Crossposted from For The Defense A friend of Dua Abudiab stopped wearing the hijab after a man accosted her and called her several names while she was riding a bus in downtown Seattle. It was a sobering moment for Dua, a public defender at the Department of Public Defense’s The Defenders Association Division (DPD TDA), who wears the hijab every day. Dua is also active in the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). Around the same time that Dua’s friend was accosted, the director of CAIR reached out to her and asked her if she would write about… Read More

Crossposted from King County Youth Justice King County Superior Court Presiding Judge Susan Craighead is one of many Court leaders encouraging the use of implicit bias training and awareness among other criminal justice leaders and their staff. Judge Craighead also serves on the Juvenile Justice Equity Steering Committee, a group collaborating on solutions to end racial disproportionalities in the juvenile justice system. Recently, I sat next to a businessman from southern Utah on a plane. Like the rest of the country, we found ourselves reflecting on the apparently unjustified shootings of African-American… Read More

In 2014, Sheriff John Urquhart directed the Metro Transit Police Bicycle Emphasis Enforcement Squad (BEES) to train and implement the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program. Since its implementation, it has become a roaring success. The program addresses low-level crimes, focusing on drug and prostitution in many areas of downtown Seattle, White Center and the Skyway area of unincorporated King County. Initially the only downtown area included was the Belltown corridor, but it quickly expanded to all of downtown in May 2014. It recently grew again in August 2016 to comprise the… Read More

Crossposted from DES Express “Keeping it Fresh,” a graffiti art contest, was held at the Archives and Records Center on July 30. County Archivist Carol Shenk supervised the site along with event security staff. The contest was led by local artist Andrew Morrison, known for his Indian Heritage murals at the Wilson Pacific School in north Seattle and other local works. Morrison is about to leave Seattle to study on the East Coast, but before leaving our region he wanted to hold an event for young local graffiti artists. He donated the… Read More

Crossposted from King County Parks Did you know that King County Parks not only acquires sites for recreational purposes but also for environmental preservation? In 2015, King County Parks worked on a total of 24 restoration sites and planted over 25,000 native trees. The sites we acquire come in a variety of conditions. The majority of the sites are previously developed lands that are run over with invasive weeds such as Himalayan blackberry, reed canary grass and Scot’s broom. With the help of community members and partners, we restore these sites by… Read More

This is the story of a female inmate who was incarcerated in our Seattle jail in March 2015.   She had previously started community college at Seattle Central College (SCC) but dropped out of her classes because she became incarcerated. Dropping out left her with a bill of over $400 that prevented her from reenrolling until paid. She enrolled in the women’s GED course at the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) where she was connected with the SCC’s Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (IBEST) program. This is a college level certification program… Read More

The headline translates easily from Spanish to English: Guide to Noxious and Invasive Weeds  The household names for those weeds, however, do not always translate so easily – and this can present a barrier for our small business community. Professional landscapers and their clients in the area now have a great tool to address that potential barrier, courtesy of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNR). Embracing two of the County’s ‘best-run government’ guiding principles, DNRP upped the ante on Civic Engagement and Service Excellence in April and co-hosted a workshop… Read More

The Third Annual Working with our Troops Career Expo will take place Wednesday, August 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Washington State Convention Center, 800 Convention Place, Sixth Floor, Seattle. The event is a partnership between the King County Veterans Program, WorkSource Seattle / King County, and the Washington State Convention Center. In addition to King County, more than 100 employers will be in attendance – including major corporations, small businesses, and Federal, State, County and City agencies. There will also be one-to-one resume writing and review sessions tailored for… Read More

“Try to stay positive, one day at a time, one trip at a time and enjoy your free time doing whatever makes you happy.” – Vicki Leslie, Metro Transit Operator of the Year Known for her safe driving, quick wit and ability to brighten the days of her riders and coworkers, bus driver Vicki Leslie today was named King County Metro Transit Operator of the Year. Metro officials and fellow bus drivers praised Leslie during a surprise ceremony in Bellevue, echoing commendations she received from customers over the years. Leslie has been… Read More