Airport’s Engineering Team volunteers at Food Lifeline
Crossposted from the Plane Talk Newsletter
The King County International Airport’s Engineering Team volunteered at Food Lifeline recently, sorting and re-packing almost 2,800 pounds of food items in a two-hour period. The team dedicated part of their time on the Veterans Day holiday to help the non-profit, located just minutes west of the airport.
Food Lifeline’s mission is feeding people facing hunger today and working to solve hunger for tomorrow. Food justice – the belief that everyone has a human right to equitably access nutritious and culturally relevant food that enables them to thrive – is a foundation of their mission.
Pictured from left to right are Jorge Sanchez Yubero, Eric Miller, Derek Doell, Peter Dumaliang, and Brian Bartley.
Share this:
Elections and DAJD: Working together to ensure all eligible voters can make their voices heard
Last autumn, the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) welcomed staff from King County Elections (KCE) to the Maleng Regional Justice Center and the King County Correctional Facility to assist minimum and medium security jail residents get registered to vote and get their ballots.
This year was the third year staff from KCE have visited both juvenile and adult facilities to share voting information and get eligible voters what they need to make their voices heard. Ensuring both safety and access requires thoughtful partnership between DAJD and KCE. During just this past General Election, that partnership enabled almost 100 voters to register and vote. Read more about this amazing work.
Pictured: Elections workers Said Shekuna (center) and KC Jung (right) assist a resident with registering to vote at the downtown Seattle jail on Sept. 24, 2024.
Share this:
2025 King County Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, Jan. 14
King County employees and community members are invited to join in honoring our nation’s foremost human rights leader and King County’s namesake, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The annual celebration is Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 at 6 p.m. at the Ikea Performing Arts Center in Renton. Tickets are free.
RSVP for the event at this link.
The theme for the 2025 Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration is Dedication to Community, and the accompanying quote is “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
If you have any questions, email erwhite@kingcounty.gov.
Share this:
‘If a field is starting to produce, it’s because of biosolids’: Farmers credit King County’s Loop biosolids for stronger crop yields, better soil retention
Farmers in Central Washington credit the King County Wastewater Treatment Division for enhancing their drought resilience with Loop biosolids, a natural alternative to artificial fertilizers that require significant energy to produce and often contain harmful chemicals.
Loop transforms wastewater into a nutrient-rich amendment that researchers and soil scientists have found increased crop yields by up to 40%. The long-standing product supports the Wastewater Treatment Division’s mission to put recovered resources to beneficial use
“It’s clear that for decades Loop biosolids have made a positive impact by transforming the landscape of modern agriculture and land restoration,” said Kamuron Gurol, director of the King County Wastewater Treatment Division. “By capturing and beneficially using a valuable resource, we are leading the way toward a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.” Read more.
Share this:
Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums to increase in 2025
The Employment Security Department recently announced that premium rates for the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave program will be changing next year.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2025:
- The premium rate will increase from 0.74% to 0.92%.
- Employers will pay 28.48% of the total premium and employees will pay 71.52%—a ratio similar to last year.
The Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave program is funded by premiums collected from employees and employers in Washington state. By law, the Employment Security Department recalculates the premium rate annually in October based on program usage and premiums collected the previous year.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, you will see the new contribution amounts in the Employee Taxes section of your pay advice. The deductions are shown in two parts –family coverage is “WA FLI/EE” and medical coverage is “WA MLI/EE.”
For more information, go to paidleave.wa.gov/updates or contact the Employment Security Department at 833-717-2273.
Share this:
Hear from employees and partners about how the King County Parks Levy enhances our region’s quality of life
Meet Marvin! For Parks employee Marvin Johnson, a day spent outside connecting with parks visitors is a good day. Quick with a smile and always happy to chat, he is one of the many people working hard to keep our county parks, trails and natural areas open and available to everyone.
Click the image below to hear from Marvin, other employees, and partners about how the King County Parks Levy enhances our region’s quality of life in our new video!
Share this:
King County Metro celebrates Pardeep Kaile, Employee of the Year in Link light rail
Crossposted from Metro Matters
Pardeep Kaile is a true triple threat: someone who has made her mark in transit as a bus operator, then in the Streetcar section and currently in Link light rail.
Kaile, a Rail Operation Supervisor, was named King County Metro’s Rail Employee of the Year in Link light rail on Wednesday. Metro supervisors, operators and maintenance staff operate light rail for Sound Transit. She was honored at a ceremony in which colleagues and leaders called her “a tremendous value to the agency,” “nimble and a great problem solver” and someone who “cares deeply about the humans she works with.”
As our region continues to expand, the need for reliable, efficient and sustainable public transportation becomes more critical than ever, and it would not be possible without the workers who keep it moving, transit colleagues said. Read more.
Share this:
After the storm – resources and services available, and survey to report damages
Crossposted from KC Emergency News
Food replacement (for DSHS Basic Food program recipients)
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has granted a waiver extending the 10-day reporting period for food loss due to the November 19 bomb cyclone. Residents in the following counties have until Dec. 19, 2024, to report food loss: King, Snohomish, Whatcom, Skagit, Kitsap, Island, Clallam, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Kittitas, Yakima, Douglas, Okanogan, Chelan, and Ferry.
Call 877-501-2233, visit a Community Services Office, fill out the Basic Food Affidavit Replacement for Household Disaster form, or provide a written attestation. Find the steps for requesting replacement benefits on their website here.
Storm damage repair permits (unincorporated King County)
King County recognizes the toll the recent storm took on many in the unincorporated areas, including those who suffered property damage. The Department of Local Services wants to help unincorporated King County residents whose properties were affected by quickly processing their damage repair permits. Read more.
Share this:
Take a pet home for the holidays!
Adapted from Tails from RASKC
Like many animal shelters across the nation, Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) is overwhelmed with dogs and cats. To help ease the shelter space crunch, RASKC is waiving adoption fees for dogs through the end of the year during the “Home for the Holidays” promotion.
“Our dog kennels have been consistently at or over capacity all year,” said interim RASKC manager Tim Anderson. “I can’t recall that happening in the last twelve years. So, by waiving adoption fees, we hope we can find a place for all the dogs that have been waiting patiently with us for their fur-ever family.”
Depending on where an adopter lives, a pet license fee may still apply. A King County pet license comes with many benefits, including Vacation Pet Alert, Free Ride Home and more.
See the full story in Tails from RASKC.
Share this:
Transit changes are coming to south King County: Metro wants your feedback on proposed route improvements
Crossposted from Metro Matters
As Link light rail extends south, King County Metro’s South Link Connections mobility project is working to improve public transportation for communities in south King County.
We invite you to learn more about these proposed changes and take our survey by February 28.
In response to what we heard from community members in Algona, Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Normandy Park, Pacific, SeaTac, Tukwila, and parts of unincorporated King County, Metro is proposing several improvements to service and is seeking your input. Read more.
Employee News 