Published author, scientist, and volunteer: DNRP employee does it all
Water and Land Resource Division (WLRD) Ecologist Laura Hartema makes her debut as a published author after transforming her fading journal entries into a book, Bering Sea Strong: How I Found Solid Ground on Open Ocean.
Laura’s journal entries from her time aboard a Bering Sea catcher-processor vessel manifested into a book that shares how she used her at-sea experience to find solace from her past and harness the strength to pursue a rewarding career and a better life. “I started the book years after I returned from sea; I didn’t know how to write a book, I just started,” Laura said. “The key is to push yourself beyond your circumstances to test that threshold. We are all stronger and more capable than we know. Well, I went to sea and found out.”
Laura’s contribution to sustainability has not stopped on catcher-processor vessels. For over 20 years, she’s been committed to restoring and monitoring King County’s streams, wetlands and their buffers. Concurrently, Laura has spent nearly two decades volunteering her time as the Director of Friends of Des Moines, and was recently presented with the Des Moines Legacy Foundation LEGACY Award 2017 for her work in habitat restoration.
“I don’t volunteer for praise, or pay, or credit, but I admit it feels good to be recognized for my leadership for nearly 20 years of community service,” Laura said. “It takes a little leadership and, at times, a push to accomplish great things, but the Des Moines Parks department has supported my efforts. It’s special to gather and work hard with a group of strangers for a common good.”
Laura’s personal and professional work are a testament that every individual has something to offer their community and neighbors. “‘Think globally and act locally’ is what I do,” Laura said.
You can find out more about Laura, her book Bering Sea Strong and upcoming events, and sign up to receive her Love This Day blog posts at www.laurahartema.com. Her book’s release date is March 13, and is now available for preorder on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and IndieBooks. It may also be found in your local bookstore.
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Kudos! Wastewater Treatment Division highlighted in recent articles for its accomplishments!
The King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) was recently featured in three local news articles.
- The Renton Reporter shared a press release on Puget Sound Energy’s $894,000 grant to fund a pump replacement project at South Plant. Read more here.
- The Daily Journal of Commerce did an article on the Barton Roadside Rain Garden project in West Seattle and the 2018 ACEC Engineering Excellence Award it earned. Read more here.
- Suzanne Potts, a Laboratory Specialist at South Plant, was featured in a profile piece in Treatment Plant Operator magazine. Read more here.
Kudos to WTD and its employees for their accomplishments and recognition!
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Film from King County Sheriff’s Bundy investigation files digitized for major network documentary
In January, the King County Archives provided material for use in a new major network documentary about serial killer Ted Bundy. Among the King County Sheriff’s Office investigation files are three reels of 16mm film taken using a home movie camera. The Archives received assistance from colleagues at the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections to digitize these films.
The films are of a Rainier Brewery picnic at Lake Sammamish July 14, 1974, on the day that Bundy abducted two woman from the beach in broad daylight. The first film shows the picnic taking place, and the second and third show police at the picnic site, with crowds standing around, apparently aware of the news.
The footage was also recently shown as part of an archives film screening hosted by the Moving Image Preservation of the Puget Sound (MIPoPS) at the Northwest Film Forum. This highlights rare films digitized by local heritage institutions.
KIRO 7 news also picked up the footage for a short segment, which can be viewed here.
Pictured: On the left, important film scenes were marked with string then tape. On the right, a still from the film shows KCSO officers on the scene.
Interestingly, the films had several individual frames flagged with string tied through sprockets as a method of flagging content of interest, presumably by KCSO investigators. In order to play the film but not lose the markings, the string was replaced with tape along the edge, as shown below.
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Mindfulness 2018 class schedule now available
Crossposted from Healthy Incentives
The 2018 schedule for the popular Mindfulness classes is now available. King County is offering Mindfulness classes through Mindfulness Northwest. The classes support and provide relevant information to employees working to reduce stress and improve well-being.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the simple yet powerful ability of the mind to attend more fully to the present moment’s experience. Cultivating mindfulness results in many benefits for mental and physical health, well-being, and happiness. Mindfulness works at the interface between the mind and our experience of our life.
Read more at Healthy Incentives
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Use SeeClickFix to report maintenance issues in our parks!
Crossposted from King County Parks Plog
See a construction issue, a downed tree, or graffiti in our parks? Let us know! King County Parks uses SeeClickFix to track maintenance issues in our parks and we want to hear from you. The process is very easy so just follow these three simple steps:
- See: With 200 parks, 175 miles of trails and 28,000 acres of open space we’ve got a lot to take care of. Snap a picture of a maintenance issues you see in our parks like a broken bridge or litter.
