Recap of Recent COVID-19 News and Updates

 

Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022 Washington State Department of Health Contact: Public Information Desk                DOH-PIO@doh.wa.gov

Statewide Response Updates Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 1,805,781 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 20. There have been 14,146 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's dashboard.

Earthquake Preparedness On The Eastside

Hello Mr. Yoder,

 

Earthquakes are unquestionably a hazard to the City, but I believe the community would be better served by the multi-hazard approach of a program such as CERT or Map Your Neighborhood, rather than such a specific committee. Our Emergency Manager is working with the CERT leads to offer CERT classes in 2023, and some smaller, targeted preparedness sessions.  Map Your Neighborhood (Be 2 Ready) has all resources available to communities online now. There are many online earthquake resources for the Great Washington Shake-Out taking place on October 20^th.  Additionally, our Emergency Management Division was involved in the Washington State Cascadia Rising Exercise Series 2022 earlier this year, which are important multi-jurisdictional drills since an earthquake in the Puget Sound area will affect more than one city in the region.

 

Thank you for reaching out about this.  I hope you find the linked resources helpful.

 

Mayor Birney

Angela Birney (she/her/hers) Mayor, City of Redmond

CC:  EvergreenHealth Medical Center

        LWSD

Eastside Native American Drum Making Project

"If the legends fall silent, who will teach our children of our ways?"   

Chief Dan George - Coast Salish  

 Cultural classes are held every Monday, 7PM, Lake Washington High School  

Eastside Native American Education Program  Bellevue, Lake Washington, Northshore school districts.

Mary Wilber, Program Director, LWSD, 425-936-1402

Pow Wow, Saturday, October 1, 6PM  Juanita High School.  Dance contest, drums.

2200 indigenous Indian photos.

Student Recognition video.  Cool pictures of decorated cakes, towards the end.

-posted by B. Yoder, 9/18/2022

photo, ENAEP

2022 Superintendent Dr. Holmen's Reflection on the First Day of School

September 6th.  So refreshing to learn in-person!

Dr. Jon Holmen serves as Chief Executive Officer. He provides strategic vision, leadership and direction to Lake Washington School District. Dr. Holmen is a skilled education leader with 22 years of experience in public education. On July 1, 2020, he became Lake Washington School District’s 13th superintendent.

Read Dr. Holmen's full bio here.

Student Representatives Selected for Lake Washington School Board

 

Two students to share student voice in Board conversations

Redmond, Wash. - Starting this year, the Lake Washington School District Board of Directors will include two student representatives. Student representatives were selected through an application and interview process.

 

	Evan Kurtz (Juanita High School, Class of 2023) will serve as the student representative for the west side of the school district for this school year. A new student representative from the west side of the district will be selected for a two-year term starting in 2023-24. Evan was first introduced at the August 22 School Board meeting.
	Shivani Sama (Tesla STEM High School, Class of 2024) will serve as a student representative for the east side of the school district. She will serve in this role for the next two school years. Shivani was first introduced at the September 12 School Board meeting.

 

The goal of adding student representatives to the board is to add the perspective and experiences of students as the Board considers various topics.

Evan was selected to serve for the 2022-23 school year while Shivani will serve through the 2023-24 school year. Annually, the Board will select an incoming junior for a two-year term.

9/15/2022

####

About Lake Washington: Lake Washington School District is a high-performing public school district serving Kirkland, Redmond, and Sammamish, Washington. It is the second largest district in the state of Washington, with over 30,000 students in 57 schools.

photo  B. Yoder / Education Hill, 9/3/2022

 

"Lyrical Currents," A Poetic Map of Redmond and the Sammamish River

Redmond's Poet Laureate, Laura Da' created this lyrical nature walk through the downtown natural, cultural and historical places of Redmond.  QR Code will open the map guiding you through five special places.  

Laura Da' is a poet and teacher.  A lifetime resident of the Pacific Northwest, Da' studied creative writing at the University of Washington and this Institute of American Indian Arts.  She is Eastern Shawnee.  Da' lives near Seattle with her husband and son.  

