The Maple Valley–Black Diamond Chamber of Commerce is hosting the inaugural Wacky Dash & Business Bash on Saturday, August 1, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Lake Wilderness Park. This community event combines a fun 5K run or walk (open to all ages and fitness levels) with a business expo featuring local Chamber members showcasing products, services, and family-friendly activities. Participants are invited to wear creative costumes and register early.
Renton’s Valley Medical Center has unveiled a new name and logo, transitioning to Valley Medical Center & Clinics by January 1st as it becomes an independent public-hospital district. The 341-bed hospital, which serves portions of Maple Valley along with Kent, Tukwila, Auburn, and other South King County communities, is ending its 15-year affiliation with UW Medicine at year’s end. The rebranding reflects the organization’s nearly 80-year history and commitment to community care, with no changes expected to patient services or clinical excellence.
The Royal Reward Mercury Mine operated between 1958 and 1962 in the Green River Gorge area near Palmer-Kanaskat, founded by Enumclaw graduates Larry Berkshire and Ronald Ljungdahl. The mine extracted cinnabar ore containing mercury during a period of high demand for the metal in defense and manufacturing industries. Though ambitious in scope with modern infrastructure, the operation faced management disputes and ultimately closed by December 1962, becoming part of Washington State’s short-lived mercury mining history.
ORCA is launching a promotional 3-Day Puget Pass from June 1 through August 31, 2026, offering unlimited regional transit for $18 adults and $6 for seniors and disabled riders. The pass covers three consecutive days of travel on most Puget Sound transit services and is designed to help residents and visitors navigate major summer events, including the World Cup in Seattle. Maple Valley residents can purchase passes online, through the myORCA app, or at vending machines.
Pierce Transit presented a major service expansion plan Monday that would increase bus service by 40% if voters approve a 0.3% sales tax increase this November. The plan includes four new routes, more frequent service across the system, and expanded evening hours. Without new funding, Pierce Transit faces a financial crisis starting in 2027, potentially forcing service cuts by 2031. The agency will hold community engagement sessions in early June before the board votes on the package by July.
Trailhead Direct, King County Metro’s shuttle service connecting Seattle hikers to popular trailheads along the I-90 corridor, is returning in 2026 with Seattle Transit Measure funding covering 50% of operating costs. The service offers a “Park. Ride. Hike.” model that lets outdoor enthusiasts access five hiking destinations without driving to the trailhead. While based in Seattle, the service may appeal to Maple Valley residents exploring regional hiking options via public transit.
Seattle City Council unanimously approved a renewed transit funding measure Tuesday that will go to November voters. The measure doubles the sales tax rate from 0.15% to 0.3%, generating about $138 million annually to add roughly 100,000 bus trips per year and expand subsidized transit passes for low-income residents. While Seattle’s measure could indirectly affect regional transit planning, it primarily funds Seattle-specific service and doesn’t directly impact Maple Valley.
Kitsap Transit will cut Bremerton Fast Ferry weekday service by 35% starting September 1, dropping from 20 to 13 daily round trips after state supplemental funding ends. The cuts will eliminate service between mid-morning and early afternoon, with no evening sailings after 7:05 pm from Bremerton. The fast ferry had provided a 30-minute alternative to the 60-minute Washington State Ferry crossing since 2022.
Everett and Community Transit are restarting talks to merge Everett Transit into the larger countywide agency, potentially doubling bus funding in Everett from 0.6% to 1.2% sales tax. Both the Everett City Council and Community Transit board will consider an interlocal agreement this fall, which could increase all-day frequent service routes from 3 to 14 and evening service routes from 3 to 15 if approved.
Bellevue’s Conflict Resolution Center and Small Business Consultants have expanded to offer services at Mini City Hall on Wednesdays. The CRC provides in-person conflict mediation from noon to 2 p.m., while small business consultants offer free office hours from 10 a.m. to noon. This regional service expansion in a neighboring city has limited direct impact on Maple Valley residents.
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay announced a one-year lease agreement with CREATE48 Media Network to operate Harbor Island Studios, a county-owned film facility in West Seattle. The county will simultaneously pursue surplussing the $22 million property to find a potential buyer, while CREATE48 runs programs supporting local filmmakers and production professionals through 2026.
Harbor Island Studios, a publicly-owned film production facility in Seattle, has new operators: Kirk Nordenstrom and Kris Flink from the nonprofit CREATE48. King County Executive Girmay Zahilay announced the transition Tuesday, giving the 117,000-square-foot studio with two sound stages another temporary reprieve. However, the lease ends June 30, 2027, and the county plans to eventually sell the property, leaving the studio’s long-term future uncertain.
Spokane County voters will decide on August 4th whether to renew a 0.2% sales tax funding the Spokane Transit Authority through a measure called STA Proposition 1. The renewal is not a tax increase and would support the agency’s Connect 2035 plan, including bus rapid transit on Division Street and services for paratransit, vanpool, and fixed-route buses that currently deliver the second-highest ridership in Washington state.
King County Metro launched the Golden Gardens Direct shuttle bus on June 27, running daily from 11 am to 9 pm through August 30 between Ballard (15th and Market Street) and Golden Gardens Park. The summer-only service, funded by $300,000 in Seattle Transit Measure dollars, operates every 30 minutes with fares at $3 (free for youth 18 and under) and aims to address parking overcrowding at the popular 87-acre Puget Sound park.
Seattle’s Independent Bookstore Day, running April 25–May 3, 2026, expanded to 33 participating bookstores across the region. The event, held over ten days to reduce crowding, invites readers to collect passport stamps at participating shops. While the article focuses on a Seattle-based transit challenge, the bookstores span multiple counties and communities, including some in neighboring areas like Bremerton, Poulsbo, and Edmonds.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson announced plans to speed up Route 8 bus service on Denny Way with a new half-mile eastbound bus lane and permanent reroute of southbound I-5 traffic, launching in August. The improvements aim to help the chronically delayed Route 8 that connects Uptown and Capitol Hill, with frequency increasing from every 15 minutes to every 12 minutes starting August 29.