Devastating Amtrak derailment
The Monday morning train derailment near DuPont resulted in the tragic loss of life and multiple injuries and hospitalizations. King County Executive Dow Constantine issued the following statement on the accident: “The devastating Amtrak derailment this morning has caused pain and concern throughout our region. Most of the daily passengers on that line are commuters who live or work in King County. To the friends and families of those who perished, know that we mourn with you. I thank the first responders for their heroic actions to save lives in a perilous situation. We stand… Read More
Kudos! Public Health – Seattle & King County receives a shoutout from the University of Washington
Over 2016 and 2017, Public Health responded to one of the largest mumps outbreak in the state and county in recent memory, including cases at the University of Washington campus. UW officials recently credited our help for reducing the impact on the community. Said one official: “I am grateful to our public health colleagues who were vital in helping us with this strategy.” Said another: “I’d say that our many our many hours on controlling the outbreak was an investment in keeping the outbreak small. We heard about the large outbreaks at other universities,… Read More
Year in review: King County’s 2017 Juvenile Justice reform progress
Crossposted from King County Youth Justice Reform doesn’t happen overnight. That doesn’t mean it can’t be impressive to look back at how much progress can be made in just one year. In 2017, King County continued to step up its investments and commitments to eliminating the school-to-prison pipeline: Safe Spaces: King County set in motion partnerships with organizations across the County to open up more safe, non-detention overnight spaces for struggling youth. More beds will be opening up in South King County in early 2018. Stopping the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Best Starts for Kids hired on a… Read More
Go green for the holiday
Crossposted from Keeping King County Green The holiday season is a great time to give. Why not go green and give back to our planet? Here are some ideas for greening up your holiday. Choose a living Christmas tree this year and help King County plant 1 Million Trees by 2020 Swansons Nursery is helping to support King County’s 1 Million Trees initiative. Here are ways you can help us reach our goal this holiday season: Choose a living Christmas tree and plant it at home after the holidays. Donate your living Christmas tree. Donate your… Read More
New pumps function as South Plant’s ‘heart’
Crossposted from Clean Water Stories Our South Treatment Plant in Renton recently underwent the equivalent of a heart transplant operation. Raw sewage pumps function as the heart of a treatment plant, providing the power to move wastewater into the plant, and South Plant replaced three of them — each orchestrated by a skilled team. The pumps had been in service for over five decades. They were reliable and easy to operate, but inefficient and energy-intensive. Project manager Bill Olwell said, “It is amazing that they are still up and working after 50 years. But… Read More
Keeping residents safe from flooding
With increased rainfall in King County during the fall and winter months, the risk of flooding in some parts of the county increases. “Flooding is a big problem in King County,” said Ken Zweig, Program Manager for River and Floodplain Management at Water and Land Resources Division. “Since 1990 we’ve had 12 presidentially declared disasters in this county. Historically the biggest floods have happened in the late fall and winter months.” The employees of King County’s Flood Warning Program work to educate and prepare residents who live in flood-prone areas about what… Read More
A new King County initiative prevented more than 3,000 people from becoming homeless in 2017
A new initiative launched a year ago by Executive Dow Constantine has prevented more than 3,000 people in King County from becoming homelessness. Results from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30 – the latest data available – show that 96 percent of the 1,024 client households still had a place to live, which prevented the need for additional shelter beds. It also decreased the number of children who suffer the trauma that homelessness can cause, which can affect brain development. Read more in the official press release.
New employee grateful for fresh start after hurricane
The Bellevue Reporter recently featured Rafael Muñoz-Cintrón who, with his family, left the devastation caused to Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria, to begin a new life in Bellevue. Less than two months after arriving in King County, Rafael successfully applied for a Legal Secretary position with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. “We thank God every day we were able to get on our feet so quickly,” Rafael Muñoz-Cintrón said in the article. Read more at the Bellevue Reporter.
Get crafty this season with Green Holidays
Get in the holiday spirit with a do-it-yourself (DIY) project this season. DIY gifting can be fun if you want to get crafty. Best of all, “Green Holidays” give a second life to items you already have at home, while reducing the environmental impact during the holiday season. For many years now, Project Manager Tom Watson has managed King County’s EcoConsumer Public Outreach Program. One of the programs that Tom coordinates is Green Holidays. “The program started in the late 1990’s as the “Waste Free Holidays,” working with businesses to promote giving “experience… Read More
Social Media Spotlight: Best Starts for Kids Facebook
Best Starts for Kids builds on the strengths of communities and families so that more babies are born healthy, more children thrive and establish a strong foundation for life, and more young people grow into thriving members of their community. Follow the Best Starts for Kids on Facebook today! Click here to view all King County social media pages.
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