To take the tour, on your phone, click on the small Google square next to the microphone symbol, hover over the QR code and click on it as if taking a picture. 

For more on indigenous indians, culture and nature, find links to a fabulous library booklist care of the Snoqualmie tribe and Redmond Historical Society 

-- brought to you by Redmond Parks and Recreation, 9/11/2022.  Library flyer courtesy of John Reinke

Inslee Announces End of COVID State of Emergency

Governor Inslee, credit NY Times

 Inslee announces end of COVID-19 state of emergency by Oct. 31

Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday that all remaining COVID-19 emergency proclamations and the COVID-19 state of emergency will end by Oct. 31.

Though the state’s emergency orders are ending, public health leaders continue to emphasize the importance of vaccines and masks in keeping communities safe. Vaccines and therapeutic treatments are available to prevent hospitalizations and death. However, COVID-19 remains a threat, killing 300 Americans every day and more than 10 people a day in Washington state. In his announcement, the governor reiterated the importance of vaccinations and booster shots.

“We’ve come a long way the past two years in developing the tools that allow us to adapt and live with COVID-19,” Inslee said. “Ending this order does not mean we take it less seriously or will lose focus on how this virus has changed the way we live. We will continue our commitments to the public’s well-being, but simply through different tools that are now more appropriate for the era we’ve entered.”

Washington was the first state in the U.S. with a reported case of COVID-19. Inslee was swift to enact protective measures that have since resulted in one of the lowest per capita death rates in the nation.

“I can’t express enough how grateful I am for all the health care workers, public health teams, and other frontline workers who have helped save thousands of lives during the past two years and will continue to support our communities in staying safe and healthy,” Inslee said.

Washington had the fifth-lowest death rate from COVID-19 in the nation, per CDC data. A decisive state response to COVID-19 saved thousands of Washingtonian lives.  Posted by Yoder 9/10/2022

The Education Hill Earthquake Event

In 2001, a *6.8-magnitude earthquake rattled Education Hill.

It seems like only yesterday this earthquake shook the homes and schools on Education Hill.  My wife, Pam was in the clothes closet when it happened. I was out of town on business.  Pam was on the "Earthquake Emergency Committee" at Horace Mann where my daughter attended.  By the time she got to Mann the Principal had already moved the children out of the building; the Principal panicked so the gym teacher took over.  The school's "emergency metal container" was opened but unused. Tents, triage materials, food etc. Pam and two other mom's phoned as many parents as they could.  Pam guesses "the ground shook maybe 30 seconds."  She said only a couple of students were panicky.  

Our tri-level is next to the Bike Park.  Apparently, the chandelier swung mildly.  A weight-bearing beam in our 2-story rental on Ed. Hill cracked, shifted and had to be replaced.  

Stephan A. Siebert, P.E. with Associated Earth Sciences, Inc. in Kirkland is an Associate Geotechnical Engineer.  Mr. Siebert wrote in "Rosehill Cottages" Redmond project report:

Earthquakes occur in Puget Lowland with great regularity.  Large, deep earthquakes occur as evidenced by the 1949, 7.2-magnitude event; the 1966, 6.5-magnitude event; and the 2001, *6.8-magnitude event.  The deep 1949 earthquake appears to have been the largest in this area (Redmond) during recorded history.  Evaluation of return rates indicates that an earthquake of a magnitude between 6.0 and 7.0 is likely every 25 to 40 years in the Puget Sound area.

Is it time the school district updates their earthquake preparedness safety manual?

Is it time the City of Redmond updates their earthquake preparedness safety manual?

-- Bob Yoder, 9/9/2022, opinion

Downtown Redmond sits on a three-six foot deep aquifer in places!  video  

San Francisco earthquake liquefication event video.  Redmond's downtown aquifer has similar characteristics. 

Seattle fault zone / 3 earthquake types in the Pacific Northwest.  video

File:   LWSD, COR

Road To Recovery

Proclamation on National Recovery Month, September, 2022

Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

"This National Recovery Month, we thank peer recovery support professionals, counselors, addiction specialists, first responders, scientists, family members, and everyone who works tirelessly to help our fellow Americans recover from substance use disorder.  We offer strength to our loved ones at every step of their recovery process.  

