See something, say something. Issues that is
Crossposted from King County Parks Plog As your King County Parks staff, our job is to keep your parks clean, safe and open. It is part of our daily routine. That said, stuff happens. Daily, if not hourly, staff can be rerouted to deal with any number of issues. We of course handle anything we come across during our rounds, but sometimes, you visitors are onsite before we are. (Looking at you, “Training for a marathon before work,” and, “Dogs will eat my furniture if they don’t play in the field before… Read More
King County honors the heroic sacrifice of firefighter Luther Dean Bonner with a new airport fire station that captures his story
At a ceremony Monday at King County International Airport, the new rescue and fire station was named in honor of a fallen firefighter whose act of bravery has been overlooked for decades. In 1943, Luther Dean Bonner, a 23-year-old Seattle firefighter, died while attempting to rescue passengers and warehouse workers after a plane crashed into a plant near the airfield. Thirty-two people were killed, making it the largest loss of life from a fire in Seattle’s history, yet Bonner’s sacrifice was never properly recognized. King County elected officials invited members of his… Read More
Metro’s Anita Whitfield: Paving the way for equity in public transit
Crossposted from Metro Matters As Metro’s EEO/Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Anita Whitfield has been breaking down barriers and instilling a shared sense of responsibility for promoting equity and social justice. Whitfield has worked to create a culture where employees feel safe to have difficult discussions about historical and current inequities. She’s led training for many employees (which she calls “shared learning opportunities”), and played an instrumental role in shaping a vision for making Metro and King County government more equitable for all employees and residents. Whitfield recently was honored by the Puget… Read More
Executive Constantine thanks DNRP employees for becoming “carbon neutral”
King County Executive Dow Constantine today congratulated Department of Natural Resources and Parks employees for helping DNRP become King County’s first “Carbon Neutral” agency. Dear DNRP employee, Earth Week is a great chance to congratulate every Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) employee for helping DNRP become King County’s first “Carbon Neutral” agency! Please watch the video linked here (also available below) from DNRP Director Christie True and me, thanking employees not only for helping DNRP reduce and remove more greenhouse gas emissions than it generates, but doing it a year ahead of… Read More
Auburn Public Health employees discuss ideas, challenges with Budget Director
Dwight Dively, Director of Performance, Strategy and Budget, visited the Auburn Public Health Center on Monday, April 17, to talk with employees about the services they provide and what King County can do to help them serve their clients better. Staff took Dively on a tour of the facility to showcase some of the services they deliver – such as Family Planning for teens and adults, and WIC nutrition plus maternity support for pregnant women and families. They discussed their work and raised issues they are encountering. “I really appreciate Dwight making… Read More
Meet a “do-it-all” nurse, with a special passion for social justice
Crossposted from Public Health Insider Last week for National Public Health Week (April 3-7), the Public Health Insider featured unsung public health heroes who make our communities safer and healthier. Each day, they highlighted a public health worker through their own words, sharing their work and why they’re committed to serving our community. Tina Maestas, who serves as a Public Health Nurse based in Renton, is one of seven Public Health Nurses whose office is located inside a “CSO” – a state office where people can apply for assistance with cash, food, child support,… Read More
Sign up for your weekly Healthy Incentives CSA@Work produce boxes!
Sign-ups are now open for Health & Well-Being’s CSA@Work program. You can earn Healthy Incentives credit, support local farmers, achieve your healthy eating goals, and more! Available at 10 convenient King County worksites, CSA@Work connects eaters with local King County CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs that deliver weekly boxes of freshly harvested produce throughout the summer. Read Healthy Eating Project Coordinator Audrey Royston’s CSA@Work blog post to identify and sign up with the correct CSA for your work location, and find FAQ answers on the web sites linked above. If you have… Read More
Employees redefine respect and cultural understanding, use KC eLearning as added resource
There’s strength in diversity. Different perspectives bring new insights, benefits and relationships. They can also bring challenges. A team of translators at King County Elections experienced this, and decided to overcome it, with great success. “They come from four different countries and each one speaks a different language,” said Elections Supervisor Jacque Larrainzar. “Each of them has a different culture and way of looking at the world.” The interpreters have backgrounds from Mexico, Korea, Vietnam and China. At a recent staff meeting, these differences became more apparent when Jacque asked her team… Read More
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
Employee News 