Collaborative effort announces $2.25 million in emergency funding
King County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, and Seattle Foundation announced a combined $2.25 million in emergency funding for critical services for immigrants, refugees, and other residents whose health, safety, and human rights are at risk. The 38 nonprofits that successfully competed for the funding will provide a wide range of services, such as training for educators and mental-health providers who teach or provide treatment to immigrants and refugees. Other examples include providing critical legal services, preventing wage theft, launching a Know Your Rights campaign, and engaging the most vulnerable… Read More
Executive Constantine: Go simple with $2.75 Metro fare
Metro currently has one of the most complex fare structures in the nation, with one zone for the City of Seattle and another for all areas outside the city, as well as extra charges during the morning and evening commute. One-third of riders in a recent survey said the current system is too complex and difficult to understand. In a proposal to the King County Council announced, Executive Constantine streamlined Metro fares to $2.75, and increased funding for discounted tickets. “You said you wanted simpler fares, and we made it happen. No… Read More
Internships at KCDOT can lead to careers
Crossposted from Inside Transportation You never know where an internship can lead. Some of King County DOT’s top managers got their start as interns at the County. We’ve seen the demonstrable benefits of cultivating young minds that can bring fresh ideas and talent to public service, and in particular to the transit industry. KCDOT’s intern program began as an offshoot of the Federal Work-Study program, and ever since then, hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students have generated innovative ideas, written meaningful policy, and refined and streamlined processes which have improved the lives… Read More
All Home Director Mark Putnam featured in blog about changing homelessness narrative
All Home Director Mark Putnam recently contributed a guest blog to the Seattle Foundation called “It’s time to change the narrative on homelessness.” “Changing the way we think about homelessness, which is deeply embedded in our internal and cultural biases, is critical to our ability to meaningfully address the crisis we are faced with today,” Putnam writes in the blog. “While we are housing more people through homeless services than ever, our efforts have failed to match the increasing need. Homelessness has reached emergency levels in Seattle/King County and it is no accident that we… Read More
Rev Up For Retirement seminar, Sept. 29
With increased concern over the future of Social Security and the stability of retirement plans, it’s never too early to prepare! Bring a sack lunch and hear what the Retired Public Employees Council of Washington, the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors and the Social Security Administration have to say about retirement planning, PERS, Medicare, and Social Security. Friday, September 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eighth Floor Conference Hall, King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle Registration is required. Due to space limitations, only county employees may attend. To register, please e-mail: KC.Orientations@kingcounty.gov.
Applications for ESJ Opportunity Fund due Sept. 1
A reminder that applications for the Equity and Social Justice Opportunity Fund are due on September 1. The ESJ Opportunity Fund is a competitive process run by the Office of Equity and Social Justice that provides resources to King County employees to develop and implement projects that work to advance equity and social justice and that complements the ESJ Strategic Plan. For the 2017-2018 biennium, there is a total of $100,000 in one-time funds available and grants ranging from $500 to $7,500 will be awarded to projects that the Funding Committee determines best… Read More
Baby falcons rescued by county employees
Recently several baby falcons fell out of their nest on the third floor window ledge of the King County Courthouse. Lucky for these little birds, County employees were on hand to rescue them. After saving the birds from oncoming traffic, Seattle Animal Control was called. Animal care staff then took the chicks to the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in Lynwood. This facility specializes in wildlife rescue. The baby falcons were given a full exam by a vet. Out of the three, one bird had a fracture, but otherwise, all were declared… Read More
Pilot aims to reduce vehicle congestion at hiking trailheads
King County has just launched Trailhead Direct, a pilot project sponsored by King County Parks and Metro’s Community Connections program, to help people get to hiking destinations in the Issaquah Alps and along I-90 without needing a car. Hikers can park their cars or catch the bus to two locations – Issaquah Transit Center Bay 5 and Issaquah Highlands Park and Ride Bay 1 – and get dropped off at one of three trailheads: Margaret’s Way Trailhead, Poo Poo Point Trailhead, East Sunset Way Trailhead, connecting hikers to more than 150 miles of hiking trails. Trailhead Direct… Read More
Confronting climate change aboard a floating classroom
Crossposted from Inside Transportation The King County Water Taxi functioned as a floating classroom recently for a firsthand lesson on how King County is confronting climate change. On an unusually hot day on the waterfront, in the midday hours when our vessels are docked, the Marine Division hosted 13 high-schoolers from the Woodland Park Zoo’s Seattle Youth Climate Action Network (Seattle Youth CAN). They boarded the Sally Fox for our new “Floating Classroom” program, designed to engage students of all ages in environmental and climate change education, and introduce them to internship and job opportunities in both King County… Read More
Puget SoundCorps helps stomp out knotweed
Crossposted from the Noxious Weeds Blog Each year, the King County Noxious Weed Control Program gets a great boost of support from the Puget SoundCorps, a branch of the Washington Conservation Corps’ AmeriCorps Program. Just when we need it most, a crew of six hardworking young adults heads out to help us tackle some of the county’s toughest noxious weeds. This summer, the crew is spending fourteen days battling knotweed on three sites along the Snoqualmie River* under the guidance of Justin Brooks, riparian team lead for the Snoqualmie River. I met up… Read More
Employee News 