 Image: Eastside for All
Next week marks the beginning of East King County Welcoming Week, which runs from September 10-19. This annual campaign connects neighbors of all backgrounds through activities and events that foster a mutual understanding between immigrants and non-immigrants and build a deeper sense of belonging for all.
This year’s theme is “Stories We Share: The Courage to Connect”. Enjoy opportunities to connect with our diverse community, including mariachi and free food at El Grito with Centro Cultural Mexicano in Redmond, cultural performances at Experience Bellevue with the City of Bellevue, and a lively concert of Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Russian folk tunes at a concert with Vyunok in Kirkland. Thank you to Eastside for All for keeping a full list of Welcoming Week events!
Image: King County Elections
Recent news about how the United States Postal Service will deal with mail-in ballots for federal elections has raised a lot of questions. King County Elections has shared that their work will continue as usual and voters do not need to change the way they vote.
Our longtime practice of mail-in voting is safe and secure and makes voting easier and more accessible for voters throughout King County. King County Elections is on track to send the first batch of general election ballots on September 18. These ballots include unique Intelligent Mail Barcodes, which allow them to monitor and track delivery as the ballot goes to the voter.
When it comes to how ballots are returned, they plan to implement the addition of these barcodes to the return ballot envelopes. It does not change how voters return their ballot, but will allow King County Elections to do more data collection and get ahead of any USPS rules that may go into effect later in the election cycle. King County Elections will continue to do everything they can within the law to help voters register, get a ballot, and vote. If you have questions about how our elections work or need to get registered, contact our helpful King County Elections team at elections@kingcounty.gov or 206-296-8683.
 Image: City of Mercer Island
As kids head back to school, the City of Mercer Island’s Youth and Family Services (YFS) wants to remind families that student mental health is important and, through a partnership with the Mercer Island School District, they offer school-based mental health counselors for student sessions and parent consultations. A student’s mental health is critical to academic performance, friendships, school satisfaction, and family relationships.
Students and families seeking support can find contact information for their YFS school-based mental health counselor by visiting the YFS website or calling the YFS Confidential Voicemail Line at (206) 275-7657.
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