Crossposted from the DES Express Actors, directors, producers and others from the film industry converged on the new Harbor Island Studios late last month along with members of the community to celebrate the grand opening of King County’s new film production studio. The studio, a converted flour mill in a hulking 117,000 square-foot warehouse on Harbor Island, was made possible in part by DES’ Facilities Management Division, in partnership with the Office of Economic Opportunity & Creative Economy, the Executive’s Film Advisory Board, KCIT, contractors and others. Read more.

Crossposted from the DES Express Employees at King County International Airport-Boeing Field recently rescued eight ducklings who had fallen into a shallow storm drain, reuniting all of them safely with their mother. Thanks to Ryan Johnston, Brian Kruml, and Jadyn Saporito for the rescue. It all started with a phone call to Airport Operations from a corporate client that a mother duck and her ducklings were walking around near a storm drain on their ramp, according to Sam Priest, Airport Duty Manager. The tenant was worried that some ducklings may have fallen… Read More

Crossposted from the DES Express King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) is the first airport in the nation to finalize the purchase of a hybrid electric fire engine. The Striker Volterra 6×6 Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicle is made by Oshkosh Airport Products, a division of Pierce Manufacturing Inc. The new rig will complement the airport’s existing diesel-powered firefighting vehicles, also made by Oshkosh, and will allow the airport to retire its oldest diesel fire truck. Read more.

Crossposted from Cultivating Connections “When he entered their private room and saw they had a small kitchen with a two-burner stove and a sink that spit out clear water, he called his mom in Afghanistan. ‘We have everything in here,’ he [Ahmad] told her.” The Seattle Times, recently published an article, “A King County refugee program turned 2 hotels into communities of support” on the efforts of the DCHS team, partnerships with neighboring jurisdictions, state partners, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Together, this program impacted the lives of 793 people, including… Read More

Friday marks the start of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week in Seattle. Throughout the weekend and leading up to Tuesday’s All-Star Game, employees can check out several activations around the area, many of them free-of-cost. So whether you’re going to the stadium to catch one of the games or just out enjoying the summer weather, check out the Visit Seattle page for activities to participate in!