Celebrating National Recovery Month this September 

National Recovery Month  is celebrated in the U.S. annually each September to promote access to recovery, celebrate those participating in services, and educate communities about how to overcome the barriers of stigma and discrimination. The theme for this year’s Recovery Month is “Join the Voices for Recovery: Together We Are Stronger.” In solidarity with this national movement, and to recognize recovery wins in our community, each year King County spotlights individuals and hosts activities that spread the message that behavioral health is essential to wellness, that treatment is effective, and that people… Read More

Drug Court manager shares personal impact of program  

National Recovery Month is an opportunity to learn more about what King County is doing to support people with services that allow them to rebuild their lives after difficult situations. The internationally renowned King County Drug Court Program, started in 1994 and celebrating its 25th anniversary this October, provides multiple resources for people by combining those from the criminal justice system, substance abuse treatment, and other community services providers. We sat down with Mary Taylor, Drug Court Manager, to learn more about the steady growth and continued success of this amazing program. “This is… Read More

Bringing the region together to fight homelessness: Seattle and King County unveil new authority to unify response systems and services 

Crafted by Executive Constantine and Mayor Durkan, legislation now before the King County Council and Seattle City Council establishes the King County Regional Homelessness Authority to oversee policy, funding, and services for people experiencing homelessness countywide. The legislation includes a proposed Interlocal Agreement (ILA) and a Charter that authorizes the creation of the new Public Development Authority (PDA) to administer and oversee regional homelessness efforts.  “The new regional authority represents a concerted effort to increase coordination and collaboration of our planning, resources and service delivery countywide to achieve a more efficient and… Read More

Know how to register to vote 

Do you know how to register to vote? In King County, you can register to vote online or by mail until eight to days before an election or in-person through Election Day. Registrations done by mail need to be received, not postmarked, by the eight-day deadline. Learn more.

Snow emergencies will now mean free Metro transit 

On August 28 the Council approved legislation sponsored by Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles that would waive enforcement of Metro transit fares when Metro activates its Emergency Snow Network to encourage people to use transit and avoid driving during severe snowstorms.  Metro customers will be able to ride without paying the transit fare while the Emergency Snow Network is in effect. The legislation increases accessibility of Metro transit service for those experiencing homelessness in need of shelter and encourages all residents to avoid driving during severe snowstorms.  “Like our policy of free fares on New Year’s… Read More

Life Cycle device replacement milestone 

The King County Information Technology (KCIT) Customer Support Services Provisioning team has deployed its 2,000th life cycle device replacement in August. LAN Administrator Daniel Co performed the deployment, bringing replacement equipment to Metro Administer Sara Stefano (pictured). The team is working towards replacing all Windows 7 devices by the end of the year, when Microsoft stops supporting it.   The team has almost doubled its monthly deployment numbers in the past two years, from an average of 235 a month in 2017 to an average of 461 a month in 2019. “The team has… Read More

Training Spotlight: Defensive Driving

Defensive Driving, multiple dates: Dedicated to enhancing driving skills, reducing collisions and controlling insurance costs, this course focuses on accepting personal responsibility while operating a motor vehicle. Knowing why your vehicle performs the way it does, and understanding key concepts of safety, can reduce your chances of serious injury. A key objective of Defensive Driving training is to influence a person’s driving behavior. This we attempt to achieve through classroom interaction with not just the instructor, but with the other students as well. This certification is valid for 3 years. Register and learn more. … Read More

Featured Job: Project Program Manager III 

Salary: $86,344.54 – $109,446.48 Annually  Location: Seattle, WA  Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week  Department: DNRP – Natural Resources & Parks  Job Number: 2019PM10524  Closing: 9/15/2019 11:59 PM Pacific  The Solid Waste Division (SWD), Recycling and Environmental Services (RES) section is recruiting for an enthusiastic team player to serve as the primary resource to RES for management and analysis of numerical data, including project expenditures, budget balances, and county-wide solid waste and recycling tonnage data. The position will require data analysis skills, knowledge of contract management, development of budget documents, and… Read More

King County Executive and DNRP Director recognize employees at annual picnic   

King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) held their annual employee picnic on the patio of King Street Center Thursday, Aug. 29, and were joined by some special guests.  King County Executive Dow Constantine and DNRP Director Christie True thanked employees for a job well done and announced raffle winners. The department also hosted its own version of “Family Feud”, “Survey Sez” with Solid Waste Division Director Pat McLaughlin as host, and Deputy County Executive Rachel Smith was the head of one of the “families.”   The picnic was a great opportunity… Read More

Pet of the Week: Bernard 

Bernard is a 5 ½ year-old, male, shorthair gray tabby cat (A579142). His personality color is RED, meaning he is a spirited cat with a fun-loving personality. Bernard is outgoing, playful and energetic. He may be sensitive to handling and can get overstimulated, so he would do best with a family who knows when to give him a break. This fun guy loves to play and can sometimes be rough and rowdy. He gets along with some other cats, but may be too much for others. He has also lived with a small… Read More