My Administration is working to ensure that achieving and sustaining recovery is within reach for every American and that everyone has equal access to economic mobility and improved health.  This year, we secured nearly $22 billion from the Congress to support drug prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery support services, with a focus on underserved communities.  With the additional $4 billion investment from our American Rescue Plan, my Administration is expanding recovery community organizations, recovery high schools, collegiate recovery programs, and recovery residences.  These vital support networks allow people to balance healing with their everyday responsibilities.  We are also advocating for recovery-ready workplace policies across the public and private sectors to promote inclusive hiring, enable employers to assist in the recovery process, and help companies retain talent.  And to incentivize new innovations, the Department of Health and Human Services is launching its first-ever behavioral health Recovery Innovation Challenge to award funding to peer-run and community-based programs that advance recovery and can be scaled nationwide.   As I outlined in my State of the Union address this year, a key pillar of my Unity Agenda is beating the opioid epidemic. ...."   JRB

Find a substance abuse treatment center near you.  Find behavioral health care treatment near you.

Find an opioid treatment center in your State 

Posted by Yoder, 9/6/2022

UPDATED OPINION: Projects Over Aquifer Susceptible To Earthquakes

AMLI paper notice box empty.  No defined "comment period."  City will post QR codes
 on all yellow boards in the future. (click to enlarge)

Below, is my formal comment to the city planner managing the AMLI Project which is still under review / no decision.

"I'm concerned about a 6.0 or 7.0 earthquake disrupting or destroying all or some of the projects resting over the city's shallow aquifer.  AMLI is one such project. I recommend the following:  

1)  Delay the AMLI Decision until the City develops a solid plan to mitigate earthquake destruction.  In fact, for all projects under review resting over the shallow aquifer please delay the decision until the city updates their mitigation plan.

2) Impose above standard earthquake mitigation at AMLI and other projects under review resting on the shallow aquifer.  By "above standard" I mean mitigate to standards similar to San Francisco and other highly seismically prone cities.  

3) Require earthquake insurance or bonding.

4) Update the safety evacuation plan.

5) Mitigate damage to infrastructure so undamaged buildings and wellheads nearby can still operate.  A city wellhead in Anderson Park is across the street from AMLI.

Again, these comments apply to AMLI and all other projects "under review" resting over the shallow aquifer.

Unfortunately, my comment for AMLI is exceptionally late owing to the comment period not being  posted on the yellow notice board.  But, you can still make comment by emailing dlee@redmond.gov.

AMLI is one of my favorite projects proposed for the downtown. I hope the project isn't delayed by the City.  

-- Bob Yoder, 9/6/2022

UPDATED OPINION, 1/12/2023: Calling a Superbubble: Front Row With Jeremy Grantham

Just a reminder my blog is free. I rarely report on topics outside the blog's purview, but in today's environment you will find the Jeremy Grantham story worthy. Finance is a popular and worrisome topic these days; expect a few more reports, but not too many!😉

Happy Labor Day, Bob Yoder

Jan 26, 2022 For almost a half-century, value-investing icon Jeremy Grantham has been calling market bubbles. Now, he says U.S. stocks are in a “superbubble,” only the fourth in history, and poised to collapse. In this interview, Grantham, co-founder of Boston’s GMO, goes further, explaining his bubble analysis and discussing what he sees as multiple threats to the economy and the planet, including persistent inflation and climate change. He spoke exclusively with Erik Schatzker on Bloomberg’s “Front Row.”

Entering the Superbubble's Final Act, August 31, 2022.

Food for thought, or action? "Insider News" 9/4/2022 Interviews with five Bears.

Notes:

• economic inequality
• capital gains tax preferred
• less fluid economic mobility than other developed countries
• climate change - need to live within means
• natural environment is poisoned, failing
• short Russell 2000, emerging markets are undervalued, positive on hedge funds / venture capital
• Superbubble: collapse in equities, bonds, and real estate. Four superbubbles (including Japan.)
• Grantham is a permabear, a value investor, a billionaire.

