Enhanced Wireless at the King County Courthouse

Update provided by KCIT King County Information Technology is pleased to announce completion of the King County Main Courthouse Enhanced Wireless Network project. This means all floors and all devices – from 12 to the basement, laptop to smartphone – will now experience top-of-the-line, high-speed connectivity 24/7/365. Some of you may have already noticed that you can take your laptop anywhere and stay connected everywhere. It’s more than connectivity. You can download documents, check calendars, exchange email without standing next to a hot spot or returning to your desk. This project supports… Read More

Prosecutor and District Court launch ESJ teams

Agencies across King County are stepping up to help implement the Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) Strategic Plan. Most recently, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and District Court launched ESJ committees to further the goal of using ESJ values to guide King County’s operations, programs and service delivery. In February, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (PAO) formally launched its inaugural Equity and Social Justice Team. With representatives from all divisions, the team focuses on: Providing training opportunities and equity-related events Documenting and measuring the equity and social justice work already being done in the… Read More

Public Defense, Kent School District establish Criminal Justice high school course

A new, one-day civics course on the criminal justice system was introduced to high school seniors throughout the city of Kent last semester. The course was launched by the County’s Department of Public Defense Misdemeanor Practice Director Twyla Carter and the Kent School District. All five Kent high schools participated, including Kent-Meridian – Washington’s most diverse high school. “The first Civics Day events at all the high schools in the Kent School District was a huge success,” said Michael Papritz, Kentridge High School Social Studies teacher, co-curricular leader, and school district project… Read More

Eighth Annual Big Backyard 5K Presented by Kaiser Permanente 

Parks will host its eighth annual 5K run/walk at Marymoor Park on Sunday, June 11 at 9 a.m. Parks is thrilled to welcome back Kaiser Permanente as the event’s presenting sponsor and Harborstone Credit Union as the official sponsor of the popular BBY5K hoodie. Early registration is available until April 15 and if you register by March 31, you can get that popular hoodie for only $5 more above the early registration rate. This event has raised more than $250,000 for King County Parks over the last seven years. Read more about… Read More

MRJC Detention Facility observes 20th Anniversary 

Leadership and staff from the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention celebrated Maleng Regional Justice Center’s 20th Anniversary last month at the facility in Kent; marking 20 years of providing jail services to the citizens and law enforcement agencies of South King County. Director William Hayes, Commander Corinna Hyatt, and other DAJD team members shared memories of the direct supervision facility’s March 24, 1997 opening. Direct Supervision refresher training was occurring during the observance; highlighting the importance of ongoing in-service training for corrections staff on Direct Supervision principles and effective supervision of… Read More

Finding my way into restaurant kitchens: A Food Inspector story 

Crossposted from Public Health Insider For National Public Health Week, we’re celebrating by featuring unsung public health heroes who make our communities safer and healthier. Each day, we’ll highlight a public health worker through their own words, sharing their work and why they’re committed to serving our community. To kick off the week we spoke with one of our Food Inspectors, Shauna Cartwright. Shauna and her fellow inspectors are responsible for inspecting over 12,000 food establishments, 1,800 pools and spas, 3,000 temporary food events (such as farmers markets and street fairs) and… Read More

After 25 years of work, a geomorphologist has a deep understanding of how rivers change 

Crossposted from The Downstream Blog For a quarter of a century, Terry Butler has been observing the way rivers course through King County. He has seen some, like the Tolt, transform overnight, when an avulsion – the rapid abandonment of a river channel to create a new one – has occurred. He has seen others migrate gradually, moving laterally across a basin over the course of years. He has watched side channels become main channels, witnessed erosion and sedimentation and has seen the dramatic changes a landslide can trigger. “That’s why my… Read More

Another successful year for King County’s Annual Transition Resource Fairs 

Shared from the DCHS Touching Base Newsletter  The Department of Community and Humans Services’ Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD) sponsored its 10th Annual Transition Resource Fairs on March 11 and March 14 this year. With growing turnout each year, the popular fairs provide information for youth with developmental disabilities and their families to help them prepare for the student’s successful transition from high school to adult living. The Transition Resource Fairs took place on March 11 at Highline College and March 14 at Microsoft, drawing more than 1,650 people out to the two events!… Read More

New philosophy makes animal adoptions more successful

Regional Animal Services of King County has just adopted a new philosophy, along with several new policies and procedures, as part of the Humane Society’s Adopters Welcome program. “This new program is challenging us to be more open-minded about adoptions,” said Nickie Ford, RASKC Animal Services Coordinator. “It has really made us take a step back and realize that on the whole, people love their animals and want to do the right thing.” Adopters Welcome is a Humane Society of the United States philosophy that embraces community members, encourages them to adopt,… Read More

Boeing Field is a giant classroom for high school aviation students

Crossposted from The Centerline  A group of budding aviation students from the San Juan Islands recently turned King County International Airport/Boeing Field into a giant classroom. On March 12, the seven grinning students from an introductory aviation class at Friday Harbor High visited the Airport in one of the coolest field trips ever. The students were joined by their instructor Mari Peterson, an Assistant Chief Pilot for Westwind Aviation in Friday Harbor who regularly flies out of Boeing Field. They toured the Airport, conducted an airfield inspection, ate lunch at the Museum… Read More