- Click: Report the issue on the SeeClickFix app or website. Simply find the location on the map and select your “issue.” You will need to download the app and create an account.
- Fix: Our crews will respond to your requests and you will be notified via SeeClickFix upon completion.
It’s that simple! See. Click. Fix.
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Metro explores new ways to provide mobility
Crossposted from Metro Matters
Pictured: King County Executive Dow Constantine and community leaders at a Jan. 30 ribbon-cutting for the Des Moines Community Shuttle.
Not everyone who needs transit lives near a bus stop. And not every area has the right mix of infrastructure and housing to support traditional bus service. So Metro is exploring several new ways to connect more people to transit and improve mobility options for customers who need them.
Metro recently launched the Des Moines Community Shuttle/Route 635, in partnership with the City of Des Moines, to connect workers commuting to Des Moines with the Angle Lake light rail station. It is one of the ways Metro is working to connect more people to transit and improve mobility.
The Des Moines Community Shuttle is one of several new mobility solutions now in service or in the works through Metro’s Community Connections program, which is built on partnerships with local communities to meet their unique transportation needs.
Read more at Metro Matters
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Social Media Spotlight: King County Assessor John Wilson Facebook
King County Assessor John Wilson was elected on November 4, 2015, and assumed office on January 1, 2016. The Assessments department strives to deliver excellent customer service, accountability, fair and equitable valuation
Follow the Assessor Wilson on Facebook today.
Click here to view all King County social media pages.
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Featured Job: Nutritionist I
Closing Date/Time: Mon. 02/26/18 11:59 PM Pacific Time
Salary: $29.78 – $37.75 Hourly
Job Type: Career Service
Location: Federal Way Public Health Center – Federal Way, Washington
Department: Department of Public Health–Community Health Services
Description: Public Health – Seattle & King County is seeking a Nutritionist I to provide First Steps (Maternity Support Services and Infant Case Management) and WIC services within the context of an office-based multidisciplinary team including Nutrition Assistants, Public Health Nurses, Registered Dietitians, Social Workers, and Community Health Workers.
Nutritionists are responsible for providing direct nutrition services, including breastfeeding support, to individuals and groups as part of a client-centered Public Health WIC and First Steps clinic. Nutritionists may also provide Medical Nutrition Therapy services to primary care clients seen at the health center.
The successful candidate will exhibit excellent customer service skills, have the ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with our clients from various cultures, and communicate effectively with English as a Second Language (ESL) clients with the assistance of an interpreter. The ideal candidate will demonstrate initiative, flexibility, compassion, and positive team skills. Applicants bilingual in English and Spanish are desired.
Contact: For more information contact Christina Sims at Christina.Sims@kingcounty.gov.
Learn more about this position, or view all available jobs.
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National magazine spotlights King County employee and journey to WTD lab
Process laboratory specialist Suzanne Potts at the King County West Point Treatment laboratory on Friday November 3, 2017, in Seattle, Washington. (PHOTO by Stephen Brashear)
Suzanne Potts, a Laboratory Specialist in the Wastewater Treatment Division at South Plant, was recently featured in a profile piece in Treatment Plant Operator magazine.
‘Studying to be a dentist didn’t light a fire of enthusiasm for Suzanne Potts, but it did ignite her love of chemistry and the laboratory. She switched to environmental science.
An associate degree in environmental science from University of Washington enabled Potts to work for an environmental analytical lab. When it closed in 1994, Potts found what she thought was a temporary job at the King County Wastewater Treatment Division South Plant in Renton, Washington. “What began as an accident — I never expected to be hired — turned out to be a great career,” she says. “I found the lab work interesting, intricate, and complex.”’
Read more at Treatment Plant Operator magazine. Image courtesy of TPO magazine.
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We need a fair tax system
Executive Constantine lays out his vision for a fair, simple, stable tax system
In a democracy, where the people are the sovereign, we collectively choose to raise the funds to collectively do things together that we can’t do alone.
And together with our neighbors we decide whether to raise the funds to educate our children or to pave our roads or to keep our communities safe.
I think we can all agree on this point. Taxes should be fair.
Now, what is fair depends on where you stand, obviously, but I would submit this: That fairness comes down to your ability to pay.
It’s not fair to expect those with limited means to pay a larger percent of the little they have to support our collective roads, and police, and transit that are essential for all of us, for a prosperous economy and a strong community.
Read more on the King County website.
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