March 2026 Newsletter
Investing In Our Communities – 2026 Councilmanic Grant Applications Open!
Dear Friend,
Our 2026 District 3 Councilmanic grants are now open! Each year at this time I have the privilege of awarding Councilmanic grants to community organizations as well as tribal and city governments throughout District 3! Investing in our local governments and non-profit organizations and funding innovative ideas ensures that our communities are able to thrive, now and in the future!
The grant focus areas are Community Non-Profit Organizations, Veterans, Seniors, Food Security, Active Youth and Adults, Climate Resilience, Housing, and Behavioral Health.
Apply today! The application due date is Monday, April 20 @ 11:59 p.m. Apply through the button below or through this link.
If you have any questions, please email tabatha.foxwell@kingcounty.gov. And if you know a passionate, dedicated nonprofit in our community looking for funding, please share this opportunity with them!
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out at sarah.perry@kingcounty.gov or at 206-477-1003. I’d love to connect!
In gratitude,
Council Briefings, Actions & Recognitions!
 Council continues to work hard for you! Here is some of this month’s work on the issues that you’ve expressed through our survey and meetings that matter most to you:
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Funding Urgent Road and Bridge Repairs: In May, the Council will vote on legislation that involves re-dedicating funding from other areas within the county to fund the critical road and bridge repairs following December’s historic flooding.
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Briefing on December 2025 Flood Event: Take a look at the follow up briefing that we received from the King County Flood Control District and Office of Emergency Management on the December 2025 flood event.
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Women’s History Month Proclamation: Alongside my fellow councilmembers Balducci, Mosqueda, Lewis, and Fain, I led the Council in proclaiming March as Women’s History Month in King County. We celebrated all the contributions women make every single day to help our communities thrive – and I was honored to celebrate this occasion with a first-ever, majority-female King County Council!
If you are interested in joining us for a meeting to make a comment or just listen in, click on any of the following links: King County Council; Employment and Administration Committee; Flood Control District; Committee of the Whole; Local Services and Land Use Committee; Budget and Fiscal Management Committee; Regional Policy Committee; Regional Transit Committee.
Great to Be Out in Community!
 Crosslake Light Rail Connection Ribbon Cutting: It was wonderful to celebrate the opening of the Crosslake light rail, connecting Redmond, Bellevue, and Seattle across Lake Washington! This opens a new world of opportunities for transit and mobility between East King County and Seattle. This is a first-in-the-world achievement – no where else in the entire world is there a light rail crossing a floating bridge!
State of the County Presentations: I presented a State of the County at two of our great chambers of commerce – OneRedmond and the SnoValley Chamber! I shared about the county happenings impacting residents in Redmond, Snoqualmie, and North Bend, as well as the investments we’ve made in each area from 2022-2025. I am grateful for the engagement of our chambers in the future of our county!
MAPS Iftar: I was honored to attend the Interfaith Iftar of the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS) during Ramadan. It is an honor to celebrate our rich, diverse communities and to connect with faith leaders and community members about our shared commitments to gratitude, generosity, and community.
 Northwest Share Festival of Color: Through the wind and the rain, I was happy to join Northwest Share and the Vedic Cultural Center for their annual Festival of Color in Redmond! We threw colors, experienced the beautiful culture of our South Asian communities, and honored the coming of spring with this celebration of Holi!
 Women’s History Month Panel and Award Ceremony: Thank you to our panelists Councilmembers Lewis and Fain, LGBTQIA activist Marsha Botzer, and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Executive Director Malou Chávez for sharing your valuable perspectives! And congrats to my dear friend and Indian American Community Services Executive Director, Lalita Uppala, on receiving the third annual Jeanne Kohl-Welles Women Uplifting Women Award!
Community Celebrations
This March, we wished our Jewish community members a happy Purim! We celebrated Holi in Redmond and across the county, and made sure to bring a little green with us on St. Patrick’s Day. We wished “Eid Mubarak!” to all our community members celebrating Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.
Focusing on Your Priorities!
Here are more of the happenings at King County related to the things that you said mattered most to you in our annual survey:
Priority #1: Road & Bridge Infrastructure
 Urgent Repairs to SE Edgewick Road Nearing Completion: In February, King County Roads began extensive repairs on SE Edgewick Road in unincorporated North Bend, which was significantly damaged during the December floods. The repairs are nearing completion, and the road is expected to fully open in April!
Priority #2: Safe & Healthy Communities
Redmond Fire Department Strategic Plan: The Redmond Fire Department and Chief Adrian Sheppard are national leaders in the use of cutting-edge technology and medicine to keep our communities safe. I appreciated the opportunity to learn about their strategic planning process and participate in important conversations about the future of the department, insurance issues, wildland urban interface, and more!
Priority #3: Environment
Meeting with Local Environmental Organizations: I had great conversations with some of the environmental and parks and recreation organziations based in our district. I met with Meadowbrook Farm Preservation Association, Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park, and Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery, who are all doing fantastic work to preserve and educate about our natural beauties!
