Featured Headlines
Clean energy projects bring $5.2 million in savings for WTD
Balanced You attends the Healthy Worksite Summit
Let the world class KCSO Motorcycle Unit take you for a spin
Meet the SCOPE Team, connecting services directly to your community
News
Mystery on the Green River: What killed these young salmon?
Crossposted from Headwaters A cold April rain fell on the Green River but the research carried on. Chris Gregersen and Dan Lantz, ecologists from King County’s Science Section, floated down the river’s mainstem and poked into its tributaries listening for loud, electronic beeps from their tracking antennas. Each beep meant a juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) – previously tagged by our team or other researchers – was swimming below. Every beep was a reason to celebrate, especially in weather like this. But as they paddled up Kent’s Mill Creek in search of more… Read More
Tour our plants to find out what happens after you flush
Crossposted from Clean Water News: Updates from the King County Wastewater Treatment Division Complete your summer plans with a wastewater treatment plant tour! We offer tours at our three regional facilities, as well as our state-of-the-art Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station in Seattle! We invite everyone ages 9 and older to learn how we clean wastewater and transform it into valuable resources. Registration is required, so be sure to reserve your spot in advance. Sign up for a treatment plant tour here. Picture: WTD interns on a tour of the Georgetown Wet… Read More
Seasonal farmers markets are back and there are many ways to enjoy them
Crossposted from Field Notes Seasonal farmers markets are back! Across King County, more than 40 markets are opening their stalls and bringing together local farmers, foragers, food businesses, and others to share the bounty of our local food system. Here’s how to make the most of this abundant time of year. Find a market: On most days of the week except Monday, you can find a farmers market. Use the WA State Farmers Market Association’s Find a Farmers Market tool online to locate a market close to you, or stop by any market’s info booth to pick up a printed directory. Find the directory for King County and Seattle Markets here. Read… Read More
Tap into Seattle summer: ORCA releases limited-time promotional three-day pass
Crossposted from Metro Matters On June 1, ORCA launched a new promotional pass, the 3-Day Puget Pass, allowing riders to save money on transit across the Puget Sound region throughout the summer. This promotional Regional Day Pass is available through Aug. 31, 2026. The 3-Day Puget Pass is a multi-day pass which allows adult fare riders to travel around the region for an $18 flat rate, or $6 for ORCA LIFT and RRFP Senior and Disabled fare riders. This pass makes it simple for riders to enjoy unlimited transit options across multiple… Read More
Creating a culture of inclusion
Crossposted from the DAJD Employee Newsletter They’re on a mission. Employees who focus on disability issues for the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) and Public Health – Seattle & King County aim to do more than just comply with the law. They want to change the mindset so that King County jails make their services truly accessible to people with disabilities. Meet Brandi Brown and Brad Steinmetz from DAJD, and Blayne Amson from Public Health. Read more.
Celebrating the best of Rail: Our 2025 Employees of the Year
Crossposted from Metro Matters Each year, our King County Metro Rail Division grows, evolves and reaches new milestones—and behind every success are the people who make it happen. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce our 2025 Rail Employees of the Year. “Each of these employees represents the dedication, heart and excellence that define our Rail Division,” said Metro General Manager Michelle Allison. “Their work not only keeps our system running—it strengthens the experience for the growing number of riders who depend on us. I’m incredibly proud of this year’s honorees and grateful for… Read More
WATCH: Executive Zahilay introduces our new Vision, Mission, and Values
Executive Zahilay today shared a new employee video where he introduces our new Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values. “ACTIVATE stands for: Accountable, Collaborative, Timely, Impactful, Value Employees, Accessible, Trusted, and Equitable,” Executive Zahilay explains in the video. “These values build on the strong foundation that already exists here at King County, while helping us meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. They define how we make decisions, how we work together, and how we hold ourselves accountable to the people that we serve.” The video also features Dr. Sandra Valenciano, Director of Public Health —… Read More
Executive launches new Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay today launched our new Vision, Mission, and Values for the Executive Branch. “Today, I am pleased to introduce our new Vision, Mission, and Values,” Executive Zahilay said in an email to all employees. “Together, they define where we are headed as an organization, the role we play in serving our communities, and how we will work together internally to deliver on those external priorities.” Our Vision Statement defines the future we are striving toward: a vibrant, inclusive, and resilient region where every individual and community is safe, connected, housed, healthy, and empowered… Read More
New discount available to Seattle Opera
Employees can now take advantage of discounts to multiple performances at the Seattle Opera for upcoming shows in the 2026/27 season. This includes “Salome,” “Lakme in Concert,” and others. Purchase tickets here, using promo code KING20. See all available discounts on the Employee Discount intranet page.
Behind the scenes of the limited-edition SEA26 ORCA Card
Crossposted from Metro Matters There’s nothing Seattle-area transit riders love more than a special-edition ORCA card! To celebrate Seattle’s status as a host city in the 2026 World Cup, ORCA produced a limited-edition, promotional ORCA card which celebrates the excitement of the sport and the culture of the Pacific Northwest. Led by King County Metro in partnership with 4Culture, this ORCA card was designed by local artist Alison Bremner. 4Culture is King County’s cultural services agency, providing funding and support for art, heritage, historic preservation, public art, and science and technology to help connect people throughout the… Read More
Events Ahoy! West Seattle Water Taxi is set for sailing to Mariners games, soccer matches and more this summer
Crossposted from the Captain’s Blog You don’t need a soccer tournament to stay busy in Seattle this summer, and the King County Water Taxi wants to help you get to all of the events taking place downtown—as well as to that soccer tournament! Weeknight trips after Mariners baseball Weeknight post-game sailings for the Seattle Mariners are returning this summer. The weekday post-game trips from Pier 50 to West Seattle started June 1, after an interleague game between the M’s and the New York Mets. The water taxi will provide evening post-game service Monday through Thursday…. Read More
Hundreds of thousands of people are coming to Seattle for the World Cup. Here’s what it means for your health
Crossposted from Public Health Insider With six World Cup matches and many fan events in Seattle planned in June and July, up to 750,000 people are expected to come to the region! Public Health and our partners have compiled tips to help people going to the events and exploring King County stay safe and healthy, whether you’re new to King County or already live here. Please share this information if you are hosting or working with visitors during the World Cup. Read more.
