This article and video originally appeared on “Seattle Refined.” When one King County Metro driver’s heart attack sent a bus down an embankment, an off-duty colleague intervened to save the driver and the passengers. King County Metro Bus Operator Chyee Howell was driving the family car with two of her children and her niece on July 12 when they first noticed a Metro bus that had gone off the road. The bus was partly on its side and had come to a stop midway down a ravine with the vehicle’s engine still… Read More

Cross-posted from the DAJD Employee News  Officers Jim and Mike Breiner, who followed their father into a corrections career, are both retiring with 30 years of service. But not before passing on their knowledge to the next generation of officers. Read more.

Crossposted from Metro Matters Chris Blandi is the Clark Kent of King County Metro’s Vehicle Maintenance: Quiet and unassuming, but a genuine Superman under his modest exterior, able to juggle multiple jobs keeping King County Metro’s bus fleet rolling while remaining cool and unruffled. His excellence as a mechanic was celebrated Monday when he was named Vehicle Maintenance Employee of the Year. Blandi, selected by his fellow vehicle maintenance team members for the honor, was lauded at a celebration at Metro’s Central Base. Read more.

Crossposted from the DAJD newsletter Five King County Juvenile Detention Officers graduated from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission in Burien on Oct. 31. Read more.

Balanced You Wellness Heroes highlights employees doing things to better their lives, the lives of their colleagues, and our community. Meet Wellness Hero Carmen Johnson, King County Retirement Navigator. In this video Carmen talks about how her role helps employees on the road to retirement, the importance of educating and planning for retirement, the million-dollar questions of when you should start planning for retirement (hint: it’s never too early), a variety of resources and classes offered for King County employees, and more. Check out the video of Carmen below!

Crossposted from the DAJD Newsletter The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) has welcomed three analysts in recent months to help support operations across different divisions. Sara Tollefson, PPM III, is helping DAJD develop methods to track metrics that show the department’s progress in key areas. Miae Aramori, PPM IV, will lead the Juvenile Division’s efforts to gather statistics and research that reveal trends and outcomes in the juvenile justice system. Robin Gold, a Senior Business Analyst, will focus on creating data reports and dashboards in Power BI. Read more.

Acknowledging employees who tirelessly work in the field is crucial to the success of King County. Within Wastewater Treatment, the contributions of our employees are the backbone of our division, and the stories, insights, and perspectives they share create a sense of pride across our organization. This video, Voices from the Field, highlights operators and other employees working at our facilities, celebrating the dedication and expertise of these unsung heroes. The employees share how their job is exciting and the value of their connection to environmental stewardship. View the video below, and… Read More

Crossposted from King County Local David Garcia has found a rare and fulfilling balance between his career and his personal passions. He is a transportation planner by day but spends most of his free time outdoors, exploring mountains, lakes, and forests with four-legged pal Winston close in step. David is drawn toward adventure, culture, and new experiences. Understandably, he has moved around quite a bit. After growing up in the bustling, diverse Bay Area, he moved to Guatemala to gain a closer connection to his family’s culture, language and land. Read more.