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Local Services
County announces $90,000 in Alan M. Painter grants to support projects that bring together communities in unincorporated areas
Last month, the King County Department of Local Services announced $90,000 in Alan M. Painter grants for 2026. The grant program focuses on inclusivity and funds events and projects that are open to everyone regardless of race, income, or language spoken.
Supported projects achieve at least one of the program’s goals:
• Promote residents’ engagement in community or civic activities
• Educate local residents about issues that affect them
• Identify and gather community needs and priorities
• Carry out a community enhancement project
• Provide a safe and healthy environment in the unincorporated area during extreme weather events
• Meet King County’s equity and social justice goals of increasing fairness and opportunity for all people, particularly people of color and those with low incomes and/or limited English
Since the program began, King County has awarded more than $1 million in grant money to community organizations. Learn more on the King County Local blog or visit the King County website.
Photo: Residents browse booths at last year's Si View Park Summer Concert Series. The series received funding from the 2026 Alan M. Painter Grants for this year’s event.
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 First draft of the Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River Subarea Plan will be available for public review April 15 - May 18
Join a virtual information meeting on April 23
King County planners will post the first draft of the Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River Subarea Plan online on April 15. This draft represents an important milestone in shaping the future of this community. It reflects input gathered from residents, stakeholders, and partners over several years.
The plan is designed to guide growth while preserving the area’s rural character, natural resources, and quality of life. It outlines a long-term vision for land use, housing, transportation, environmental stewardship, economic development, and community services in the area.
Community members are invited to review the draft plan and share their feedback during the public comment period on the county's public outreach website.
A virtual information meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23 to help residents better understand the plan and ways to provide input. Find information on how to join on the public outreach website linked above.
Read more on the King County Local blog
Road Services
Road construction projects coming in unincorporated King County
King County Road Services is gearing up for a busy summer construction season, with more than 25 projects on the schedule. Crews and contractors will work across unincorporated King County to improve safety, replace aging infrastructure, and enhance fish passage. Here are descriptions of a few; and you can learn about all Road Services projects on the King County website.
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Fifteen Mile Creek Bridge: The bridge will close for replacement this summer, with work beginning as early as mid-June. SE May Valley Road near Issaquah-Hobart Road SE will be closed in both directions for 10-12 weeks during construction. Signs will direct traffic along a temporary detour route.
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Baring Bridge: King County is working quickly to restore safe access for people in Baring after December storms and flooding damaged the bridge. Road Services plans to install a temporary bridge this spring to improve access for about 170 homes.
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NE 128th Way Culvert Replacement: King County will replace an old, worn-out metal pipe under NE 128th Way near Avondale Road NE with a larger concrete box culvert that will improve fish passage. The existing pipe is rusted and in danger of collapse. The road will be closed 24/7 to all traffic for up to eight weeks, beginning as soon as August.
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Boise X Connection Bridge: The county will replace the Boise X Connection Bridge, which is two miles south of Enumclaw on SE Mud Mountain Road. The road will be closed at the bridge site for up to six months. The current two-lane bridge was built in 1956. Today it is weight restricted and cannot safely support heavy fire engines or large commercial trucks.
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Judd Creek Bridge: Vashon Highway SW will be closed at the bridge for up to six weeks this summer while crews remove the top layer of worn-out concrete on the bridge deck and replace it with polymer concrete. This work will protect and extend the bridge deck for at least 30 years.
Note that these and other road projects may need to be rescheduled—even to a future year—due to funding restraints; the availability of crews, equipment, or materials; or weather.
Crews will also focus on work that doesn't include multi-week road closures this year. Follow these links to learn more about bridge cleaning, guardrail replacement and upgrades, and paving projects.
And as always, remember to check MyCommute before you drive for up-to-date information about roadwork and closures, and register for Road Alerts to receive project updates via email or text message.
Natural Resources and Parks
Environmental educators and volunteers are needed for Stormfest
If you're 18 or older, with or without experience working with youths, or an educator with a background in science education, consider volunteering for one to three days of this annual outdoor event for all sixth-grade students in the Highline School District.
Volunteers receive training, support, lunch, bus vouchers, and free parking. The event takes place June 2-4 at Des Moines Beach Park from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Learn more and apply by April 27 on the City of Burien website. Questions? Send email to highlinestormfest@gmail.com or call 206-920-3526.
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Public health
Seattle/King County Free Clinic is coming to Seattle Center
April 23-26
The Seattle/King County Clinic offers FREE dental, vision, and medical care to anyone in the region who struggles to access or afford health care. Patients can get services each day on a first-come, first-served basis. All services and procedures are provided free of charge by licensed health care professionals. Interpretation services are available, and patients do not need to show identification or proof of immigration status. More than 100 community organizations and thousands of volunteers make this four-day clinic possible each year.
