Seattle Pride Parade is back and King County is marching
Mark your calendars for Sunday, June 26 at 11 a.m. to join your colleagues representing King County in the 2022 Seattle Pride parade. Participants will be required to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test in order to participate.
T-shirts will be available for sale, so stand by for more information. There will be 150 adult size t-shirts available at no cost on a first-come, first-serve basis the morning of the parade.
Further details about when and where we will meet for the Parade will be sent out once it is available. To stay up to date on all things related to the Pride Parade, email leah.holland@kingcounty.gov with the subject line “PRIDE Info.”
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KCIT Tech Centers now located in Tukwila, Northgate, and South Seattle
Executive Branch employees can now get IT support at any of KCIT’s new Tech Centers in Tukwila, Northgate or South Seattle. KCIT Tech Centers provide employees with convenient onboarding/offboarding services, docking station and monitor replacements, and general PC fixes that can’t be solved remotely.
KCIT Tech Center support is available by appointment only. If onsite help is needed, KCIT staff will contact you to schedule an appointment at your preferred location. KCIT Tech Centers are another example of how KCIT is supporting King County’s hybrid workforce as we move forward with the Future of Work. For more information, check out the KCIT Tech Centers – FAQ.
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Changes coming to King County COVID-19 testing sites
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider
As King County COVID-19 case rates have fallen from the Omicron peak earlier this year, and as the availability of free rapid self-test and community testing options have increased, demand at King County COVID-19 test sites has significantly declined.
In order to better align with demand and transition to long-term testing solutions, Public Health – Seattle & King County will end its operations of our Tukwila, Federal Way and Auburn COVID-19 testing sites. The last day of King County operations for the Federal Way and Tukwila testing sites will be Friday, May 27, and the last day of King County operations for the Auburn site will be Wednesday, June 1. Click here to read more.
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Immunocompromised? You may be eligible for this medication to help protect from COVID
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider
If you or someone you know is at higher risk from COVID-19 because of a compromised immune system, pre-exposure prophylaxis (also called PrEP, available as the product Evusheld) can help to protect from severe disease.
When taken before infection or exposure, Evusheld helps your body fight the coronavirus and avoid getting really sick or needing to visit the hospital. Find more information here.
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March and April Operators of the Month
Cross-posted from Metro Matters
They are as unique as the people they meet with everyday when behind the wheel of their coaches:
A tennis coach. A bowler. Another who started driving for Metro to help pay for school. A retired banker who now regrets telling the bus drivers who got him to work to “hurry up.” And those who started driving buses after being told they would be good at it.
They are part of a group of transit operators with more than a century of experience at Metro. Click here to meet the Metro Operators of the Month for March and April 2022.
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How King County businesses help protect public health and the environment through our Industrial Waste program
Cross-posted from Clean Water Stories
Staff at the King County wastewater treatment plants do an excellent job of cleaning wastewater, but not all types of waste can be filtered out during the treatment process.
The Industrial Waste Program is in charge of preventing pollution from entering the wastewater system in the first place.
That’s also where local business can make a difference. By making sure that they only send wastewater to the County system that meets the standards set to protect the environment, businesses play a big role in keeping our waterways clean. Read the full story here.
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KCTV celebrates Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander month
There’s a saying in Vietnamese, “Uống nước nhớ nguồn” that translates to “when you drink from a river, remember its origins.” Throughout the month of May, KCTV will feature local AANHPI leaders each week to see how their past is connected to the present.
This week features Rachel Yang, a Korean-American chef and James Beard nominee that co-owns the Relay Restaurant Group, which includes the popular Joule and Revel restaurants. You can see the YouTube video here and Facebook video here.
Watch for upcoming features including artist Erin Shigaki, writer and UW Professor Shawn Wong, and UW Professor Raissa DeSmet and students from the Southeast Asian Pasts and Futures (SEAPF) program. There will also be a live online viewing event at the end of May where we will be watching all of the features together — details coming soon.
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Executive Constantine thanks retiring Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention director John Diaz and names successor
Executive Constantine announced that John Diaz, Director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD), will retire in late June following a distinguished three-year tenure that included unprecedented changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. A former Seattle police chief, Diaz joined DAJD as interim director in April 2019 and assumed the director position that August.
Executive Constantine has appointed Juvenile Division Director Allen Nance to take over the role. Read the full announcement here.
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Thanking Sheriff’s Office employees in National Police Week
This week is National Police Week, and King County Executive Dow Constantine used the opportunity to thank King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) employees for their service.
I am grateful for everything that you do for the people of this region, and I thank you for your ongoing service,” Executive Constantine said in an email message to KCSO staff. “You are there, day in and day out, ensuring their safety and helping to make more welcoming, thriving communities.”
With over 1,000 employees, the KCSO serves the law enforcement needs of over half a million people in unincorporated areas and 12 contract cities. The KCSO also provides police departments for the Muckleshoot Tribe, Metro Transit, and the King County International Airport.
President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week in 1962 to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
“Here in King County, we have lost 19 KCSO personnel while performing their duties,” Executive Constantine said. “We must never forget their sacrifice and service to our community.”
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New ORCA card system begins on May 16
Cross-posted from Metro Matters
Starting May 16, hundreds of thousands of ORCA transit customers across the Puget Sound region will have access to a new website, smartphone app, and real-time value loading for their ORCA cards.
Customers will also begin to see new card readers and vending machines as technology is updated and rolled out at transit locations throughout the region. This will mark the start of ongoing improvements to the ORCA system over the next several years. Get more information here.
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