-- UPDATED OPINION: B. Yoder, 1/11/2023

Lake Washington School District Hires Additional Mental Health Counselors

Superintendent Dr. Jon Holmen

Thank you for your information and advocacy. We are in agreement that there needs to be an expansion of services and available beds for acute care. We are pleased to have been able to expand the implementation of mental health counselors at our secondary schools. Through district resources and some grant funding, all secondary schools in LWSD will have a full time mental health counselor this school year. We will continue to work to maintain and expand services through direct district support services but also through partnerships with community agencies, municipalities and other entities with a mission of supporting the mental health and well being of the youth in our community.

 

I hope you are doing well.

 

Thank you,

Jon

 

Dr. Jon Holmen

Superintendent

Lake Washington School District

jholmen@lwsd.org | 425-936-1257

 

Mental Health Is In the Forefront At EvergreenHealth

 

EvergreenHealth "Silver Tower" funded by the community

Mental health is in the forefront these days

In 1998, Chair DeYoung of EvergreenHealth wrote a letter to the community stating EvergreenHealth's Vision was to "be an inclusive health care system and the most trusted source for community health care solutions." I'm truly appreciative of their inclusion of mental health -- as they are now seriously evaluating a much needed Behavioral Health Urgent Care clinic, and other mental health care services.

Quality psychiatric care, fewer visits to their ER's, lower patient costs, and countering stigma, are major benefits of behavioral health urgent care.

Last week I attended a suicide prevention workshop at Redmond High School and ran into several EvergreenHealth social workers who assess students for suicide and other mental health issues. Erin, your social worker for RHS said she's done 80 assessments in her two years. Suicide is at crisis levels in high schools! 8th graders struggle very much too.

In a big way, the suicide crisis sparked the "Mental Health First Aid program" for adults assisting young people. I took the class to prepare for LWSD's Lunch Buddy mentoring program; it's very helpful. EvergreenHealth taught 4 classes last year with more to come. One of the LW Schools Foundation themes for this year is "mental wellness." I hope some of EvergreenHealth commissioners and some staff will attend their annual spring luncheon....and you!

I'm thankful for EvergreenHealth's "In-Home Mental Health Program." It's a great program for adult, seriously impaired medicaid patients that lack mobility, and it doesn't cost the hospital a dime. Evergreen is starting to do some really good things for mental health in our community. I hope they keep moving forward.

-- Bob Yoder, 6/2020

King County Councilmember Perry Visits EvergreenHealth , Wants "Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinics"

 

King County Eastside Councilmember Sarah Perry

Hi Bob, Thank you so much for reaching out to Councilmember Perry’s office to share this information and feedback. Councilmember Perry has been actively engaged in the behavioral health conversations happening at the County in conjunction with the budget conversations beginning now. While I don’t have more details to share at this time, I know that having a 23 hour behavioral health facility in the district is a top priority for Councilmember Perry. Additionally, we are currently in the process of scheduling a visit to Providence in Everett to see their behavioral health facility with State and County legislators, DCHS and other stakeholders to help inform these ongoing conversations, especially as the Executive gets ready to transmit his budget proposal to the Council later this Fall. We are also in the process of setting up a meeting with each of the hospitals in our district and surrounding areas, including Overlake, EvergreenHealth, and others, to make sure we are including them in this ongoing conversation. I will be sure to pass this along to Councilmember Perry as she prepares to have these conversations with the health facilities. In the meantime, we really appreciate you passing this feedback along. Please let us know if you have anything else you would like to share with us as the Councilmember continues to work on this critical issue.

 

Sincerely,

 

Robby Paige

Legislative Aide

Councilmember Sarah Perry

King County Council, District 3

206-445-9246

Video of Providence/Everett's "Behavioral Health Urgent Care" with

psychiatrist and social worker narrating.

