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.
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Tech Tip: KCIT shares accessibility tips for Outlook, Office, and Teams
Since one out of five people has a disability, it is important to support everyone’s accessibility needs. Whether it’s larger text sizes or closed captioning for online meetings, accessible technology makes a real difference.
KCIT developed this online training series with Microsoft to discuss accessibility features in Outlook, Office, and Teams. Take a look to learn how you can support this work.
- Accessibility Tools for Low-Vision
- Accessibility Tools for Hard of Hearing
- Accessibility Tools for Neurodiversity
- Creating Accessible Content for Every Body
For help using accessible technology, contact the KCIT HelpDesk here or at 206- 263-4357.
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Recorded Teams Meetings will be deleted after 90 days
Microsoft has implemented a new policy to auto-delete recorded Teams meetings from the meeting owner’s OneDrive after 90 days. This policy will only apply to recordings created on or after April 15; previously recorded meetings will not be impacted.
Going forward, meeting owners will be notified via email when recordings are deleted and can retrieve the files from their recycle bin. This will improve file management by removing unneeded recordings from employees’ OneDrive. Employees can save and share recorded meetings using Microsoft Stream. View the quick guide to uploading Teams Meeting Recordings to Stream.
If you need help, Executive branch employees can LiveChat with the KCIT Helpdesk. Employees in separately-elected agencies should contact your department IT support.
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Airport staff to present on diversity and inclusion at industry conference
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express
Vanessa Chin and Kevin Nuechterlein’s proposal for a presentation on diversity and inclusion has been selected by the Northwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (NWAAAE) for their fall conference. Their presentation will be titled, “Sustainable Culture Change for a More Diverse and Inclusive Airport.”
“For me, one thing I want to definitely impart with the airport industry is that the way that King County empowers our airport to live out our True North values and embed equity in all the work we do,” said Chin, Business Information Management Manager for King County International Airport.
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New Finance and Business Operations Division employee taps into experience to drive success and promote inclusion
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express
Sue Mason is the new Labor Equity Program Supervisor in the Finance and Business Operations Division in DES. Her job includes administering the county’s priority hire program and collaborating with unions, pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, and contractors to support the hiring, retention, and training of underrepresented workers, and encouraging folks to consider construction as a career.
Click here to read the full announcement.
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It’s safe to give help: Questions and answers about secondhand fentanyl exposure
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider
As the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl has spread across King County and the rest of the nation, it has, unfortunately, become more common to encounter a person who may be experiencing an opioid overdose.
Questions arise about what to do in that situation – how to give help, and whether it’s safe to do so. Some stories in the media have raised worries about whether people who come into close contact with someone experiencing a fentanyl overdose could get exposed to the drug while trying to help.
Dr. Scott Phillips, Medical Toxicologist and Medical Director of the Washington Poison Center, addresses some of those questions, and explains the science behind them. Click here to read the full story.
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COVID-19 update: Considerations and recommendations as we move into spring
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider
With cases slowly but steadily rising over the past month in our region, we’re taking a closer look at what we know about the state of the pandemic locally. The bottom line is that although ongoing ups and downs in COVID-19 activity are likely, it’s best not to become infected and there are effective ways to reduce our risk.
Click here for a brief look at the current COVID-19 situation in King County and recommended strategies for anyone who wants to reduce their risk for COVID-19 and long COVID, especially people at higher risk for severe infection.
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