resources, and clinics, as well as the awakening smell of fresh Cafe Vita coffee. Lunch is provided for members, who must also contribute to the maintenance of the café by taking on chores and cleaning projects. There was something so delightful about the environment cultivated within the café – as members and volunteers chatted and shared with each other, visible community building was in the making. The Recovery Café’s founding principles encourage the physical and emotional space for members to escape loneliness and isolation by creating a community with activities unencumbered by drug and alcohol use.
Members must attend “Recovery Circle,” which is a crucial part of the Recovery Café’s service. Recovery Circle is designed to provide positive modeling behaviors, encourage honest feedback, and increase emotional support, thus combatting social isolation. These small groups of 6-10 people meet weekly for a one-hour check-in, where everyone has the opportunity to share resources and the peaks and troughs of their recovery journey.
To learn more about the dedicated work of the Recovery Café, its services, or how to get involved, visit the website here.
 This week at SAM
There are several exciting events at the Seattle Art Museum, Olympic Sculpture Park, and Seattle Asian Art Museum this week. Enjoy Summer at SAM, Seattle Art Fair, Free Last Friday, and so many others throughout the weekend. Click here to learn more.
Alaska Airlines Seafair Torchlight Parade
 This Saturday, July 29th, visit Westlake Center for the Torchlight Parade, where Seafair will celebrate the cultural diversity and traditions of the Pacific Northwest with over 100 entries. From dragon dancers to precision drill teams or marching bands to prancing horses, there is exciting entertainment for all. Click here to learn more.
Fairwood Market Night
If you missed the opportunity to meet the 9-1-1 team on Wednesday at Fairwood Market Night, don’t worry as the next event will take place on Wednesday, August 2nd. Join the community to pick up some swag and learn more about 9-1-1. See the flyer above or click here for more information.
Ending the stigma: Empowering men to prioritize mental health
 American men are far less likely than women to receive mental health treatment. On Thursday, August 3rd at 11:00 a.m., join a livestream presented by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Center for Health Communication where panelists will explore ideas for overcoming that stigma and look at how friends, families, and colleagues can best support men’s mental health. Register here for free to receive a link to watch and submit your questions. If you cannot attend the livestream, an on-demand video will be posted after the event.
Mental Health Policy Roundtable
On Thursday, August 3rd at 11:00 a.m., join the MacArthur Foundation for Mental Health Policy Roundtable. This roundtable is an educational program to exchange ideas and transfer knowledge between seasoned leaders of the mental health policy field and newcomers, such as students, junior policy staff, or others interested in these issues. Panelists include Alison Mohr Boleware, Director of Policy at the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, Susie Reynolds Reece, Director of Lived Experience Initiatives for the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Charlene Sunk, Founder/CEO of the Global Mental Health Peer Network, and Paolo Del Vecchio, SAMHSA’s Director of the Office of Recovery.
This roundtable will address questions such as:
- What does the full spectrum of peer involvement look like?
- How do you see us moving towards that vision? Are there barriers?
- Using a systemic lens, what are the opportunities for meaningful peer involvement in programmatic and policy work? What needs to be done to accomplish this?
Click here to register.
Art in the Garden
 On Saturday, August 5th from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., visit the Ballard P-Patch for the 21st annual Art in the Garden event. Bring your friends and family to stroll through the garden, check out local artists, and enjoy delicious refreshments and snacks. Click here to learn more.
If you know of any events that you would like to see highlighted in my enews, feel free to share them at lilli.deleon@kingcounty.gov.
 Voting rights awareness
Did you know that our Washington state law specifically provides for people without “traditional residential address,” or unhoused people, to register and vote? The Coalition on Homelessness trains voting rights volunteers to help people know their voting rights, how to register and vote, and how to participate in civic activities. The Coalition also organizes shifts and information sessions at multiple community sites to reach people without homes or traditional residential addresses, and potential voters who may need information or assistance to participate in democracy.
If you or anyone you know is interested in volunteering with the Coalition on Homelessness, email vote@homelessinfo.org to begin training.
 Washington State Department of Agriculture Food Assistance Resiliency Grants
 To help address critical needs of hunger relief organizations across Washington, WSDA FA is offering the Resiliency Grants Program with approximately $5 million in federal funding to eligible hunger relief organizations. WSDA will fund projects that bring immediate benefit and target the following objectives:
- Food: Food purchases for distribution as groceries or meals; costs associated with transporting food; delivery vehicles; culturally familiar foods; etc.
- Operations: Costs associated with regular or expanded operations (rent, insurance, staffing, supplies, etc.)
- Client Services: To support inclusive and welcoming service environments; increased access to services and reduced barriers; costs associated with concepts that enhance the client experience such as client-choice models and translation; etc.
Applications must be submitted before Monday, July 31st. Click here for more information and a link to the application.
If you have any questions, please contact foodassistancegrants@agr.wa.gov.
Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Services RFP
 This program is designed to divert individuals from the justice system, engaged in low-level drug crime, prostitution, and other collateral crime due to drug involvement. The LEAD program helps individuals bypass prosecution and jail time, to directly connect drug-involved individuals to Case Managers who can provide immediate assessment and crisis response, and long-term Outreach -based case management. Applications must be submitted before Wednesday, August 23rd at 2:00 p.m. Click here for more information and a link to the application.
If you have any questions, please contact DCHSContracts@kingcounty.gov.
Cultural Equipment Grants
 Cultural Equipment grants fund the purchase and installation of equipment that can be considered as fixed assets, including computer hardware. Applications must be submitted before Wednesday, August 30th at 5:00 p.m. Click here for more information and a link to the application.
If you have any questions, please contact melissa.newbill@4culture.org.
 King County Navigator
The YMCA is seeking to applicants for the position of King County Navigator (Case Manager II) to work within the Housing Stability for Youth in Courts program. The individual chosen for this position will be responsible to:
- Connect and collaborate with King County’s Juvenile Justice System and other community partners
- Support, advocate, case manage and connect youth and families touching the juvenile justice system to housing resources
- Assist the HSYNC Director in providing training and supports to the statewide HSYNC county partners
Learn more about the position here.
If you have any questions, please contact shealaanderson@seattleymca.org.
 Ferry crew saves kitten from water
 Yesterday, near Whidbey Island, Clinton Ferry Terminal staff saved a kitten who was had fallen into the water and retrieved him safely. The cat was found clinging to an offshore piling and was cradled by crew members once brought onto a rescue boat. Terminal staff took great care of the kitten before taking him to the South Whidbey Animal Clinic, where staff members began calling him Bosun — a nautical title for the highest-ranking member of a ship’s crew. Click here to read the full story in an article from The Seattle Times.
Helpful and informative links
Reintroducing Cash and Cards at Bite of Seattle – Newsbreak
Parts of Seattle’s encampment clearing rules are unconstitutional, judge rules – The Seattle Times
Free Seattle waterfront shuttle bus returns – The Seattle Times
King County Council targets “forever chemicals” in wastewater – The Kent Reporter
WA ferry passengers are about to see a transformed Colman Dock – 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.
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