Summer is here: Heat advisory issued

Crossposted from Emergency News The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Heat Advisory in effect through 9 p.m. on Sunday, June 25. Temperatures are expected to soar above 90 degrees this weekend. Because this is the first real summer-like heat in our region this year, residents should use extra caution especially during outdoor activities like Sunday’s Seattle Pride Parade. To help protect you and your family, King County agencies are pleased to offer the following information. Hot Weather Safety Heart problems, stroke, and kidney failure are the most common health problems… Read More

King County awarded for commitment to clean transportation 

Crossposted from Inside Transportation King County’s efforts to address climate change and promote cleaner transportation were recognized this month with the “2016 Clean Cities Sustainable Commitment Award” from our partners at Western Washington Clean Cities. This is the Clean Cities most prestigious annual award, reserved for organizations that go above and beyond in their commitment to reduce fossil fuel use, promote alternative fuels, and improve air quality.  King County is a Gold-level Clean Cities member, and under Executive Dow Constantine’s leadership, has taken bold steps to adopt clean technologies and promote equitable… Read More

Creating a stronger, safer and racially just community

Dear fellow King County employee, We are all dealing with strong feelings of anger, grief and despair over the tragic death of Charleena Lyles in Seattle on Sunday. We all have many questions, and await more details as they emerge. Meanwhile, we continue to witness acts of violence and terrorism and the senseless loss of life across this nation and around the world with startling frequency. This is a difficult time for many of us. I invite you to come together with fellow employees tomorrow, Friday, June 23, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the… Read More

Farmers, residents, fish and wildlife win in historic Snoqualmie Fish, Farm and Flood accord 

Crossposted from The Downstream Blog On June 12, at the historic Carnation Farms – with its expansive views of the lush Snoqualmie Valley for a backdrop – King County Executive Dow Constantine met with the Snoqualmie Fish, Farm and Flood Advisory Committee that has spent more than three years forging the first major agreement in the county to strike a balance between farming interests and salmon recovery. At the core of the Fish, Farm, Flood agreement is a series of immediate, mid-term, and long-term recommendations for action to address overall Snoqualmie Watershed… Read More

Moving history strikes back – an archival screening night at Northwest Film Forum, June 22 

Crossposted from Bytes and Boxes On Thursday, June 22, the King County Archives will be participating in “Moving History Strikes Back!”—an archival screening night at Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum, presented by Moving Image Preservation of Puget Sound (MIPoPS). At MIPoPS’ first screening in 2013, the King County Archives contributed clips from interviews with artists participating the King County Art Commission’s 1979 Earthworks: Land Reclamation as Sculpture demonstration project and symposium. In this screening, we will be sharing a newly digitized video from the same Earthworks collection. In this interview, New York artist… Read More

No Water Taxi service during dock construction in early August; Riders encouraged to consider travel options, attend open house June 21 

Crossposted from The Captain’s Blog Riders of the King County Water Taxi will need to make other transportation plans for up to 10 days starting in early August. Both routes of the popular foot and bike ferry service will be suspended while their crews move the Water Taxi’s float on the Seattle waterfront from the south end of Colman dock to the north end (toward the fire station and Ivar’s restaurant). The temporary move is part of a larger project by the state to renovate Colman Dock. The Water Taxi will move… Read More

Yesler Bridge Rehabilitation Project: Update, June 2017 

With summer just around the corner crews look forward to completing a large portion of construction activities. To carefully complete this work, nightly and full weekend closures of 4th Ave S between S Washington St and Jefferson St will be required. Contractor crews will install fascia girders, pour concrete and paint the bridge. Dates of scheduled closures and what to expect are listed below. Nightly partial closures, with 4th Ave S reduced to one lane between S Washington St to Jefferson St will take place  Monday, July 10 – Friday, July 14… Read More

Pet Project: Meet and greet cat room 

Crossposted from Tails from RASKC Dreams can come true! Lori Mason, Licensed Veterinarian Technician and foster coordinator, has been eager to provide a more relaxing and stress free environment for cats during their stay at Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) in Kent. “The thing about cats is that they need more space than a kennel to show their personality. Cats are different to dogs, they are not ones to solicit attention to potential adopters who graze by the cages. Dogs will bark, jump, or even make eye contact… whereas most… Read More

Best Starts for Kids Health Survey Recognized with National Equity Award 

Crossposted from the Best Starts for Kids Blog Last fall and winter, almost 6,000 people participated in a survey to learn about the health and well-being of King County kids and families. The survey closed January 31st. Our data team has been hard at work crunching numbers and analyzing this data, and you’ll hear more about what we learned soon. However, there’s one thing we know already: the groundbreaking new methods we used in the Best Starts for Kids Health Survey lead the nation in ensuring our data reflects the strengths and needs of all King County kids… Read More

Record number of bidders for Fleet Administration spring auction 

Crossposted from Inside Transportation King County Fleet Administration held its version of a spring garage sale last month, but customers weren’t shopping for gently-worn sweaters or  antique dishware. Instead, bids were taken on scores of tractors, autos, vans, pickups, trucks and heavy machinery. Fleet Administration holds two auto and heavy equipment auctions each year, one in spring and one in fall. Both are on Saturdays, and both are open to the general public as well as to nonprofits and government agencies and employees. The 2017 Spring Auction drew a record 500 bidders on… Read More