April 4 concert for people of Ukraine and all refugees

King County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, and more than 30 mayors from across King County are sponsoring a fundraising “Mayors’ Concert for Ukraine and Refugees Worldwide” with the Seattle Symphony and local Ukrainian performers. The “Mayors’ Concert for Ukraine and Refugees Worldwide” will be at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall on Monday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. The fundraising concert is free to the public but requires registration for tickets here. The concert will be live streamed via local NBC affiliate KING-TV’s digital platforms, and broadcast live on KONG-TV (channel 16 serving the Seattle and Tacoma area), the Seattle Channel, and Seattle Symphony… Read More

New movie shows off the ‘reel’ Seattle thanks to county support

Cross-posted from Executive Services Express HBO’s new Steven Soderbergh film, KIMI, showcases Seattle in a way few films do, with Zoë Kravitz running around the city as tech worker Angela. While most movies featuring Seattle are produced elsewhere, the outdoor scenes in the film were actually shot in the city, One of the pivotal scenes in the movie was filmed outside the King County Administration Building last May. Read how the Facilities Management Division employees helped make it all possible.

Disability awareness resources, recorded trainings from 2021, and planning ahead for 2022

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is celebrated every October by King County to honor the many contributions made by people with disabilities, and how these individuals strengthen our workforce, our communities, and our country. This past year, the Disability Awareness Committee organized a wide series of articles and events to highlight these contributions, including: Universal Design for Meetings, Events and Trainings: This event was hosted by the King County Department of Human Resources and featured Blayne Amson, City of Bellevue Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VI Program Administrator. Amson discussed his… Read More

Supporting the people affected by the war in Ukraine

Dear fellow King County employee, We are all shocked and outraged by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. Each day we’re seeing the devastating impacts of this decision: the senseless loss of life, bombardment of civilians, destruction of communities, families torn apart and forced to flee the violence, and the uprooting of more than a million people from their homes and homeland. We’re also seeing the bravery of the Ukrainian people, standing up to this dictator, fighting for their country, and fighting for the future of democracy in Europe and around the… Read More

Clean Water Plan building partnerships with community-based organizations 

The Clean Water Plan has partnered with eight community-based organizations (CBOs) to understand the needs and interests of historically underrepresented communities in planning for our region’s clean water future.   Why partner with CBOs? King County Wastewater Treatment Division recognizes that community-based organizations are trusted advocates and are experts on the best ways to engage historically underrepresented populations. The Clean Water Plan will guide King County’s investments in our regional wastewater system for the next 40 years, so hearing from diverse communities is important. Click here to read more about this essential program.

Vets 4 HIRE fellowship program creates savings and opportunities

The Vets 4 HIRE Program provides hiring managers a supplement to their budget by placing a military veteran in a temporary fellowship assignment using funds from the Veterans, Seniors & Human Services Levy. It also gives veterans an opportunity to provide their skills and unique experience while filling a need within King County. As this video illustrates, it often leads to a full-time hire of a well-qualified individual who knows the meaning of duty and commitment. For more information, managers can reach out to their human resources representative or contact Vets 4 HIRE Program Manager Susan Navetski.

Data dashboard shows how vaccinated and boosted people have weathered the omicron surge

Crossposted from Public Health Insider King County residents who have gotten a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccines are far less likely to get seriously ill than people who aren’t fully vaccinated, according to a newly updated data tool from Public Health – Seattle & King County. Public Health has been tracking how well the vaccines are protecting King County residents against the worst outcomes of COVID-19 – hospitalizations and deaths. The data reported on the Outcomes by Vaccination Status dashboard has shown consistently that the vaccines are working. Now, the dashboard has incorporated… Read More

Celebrating 2022 Women’s History Month

King County Executive Dow Constantine has proclaimed the month of March Women’s History Month in King County, and encouraged all residents to participate in events to commemorate and honor women and their contributions to our community and nation. “The 2022 Women’s History Month theme is ‘Providing Healing, Promoting Hope” – a tribute both to the work of women as caregivers and frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to the role that women have played in providing healing and hope throughout history,” Executive Constantine said in the Proclamation. “Despite the innumerable contributions… Read More

Meet new county employee and Health Hero, Amber Heyward

For Black History Month, Balanced You is excited to recognize our many talented Black employees in different bodies of work around the county. Welcome new county employee, Amber Heyward. With a background in HR, Learning and Development and Organizational Development, she started at King County four months ago as an Organizational Development practitioner. In this video she talks about her team’s goal to build equitable and enjoyable workplaces and why she was drawn to government work and King County specifically. Watch this video to learn more.

Metro celebrates Black History Month with special event featuring Dr. Terrence James Roberts

Metro’s Office of Equity, Inclusion and Belonging is honored to continue the celebration of Transit Equity Day and Black History Month with a special Lunch and Learn event featuring Congressional Gold Medal recipient, scholar, and Civil Rights figure, Dr. Terrence James Roberts. Dr. Roberts is one of the Little Rock Nine, the group of nine black students who enrolled at formerly all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in September 1957. The nine students’ attendance put to test the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education United States Supreme Court ruling that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional…. Read More