Sustaining the beacon of hope
Dear fellow King County employee, On Friday, the new President signed an Executive Order that blocks citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States, suspends all refugee admissions for 120 days, and indefinitely bans all Syrian refugees. The President’s Order sparked shock, fear and confusion in King County and across the world. It directly impacts people we work alongside, our friends and neighbors in the community, and families and loved ones here and around the world. It shuts the door on people fleeing violence and oppression at a time that… Read More
Food safety rating on a curve: How it’s done and why it matters
Crossposted from Public Health Insider We recently launched our first-of-its kind food safety rating system, and we look forward to rolling it out over the course of the next year. One unique component of our approach to providing residents with easy-to-use signage is our adoption of a rating “curve,” or adjustment of ratings by zip code. This new system has raised questions among some food safety advocates. So why are we doing it and how does it work? We sat down with our food program manager, Becky Elias, to get a better understanding of… Read More
Increased security presence in the Administration Building
Beginning Monday, January 23, there will be increased security presence in the Administration Building. Facilities Management Division (FMD) security officers will be permanently assigned to posts at both the 4th Avenue and 5th Avenue entrances. These officers will also patrol the Administration Building and respond to calls for assistance. These positions come from a request for additional security in the Administration Building. In response, FMD sought additional funds in the 2017-2018 budget to increase the security presence in the Administration Building to be equitable with the other large buildings in the Downtown… Read More
Tight-knit team works to protect community, one petri dish at a time
The staff in the King County Public Health Lab, tucked into the basement of Harborview’s West Clinic wing, literally hold people’s lives in their hands. In fact, at times they even hold entire cultures. Working with the public and performing tests every day, the lab runs tests on tuberculosis to the flu virus and everything in between. Staff also coordinate with other public health clinics and offices, STD and TB clinics, law enforcement and even the Washington State Public Health Lab to ensure community health. “We’re keeping the community safe, making sure… Read More
Have a question about the Kids Health Survey currently in the community? We’ve got the answers.
Crossposted from the Best Starts for Kids Blog We’d like to thank the 4,000+ parents and caregivers who have completed the Best Starts for Kids (BSK) Health Survey! The BSK Health Survey is still open, and we’ve extended the deadline to late January to make sure all voices are heard. We asked Sheila Capestany, King County Strategic Advisor for Children and Youth and lead of Best Starts for Kids, to answer some of the common questions we are hearing from families. Read more at Best Starts for Kids Blog
Interested in speaking with alumni of diverse universities
Are you a graduate of a HBCU, or a Native American or Tribal College or University? Are you a Morehouse Man or a Spelman Woman? Did you graduate from Diné College or Northwest Indian College? The county’s Workforce Equity Manager would love to talk to you about recruiting at your alma mater. For more information, please contact Paula Harris-White at paula.harris-white@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-2444.
Who is the EGP Committee? Find out!
Crossposted from KC Employee Giving If you are interested in joining the EGP Committee, know that coffee is on us! What? You read that right. A cup of coffee on us. The King County Employee Giving Program (EGP) is currently recruiting for 5 open slots on the EGP Committee. The Committee is made up of King County Employees from across the County and provides the strategic vision of the program and are key participants in its success. Additionally, the Employee Giving Program provides leadership and development opportunities that may not otherwise… Read More
2017 MLK celebration draws crowd and highlights work being done to achieve fairness and opportunity for all
On Thursday, January 12, King County’s 30th annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration was held at the 5th Avenue Theatre in downtown Seattle. The celebration recognizes the impact that Dr. King had on our community and our nation, and reminds us to keep striving toward his dream of equity and justice. The event featured keynote speaker Alexs Pate of the Innocent Classrooms program, which strives to help teachers connect more effectively with students of color, and the Seattle Women’s Steel Pan Project as guest performers. For more information about the annual celebration of King County’s namesake, visit the King County website…. Read More
Improving food safety in restaurants, one smiley face at a time
King County’s food safety employees want to ensure that the County’s restaurant safety ratings are as simple and user-friendly as possible for residents so they turned to a new system that everyone understands: emojis. “[Diners] were telling us that they wanted the information to be easy to understand, and to see it at the restaurant, helping them make decisions on the spot,” Becky Elias, Food Program Manager with Public Health – Seattle & King County, said. “People can walk down the street, see a window sign outside of a restaurant and be able… Read More
Using the sun’s energy to illuminate bus shelters
King County is harnessing the power of the sun and the innovations of its employees to provide lighting at its bus shelters. King County Metro Transit is one of the largest transit systems in the country, and its network of more than 8,000 bus stops and 1,800 bus stop shelters is growing! Metro’s employees are using solar power as a climate- and budget-friendly solution to providing lighting at bus shelters. Solar lighting is being installed in about 50 new shelters each year, as well as in another 50 shelters through refurbishment. “Solar… Read More
