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 King County Council's recognition of Women's History Month, the proclamation of Transit Appreciation Week, the groundbreaking for the RapidRide I Line, the Sound Transit Board retreat, King County Metro's All-Door boarding initiative, and more.
Washington Trivia
This trailblazer from Steilacoom, WA, was the first graduate of the University of Washington and also served as the first woman superintendent of the Pierce County School District? Who was she?
(Answer is at the bottom)
King County Council Celebrates Women’s History Month & Transit Appreciation Week
The King County Council honors Women’s History Month to acknowledge the invaluable contributions women have made to our nation's past and their ongoing impact on its future. This year is especially significant as it marks a milestone with a female majority on the Council.
The Council has proclaimed March 22-28, 2026, as Transit Appreciation Week, with March 18th recognized as Transit Operator Appreciation Day. This celebration honors our operators for their commitment to safely transporting passengers, as well as all transit employees who consistently serve the public and keep our region on the move.
 With my King County Council colleagues, King County Metro leadership, and community members
RapidRide I Line Groundbreaking
March 19th marked the beginning of construction for the 17-mile RapidRide I Line project that will provide reliable and FAST bus service from Renton to Auburn, as highlighted by King County Executive Girmay Zahilay and King County Council Transit Chair Steffanie Fain during the groundbreaking ceremony held in Renton.
The project will revamp the current Route 160 corridor, which accommodates about 5,000 daily riders, transforming it into a high-capacity transit line. This corridor serves one of the region’s most diverse populations, including many residents who depend on public transportation to access jobs, education, and essential services. Access to JOBS is essential!
Read more on the RapidRide I Line project website here.
 With Metro General Manager Michelle Allison, State Rep. David Hackney, Auburn Deputy Mayor Tracy Taylor, Kent Mayor Dana Ralph, Renton Mayor Armondo Pavone, King County Councilmember Steffanie Fain, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, and Former King County Councilmember De’Sean Quinn
Sound Transit Board Retreat
On March 18th, the Sound Transit Board held its annual retreat to discuss strategies for the capital program and to develop the updated ST3 System plan, considering current and future regional challenges. A collaborative approach across the region is imperative for effectively addressing these challenges.
 With my fellow Sound Transit Board Members: King County Councilmembers Claudia Balducci, Steffanie Fain & Teresa Mosqueda, Redmond Mayor Angela Birney, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, Tukwila Mayor Thomas McLeod, Tacoma Councilmember Kristina Walker, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, Fircrest Councilmember Hunter George, Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin, Lynnwood Councilmember David Parshall, Washington State Secretary of Transportation Julie Meredith, Renton Councilmember Ed Prince, Seattle Councilmember Dan Strauss, Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, and Fife Mayor Kim Roscoe
King County Metro Launches Systemwide All-Door Boarding
Beginning Saturday, March 28, King County Metro will enhance bus service and implement systemwide all-door boarding, making transit more efficient and user-friendly throughout the region.
This service update improves connections to Sound Transit’s Link light rail system, including the newly established 2 Line Crosslake Connection between Seattle and the Eastside. Additionally, it introduces earlier morning trips, extended evening service, and increased weekend options for passengers.
To learn more about the upcoming Spring changes, including those for South King County, check out this Metro Matters blog.
For more information on how to take transit to the American League at T-Mobile Park, check out this Metro Matters blog.
In Memoriam: Amy Hatcher
We would like to acknowledge the passing of Amy Hatcher, a former recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service for King County Council District 7, who worked tirelessly for every member of our community.
South King County Non-Profit Corner
Learn more about the nonprofit organizations listed below:
Auburn Food Bank | Auburn Noon Lions | Auburn Valley Humane Society | Bloodworks Northwest | Eileen & Callie’s Place | Federal Way Historical Society | Federal Way Kiwanis | Federal Way Lions | Federal Way Public Market | Federal Way Senior Center | Friends of the Federal Way Libraries | FUSION Décor Boutique | Kent Lions | Multi-Service Center Food Bank | Orion Works | Rotary Club of Federal Way | Soroptimist International of Auburn | Soroptimist International of Federal Way | The Salvation Army | Unleash the Brilliance
 Did you ever wonder where words and phrases originated from?
Bite the bullet
Meaning: To face a challenging or unavoidable situation with strength and resilience.
Origin: Its probable roots can be traced back to military battlefield surgery in the 18th and 19th centuries, where soldiers would bite down on lead bullets to cope with pain before anesthesia became widely accessible. Alternatively, this practice may have originated from biting into paper ammunition cartridges to ready rifles. There is speculation that it evolved from the British phrase “to bite the cartridge,” which dates to the Indian Rebellion of 1857. However, the expression “chew a bullet,” conveying a similar idea, can be found as early as 1796.
Trailblazer
Meaning: An innovator, pioneer, or leader who forges new paths in a particular field, being the first to accomplish something and paving the way for others to follow.
Origin: The term "trailblazer," coined between 1893 and 1910, combines "trail" (a path) and "blaze" (a tree marking). It originally referred to someone creating paths in the wilderness, based on 18th-century markings of white notches on trees. Emerging in the 1890s, "trailblazer" evolved to describe pioneers or innovators in various fields. The first recorded use was noted by Merriam-Webster in 1908.
Seattle Mariners 2026 Schedule
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With best wishes,
Pete von Reichbauer
King County Councilmember
Washington Trivia Answer:
Born in Steilacoom, Washington, Clara McCarty was a trailblazer in many respects. She was the first graduate of the Territorial University, which later became the University of Washington, the first woman from Pierce County to hold an elected office as the Pierce County School District Superintendent, and even the first person in Pierce County to own a typewriter.
McCarty was 18 years old when she received her Bachelor of Science degree in June 1876. This milestone came 15 years after the University first opened its doors at its original location on the outskirts of downtown Seattle in 1861. The University faced multiple challenges, including closures and financial issues in the year McCarty graduated. The University primarily served local schoolchildren, had only eight faculty members, and charged $30 in tuition. According to the Seattle Daily Times, McCarty became a pioneer as the first woman to earn a bachelor’s degree on the West Coast, graduating as class president and valedictorian.
After earning a master’s degree from the University of California, McCarty returned to Pierce County and became the first superintendent of public schools at age 22 in 1880, before women gained the right to vote. She served for two years before resigning upon marriage to fellow educator John Henry Wilt, who later became a deputy district court clerk and county sheriff.
In 1883, biographer Deb Freedman noted that McCarty gained recognition in Pierce County for owning its first typewriter, earning about $10 a day by typing legal briefs and attracting visitors. After her husband's death in 1909, she continued contributing to Tacoma's civic organizations, serving as a secretary at the YWCA, an assistant at the Washington State Historical Society, and a librarian until her death in 1929 at 71. Although her name may not be widely recognized today, McCarty Hall, a campus residence, was named in her honor in 1962.
 Photo sources: University of Washington Magazine & HistoryLink.org
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