Posted by Bob Yoder, updated, 2/23/2023

EvergreenHealth Opens Redmond Town Center Primary Care

Yeah! KUDOS EveregreenHealth! Now let's get "Behavioral Health Urgent Care" in our community to keep patients out of the emergency room and in safe hands.

EvergreenHealth Primary Care, Redmond Town Center opened its doors on Monday, but today we made it official with a ribbon-cutting featuring Dr. Jeremiah Pamer, Dr. Jordan Collier, and Dr. Eliana Vasquez.

Many thanks to Redmond mayor Angela Birney, EvergreenHealth Commissioners Virgil Snyder and Dr. Chuck Pilcher, CEO Dr. Jeff Tomlin, COO Chris Bredeson and more for joining the celebration! (EvergreenHealth Facebook page.)

EvergreenHealth Primary Care - RTC
7345 164th Ave NE, Suite 1-105
Redmond, WA.  98052
425-522-8312

How to find us:  Our entrance is on the ground level right off of NE 74th Street between 163rd Place NE and 164th Avenue NE. 

Get care from the experts at our clinic in the comfort of your home when you select a virtual visit when scheduling your appointment. Hours 8-5 Monday through Friday.  Closed Saturday and Sunday. If you need a same-day appointment, we ask that you call the office. 

We're located in the southwest corner of the Redmond Town Center directly across NE 74th Street from the Seattle Marriott Redmond.Free parking is available behind the building off of 163rd Place NE.

 Website, 8/29/2022, excerpted

Posted by Bob Yoder, 8/29/2022

OPINION: Community Comments On EvergreenHealth's Behavioral Health Practices

EvergreenHealth Public Hospital should initiate a bare bones plan to medically treat community members struggling with behavioral health conditions. This video (140 seconds) explains the value of "Behavioral Health Urgent Care."  Below, are five people making exceptional social media comments gleaned from the article:  King County needs "Behavioral Health Urgent Care."  

 Molly Schroeder

"I am a mental health therapist and have seen first-hand how frightening a mental health emergency can be when there are no resources readily available! And how many clients have I treated over the years for the trauma they endured by resorting to a local ER?! If the ER is all that is available, I support that route, but Urgent Care for behavioral health would be an amazing option!"

Jennifer Z D Baldwin

"In my experience, including multiple mental health trips to Seattle Children’s ER, is that our current mental health system, at least in King County, is solely crisis focused. Meaning we do have systems in place for someone who’s immediate safety is in danger. But there is very little, adequate, on-going, accessible and meaningful/effective treatment for actually helping people heal. 

Imagine what it would be like if we treated mental health like we do physical health. Imagine if our minds were part of our bodies and that anything that impacted one impacted the other. Imagine if we dropped the shame around mental illness and had annuals, well visits, sick appointments, and talked openly with friends about what we were struggling with, trying, working on, and freely shared provider recommendations. That when we knew a family was struggling with mental health we organized meal trains, picked up groceries, or offered to take the kids. Like we do with physical health. Imagine if we had enough providers and treatment options and that they took insurance because dealing with insurance wasn’t a nightmare for everyone.

My rant is done (for now.) I know this is bigger than just King County. But the solutions to these problems start with awareness, social investment, public conversation, and specific needs assessments which can lead to increased funding and infrastructure. Thank you Bob Yoder for sharing this and providing a public space for (what I hope is thoughtful and civil) conversation."

Maggie Quintus

As someone with a person with mental health issues in my family I can assure you that having more resources for mental health would be invaluable. There is nothing worse than being sent home with someone in crisis and no help available

Matthew Dekker

This is timely. I brought a family member having a psychiatric emergency to Evergreen ER recently, and she was treated abhorrently. I kept saying to my wife throughout the process that there has to be another option

Ansley Heinsohn

My husband is a Program Director for a Mental Health Group & they are at capacity w/100’s more needing service & no where to get it. It is desperately needed.

###

Attn:  School Boards

Seattle Children's Hospital Behavioral Health Crisis Clinic . To avoid the ER.  Six Psychology PhD's.  One mental health nurse.  

Pediatric Behavioral Health Urgent Care, an innovative model of care for children and adolescents.