Green River restoration project completed
King County Executive Dow Constantine recently congratulated staff and partners for completing a major restoration project along the Green River that has improved fish and wildlife habitat while protecting nearby farmland, homes, and roads from flooding and erosion.
The successful project near Auburn replaced the degraded Lones Levee, which was built in the 1960s, with a modern, integrated design that restores a critical section of the Green River to its natural state. View the video below and read the full story here.
Featured image courtesy of Eli Brownwell, King County Parks.
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FTA recognizes King County Metro with Most Equitable and Most Transformative awards
Cross-posted from the Federal Transportation Association Earth Day media release
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration recently recognized the exemplary efforts of 10 transit agencies across the nation to combat climate change through its Sustainable Transit for a Healthy Planet initiative.
Because of the dedication and hard work of its employees, King County Metro was recognized with the Most Equitable and Most Transformative awards. Read the full announcement here.
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Take a tour of land conservation successes in the Green-Duwamish Watershed
Protecting greenspace in urban communities is a significant challenge. The land is expensive to buy and it is more difficult to restore ecological functions in industrial river corridors than in less impacted ecosystems.
But for the Land Conservation Initiative – a regional partnership to protect the last, best 65,000 acres of the highest conservation value open space before they are lost forever – providing more equitable access to the outdoors and improving habitat for some of the most productive salmon runs in the state are calls to action. View the video below and click here to read about these various projects.
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Celebrating King County’s Administrative Professionals
Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 27 is Administrative Professionals Recognition Day, an opportunity to recognize and celebrate King County’s hard-working Administrative Professionals.
Administrative Professionals are the backbone of County operations. Many operate behind the scenes to make sure customers get access to the services they rely on and employees can do their best work for our community.
Whitney Abrams, King County’s Chief People Officer and Executive Sponsor of the Administrative Professionals Development and Recognition Program, said that she is looking forward to celebrating the achievements and contributions of Administrative Professionals.
“I see the impact of their remarkable work each and every day, and I am grateful they have brought their talents to King County,” Abrams said. “They help all of us be more effective in our work, and I look forward to celebrating them on this special day.”
The King County Administrative Professional Advisory Committee is hosting a celebratory virtual event for Administrative Professionals Recognition Day on Wednesday, April 27 at noon. The keynote speaker will be Anita Whitfield, Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer. All employees are welcome to attend and support King County’s Administrative Professionals. Find out more.
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Get free at-home COVID-19 tests
With COVID-19 cases slowly but steadily rising in our region over the past month, now is a good time to check your family’s supply of at-home rapid COVID-19 tests. It’s important to test if you have symptoms and before indoor group gatherings—especially if high-risk people are going to be present. If it’s time to restock, check out the following convenient options to get additional free test kits:
- Order at-home tests from the federal government at Covid.gov/tests. Every home in the U.S. is eligible to have two sets of four free at-home tests delivered without shipping fees. If you already ordered your first set, you can order a second one today.
- Order self-tests from Washington state at Sayyescovidhometest.org. Eligible households can place an order each calendar month for one kit of five free self-tests.
- Kaiser Permanente members can learn about additional free test options at COVID-19 testing information. You can order home-delivered tests at no cost, pick up tests at participating retail pharmacies or Kaiser clinics, or purchase tests and submit a claim for reimbursement. Your plan will cover up to eight at-home COVID-19 tests within a 30-day period for each person covered under your plan. You’ll be reimbursed up to $12 per test.
- Regence BlueShield members can use their CVS Caremark® card to order self-tests delivered to your home at CVS Home Covid Tests (shipping fees apply), pick up tests at participating retail pharmacies, or purchase tests and submit a claim to CVS for reimbursement. Your plan will cover up to eight at-home COVID-19 tests within a 30-day period for each person covered under your plan. You’ll be reimbursed up to $12 per test.
To learn more about self-tests–including what to do if your test is positive—visit COVID-19 self-testing.
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King County Superior Court receives technology award for outfitting courtrooms with video
Cross-posted from the King County Superior Court blog
While many courts across the country remained closed during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote courtroom technology enabled King County Superior Court hold trials. From July 2020 to March 2021, Superior Court held more than 600 trials, including over 100 jury trials, and thousands of hearings.
Superior Court received the Technology Achievement Award in the Connected Government Category for “the successful delivery of a new, modern video system for 48 trial courtrooms to allow remote jury selection, participation, and witnesses for civil trials.” Click here to read the full announcement.
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Masks recommended on transit
Guided by a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) statement on Monday night, King County Metro will no longer require masks on transit. However, Public Health – Seattle & King County recommends that people wear masks in indoor public transportation settings at this time.
Click here to read the full announcement.
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Drug Court graduates get praise, support from White House drug policy official
Cross-posted from King County Superior Court
The top attorney for drug control policy at the White House spoke to graduates of King County Drug Diversion Court (KCDDC) at the online April 13 celebration.
Robert Kent, General Counsel for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy said attending drug court graduation is one of the most special parts of his work, “because it is a manifestation of what is possible — how we can get to the point where we engage, and live productive lives.” Click here to read the full story.
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New RASKC employees get experience and opportunity through new Jobs and Housing program
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express
Through the new King County Jobs and Housing program, Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) has hired two temporary employees who are or were experiencing homelessness.
The new positions are funded by the Jobs and Housing program, tapping into the federal COVID-19 recovery budget. Read more about this innovative program.
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New IT Helpdesk portal offers convenient, user-friendly experience starting April 22
King County’s IT Helpdesk portal (Cherwell) is getting a new look and added features starting April 22. These changes are based on feedback provided by employees. The new IT Helpdesk portal provides a more intuitive, user-friendly experience, including:
- A handy search tool at the top of the page to quickly find self-help “Knowledge Articles” that answer basic questions
- A more prominent “Major Incidents” alerts for unplanned outages impacting King County systems
- A new “Conference Room Equipment” button for onsite AV support
The IT Helpdesk will be unavailable on Friday, April 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. during implementation of these changes. Going forward, employees’ login experience will remain the same; any open tickets will be immediately visible in the new Helpdesk portal.
Employee News 