King County drug court marks major milestone at graduation ceremony

Crossposted from the Seattle Times Four men accepted graduation certificates, commemorative coins, and orders dismissing their criminal cases at a Wednesday celebration marking their completion of the rigorous, five-phase King County Drug Diversion Court program. Their success represents a significant milestone for the therapeutic court that has now graduated over 3,000 participants since its inception in 1994. “Welcome to one of the most joyful days we have here in King County Superior Court,” said Judge Michael Scott, who began his two-year rotation presiding over the court in January. Read more.

Executive Zahilay commits to regional collaboration and problem-solving in the face of Sound Transit’s long-term fiscal challenges

Recently, King County Executive and Sound Transit Board Member Girmay Zahilay released the following statement on the Sound Transit’s Board of Director’s retreat and conversations about the Enterprise Initiative. The Enterprise Initiative is an agencywide effort to ensure that project delivery and operations are affordable going forward while delivering on the objectives of the voter-approved Sound Transit 3 (ST3) plan. Sound Transit currently faces a $34.5 billion shortfall over the next 20 years. Read more.

King County Executive Girmay Zahilay and King County Metro break ground on South King County’s RapidRide I Line with regional and community partners

Yesterday, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay and King County Metro were joined by federal, state, and local transit partners, along with community partners, to celebrate a major milestone in expanding fast, reliable, high-quality transit service across South King County.  The event marks the start of construction on the RapidRide I Line, a new corridor designed to strengthen north–south bus service, connect the cities of Renton, Kent, and Auburn, and improve access to jobs and essential services. The project advances Metro’s commitment to making equitable investments in transit, particularly in historically underserved communities… Read More

Nowruz celebrates renewal, hope, and new beginnings

Annually on March 20, Nowruz marks the spring equinox, and is a longstanding celebratory tradition of renewal and fresh beginnings observed for more than 3,000 years across many different cultures. Translating from Persian to “New Day,” Nowruz is a reminder that growth follows every season of change.  The King County Refugees & Immigrant Support & Empowerment (RISE) affinity group celebrates Nowruz to foster connection, cultural awareness, and a sense of belonging among employees from diverse backgrounds. “Recognizing holidays like Nowruz helps highlight traditions that are meaningful to many communities and creates opportunities for learning, appreciation, and stronger connections across our workplace,” said Nasir… Read More

King County Metro expands bus service and launches systemwide all-door boarding starting March 28

Crossposted from Metro Matters King County Metro will expand bus service and launch systemwide all-door boarding starting Saturday, March 28, making transit faster and easier to use across the region. The service change strengthens connections to Sound Transit’s Link light rail system, including the new 2 Line Crosslake Connection between Seattle and the Eastside, and adds earlier morning trips, later evening service, and more weekend options for riders. Read more.

Update on King County’s response to the opioid overdose crisis

Crossposted from Cultivating Connections King County’s Five Priorities to Stop the Surge of Overdose Deaths were first announced in March 2024 as a coordinated cross-government response to slow the opioid overdose crisis. Over the past two years, we have seen a promising overall decline in overdoses in King County: fatal overdoses decreased 32% from 2023 to 2025. Nonetheless, fatal overdoses in 2025 remain elevated compared to before 2022. Working in partnership, the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) and Public Health Seattle & King County are investing in 13 actions to increase widespread access to treatment, medications, overdose reversal drugs,… Read More

Department of Local Services announces $90,000 in Alan M. Painter grants to support efforts that bring together communities in unincorporated King County

Crossposted from King County Local King County’s Department of Local Services recently announced $90,000 in Alan M. Painter grants for 2026. The grants support projects that will bring together and strengthen communities across unincorporated King County. The grant program focuses on inclusivity, funding events and projects that are open to everyone regardless of race, income, or language spoken. This popular program honors Alan M. Painter, the founding director of King County’s Community Service Area program and a long-time public servant who worked for the City of Seattle before coming to King County,… Read More

Get lucky at RASKC in March: $50 dog adoptions!

Crossposted from Tails from RASKC You can make a canine a “lucky dog” this month at Regional Animal Services of King County! Through March 31, you can adopt any adult dog (six months or older) for just $50 during our “Luck of the Dog” adoption special. Adopting a dog from RASKC is always a great value. Not only will you get a friendly, furry companion, but there are lots of other benefits that come with your adoption. Thanks to our friends at Rover, all dog adopters at RASKC get a $40 voucher… Read More

First phase of new shelter project underway

Crossposted from Tails from RASKC Work has begun at the new Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) shelter location. The new shelter project will be completed in a phased approach, with the first phase focused on the offices and second floor of the building. In this first phase, the county’s Facilities Management Division (FMD) will partner with other county agencies and external contractors to remove carpet, demolish select walls and fixtures, build out a new information technology (IT) room, install security infrastructure, update flooring, and update the heating, ventilation, and air… Read More

Victory vibes: Over 330,000 Metro boardings on Seahawks parade day

Crossposted from Metro Matters Long before the sun peeked over the horizon on Super Bowl victory parade day, Seahawks fans started their journeys to downtown Seattle, leaving their cars behind and boarding buses, trains, water taxis and streetcars to stake out their front-row view. With clear blue sky and sunshine, hour by hour, tens of thousands of people arrived downtown, and families and fans wearing 50 years of different team jerseys lined the streets with grins. The typical sound of downtown traffic was replaced by the buzz of fans waiting for the… Read More