February 27th Community Update
King County, Washington sent this bulletin at 02/27/2025 05:00 PM PST
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News from and about King County… from health updates to community news affecting our daily lives.
Dear Friends: Today’s update includes news about the "Good Eggs" breakfast with State Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove, Federal Way's State of the City Address, honoring Gold Star families, the arrival of Sound Transit light rail test train in Federal Way, the grand opening of Redondo Heights, other local events, transit and travel industry updates, and more.
Washington Trivia (Answer is at the bottom) At this month’s “Good Eggs” breakfast meeting, my former colleague from the King County Council, Dave Upthegrove, joined our group of South King County leaders. In his new capacity as Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands, he shared insights about his responsibilities and outlined strategies for enhancing resilience of our lands against uncontrolled fires. Thank you, Dave!
With 47th District Rep. Chris Stearns, Lakehaven Commissioner Len Englund, State Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove, Covington Mayor Jeff Wagner, Kent Councilmember Toni Troutner, Muckleshoot Tribal Council Vice Chair John Daniels Jr., Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus and Auburn Councilmember Tracy Taylor-Turner
Federal Way State of the City Address Over 700 ignored the snow and wind to show up at the PAEC for Federal Way’s State of the City Address. Mayor Ferrell and his team are justifiably proud of this past year and as a resident, I am excited about 2025. Great seeing Federal Way School District Superintendent Dr. Dani Pfeiffer and Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus, as well as listening to King County Council Chair Girmay Zahilay talk about regional partnerships.
Honoring Gold Star Families During a visit at the Gold Star Families display in the Pentagon, I was inspired to extend a grant to build a Gold Star monument in South King County in honor of the many Gold Star families in Washington. “There is a family behind every soldier who serves our country at home and abroad…we must always remember their service as well.”
Transit Updates Sound Transit Train Arrives in Federal Way All aboard! The inaugural test train for the Federal Way Light Rail has made its way to the Commons Mall! With a grand opening planned for April 2026, it was exciting to join Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell and Sound Transit CEO Goran Sparrman for a first look at our new station and trains. From SeaTac Airport to cheer on the Seahawks or Mariners, all the way to Downtown Bellevue, Light Rail will make avoiding the traffic in our region easy!
Metro Careers Metro is hiring transit operators (bus drivers) and trades professionals to keep the region moving. Visit kingcounty.gov/MetroCareers to learn more.
Redondo Heights Grand Opening Two years post-groundbreaking, the Redondo Heights affordable housing development in Federal Way celebrated its grand opening on Tuesday, February 25th. This 334-unit project is a collaboration between the Multi-Service Center and housing developer Shelter Resources, Inc. Strategically located near the upcoming 272nd light rail station, it will feature an on-site community resources navigator for residents, as well as a satellite food bank to support North Federal Way communities. The project also received funding from King County, which contributed $11 million, along with support from the Washington State Department of Commerce Housing Finance Unit and Amazon.
While I appreciate the phone calls and messages that my office receives, I recognize that many who read this newsletter do not have luxury of making phone calls during business hours. I want to create every possible opportunity for you to give me feedback. This new section in my newsletter will feature issues or questions that have come up recently and give you the chance to share your thoughts immediately. What recreational parks do you often visit? Please click this survey link to provide your input.
Free Drive Thru Recycling Event The City of Federal Way and South King County Tool Library will be hosting a Drive-Thru Small Appliances and Electronics Recycling and Document Shredding event at the South King County Tool Library (1700 S. 340th St.) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 8. Click here for more information. You may also call 253-835-2704 or email recycle@federalwaywa.gov for questions.
Non-Profit Corner
Auburn Little League "There are three types of baseball players: those who make it happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happened." – Tommy Lasorda The parents of Auburn Little League Board of Directors MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! By keeping our youth engaged in sports, they stay off the streets. I was pleased to inform the Board that King County has awarded them a $9,500 grant, providing more kids with the opportunity to play ball.
Auburn Food Bank Rain or shine, Debbie Christian shows up. She keeps the Auburn Food Bank well-stocked for those in need and is the shining example of someone who does the most for their community. Whenever possible, I strive to make sure King County is a partner in her work. PLEASE consider donating to the Auburn Food Bank if you can, it goes a long way!
Local Events Supporting Senior Citizens PICA Washington Elders Program Kickoff When I met Iam Tongi after his American Idol win, I was impressed to learn about the GROWING Pacific Islander Community in South King County. Recently, PICA-WA invited me to join them for a kickoff event they host every Friday. Despite the chilly weather outside, they made it feel warmer than the Big Island. Mahalo!
Evergreen Korean Seniors Club Where can you go to hear the electric guitar in Federal Way? The Evergreen Korean Club!! Mike Park and others in our Korean Community host a regular gathering with great music and great people, and it was my pleasure to let them know that King County will be supporting them with a special grant. Thank you, Mike!
Travel Industry Update In December 2024, Seattle's downtown hotels achieved impressive results, boasting a 54.1% occupancy rate, which reflects an 8.3% increase from the previous year.
Over the entire year, demand for downtown hotels grew by 5.0%, totaling 4 million rooms sold. The Average Daily Rate (ADR) rose by 1.4% to $237, contributing to a 6.4% increase in revenue, reaching $955.8 million. All submarkets in the region experienced growth for the full year, led by Bellevue-Eastside, which saw an 18.8% increase fueled by a 12.6% rise in both demand and occupancy. Additionally, King County's revenue per available room increased by 2% compared to the prior year. Read more here. National Economic Trends and Travel Industry Highlights
Local Services Contact Information Code Enforcement Links: Auburn | Algona | Federal Way | Kent | Pacific | Unincorporated
During World War II, Frank served in the US Navy’s Seabees for 6 months and after the war, attended the University of Washington, where he took creative writing classes. Because he only wanted to study what interested him, Frank never graduated from college and returned to journalism, working for the Seattle Star and the Oregon Statesman. Frank began his journey into science fiction in 1952. By 1959, he started researching Dune, explaining that the novel's inception came from an assignment to write a magazine article about the sand dunes located in the Oregon Dunes near Florence, OR. Dune took six years of research and writing to complete and was much longer than most commercial science fiction of the time. After being rejected by twenty book publishers, Chilton Book Company (known mainly for its auto repair manuals) offered a $7,500 advance plus future royalties for the rights to publish. Although not an immediate success, Dune and Dune saga constitute one of the world’s best-selling science fiction series and novels. The series has been adapted numerous times, including the feature film Dune (1984) and a motion picture trilogy currently in production with Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024) having been released. Frank died in Madison, WI of a massive pulmonary embolism while recovering from surgery for pancreatic cancer on February 11, 1986. Photo Source: HistoryLink.org (Seattle P-I photo courtesy MOHAI)
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Frank Herbert, the author of Dune and its five sequels, was born in Tacoma, WA on October 8, 1920. His paternal grandparents had come west in 1905 to join Burley Colony, one of many utopian communes springing up in Washington State starting in the 1890s. His upbringing included spending a lot of time on the rural Olympia and Kitsap Peninsulas. In 1938, due to his parents’ drinking, he ran away to live with his favorite aunt and her husband in Salem, OR.
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