Above ground: A vibrant playground, ballfield, and picnic shelters. Below ground: Infrastructure that protects water quality
Crossposted from Keeping King County Green What would it look like if you built an accessible park with popular amenities that is engineered to treat polluted stormwater for the benefit of people, salmon, and wildlife? You don’t have to just imagine the result – you can go see a new stormwater park in Kirkland, just like King County Executive Dow Constantine recently did. Read more.
King County makes historic investment in expanding and supporting the local behavioral health workforce
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections Today King County Executive Dow Constantine announced the county’s largest-ever investment in the behavioral health workforce, a crucial step towards meeting the growing need for mental health and substance use care. King County is awarding $12 million to help 37 behavioral health providers support, retain, and recruit employees, strengthening the local workforce, with an additional $4.8 million to expand the SEIU Training Fund’s apprenticeship program. Supporting behavioral health workers is a key part of the Crisis Care Centers initiative, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2023. The… Read More
Remaining focused on our True North, values, and the work that unites us
In Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. County, we lead with our values and True North – from investing in historically marginalized and oppressed communities to implementing laws that ensure all people here are honored, respected, and treated with dignity. We recognize that our greatness has come from our diversity, and that our prosperity is a result of embracing and supporting all who call our county home. King County will continue to be a welcoming place for ALL people, including immigrants and refugees, recognizing the vital contributions to our region’s cultural and economic… Read More
Recognizing Metro’s Operators of the Month, November-December 2024
Crossposted from Metro Matters They produce TV shows for their community and enjoy playing and watching soccer. They love to barbecue and go out to eat. One taught music in Amsterdam, another was inspired by bus rides to school to become a bus driver. Those who ride with them say they “made my afternoon,” are “very inspiring,” and is “the best driver I ever met.” They are operators with 200 years of professional driving experience! The operators on your bus are as unique as you, and all of them love driving and giving back… Read More
Local funding working to prevent human trafficking in King County
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. During the month of January, governments, anti-trafficking organizations, law enforcement, survivor advocates, community leaders, and community members come together to raise awareness about human trafficking, to educate the public on how to identify and prevent human trafficking, and to protect and empower survivors of all forms of human trafficking. Human trafficking impacts the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Around the world, including the United States, it is estimated that 27.6 million people, adults and children, are subjected to human trafficking. Human trafficking… Read More
Revive I-5: Find Your Way webinar series
Starting in March, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will begin a three-year project to rehabilitate and preserve I-5 through Seattle. The project will require sections of I-5 to be reduced to two lanes for up to nine months each year, starting with Northbound construction along the aging Ship Canal Bridge. This preservation project is critical for keeping people and goods moving safely for decades to come. Commute Seattle, a transportation news blog, is here to help businesses and destinations find their way through this construction period with the Revive I-5 webinar series. Tune… Read More
Is your office prepared for emergencies?
Crossposted from the DES Express Did you know that the Department of Executive Services’ (DES) own Fleet Services Parts and Materials (formerly “Stores”) offers individual employee “GO Kits” for emergencies? The red backpacks contain three separate kits for survival, personal hygiene and first aid. The disaster backpacks contain enough supplies to last three days in case of an emergency, such as water and snacks. The DES Director’s Office recently ordered kits for each employee in the office. “I was providing emergency preparedness training to the Director’s Office and our staff expressed an interest in… Read More
$26 million in affordable housing investments awarded, creating 939 homes across the region
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections King County Executive Dow Constantine announced $26 million in funding for nine affordable housing developments that will generate 848 new homes, 66 renovated rental units, and 25 new home ownership units across King County over the next five years. The investments prioritize affordable housing for people with the lowest incomes, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and locations close to public transit. King County’s Housing Finance Program (HFP) – managed by the Department of Community and Human Services through its Housing and Community Development division – invests in affordable housing development and preservation throughout the… Read More
2025 MLK celebration highlights dedication to community
On Tuesday, Jan. 14, King County employees and community members came together to honor our nation’s foremost human rights leader and King County’s namesake, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The annual celebration was at the Ikea Performing Arts Center in Renton. The celebration focused on the theme Dedication to Community, and the accompanying quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” The program featured… Read More
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday is Jan. 20
King County offices are closed on Monday, Jan. 20 to observe the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. All offices will be back to normal schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Click here for Metro Transit holiday bus schedules. If you have questions about your holiday schedule, please speak to your supervisor. Have a safe and healthy holiday.
Employee News 