July 2026 Newsletter
Investing in Organizations Doing Essential Work in Our Communities!
Dear Friend,
Each year, every King County councilmember has the opportunity to allocate funding to community organizations, city and town governments, and tribal organizations in their districts that provide vital services to residents and do essential work to ensure that everyone can thrive in our communities. These are called “councilmanic grants,” and their purpose is to allow councilmembers, who know their own communities more intimately, to invest directly in these communities.
This year, I was able to allocate funding to 45 amazing organizations in District 3. Here are some of the highlights:
$68,500 to our local food banks and organizations working on food security
$36,500 to organizations meeting basic needs (clothing, housing, health care)
$17,666 to severe weather and wildfire preparedness projects
$15,000 to organizations specifically dedicated to supporting veterans
$38,000 to environmental restoration and regenerative farming/gathering
I’m grateful for all the work these organizations do to improve our communities every single day, and I hope you’ll learn about their work and join me in supporting them!
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out at sarah.perry@kingcounty.gov or at 206-477-1003. I’d love to connect!
Sincerely,
Return Your Ballot!
 Reminder that ballots for the King County 2026 primary election are due by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4! Voting is an essential right and civic responsibility and every election matters – drop your ballot in the mail or a ballot box by August 4!
More questions? Reach out to the King County Elections Office at elections@kingcounty.gov or call 206-296-8683. You can also follow their Facebook or Instagram to receive updates.
Council Briefings, Actions & Recognitions!
 Council continues to work hard for you! Here is some of this month’s work on the issues you’ve expressed, through our survey and meetings, that matter most to you:
-
Preventing Financial Fraud & Abuse: The King County Council approved legislation that I co-sponsored to create an inspector general division focused on detecting and investigating reports of financial fraud and abuse related to county funds. This division has the power to issue subpoenas and recover any misspent funds, performing a much needed and separate function to complement the work of the Ombuds and Auditor’s Offices.
-
Briefing on Metro Transit Safety: King County Metro gave the Regional Transit Committee a briefing on their transit safety planning for 2026-2027 and their progress on implementing recommendations developed by the Transit Safety Task Force. Check out the briefing here.
-
Disability Pride Day Proclamation: I joined Executive Zahilay and Councilmembers Lewis and Fain to raise the Disability Pride Flag at the King County Administration Building! There, we presented a proclamation recognizing Disability Pride Day, which marks the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
-
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) 100th Anniversary Recognition: I led the Council in recognizing the 100th anniversary of IAPMO alongside Executive Zahilay! IAPMO has been a decadeslong partner of King County in protecting the health and safety of our communities through safe drinking water, effective sanitation systems, and reliable plumbing infrastructure.
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; Flood Control District; Committee of the Whole; Local Services and Land Use; Budget and Fiscal Management; Regional Policy; Regional Transit.
Great to Be Out in Community!
   District 3 Summer Festivals: It’s festival season here in District 3! This month, I had a blast celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary at the Great Carnation Fourth of July Celebration, where I got to announce the Girl Scouts before their flag ceremony to kick off the parade, and Sammamish’s Fourth on the Plateau! I also had a wonderful time at Redmond Derby Days!
Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank Milestone Celebration: Thank you to the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank for giving me the opportunity to congratulate them on this milestone! The food bank has acquired the historic Auto Freight building next door, allowing them to renovate and expand their operations while preserving this historic Issaquah landmark. I’m excited about how this enables them to continue serving our community members in need!
Carnation Farms with Executive Zahilay: I had a blast touring Carnation Farms with Executive Zahilay and his East King County community relations manager, Angela Phan, sharing with them this gem of the Carnation community! We got to learn about Carnation Farms’ regenerative agriculture practices and their livestock.
 Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center: It was great to be back out at Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center! Oxbow is a non-profit farm doing amazing work to conserve their land in Carnation, grow native plants and food, and share their knowledge. They’re also always looking for volunteers to support their native plant nursery and gather produce for food bank partners. Check out their volunteer page!
 Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance (SVPA) Taste of the Valley: I had a wonderful night at SVPA’s annual Taste of the Valley! It was so important to hear about the support SVPA provides to our farms year-round, and especially, how they stepped up to support our Valley farmers following the historic flooding in December. Thank you for your work!
 Aire Craft Festival: Thank you to Mick Holsbeke for sharing your vision for Aire Craft Fest – a paragliding and street arts festival coming to Issaquah! The festival will bring free flying sports like paragliding, circus arts like trapeze and other performing arts to downtown Issaquah. Come on down to the community center August 13-16 to get in on all the fun!
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
 Louis Thompson Road Ribbon Cutting: The Louis Thompson Road Project is now complete! This project upgraded stormwater channels, culverts, and ditches to alleviate this road’s flooding, erosion, and landslide issues. It also added a new sidewalk and bike lane. The King County Flood Control District contributed nearly $1 million toward making this road safer and more accessible for drivers, bikers and walkers while also safeguarding our infrastructure.
Priority #2: Safe & Healthy Communities
King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) Rescue Helicopter Upgrades: I joined Congresswoman Schrier, KCSO, and Councilmember Fain to share that we secured $1 million of federal funding to upgrade KCSO’s rescue helicopters! This is an essential investment to improve fire, flood, and natural disaster response and rescue operations in our county and across the state. We’re grateful for Congresswoman Schrier’s work to secure this funding!
Priority #3: Environment
Conservation Futures Committee Nominations: The Conservation Futures Committee gives recommendations to the King County Council and Executive on preserving open space, including natural areas, passive-use parks, wildlife habitat, trails, farms, and forests. I put forward three nominees representing our agricultural communities to fill a vacancy on the committee, and I look forward to sharing the final appointee following the Executive’s selection!
Priority #4: Housing – All Types & All Incomes
Issaquah Trailhead Housing Groundbreaking: It was amazing to join King County Housing Authority and the City of Issaquah for the ground-breaking of Trailhead Apartments in Issaquah! This project has been a decade in the making and will provide affordable housing for working families and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Grateful to Congresswoman Schrier, state reps past and present, Mayor Mullet, and Issaquah city councilmembers and staff past and present for supporting and collaborating on this project all the way through!
Priority #5: Transit & Mobility
Apply to Serve On the King County Transit Advisory Commission: The King County Transit Advisory Commission is recruiting members to represent their communities in county districts 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9. This is a volunteer commission made up of King County residents that meets monthly to advise the King County Council, Executive and Metro on transit policy. Submit your application now!
North Bend Spotlight!
This month the spotlight is shining on a North Bend 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: North Bend Theatre
The North Bend Theatre is a historic single-screen theater that was built back in 1941. During the summer they have free matinee showings sponsored by Si View Metro Parks! Come visit them at 125 Bendigo Blvd N, North Bend, WA 98045. You can visit their website or email them at business@northbendtheatre.com to learn more.
Non-Profit Spotlight: Friends of the Trail
Friends of the Trail is dedicated to the cleanup of illegal dumping and littering across Washington State’s beautiful lands and waterways. They work to remove trash and other waste and raise awareness about these problems. You can visit their website, email them at friendsot@comcast.net, or call them at 425-831-5486 to learn more!
City Spotlight: North Bend Parks, Recreation & Beautification Commission
The current term for the North Bend Parks, Recreation & Beautification Commission’s youth position expires at the end of August! The Commission provides guidance for how North Bend protects its parks, recreation, and natural beauty and meets at North Bend City Hall on the 4th Wednesday of each month. If you know a young person who’s interested in parks, recreation and the environment, encourage them to look at the website and Application Form and apply!
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!
Redmond Arts Festival
-
Saturday, August 1 & Sunday, August 2, 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Join VALA Eastside and Redmond Town Center for the 15th annual Redmond Arts Festival! Stroll through a vibrant outdoor gallery featuring more than 60 talented artists along with live music, interactive art experiences, and family activities.