Learn more at seattlecenter.org/patients or sign up to volunteer.
Stretch your food dollars with programs that can help
Food prices in King County have risen quickly, and many households are feeling the strain. For people who have recently lost income or are navigating affordability challenges for the first time, it can be hard to know where to start. And for those who have been stretching their food budgets for years, the challenge isn’t how to shop, it’s how to access support that actually makes a difference.
King County has several programs that can help you buy groceries, keep healthy foods on hand, and reduce the stress of making ends meet.
Learn more: Public Health Insider – Stretch Your Food Dollars
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Dr. Sandra Valenciano appointed to lead Public Health – Seattle & King County
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On March 25, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson appointed Dr. Sandra Valenciano to serve as the director of Public Health – Seattle & King County. Dr. Valenciano currently serves as interim director for the department. If confirmed as director, Dr. Valenciano will also continue to serve as the department’s health officer.
“Dr. Valenciano is a well-known public health expert with an extensive medical and community health-oriented background and a deeply rooted commitment to improving the health and lives of the communities we serve,” said Executive Zahilay. “I’m proud to appoint her to lead the department as we continue our work in the public health arena within the region.”
Read more on the Public Health Insider blog.
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Treasury
Property tax deadline is April 30
The first half of 2026 property tax payments are due April 30 for those who pay property taxes themselves instead of through a mortgage company. Payments are accepted online, by mail, and by drop box. See kingcounty.gov/PropertyTax for details on payment options.
Property owners in King County can view their 2026 property tax details online. When visiting kingcounty.gov/PropertyTax, property owners can also pay their taxes, look up their property information, and sign up for email or text reminders. A paper statement is not required to pay property taxes.
Customer service representatives are also available to assist Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Contact King County Treasury Operations at 206-263-2890 or send email to propertytax.customerservice@kingcounty.gov.
Information about tax exemption and deferral programs for people who are seniors, have disabilities, or have other qualifying conditions is available online at TaxRelief.kingcounty.gov, by emailing exemptions.assessments@kingcounty.gov, or by calling 206-296-3920.
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Emergency preparedness
When thunder roars, go indoors!
Extreme weather in King County is a risk to everyone, but especially to those who live or play in rural areas. Being outdoors during a thunderstorm can increase your danger of being struck by lightning.
Remember: when thunder roars, go indoors. If you can hear thunder, you are within the range of the storm. If you are outdoors and you cannot find shelter, there are some ways you can reduce your risk of being hit by a lightning strike:
• Avoid open fields and the tops of hills and ridges
• Set up camp in a lower elevation or hike to a lower stand of trees
• Stay away from water, wet items, and metal
Learn more about lightning safety on the National Weather Service website.
Sign up at ALERT King County to receive regional public safety and emergency alerts.
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Animal services
How you can support people and pets
Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week is April 12–18. Here’s what these officers and other employees at Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) do, and how they help your community.
You might remember some zebras that escaped near North Bend while en route to Montana in 2024. Who helped corral them? Animal control officers from RASKC were in the mix. They also help wrangle livestock and investigate reports of neglect, cruelty, and animal bites. A cadre of employees supports their work and the animals they care for:
► Animal care technicians provide the daily care and assessments that animals need while working with members of the public who are looking to adopt.
► Call takers serve as the first point of contact for the community, routing emergency and non-emergency calls to make sure people and animals get the help they need.
► Veterinary clinic staffers provide medical treatment and preventive care such as spaying and neutering to help reduce pet overpopulation (the photo above shows Weina Dai, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, with one of her cats, Chandler Bing).
► Coordinators and administrative staffers respond to community inquiries, manage campaigns to support pet licensing and outreach, and research ways to place animals with rescue partners and foster homes.
If you see an animal welfare staff member or volunteer this week, please take a moment to say “thank you.” RASKC staff members rely on the collaborative efforts of volunteers, foster families, and partner organizations to make this important work possible. We're grateful for their support. You, too, can support this work by donating, volunteering or adopting a pet!
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Onsite cat adoptions return at RASKC thanks to newly refurbished building
 Photo: a cat waits for a new home inside the newly refurbished trailer
Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) is once again welcoming onsite cat adoptions. A newly-refurbished trailer at the Pet Adoption Center in Kent will serve as a temporary home after the old cat adoptions building was damaged beyond repair in the December 2025 winter storms.
During the storms, the cat building was hit by a falling tree, rendering it unusable. No animals or people were hurt, but since then RASKC has been unable to accept new cats for sheltering. RASKC was also forced to rely on members of the community to foster shelter cats in their own homes, and onsite cat adoptions were halted.
