Featured Headlines
Updates to mask requirements and other COVID-19 restrictions
Restrictions on in-person work to end for remote workers
At-home COVID-19 tests now covered by your medical plan
Booster shots now available for all three COVID-19 vaccines
News
KCTV celebrates Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander month
There’s a saying in Vietnamese, “Uống nước nhớ nguồn” that translates to “when you drink from a river, remember its origins.” Throughout the month of May, KCTV will feature local AANHPI leaders each week to see how their past is connected to the present. This week features Rachel Yang, a Korean-American chef and James Beard nominee that co-owns the Relay Restaurant Group, which includes the popular Joule and Revel restaurants. You can see the YouTube video here and Facebook video here. Watch for upcoming features including artist Erin Shigaki, writer and UW Professor Shawn Wong, and… Read More
Executive Constantine thanks retiring Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention director John Diaz and names successor
Executive Constantine announced that John Diaz, Director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD), will retire in late June following a distinguished three-year tenure that included unprecedented changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. A former Seattle police chief, Diaz joined DAJD as interim director in April 2019 and assumed the director position that August. Executive Constantine has appointed Juvenile Division Director Allen Nance to take over the role. Read the full announcement here.
Thanking Sheriff’s Office employees in National Police Week
This week is National Police Week, and King County Executive Dow Constantine used the opportunity to thank King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) employees for their service. I am grateful for everything that you do for the people of this region, and I thank you for your ongoing service,” Executive Constantine said in an email message to KCSO staff. “You are there, day in and day out, ensuring their safety and helping to make more welcoming, thriving communities.” With over 1,000 employees, the KCSO serves the law enforcement needs of over half a… Read More
New ORCA card system begins on May 16
Cross-posted from Metro Matters Starting May 16, hundreds of thousands of ORCA transit customers across the Puget Sound region will have access to a new website, smartphone app, and real-time value loading for their ORCA cards. Customers will also begin to see new card readers and vending machines as technology is updated and rolled out at transit locations throughout the region. This will mark the start of ongoing improvements to the ORCA system over the next several years. Get more information here.
May is Mental Health Month: Back to Basics
Mental Health Month is celebrated in May of each year. Due to the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the national conversation around mental health is normalizing. This year, Mental Health America has focused Mental Health Month on “Back to Basics,” helping re-center us on what mental health is, how we can support our mental health, and what resources are available to help. Learn more here.
Anita Khandelwal reappointed to lead Department of Public Defense
King County Executive Dow Constantine announced the reappointment of Anita Khandelwal to continue serving as director of Department of Public Defense, a critical position to ensure equity and justice in the criminal legal system. The department provides legal defense to any person charged with a crime or facing a loss of liberty who cannot afford an attorney, representing more than 15,000 individuals last year. Read the announcement here.
Executive Constantine appoints Patti Cole-Tindall as King County Sheriff
Following a nationwide search and thorough interview and public engagement process, Executive Constantine announced today his appointment of Patti Cole-Tindall to serve as King County Sheriff. Cole-Tindall has a background in law enforcement, labor relations, human resources as well as service to the community. She joined the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) in October 2015, serving as the Chief of Technical Services Division for almost five years before being appointed to Undersheriff in 2020. She was appointed Interim Sheriff in November 2021 and began serving in her new role in January. Read the full announcement here.
Level up: King County International Airport moves toward next step in Airport Carbon Accreditation Program
Climate change caused by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions will have long-term consequences for the environment, the economy, and public health and safety. To do its part to reduce the threat, King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) aims to be carbon neutral by 2030. After achieving Level 1 in the Airport Carbon Accreditation Program (ACAP) in 2021, the airport is now on track toward Level 2, demonstrating actual reductions of harmful greenhouse gases emitted in airport operations. Read the story here.
King County releases Reimagining Public Safety report and pilot program recommendations
A new report released shares findings from the Reimagining Public Safety Survey that launched last fall, including pilot program recommendations and future community engagement strategies. King County is sharing the community-driven recommendations from a report on reimagining public safety in urban Unincorporated King County with the results of the Reimagining Public Safety Survey. Read the full announcement here.
Executive Constantine proclaimes May as Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month
In recognition of the contributions, leadership, and their historic significance to King County and the nation, Executive Dow Constatine proclaims May 2022 as Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Read the full proclamation below.
