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

Shared from the DCHS Touching Base Newsletter Five weeks into operations, DCHS has made significant strides as it works to implement Coordinated Entry for All (CEA), a regional coordinated entry system to connect those experiencing homelessness to housing and services. CEA aims to reduce barriers to housing for those facing a housing crisis through a standardized assessment tool and coordinated referral and housing placement process. In June, King County took over referrals for family and young adult programs, which has been managed by Catholic Community Services and All Home through Family Housing… Read More

Finding new and better ways to recover threatened salmon species in King County is a top priority of the Water and Land Resources Division of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks. Chris Gregersen, an Environmental Scientist who works to monitor projects designed to improve fish habitat, has recently done just that while saving the county about $45,000. The Watershed and Ecological Assessment Team use an in-water, fish sampling technique called electrofishing. It’s a process that temporarily stuns fish allowing them to be gathered and evaluated – without being harmed – and… Read More

Crossposted from King County DES Express King County will become a national leader in supporting LGBT-owned small businesses under an inclusive policy announced by Executive Dow Constantine. King County will become the largest county in the United States to track the number of contracts that are awarded to LGBT entrepreneurs, an approach that has dramatically increased the number and value of contracts awarded to local small businesses owned by women, people of color, and people who are disadvantaged during Executive Constantine’s administration. Read more at the DES Express