Emergency Management and partners feted at flooding recognition event
Crossposted from the DES Express Employees who had a role in the flood response in December gathered to receive recognition for their hard work late last month. They came from the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Local Services (DLS), Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) and of course, Emergency Management in the Department of Executive Services (DES). Before the remarks began, the group in the packed Emergency Operations Center were treated to a bluesy song honoring their efforts. “December rains fell heavy, rivers overflowed,” crooned a male voice. “King County fought… Read More
Metro wins national award for ‘Where To?’ campaign
Crossposted from Metro Matters When King County Metro launched its “Where To?” ridership campaign, the goal was straightforward: inspiring more people to ride transit by showing the real-world adventures in King County that are just a bus ride away. That effort has now earned top national honors — a first place APTA AdWheel Award for Best Comprehensive Campaign to Increase Ridership — in recognition of its blend of creativity, strategy, and real-world impact. The Where To? campaign invited people to reimagine transit as a gateway to life in the region. By transforming Metro’s iconic electronic bus reader boards into… Read More
NEWS: King County International Airport becomes first in the United States to earn new certification for environmental sustainability
King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) is again receiving recognition for its environmental efforts. KCIA is the first airport in the United States to earn the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) Certification, a significant milestone. “At King County, we’re committed to reducing our environmental impact, especially for the people who live and work near the airport,” said King County Executive Girmay Zahilay. “Earning this recognition reflects the dedication of King County employees who are doing the day-to-day work to protect nearby communities and build a cleaner future for the… Read More
Employee Appreciation Day is Friday, March 6
Today is Employee Appreciation Day! Thank you to all King County employees for your hard work and dedication to providing top quality services to our community. King County values the contributions of each and every employee. We appreciate you and celebrate you on this special day! Employee Appreciate Day is celebrated the first Friday of March each year.
DCHS-led Health Through Housing initiative hits major milestone
King County’s Health Through Housing (HTH) initiative is currently housing over 1,000 formerly homeless King County residents, a major milestone! This effort, within the Department of Community and Human Services’ (DCHS) Housing and Community Development Division, is a critical part of King County’s efforts to end homelessness through emergency and permanent supportive housing. The initiative combines stable housing with onsite services, which has been shown to improve residents’ health and keep them in the communities they call home. The HTH team opened multiple sites in the past few months and are continuing to move… Read More
King County becomes first public agency to receive the Year Up United Impact Award
Crossposted from the DES Express King County commits more than $1 million to continue paid internships and expand career opportunities for young adults through Year Up United. Jonny Lopez, a former Year Up United intern, took the podium after some heavy hitters. John Stanton, chairman of the Seattle Mariners and Trilogy International Partners and founding chairman of the Year Up United Puget Sound Board, had addressed the crowd. Other Year Up and county leaders had spoken about the importance of internships and the successful partnership between the two organizations. But it was… Read More
Executive thanks employees for keeping public safe during Seahawks parade
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay recently thanked King County staff for their dedication and service during the Seahawks parade yesterday. “Thank you to the Seahawks for bringing so much joy and energy to our city, region, and state! Thank you also to all of our King County staff for keeping us safe and moving. Team members from Metro, Sound Transit, the Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management, and more were working over time alongside city staff to make sure everything went smoothly. Today was a very special day. I hope you enjoyed it with… Read More
Celebrating winners of the 24th John D. Spellman Awards, King County’s highest honor for historic preservation
Crossposted from Field Notes The winners of the 24th John D. Spellman Awards for Exemplary Achievement in Historic Preservation include the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe for restoring one of the oldest structures in the region, a longtime family-owned business that is a community cornerstone in downtown Enumclaw, and a former museum director in Renton whose passion for history brought local stories to life for nearly two decades. We hosted a celebration for the winners at the Lake Wilderness Lodge in Maple Valley where then-King County Executive Shannon Braddock presented the awards. Read more.
King County receives national award for commitment to career development program
Today, King County became the first public agency to receive the Year Up United Impact Award, recognizing its commitment to creating pathways to opportunity through the Year Up United internship program. Presented by John Stanton, Chairman of the Seattle Mariners and Trilogy International Partners and founding Chairman of the Year Up United Puget Sound Board, and Shawna Boggie, Year Up United Deputy Director of Western Washington, the national award recognizes corporate partners and individuals who demonstrate longstanding and significant support for their mission of closing the Opportunity Divide. After three years of… Read More
Celebrating a milestone year: King County GIS Center honored with dual Enterprise GIS awards in 2025
Crossposted from GIS and You 2025 marks a defining moment in the history of the King County GIS Center (KCGISC). This year, our team was honored not once, but twice, by Esri, receiving the Enterprise GIS Award at both the Esri CIO Summit and the Esri User Conference (UC). These recognitions shine a spotlight on more than three decades of vision, innovation, and unwavering commitment to building one of the most advanced and impactful enterprise Geographic Information Systems (GIS) programs in the nation. Read more.
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