Making a more welcoming downtown civic campus
As more employees return to downtown workspaces and the weather improves, additional patrols by King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) deputies around the downtown civic campus are making the area a more welcoming space for employees and community members. For more than a month now, Sheriff’s deputies have been providing regular patrols on foot and bicycle between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. The three priorities for these patrols are: Keep all people safe Ensure clear access to buildings and sidewalks for all Assist any person in crisis. In addition to… Read More
Celebrating you during Public Service Recognition Week
This week we celebrate your work and the work of every public servant during Public Service Recognition Week, May 1 – 7, 2022. We all come to public service from different places, bringing with us our unique perspectives, experiences, and skills. The work we do varies tremendously, but we are united by a desire to serve our community and make things better for the people who live here today, and for those who will follow. This has never been more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic. When our region was the first… Read More
Forty-five-year sentence for gunman who injured Metro employee Eric Stark
Cross-posted from Metro Matters On April 22, a judge handed down a 45-year prison sentence to the gunman who killed two people and shot and injured two others, including Metro employee Eric Stark when he was driving a bus in Lake City. Despite his gunshot wound, Eric backed his bus out of the area safely to protect the passengers onboard. Eric’s bravery and heroic actions saved the lives of his riders. Read more here.
Administrative Professionals receive special recognition
The Administrative Professionals Recognition Day event held on Wednesday, April 27 was a huge success, celebrating these essential contributors who are Simply the Best at keeping King County running smoothly and efficiently on many levels. View the full celebration on the AP Stream Channel and take the opportunity to recognize an administrative professional here. For more information about the Administrative Professionals Program, visit www.kingcounty.gov/administrativeprofessionals.
What does Medium COVID-19 level mean for you? Latest data and steps to take with cases rising
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider Based on Public Health’s latest data from Monday, April 25, our rate of cases now puts King County into the Medium COVID-19 Community Level as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): over 200 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period. To decrease risk over time, it’s critical to continue to focus on sustainable, long-term strategies. Click here to read more of this post and watch a video on how to reduce risk.
Green River restoration project completed
King County Executive Dow Constantine recently congratulated staff and partners for completing a major restoration project along the Green River that has improved fish and wildlife habitat while protecting nearby farmland, homes, and roads from flooding and erosion. The successful project near Auburn replaced the degraded Lones Levee, which was built in the 1960s, with a modern, integrated design that restores a critical section of the Green River to its natural state. View the video below and read the full story here. Featured image courtesy of Eli Brownwell, King County Parks.
Take a tour of land conservation successes in the Green-Duwamish Watershed
Protecting greenspace in urban communities is a significant challenge. The land is expensive to buy and it is more difficult to restore ecological functions in industrial river corridors than in less impacted ecosystems. But for the Land Conservation Initiative – a regional partnership to protect the last, best 65,000 acres of the highest conservation value open space before they are lost forever – providing more equitable access to the outdoors and improving habitat for some of the most productive salmon runs in the state are calls to action. View the video below and… Read More
Celebrating King County’s Administrative Professionals
Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 27 is Administrative Professionals Recognition Day, an opportunity to recognize and celebrate King County’s hard-working Administrative Professionals. Administrative Professionals are the backbone of County operations. Many operate behind the scenes to make sure customers get access to the services they rely on and employees can do their best work for our community. Whitney Abrams, King County’s Chief People Officer and Executive Sponsor of the Administrative Professionals Development and Recognition Program, said that she is looking forward to celebrating the achievements and contributions of Administrative Professionals. “I see the impact… Read More
Get free at-home COVID-19 tests
With COVID-19 cases slowly but steadily rising in our region over the past month, now is a good time to check your family’s supply of at-home rapid COVID-19 tests. It’s important to test if you have symptoms and before indoor group gatherings—especially if high-risk people are going to be present. If it’s time to restock, check out the following convenient options to get additional free test kits: Order at-home tests from the federal government at Covid.gov/tests. Every home in the U.S. is eligible to have two sets of four free at-home tests delivered… Read More
King County Superior Court receives technology award for outfitting courtrooms with video
Cross-posted from the King County Superior Court blog While many courts across the country remained closed during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote courtroom technology enabled King County Superior Court hold trials. From July 2020 to March 2021, Superior Court held more than 600 trials, including over 100 jury trials, and thousands of hearings. Superior Court received the Technology Achievement Award in the Connected Government Category for “the successful delivery of a new, modern video system for 48 trial courtrooms to allow remote jury selection, participation, and witnesses for civil trials.” Click here… Read More
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