Keep food poisoning off the menu this holiday season
Crossposted from Public Health Insider
It’s the holiday season, and that means FOOD! Whether you’re hosting a big group or bringing your famous side dish to a gathering, you want to make sure your food is both delicious and safe.
While anyone can get a foodborne illness, and symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting are never pleasant, foodborne illnesses are most dangerous for children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. Read more.
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Spend your remaining FSA funds
Do you have money left in your Flexible Spending Account (FSA)? To check the balance of your Health Care or Day Care FSA, go to Navia Benefits and sign in to your account. Expenses must be incurred by Dec. 31, 2025, and submitted for reimbursement by March 31, 2026. Please see details below.
Health Care FSAs
- The Health Care FSA allows you to carry over up to $660 of unused funds from your 2025 Health Care FSA for use in 2026. Any other remaining funds are forfeited.
- You can use your Health Care FSA funds to pay for a variety of medical, dental, and vision expenses for you, your spouse or eligible domestic partner, and your dependents.
- Health Care FSA funds can be used to pay for orthodontia, sleep products, health and activity trackers, and over-the-counter medications and supplies, including menstrual care products. They can also be used for eligible ergonomic office equipment when you obtain a letter of medical necessity from your doctor.
- See the complete list of Health Care FSA Eligible and Ineligible Expenses. You can also shop online at the FSA Store.
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Honoring Native American Heritage Month
Crossposted from Metro Matters
Each November, Native American Heritage Month invites us to honor the history, cultures, and enduring contributions of Native peoples throughout our region and across the nation. At Metro, this is also a time to reflect on how our work connects to the values of stewardship, respect, and community—values long upheld by the Indigenous peoples of this land.
We acknowledge that Metro operates on the ancestral lands of the Muckleshoot, Snoqualmie, Puyallup, Tulalip, Suquamish, Coast Salish Tribes, and the Duwamish people. These communities have cared for the land and waterways since time immemorial and continue to guide us toward deeper understanding of sustainability, interdependence, and belonging. Read more.
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Metro General Manager Michelle Allison named Woman of Influence
Crossposted from Metro Matters
The Puget Sound Business Journal honored King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison with a Woman of Influence award, recognizing a leader whose clarity of purpose, steady approach, and commitment to community are transforming how our region moves. The award was given at a ceremony on Wednesday night in Seattle.
“She is only the second woman to lead Metro, and her example is paving the way for future generations of women in public service,” said King County Executive Shannon Braddock.
Every weekday, Metro delivers more than 300,000 rides. That number grows even larger when the Sound Transit Link light rail system, that Metro operates, is added. Metro’s ridership has had one of the fastest growth rates of any large agency nationwide in recent years. Read more.
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Big day for small runway: 14L/32R reopens after rehabilitation project
Crossposted from the DES Express
Before dawn on Oct. 30, promptly at 7 a.m., Runway 14L/32R at King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) officially reopened for flight operations. Moments later, BETA Technologies’ ALIA electric aircraft quietly took off from the runway (watch a video of the flight), the first plane to do so. Later, airport tenants, guests and employees celebrated the reopening of the small utility runway at a brief gathering over the lunch hour outside the terminal, with Mount Rainier in the background.
“This is celebrating the history of Boeing Field,” said Ann Richart, Aviation Director, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). “This project is supporting safety and innovation.” Read more.
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Emergency exercise tests communications ahead of World Cup
Crossposted from the DES Express
For the first time, Emergency Management held a drill called a Joint Information Center/Joint Information System exercise involving other local governments and non-profit organizations in addition to the usual King County agencies. A total of 33 people participated, with 13 of those in person and 20 online. They hailed from as far south as Clark County and as far north as Vancouver, Canada. Another eight people were involved in exercise coordination.
“This exercise was a great opportunity to have our partners test the communications plans and procedures for the upcoming World Cup in the Seattle area next year,” said Sheri Badger, Public Information Officer for Emergency Management. “We want to seamlessly share information between jurisdictions and with the public to keep our visitors and communities notified of potential issues that may come up during the tournament.” Read more.
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King County Wins 2025 Geospatial Professional Network Award for Innovative AI-GIS System
King County is proud to have been honored with the 2025 Exemplary Systems in Geospatial (ESIG) Award in the Single Process Systems category by the Geospatial Professional Network (GPN, formerly URISA). This recognition honors our innovative AI-GIS Strengthened State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Response Letter Generator, a novel system that integrates geographic information systems (GIS) with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to advance health equity across King County. Read more.
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Executive Braddock on adoption of $20 billion budget for 2026-27 – A reflection of our community’s priorities
King County Executive Shannon Braddock issued the following statement after the King County Council passed a $20 billion biennial budget that adopts major components of her 200-Day Plan and reflects key investments in public safety, housing and homelessness, and behavioral health while preparing for future federal funding uncertainties.
“This budget reflects King County’s values, which means delivering a balanced plan that protects essential services, increases efficiency, and reinvests in programs that most benefit our residents.
I would like to thank the King County Council for their hard work in passing the budget, with special thanks to Budget Chair Rod Dembowski for his leadership. This year was especially challenging, as the county faced the largest General Fund budget deficit in our history. I’m proud that we were able to protect core services while also establishing contingency funding. However, we know that rising costs for government services and continued uncertainty at the federal level, particularly regarding homelessness funding and cuts to safety-net programs targeting our most vulnerable populations, will create financial challenges in the future.” Read more.
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One day left to pledge: Annual Giving Drive
Thank you to everyone who has participated in this year’s Annual Giving Drive so far! As a reminder, the Employee Giving Program made a one-time extension to this year’s Annual Giving Drive (AGD), to Friday, Nov. 21., 2025.
If you are donating eligible Vacation or Compensatory time, tomorrow Nov. 21, 2025 is a firm deadline and one of the benefits of PeopleSoft is that it can be done from home. Every year, hundreds of hours of time must be turned away because they come in after the deadline and were not able to be processed. Click here to learn more about giving time.
Don’t forget to renew your payroll pledge as well. While renewing is easy, it is not automatic.
The best way to ensure that your pledge reaches us in time is to do one of the following:
- Go online in PeopleSoft and complete; or
- Fill out a paper form and then scan and email to employeegiving@kingcounty.gov.
If you need assistance, we’re here to help. Visit the new Employee Giving Program intranet site, call 206-263-9372, or email employeegiving@kingcounty.gov.
Find a nonprofit. Renew now. Donate now.
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Special discount for Cirque du Soleil’s ECHO
King County employees can now take advantage of discounted tickets for ECHO, performing at King County’s Marymoor Park Jan. 30 to March 22.
Use this link to save up to 40% on select seats and dates. For groups of 10+, enjoy up to 40% off plus reduced handling fees. For questions or more information, contact Sarah.Hudson@cirquedusoleil.com.
See all available discounts on the Employee Discount intranet page.
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