Employee Assistance Program and Making Life Easier undergo refresh, July 1
King County’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Making Life Easier (MLE) are about to go through a refresh. This is the result of feedback from employees, supervisors, leaders, and HR staff. Historically, the MLE program focused on helping all King County employees with home- and life-related stress and concerns. Beginning July 1, MLE will expand their services to also support employees with workplace issues. MLE will continue to provide support to employees and their families living in the same household for home-related stress and concerns. This all-in-one counseling is provided by our external vendor Curalinc and includes: Confidential… Read More
Using data to guide resources to where they’re needed most: Portraits of Public Health
Crossposted from Public Health Insider Our website is full of all sorts of interesting data dashboards, synthesizing information from an array of data sources to allow our staff and the public to better understand who is most impacted by various health issues. Danny is one of the data scientists who does the behind-the-scenes work to make these data visualizations possible and to allow our staff to work efficiently. For this month’s Portraits in Public Health, we look behind the scenes to understand the work of Danny and his colleagues. Hi Danny. What’s your job at Public Health? I’m a data scientist. I create software tools to help my… Read More
King County officials urge extra caution on rivers after December flooding created new potential drowning hazards
Crossposted from Field Notes King County officials are urging the public to be extra cautious on rivers this summer after major flooding this past December changed conditions and created new potential drowning hazards. They also warn that Lake Washington and Puget Sound remain dangerously cold even when the air temperature is warm. Widespread flooding this past December moved logs, rocks, and other hazards into rivers throughout King County, creating new drowning risks that might not be visible above the surface. Historically high flows shifted riverbeds, resulting in deeper or shallower pools that can create hazards for swimmers, tubers, boaters, and kayakers. Read more.
Free summer lunches for kids at King County Parks
Every kid should have access to healthy foods year-round. To help fill the gap in the school lunch program during summer break, King County Parks’ Teen Rec Aides are providing free summer sack lunches to kids under 18 along with activities at multiple locations throughout the summer. Steve Cox Memorial Park Community Center, 1321 SW 102nd St Seattle 98146, June 29 – Aug. 21: Mondays – Fridays from noon to 2 p.m. West Hill Community Center, 12320 80th Ave S Seattle 98178, June 30 – Aug. 21: Tuesdays – Fridays from noon to 2… Read More
It’s swimming season! Answers to your top questions about beach closures and reopenings
Crossposted from Public Health Insider There’s nothing quite like relaxing on a beach by the lake in the summertime. Here in King County, we’re lucky to have dozens of great beaches to choose from, and the Lake Swimming Beach Program works hard to make sure the water is safe for people to swim. Every week during the summer (typically from mid-May through mid-September) we test the water at popular swim beaches in King County for bacteria. If there’s a high risk that people could get sick from swimming or playing in the… Read More
Outdoor movies return to King County’s Marymoor Park this summer with food trucks, entertainment, dog-friendly activities
Crossposted from Field Notes This summer, moviegoers can once again enjoy big-screen films, food trucks, and dog-friendly activities at King County’s Marymoor Park in Redmond for the 22nd season of the KeyBank Movies at Marymoor presented by Sasquatch Strength & Nutrition. The season begins July 8 with the 1980s classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” kicking off another summer of relaxed, fun evenings stretched out on a beautiful grassy expanse. It will be the first season since Sound Transit’s 2 Line was completed with service to the nearby Marymoor Village Station. On July 15, audiences can sing along to crowd favorite… Read More
SEA26: Getting around town—Metro launches Waterfront Shuttles for summertime fun
Crossposted from Metro Matters Metro’s new Waterfront Shuttle is now in service in downtown Seattle, connecting riders between the Seattle Center, the Seattle Aquarium and the Great Wheel on the downtown waterfront, historic Pioneer Square and our treasured Chinatown-International District. Rides are free thanks to a sponsorship from the Seattle FWC26 team, all part of making it easier to ride transit and leave your car home all summer long—especially on Match Days. Shuttle service is very frequent—operating every 15 minutes, seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.—with stops near the city’s… Read More
Save the Date: Seattle Pride Parade, June 28
Employees are invited to join the King County group at the 52nd Annual Seattle Pride Parade on Sunday, June 28, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friends, family members, and even four-legged companions are welcome to participate alongside the King County group. Employees interested in marching with King County should complete the sign-up form here. Employees who plan to participate in the parade can also request a complimentary T-shirt through the sign-up form. To help us estimate quantities and order sizes, employees must complete the form by June 10. Additional T-shirt details, including pickup information,… Read More
About
We tell stories that highlight the work we do to support our residents,
build strong communities, and make our region a great place to live and work.
Our 17,000+ employees work every day to make King County
a welcoming community where every person can thrive.
Share this:
King County, WA LinkedIn
Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date with all King County professional news.
Employee News 