Creating a safer Metro: Our Behavioral Health Support program

Crossposted from Metro Matters On any given day, a King County Metro bus ride can be a crossroads—where someone heading to work might sometimes sit beside someone navigating homelessness, trauma or crisis. Metro’s Behavioral Health Support team was created for those moments. With compassion at the center of their work, these specialists show up in transit spaces to listen, de-escalate crisis and connect people to the care they deserve. The Behavioral Health Support program or BHS is a partnership between Metro and Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), launched in April… Read More

Tour our plants to find out what happens after you flush

Crossposted from Clean Water News: Updates from the King County Wastewater Treatment Division Complete your summer plans with a wastewater treatment plant tour! We offer tours at our three regional facilities, as well as our state-of-the-art Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station in Seattle! We invite everyone ages 9 and older to learn how we clean wastewater and transform it into valuable resources. Registration is required, so be sure to reserve your spot in advance. Sign up for a treatment plant tour here. Picture: WTD interns on a tour of the Georgetown Wet… Read More

Seasonal farmers markets are back and there are many ways to enjoy them 

Crossposted from Field Notes Seasonal farmers markets are back! Across King County, more than 40 markets are opening their stalls and bringing together local farmers, foragers, food businesses, and others to share the bounty of our local food system. Here’s how to make the most of this abundant time of year. Find a market: On most days of the week except Monday, you can find a farmers market. Use the WA State Farmers Market Association’s Find a Farmers Market tool online to locate a market close to you, or stop by any market’s info booth to pick up a printed directory. Find the directory for King County and Seattle Markets here. Read… Read More

Tap into Seattle summer: ORCA releases limited-time promotional three-day pass

Crossposted from Metro Matters On June 1, ORCA launched a new promotional pass, the 3-Day Puget Pass, allowing riders to save money on transit across the Puget Sound region throughout the summer. This promotional Regional Day Pass is available through Aug. 31, 2026. The 3-Day Puget Pass is a multi-day pass which allows adult fare riders to travel around the region for an $18 flat rate, or $6 for ORCA LIFT and RRFP Senior and Disabled fare riders. This pass makes it simple for riders to enjoy unlimited transit options across multiple… Read More

Behind the scenes of the limited-edition SEA26 ORCA Card

Crossposted from Metro Matters There’s nothing Seattle-area transit riders love more than a special-edition ORCA card! To celebrate Seattle’s status as a host city in the 2026 World Cup, ORCA produced a limited-edition, promotional ORCA card which celebrates the excitement of the sport and the culture of the Pacific Northwest.  Led by King County Metro in partnership with 4Culture, this ORCA card was designed by local artist Alison Bremner. 4Culture is King County’s cultural services agency, providing funding and support for art, heritage, historic preservation, public art, and science and technology to help connect people throughout the… Read More

Events Ahoy! West Seattle Water Taxi is set for sailing to Mariners games, soccer matches and more this summer

Crossposted from the Captain’s Blog You don’t need a soccer tournament to stay busy in Seattle this summer, and the King County Water Taxi wants to help you get to all of the events taking place downtown—as well as to that soccer tournament! Weeknight trips after Mariners baseball Weeknight post-game sailings for the Seattle Mariners are returning this summer. The weekday post-game trips from Pier 50 to West Seattle started June 1, after an interleague game between the M’s and the New York Mets. The water taxi will provide evening post-game service Monday through Thursday…. Read More

Hundreds of thousands of people are coming to Seattle for the World Cup. Here’s what it means for your health

Crossposted from Public Health Insider With six World Cup matches and many fan events in Seattle planned in June and July, up to 750,000 people are expected to come to the region! Public Health and our partners have compiled tips to help people going to the events and exploring King County stay safe and healthy, whether you’re new to King County or already live here. Please share this information if you are hosting or working with visitors during the World Cup. Read more.

King County officials urge extra caution on rivers after December flooding created new potential drowning hazards

Crossposted from Field Notes King County officials are urging the public to be extra cautious on rivers this summer after major flooding this past December changed conditions and created new potential drowning hazards. They also warn that Lake Washington and Puget Sound remain dangerously cold even when the air temperature is warm. Widespread flooding this past December moved logs, rocks, and other hazards into rivers throughout King County, creating new drowning risks that might not be visible above the surface. Historically high flows shifted riverbeds, resulting in deeper or shallower pools that can create hazards for swimmers, tubers, boaters, and kayakers. Read more.

Free summer lunches for kids at King County Parks

Every kid should have access to healthy foods year-round. To help fill the gap in the school lunch program during summer break, King County Parks’ Teen Rec Aides are providing free summer sack lunches to kids under 18 along with activities at multiple locations throughout the summer. Steve Cox Memorial Park Community Center, 1321 SW 102nd St Seattle 98146, June 29 – Aug. 21: Mondays – Fridays from noon to 2 p.m. West Hill Community Center, 12320 80th Ave S Seattle 98178, June 30 – Aug. 21: Tuesdays – Fridays from noon to 2… Read More

It’s swimming season! Answers to your top questions about beach closures and reopenings

Crossposted from Public Health Insider There’s nothing quite like relaxing on a beach by the lake in the summertime. Here in King County, we’re lucky to have dozens of great beaches to choose from, and the Lake Swimming Beach Program works hard to make sure the water is safe for people to swim. Every week during the summer (typically from mid-May through mid-September) we test the water at popular swim beaches in King County for bacteria. If there’s a high risk that people could get sick from swimming or playing in the… Read More