Imagining King County’s clean water future: Our Vision for 2100
Crossposted from Clean Water Stories Water shapes life, and life in our region depends on clean water throughout the Puget Sound. It’s where salmon fight their way home, where orcas breach along the coastline, and where people across our region gather to work, learn, and play. For more than 50 years, King County’s wastewater system has faithfully protected these waters behind the scenes, stewarding precious resources every hour of every day. Read more.
‘I owe this place a lot of gratitude’
Crossposted from the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention employee newsletter As he heads into retirement, Juvenile Detention Officer Victor Orellana remembers how he found a career working with youth. He thanks coworkers for their support and talks about his plans to continue interpreting for the Spanish-speaking community. Read more.
Executive Zahilay joins South King County leaders to celebrate new Metro Flex service in Auburn and Federal Way
Crossposted from Metro Matters King County Executive Girmay Zahilay joined Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus, Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell and King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison Thursday to cut the ribbon on two new Metro Flex pilots bringing on-demand transit to Auburn and Federal Way. Launched Aug. 31, the new service expands access to convenient, on-demand transportation in South King County, connecting riders to neighborhoods, schools, transit hubs, jobs, shopping, and other destinations. The two-year pilots are part of Metro’s broader South Link Connections service improvements. Read more.
August FOD Walk attracts about 100 participants
Crossposted from Plane Talk Airport employees, tenants, and community members had an opportunity to walk the main runway at King County International Airport-Boeing Field on August 15. The runway was closed for an hour for the annual FOD Walk: the collection of Foreign Object Debris (FOD). Airport employees regularly patrol for and pick up FOD to minimize the risk of debris causing issues with aircraft, but the event serves to educate participants about FOD and as a fun, community-building opportunity. More pictures from the FOD Walk are available on the airport’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
The dangerous spread of measles stops with us
Crossposted from Public Health Insider This opinion piece was originally published in The Seattle Times on August 20, 2026. The U.S. now has more recorded cases of measles — a highly contagious but vaccine-preventable disease — than any time in the past 35 years. Over the past two years, the infection has impacted undervaccinated communities across our country. National data show that measles has re-established itself after the U.S. declared the infection eliminated in 2000. Although this is a notable public health setback, there are several actions we can take to protect one another in King County and… Read More
Sergeant Ted Griffin administers life-saving Narcan
Crossposted from DES Express Sergeant Ted Griffin was returning to the King County Courthouse when he was approached by an individual requesting medical help for their companion. Griffin quickly sprang into action, noticing that the companion was sweaty and unresponsive, but still breathing on their own. Griffin then requested additional support from Facilities Management Division (FMD) Security Officers. Security Officers Briggs, Wainaina, and Fisher were first to arrive with Security Supervisor Fontenot and Security Officers Tuiolenuu, Mason, and Jackson following shortly afterward. Read more.
Young students advocate for salmon
Crossposted from Headwaters It’s official, the students and the salmon are back! Schools across the region are in session and Salmon See-son is ramping up as Chinook, sockeye, coho, and chum salmon make their way home to the rivers and streams of King County. Pink salmon will be back next year! Despite thousands of years of multigenerational experience, the salmon’s journey is still a struggle. It gets even more challenging when salmon run into warmer water, pollution, habitat loss, invasive species, and blocked streams. All these problems make it harder for salmon at every life stage… Read More
Recognizing Metro’s Operators of the Month, May – June 2026
Crossposted from Metro Matters They cook and love motorcycles. They travel and enjoy bodybuilding. They sing, cook and enjoy doing things that “spike their adrenaline.” Their riders say they are: “A rock star,” “Careful, thoughtful, considerate, patient and really efficient,” and “Represents what every driver should be!” They’re operators with close to two and a half centuries of combined transit driving experience who enjoy meeting with their riders and giving back to their communities. Meet your Operators of the Month for May and June 2026. Read more.
We will never forget – Remembering 9/11 a quarter-century later
By Allen Nance, Deputy Director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention Twenty-five years ago, the United States was shocked by an attack few had imagined possible. I still remember Sept. 11, 2001, as vividly as when it happened. Many others do as well. I’d like to share my memories of that day to help us recapture both the horror and the shared sense of purpose of that time. Whether you witnessed these events in person or on TV, or are too young to recall them, Sept. 11 is a reminder… Read More
Executive Zahilay announces funding opportunity for community-led tourism projects, strengthening local economies
On Tuesday, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay announced $900,000 in new funding for community‑led tourism projects that celebrate cultural heritage, strengthen local economies, create jobs, and help communities experiencing residential and cultural displacement remain rooted in their neighborhoods. Through this new competitive request for proposals (RFP), King County will award grants ranging from $30,000 to $150,000 for projects that strengthen cultural vibrancy and community resilience. In total, up to $900,000 will be awarded. Community-led tourism puts residents and local organizations at the center of how their communities are represented and experienced. Rather than tourism happening to a neighborhood, community-led… Read More
Employee News 