Infrastructure for the future: Fall City’s septic upgrade supports local businesses

Crossposted from King County Local If you’ve driven through Fall City recently, you may have noticed construction activity behind some local businesses. It’s part of a major infrastructure upgrade: the long-awaited on-site community septic system for the Fall City business district. Since our November update, crews have installed and connected more than half of the septic tanks (40) to the underground treatment plant. The project remains on schedule for completion in Summer 2026, a milestone that will support existing businesses and allow them to fully use their buildings to serve the community. Read more.

Updated King County Critical Area Ordinance enhances protection for environmentally important areas while supporting housing and commercial agriculture

Crossposted from King County Local King County has completed a major update of its regulations for developing land near wetlands, streams, and other critical areas. Created through three years of research, planning, and public discussion, the updated King County Critical Area Ordinance is a set of land use regulations intended to safeguard environmentally critical areas, communities, and infrastructure. The King County Council adopted the final ordinance in December. The term “critical area” refers to land that merits special protection because of its ecological value or importance to public health or safety. Examples include wetlands,… Read More

King County’s new recycling and transfer station in Algona nears completion and features improved water quality, restored habitat

Crossposted from Field Notes When the South County Recycling and Transfer Station in Algona opens this summer to replace its 60-year-old predecessor, customers of King County’s newest solid waste facility will find convenient waste disposal and a wide range of recycling options. Built with a focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship to ensure long-lasting service for communities in and around Algona, Auburn, Federal Way and Pacific, this new station will feature separate disposal areas for commercial garbage haulers and public self-haul customers. Read more.

Healthy beginnings start with educators: Inside the Child Care Health Program

Crossposted from Public Health Insider In classrooms across King County, public health is at work: though not always in the ways you might expect. It’s happening in quiet moments of partnership with early learning educators, through culturally responsive tools and trainings, supported by a dynamic and dedicated team focused on children’s well-being from the very beginning. This is the work of the Child Care Health Program (CCHP) at Public Health – Seattle & King County. Meeting educators where they’re at Every parent wants to know their child is safe, and every educator wants to… Read More

Join the redesigned King County Mentorship Program 

The King County Mentorship Program has officially relaunched with a refreshed six-month experience designed to empower employees to build relationships that ensure our collective progress.  We are looking for committed mentors who are ready to guide and support mentees as they take ownership of their growth and development.  What to do next: Visit the Mentorship Program intranet page to:  Learn about the six-month program Complete your role-specific e-learning Attend the role-specific kickoff sessions in March Explore the new Mentorship Guide and other resources Your new journey starts here. Join the relaunched Mentorship Program and help shape the future… Read More

Executive releases recommendations of 100-member Transition Committee

King County Executive Girmay Zahilay has released the report of Transition Committee Recommendations developed by the 100 community members who participated in his Transition Committee in December 2025. “King County residents have delivered a Transition Committee report with policy recommendations for short and long-term actions that our new administration can take,” Executive Zahilay said. “Over the coming months you will see us advancing many of these actions, which primarily focus on the 4Bs: (1) “Breaking the Cycle” of homelessness, addiction, trauma, and incarceration, (2) “Building for Affordability” the housing, childcare, and transit… Read More

Discounts available through TicketsatWork: Discount flight reservations and TurboTax

King County employees get access to exclusive discounts and deals through ticketsatwork.com. Discount flight reservations: Save up to 20% on flights with special, negotiated rates and substantial savings. Learn more here. Save an extra 20% on TurboTax Full Service: King County employees can save an extra 20% on TurboTax Full Service through TicketsatWork. Learn more and view full offer terms.  TicketsatWork is updated daily with seasonal offers and exclusive savings on everything from home entertainment to your everyday needs. Visit ticketsatwork.com/tickets and use the company code KingCounty to begin receiving discounts and extra special offers on your go-to brands and most-loved experiences, including… Read More

Records Management reminder: Managing records saves us money

Did you know that managing records saves money for King County? One of the key features of good records management is the process of legally disposing of records and information that we do not need to retain. Disposing of records has a direct impact on the money we spend and allows us to achieve one of our county’s values of being responsible stewards. It also directly supports Executive Zahilay’s policy goal of Better Government. Less staff time spent on searching for and responding to Public Records Requests, or locating records needed for other business reasons,… Read More

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

New “Deputies with Dogs” campaign underway for the underdogs

Crossposted from the DES Express Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) and the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) have launched a new “paw-tnership” to help spread the word about animals in need of homes. A recent photo shoot, with results posted on social media, highlighted “Papa,” a nine-year-old German Shepherd who is currently in a foster home. “RASKC is always looking for opportunities to expand our presence and showcase the animals we have,” said Valerie Orsi, assistant manager for operations at RASKC. “With this collaboration, the intent is to feature the… Read More