The Lighting Thief: Percy Jackson The Musical in Redmond
-
Saturday, August 1, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM & Sunday, August 1, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Join Spotlight Repertory NW, a local Sammamish non-profit, for The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, an electrifying adventure based on the Rick Riordan novel! It will be performed by a talented cast of youth and adult actors and accompanied by live musicians.
Issaquah Concerts on the Green
-
Every Tuesday in August (Aug 4, 11, 18 & 25), 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM: Join the City of Issaquah and the Issaquah Kiwanis Club for their summer concert series on the front lawn of the Issaquah Community Center! Bring camping chairs or a picnic blanket and enjoy diverse genres of live music with your neighbors.
Sammamish Concerts in the Park
-
Thursday, August 6 &Thursday, August 13, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM: Join the City of Sammamish for their summer Concerts in the Park series at Pine Lake Park! Enjoy live music, food trucks, and dessert with your neighbors.
Duvall Movies & Games in the Park
-
Friday, August 7, 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM: Join the City of Duvall for a fun evening of movies and games at the Big Rock Ball Fields! This evening, they’ll be showing Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and your favorite snacks!
Festival at Mt. Si in North Bend
-
Friday, August 7, 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Saturday, August 8, 12:00 PM – 9:30 PM & Sunday, August 9, 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Join the North Bend Educational and Cultural Association for three days of live music, a grand parade, vendors, food, family fun, and fireworks at Si View Park!
Celebrate Woodinville Festival
-
Saturday, August 8, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Celebrate the spirit of Woodinville at this annual summer festival! Watch the parade along 175th Street, then check out the Basset Bash at DeYoung Park, the Woodinville Farmers Market on Festival Street, and the main fair and festivities at Wilmot Gateway Park.
Ananda Mela Festival in Redmond
-
Saturday, August 8 & Sunday, August 9, 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Join Northwest Share and Vedic Cultural Center for a joyful festival celebrating Indian culture hosted on the Redmond Municipal Campus! Experience a diverse array of entertainment, from mesmerizing performances to delectable cuisine, family activities, and great vendors.
Issaquah Aire Craft Festival
-
Thursday, August 13 – Sunday, August 16: Come on down to the Issaquah Community Center to experience Issaquah’s first-ever Aire Craft Festival, celebrating paragliding culture, circus arts, and live street performances! There will be amazing art of all types from live music and outdoor film screenings to trapeze performances and puppeteering!
Carnation Concert Crawl
-
Saturday, August 15, 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM: Join the City of Carnation for the second year of the Carnation Concert Crawl! Explore downtown Carnation and experience live music all day long in Carnation’s amazing local businesses and public spaces: Carnation Cafe, Tolt Commons, Big Block Brewery, Miller’s, and Pour House Pete’s!
Clear Creek Farm Pop-Up Fiber Fair in Duvall
-
Saturday, August 15, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Join Clear Creek Farm at their Pop-Up Fiber Fair for a day of fantastic nature and fiber arts-focused workshops, live music, local vendors, and plenty of space to hang out and make things all day!
Snoqualmie Days
-
Friday, August 21, 4:30 PM – 8:00 PM & Saturday, August 22, 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Come on over to downtown Snoqualmie for Snoqualmie Days, celebrating all things Snoqualmie Valley, its people and its culture! They’ll be a pancake breakfast, grand parade, train rides from the Snoqualmie Depot, a music crawl, and more!
North Bend Grangestock
-
Monday, August 24, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Head to the Sallal Grange and Community Hall in North Bend for Grangestock! Experience live music and entertainment in community – entry is free!
Fall City Summer Market & Gathering
-
Friday, August 28, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM: The Fall City Summer Market & Gathering offers a lively mix of community, creativity, and culture. Explore handmade crafts, fresh produce, and gourmet foods by local artisans and farmers. Join them in supporting local businesses and celebrating the vibrant Fall City community!
It’s Farmers Market Season!
 Next week is National Farmers Market Week! Join me in celebrating and uplifting our amazing local farmers by checking out these farmers markets across District 3:
You can also check out our state’s Farmers Market Directory to discover markets wherever you are in Washington this summer.
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,
|
