Public advisory committee and reorganization for King County Sheriff’s Office under new plan
Executive Dow Constantine and King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall announced new plans and updates for the vision, structure, and community engagement of the King County Sheriff’s Office, including the creation of a community advisory board. Read more.
WW (Weight Watchers Reimagined)
Are you ready to kickstart your journey to better overall health and wellness? Whether you want to learn about nutrition, ways to improve your sleep, or new workout techniques, WW has you covered. During July, King County employees and your benefits-covered spouses or state-registered domestic partners who register as new WW members receive a $25 WW Shop credit! Visit WW.com/us/Kingcounty to sign up.
How a beaver boom is reshaping floods and fire
Jen Vanderhoof, a senior ecologist with the Water and Land Resources Division of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks, was recently interviewed for a story on beavers. The video was produced by Grist, a non-profit, independent media organization focused on covering climate solutions. The piece highlights how beavers may offer real protection against climate impacts like flooding and wildfires, if people can learn to live with them. Watch the video.
Office of Equity and Social Justice Community Compensation Project
King County is working to become an anti-racist and pro-equity government, and is looking toward community engagement and co-creation to reach those most affected by inequality. One way shown to improve on this inequity is to compensate those in the community who participate in developing county programs. The Office of Equity and Social Justice (OESJ) is partnering with Root Cause Equity Consulting to connect King County departments doing this work with these community members. The goal is to establish consistent standards for compensating community members who work with our government through volunteer… Read More
The intern experience at King County International Airport
Originally posted in Plane Talk Getting an internship at King County International Airport (KCIA) provides a unique opportunity for high school, college, and graduate students. Key Brewer, Landin Reibram, Chloe Sow, Inayah Farooqi, Elijah Jones, Vaibhavi Lakshmi, Sierra Sellers, and Rares Neagu have joined the team this year to add valuable on-the-job experience to their educations, as well as some fun. One of the benefits of an internship at KCIA is getting to tour the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) station and get some hands-on experience. Above, at left, Elijah Jones gets… Read More
Celebrating Disability Pride and people with disabilities
Dear fellow King County employee, July is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate the pride people with disabilities have in themselves and their many successes and contributions to our workforce and community. Disability Pride Month coincides with the anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, better known as the ADA. The ADA has created civil rights protections and better access for people with disabilities. Disability Pride builds upon the legacy of the ADA with the demand for visibility, acknowledgement, and acceptance from society. Disability spans all… Read More
White House Evidence Team highlights King County’s Priority Hire Program
King County’s Priority Hire program has been featured by the White House as one of six examples from across the country to share how evidence can inform practices and policies. “When we use evidence to inform our practices and policies everyone benefits,” said Sandy Hanks. Manager, Business Development and Contract Compliance in the Department of Executive Services. The White House’s recent Year of Evidence for Action Summit highlighted leading practices from Federal Agencies to generate and use research-backed knowledge to advance better, more equitable outcomes for all of America. As a lead… Read More
Jail employees boost COVID-19 vaccinations with benefit program
Jail Health Services recently wrapped up a successful month of COVID-19 vaccinations, building on a program that used financial incentives to encourage vaccine uptake among people in custody. As part of the COVID-19 Vaccine Benefit Program, people detained at the King County Correctional Facility in Seattle and the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent were provided a $50 credit to their commissary accounts (“books”) for any dose as part of their overall vaccine series. Anyone receiving a first, second, or a booster dose was eligible. From May 19 to June 21, staff… Read More
Connecting families with support
Originally posted in King County Sheriff’s Office News Recently, Sound Transit Resource Deputies Steve Wright and Marshall Smith were assisting BNSF Railway police with contacting the occupants of the pictured encampment, located on rail property near Skyway. As the photos show, the encampment wasn’t suitable for anyone to be living in or around. However, Deputies Wright and Smith found a woman and her 21-month-old son living here. The woman said she and her son had been living in the encampment for over a year. Deputies Wright and Smith knew they needed to… Read More
Executive Constantine, Mayor Harrell appoint experienced leader as Director of Public Health
King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell have appointed Dr. Faisal Khan, a 25-year leader in public health at global, state and local levels – as the Director of Public Health – Seattle & King County. “Dr. Khan has the experience and expertise to lead Public Health into the next phase, and he brings a fresh perspective to serving the people of King County,” said Executive Constantine. “We look forward to his leadership as our dedicated employees continue our national reputation for excellence in public health and health equity… Read More
Employee News 