Tomorrow, Friday, January 10, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 will hold a memorial service for Metro Operator Shawn Yim, who was killed in the line of duty last month. The memorial will be held at Lumen Field Event Center (800 Occidental Ave S) at 11:00 am, with doors opening at 9:30 am. It is open to all and gives Mr. Yim’s loved ones, the Metro family, and the community a chance to come together to remember and honor him. Many Metro staff members will attend to honor their fallen colleague and friend, so if you are a transit rider, please expect a large number of bus trip cancellations and delays. You can sign up for transit alerts to track your route, but please be aware it may not be fully accurate during this period.
Next week, Monday, January 13, I am convening a special meeting of the King County Council Committee of the Whole to discuss transit safety and what steps we can take to ensure this never happens again. The meeting will start at 9:00 am and you can watch live on King County TV, online or on channel 22.

Many people are still dealing with the impacts of November’s bomb cyclone. Low-interest loans are now available through the U.S. Small Business Administration for Washington businesses, residents, and private nonprofits whose businesses or homes were damaged between November 17-25 due to the storm. They cover disaster losses not fully covered by insurance or other sources.
Applicants can apply online or received application assistance by visiting one of two SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers. The Bellevue center location is the Bellevue Library (1111 110th Ave NE) in room 5 on the 2nd floor and is open Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. The Renton center location is King County Elections (919 SW Grady Way, Suite 100) and is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Information you may need when you apply for the loan includes the name and address which suffered damages, contact information for all applicants or owners, Social Security Numbers for all applicants, all insurance policy information including the Agent or Carrier contact information and claims filed, and lease agreement information for renters.

On Wednesday, I was thrilled to join the Pacific Science Center for a 50th anniversary celebration of the Science on Wheels program. This beloved program brings STEM education to students across King County and the state, giving countless young people the opportunity to explore the world and their own curiosity, opening doors to learning, growth, and the future.
It was especially exciting to join them shortly after they were awarded grants through the new Doors Open cultural access program, including $1 million for their future Maker and Innovation Lab and $1.3 million in sustained support over the next three years. It’s wonderful to see Doors Open in action creating more access to arts, science, and heritage for all King County residents.
 As your councilmember on the King County Council, I need to know what’s important to you. Please consider taking a short survey to share your priorities and your ideas about how we can work together to make King County a safe, welcoming place for all.
|