The agency has signed an agreement to use a trailer that is owned by an external agency, but housed on RASKC property, for 24 months. King County's Facilities Management Division installed an access ramp and repaired the building’s floor and ceiling. Capacity in the refurbished structure is reduced compared with the original building, but this temporary solution will allow time for completion of a new permanent RASKC facility scheduled to open next year.
The King County Pet Adoption Center is located at 21615 64th Avenue S in Kent. Pet adoption hours are noon to 5 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 4 p.m. on weekends. Learn more at kingcounty.gov/pets.
Reminder
Free orientation on doing business with King County:
Goods, Services, and Technology Orientation
Thursday, April 16, 10 a.m. to noon
Learn about the contracting process, get tips on submitting successful bids, and gain insight on how to market your goods and services to King County agencies. This is also a chance to meet representatives from the county's small business certification and contract specialist teams. Register for this session
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Rural Area news
Joint Transportation Initiative
The Joint Transportation Initiative is a group of south King County unincorporated area organizations that takes a regional view of transportation issues and solutions. Its vice chair, Mike Birdsall (a retired transportation engineer), gave written and oral testimony on March 19 to King County Transportation District Board regarding its proposed 0.1% sales tax. The tax would be collected countywide to provide additional funding for roads in unincorporated King County. The Transportation District is considering the tax because of a growing shortfall in the county road fund that threatens the integrity of the countywide road system.
Birdsall testified that 60% of all travel on unincorporated area roads occurs on 10% of the road system—specifically, those few roads in the Rural Area that connect cities to each other. City residents who use those roads pay nothing into the County Road Fund, as only unincorporated area residents pay the county road tax. Birdsall stated that a countywide sales tax, collected mostly in cities due to their greater populations, would be a partial solution to the shortfall problem. He also described several other potential actions to address the problem.
—Submitted by Susan Harvey and Mike Birdsall, Joint Transportation Initiative Chair and Vice-Chair
:: Community Alliance to Reach Out and Engage
Lord of Life Lutheran Church
12819 160th Avenue SE, Renton
See blog for the latest information and to confirm meetings.
:: Enumclaw Plateau Community Association
Second Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
Muckleshoot Library (King County Library branch)
39917 Auburn Enumclaw Road SE, Auburn
Monthly board meetings are open to the public, and often feature guest speakers in addition to community reports and information from a variety of local organizations. For more information send email to EPCA.wa@gmail.com.
:: Fall City Community Association
First Tuesdays – Hybrid meeting (virtual and in-person, 7-8:30 p.m.)
Fall City Fire Department meeting room
4301 334th Place SE, Fall City
The Fall City Community Association promotes building of community, proactively communicates on local issues, and takes action on selected issues that affect the Fall City community. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month, and are open to the public. For more information, visit fallcity.org or email send email.
:: Four Creeks Unincorporated Area Council
Second Tuesdays – Virtual meeting via Zoom
Visit the website for the latest information and to confirm meeting dates and locations.
:: Greater Maple Valley Unincorporated Area Council
Monday, April 6, 7-9:30 p.m. – in person or via Zoom
Maple Valley Fire Station
22225 SE 231st Street (across from King County Sheriff’s Precinct #3)
The ongoing development of the Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River Community Service Area Subarea Plan will be discussed. All monthly meetings are hybrid—both in-person and on Zoom. As the meeting date approaches, see the website (gmvuac.org) for meeting agendas and Zoom information.
:: Green Valley/Lake Holm Association
The Green Valley/Lake Holm Association advocates for those who live in unincorporated southeast King County. Primary goals are to maintain the community’s unique historic, agricultural, and rural character; protect the environment; and sustain quality of life in the area. They engage regularly with local government agencies to address concerns and influence policies on topics of mutual interest, such as growth and development, transportation, public safety, and flood control. Stay connected by visiting their Facebook page.
:: North Highline Unincorporated Area Council
Monthly board meetings are open to the public and often feature guest speakers in addition to community reports and information from local organizations. For more information, email Barbara Dobkin.
:: Skyway Coalition
See the coalition's website.
:: Upper Bear Creek Community Council
For information about the council, email Patricia Gustafson or visit the Facebook page and/or website.
:: Vashon-Maury Community Council
Meetings are open to all and are held on the third Thursday of each month, both online and in-person. Topics include affordable housing, ferries, election candidates, transportation, aviation noise, and more. The council sets up committees and passes resolutions to King County and other organizations as needed. Voting membership is free and open to residents 18 and older. To learn more, visit the website.
:: West Hill Community Association
Meetings are in person or via Zoom
Skyway Fire District 20 Admin Building
12424 76th Avenue S, Seattle
Monthly board meetings are open to the public, and often feature guest speakers in addition to community reports and information from a variety of local organizations. For more information, send email or visit the website.
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