FMD flies the flag for Pride, manages flags for county buildings
Crossposted from the DES Express Each year during the week before the LGBTQ+ Pride Parade, Facilities Management Division (FMD) staff prepare to raise the Progress Pride flag at the Administration Building. Graphic designer Daniel Quasar’s Progress Pride Flag added five arrow-shaped lines to the six-colored Rainbow Flag, which is widely recognized as a symbol of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ+) community. It’s one of many flags FMD manages for special holidays, sports team accomplishments and other events. In addition, FMD manages lowerings of the American flag at county buildings for… Read More
One week to Election Day
Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 1. You have one week left to fill out, sign, and return your ballot. Ballots need to be in a drop box by 8 p.m. sharp on Election Day, August 1, or have a postmark on or before Election Day. Vote Centers open this Saturday, July 29, for those who need in-person assistance. Please remember that employees may not send their ballot to Elections via interoffice mail. They must use a regular mailbox or drop box – no stamp needed. Call King County Elections with any questions… Read More
Celebrating the more than 100 young people who graduated from DCHS youth programs this school year
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections More than 100 young people celebrated earning their secondary credentials (GEDs or high school diplomas) last month with programs in the Children, Youth, and Young Adults Division (CYYAD). Many of these young people also earned college credits simultaneously. Read more.
As Duwamish River is made cleaner, local artists help community connect to its waters
Crossposted from Clean Water Stories The Duwamish River has many sides to it – industrial corridor, habitat for migrating salmon, ancestral waters for the people who have long inhabited its shores and waters. Two local artists have been commissioned to capture the complexity of the Duwamish and the clean water infrastructure that’s being designed to support a healthier river for future generations. Timothy White Eagle and Laura C. Wright are designing art that will be featured as part of King County’s West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility to enhance the project’s connections to community. Both are residents of King County,… Read More
Jail residents receive high school diplomas in first post-pandemic graduation ceremony
Crossposted from the DAJD Employee Newsletter On June 29, a high school graduation ceremony was held at the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) for six young men. As the first graduation since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a welcome and inspiring return to normalcy. The six graduates were participants in the Interagency Academy, which was internally supported by DAJD Volunteer Coordinator Karen Pohio, and Education Instructor Tom Meadough. “The graduation ceremony provided a unique opportunity to witness students proudly receive diplomas as a measure of their dedicated efforts to… Read More
Executive Constantine recognizes July 26 as Disability Pride Day
In recognition of July 26, 2023 marking the 33rd anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, King County Executive Dow Constantine has proclaimed July 26, 2023 to be Disability Pride Day. “For more than three decades, the ADA has made our communities, our economy, and our county stronger and more vibrant by affirming and protecting the fundamental rights of people with disabilities – the right to equal opportunity, economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and accessible and equitable participation in the community,” he says. Read the full proclamation… Read More
Volunteer to close a ballot drop box
The Primary election is just around the corner and King County Elections is looking for volunteers to help close ballot drop boxes on election night, Aug. 1. Under state law, ballot drop boxes close at 8 p.m. sharp on Election Day. As a volunteer drop box closer, you will be paired with Elections staff to close a drop box, provide customer service, and hand out I Voted stickers. No experience is necessary! Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 1 and Elections is looking for volunteers from about 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sign up and join… Read More
King County Green Schools Program recognizes 67 schools, two school districts, and 88 student Green Teams for resource conservation efforts this school year
Crossposted from Keeping King County Green As the 2022-23 school year draws to a close, King County Green Schools Program recognizes 67 schools, two school districts, and 88 student Green Teams for their waste reduction and other resource conservation practices – that’s more than twice the total number of schools as last year. Issaquah School District and Tahoma School District earned recognition as Sustaining Green School Districts for their environmental initiatives in 2022-23. Led by the County’s Solid Waste Division, the Green Schools Program helps King County schools and school districts to start and… Read More
FMD plays a starring role in new film production studio
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.
BIPOC Mental Health Month: Accessing culturally responsive mental health care
Balanced You recognizes the resiliency and strength within the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. We also recognize that one’s background and identities can present unique experiences, specific barriers, and opportunities to accessing mental health support; BIPOC and underrepresented communities face additional barriers including structural racism, access to quality care, and cultural stigmas. As a King County employee, you have access to comprehensive health care coverage, including mental health coverage. We have been working with our providers to reduce barriers to access. Most employees have medical plans through either Kaiser Permanente or… Read More
Employee News 