Priority #4: Housing – All Types & All Incomes
New Housing Incentives Through Critical Areas Ordinance: Recently, updates to the 10-year Critical Areas Ordinance that I led in 2025 went into effect, including new incentives supporting the development of housing with community services like childcare and maximizing buildable space for homeowners and homebuilders while meeting our salmon habitat, flood resilience, tribal resources, and Agricultural Production District goals!
Priority #5: Transit & Mobility
 New Transit Connections and Increased Bus Service Starting March 28: Alongside the opening of the Crosslake light rail connection, King County Metro updated our bus routes to better connect riders to light rail and increase the frequency of buses, including on route 223, 224, 225, and 250 serving the Redmond area!
Issaquah Spotlight!
This month the spotlight is shining on an Issaquah business, non-profit, and civic engagement opportunity! We hope you have a chance to visit these fantastic community contributors – and remember to Go Local!
Small Business Spotlight: Berna's Bakery & Cafe
Berna’s Bakery & Cafe opened last year with a focus on Turkish breakfast and cuisine. Berna’s is women-owned and chef-run, and offers gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and Zabiha halal options. Visit them at 317 NW Gilman Blvd, Suite 3, Issaquah, WA 98027, call 425-657-0664, and check out their website to learn more!
Non-Profit Spotlight: Art Commons
Art Commons is an artist-led organization working to make East King County a place where working artists can create and thrive! It was founded by Ali Marcus, the owner of Happy Time Studio in downtown Issaquah. Email them at info@artcommons.org, and check out their website to learn more!
City Spotlight: City of Issaquah
The Issaquah City Council is seeking to fill a vacancy in Council Position No. 3. The appointee will be selected by the city council and serve until November 2027. Applicants must be a resident of Issaquah for at least one year prior to the appointment, be at least 18 years old, and be a registered voter. The application deadline is Thursday, April 2 at 5 p.m. Check out this page on the Issaquah city website to learn more.
What’s Going on Around Town?
There’s a lot going on across our district, and we want you to know all about it, so check out the events below!
Fall City Historical Society Pop-Up Museum
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Starting Tuesday, March 31: Check out the Fall City Historical Society’s pop-up museum exhibit at the Fall City Library! Drop by anytime the library is open for all of April to explore interactive exhibits that bring the history of Fall City to life.
Snoqualmie Valley Non-Profit Showcase
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Thursday, April 2, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Join the Duvall Chamber of Commerce for the Snoqualmie Valley Non-Profit Showcase at Carnation Farms. Connect with local non-profits to learn about organizations and how you can get involved!
Woodinville Arts Alliance April Art Walk Opening Night
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Friday, April 3, 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Join the Woodinville Arts Alliance for the opening night of their April Art Walk! Enjoy meeting local artists and hear about their work and creative process.
Snoqualmie Teen Flashlight Egg Hunt
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Friday, April 3, 7:30 PM – 9:45 PM: Join the City of Snoqualmie at Community Park for their annual Teen Flashlight Egg Hunt! Get there at 7:30 p.m. to enjoy treats from The Trail Youth coffee cart, then take your flashlight and hunt for eggs in the park.
Old Redmond Firehouse Teen Center Celebration
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Saturday, April 4, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Join the City of Redmond to celebrate the Old Fire House Teen Center and honor the building’s decades of impact on generations of Redmond residents and visitors before it’s redeveloped into a new teen center!
North Bend Easter Egg Hunt and Pancake Breakfast
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Saturday, April 4, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Head to Si View Park for an Easter Egg Hunt and pancake breakfast hosted by the Snoqualmie Valley Moose Lodge! Children elementary school age and younger are welcome to participate.
Earth Day at Evans Creek Preserve in Sammamish
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Saturday, April 18, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Celebrate Earth Day weekend by joining the City of Sammamish to work on a habitat restoration project started by Washington Native Plant Society. Come help establish native habitat by removing and mulching over invasive plant species at Evans Creek Preserve!
Celebrate Earth Day at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery
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Saturday, April 25, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM & Sunday, April 26, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Join Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery (FISH) to celebrate Earth Day weekend with their juvenile Chinook salmon before they’re released in May!
Northwest Art Center Community Art Day in Duvall
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Saturday, April 25, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Join Northwest Art Center for a free community art day in Duvall! Bring the whole family and create unique art pieces using a variety of art supplies geared to all ages!
If you know of any upcoming events that you’d like us to highlight in our next newsletter, please share them at Isabel.Smith@kingcounty.gov.
But Wait, There's More!
 Sound Transit Wants to Hear Your Voice: Sound Transit is conducting a survey about the future of light rail, including the proposed segment to Issaquah. This would be the closest light rail connection for Issaquah, Sammamish, Snoqualmie, North Bend, and surrounding communities, so it’s important they hear from you! Share your thoughts now!
Stay Connected!
 Please forward this email and invite others to sign up to receive email updates. Also, make sure that you follow our Facebook and Instagram accounts to stay up to date on everything we are working on together!
Please always feel free to reach out by emailing sarah.perry@kingcounty.gov or calling 206-477-1003. I look forward to connecting!
All the best,
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