Sergeant Jim Knauss and his unit of four deputies have a mission: to make sure boaters have a good time, but do so safely. “We’re out here every day, we’re out patrolling. We have at least two boats out and we’re looking for things that aren’t safe,” Knauss said in a recent story produced by King County TV. The King County Sheriff’s Office Marine and Dive Unit patrols eight contract cities and the unincorporated parts of King County, including water around Vashon Island, and in front of Shoreline and Burien. They also… Read More

Nearly once a month, three Department of Public Defense employees give over an evening to help adults struggling with the long-lasting repercussions of mistakes they made as teenagers. Some of the people who show up at the free legal clinic can’t get a job; others are denied housing; still others get by-passed for graduate school – all because of a criminal record from their days as a youth. The DPD employees – Kari Boyum, an attorney, Matthew Pang, also an attorney, and Ryan Gray, an investigator – work with law students and other… Read More

One year ago, a rare event took place in King County government: A new department was added to the county’s roster. The Department of Public Defense came into being on July 1, 2013, when nearly 400 public defenders, mitigation specialists, investigators, paralegals and support staff transitioned from one of four nonprofit law firms to County employment. The creation of the department occurred after a ruling by the state Supreme Court in a long-contested class-action lawsuit; according to the high court, the public defense employees were “arms and agents” of the county and… Read More

The Healthy Incentives team knows health is more than just achieving bronze, silver or gold. “We care about people’s health overall, not just having them get to gold,” Lindsey Hoeft, a Healthy Incentives health educator said. One way Healthy Incentives is promoting overall health is by having a booth at the Seattle City Hall Pike Place Express Market this summer. “A lot of our King County Employees visit the market, so we thought this would be a good way to get people to try some new things and promote the fresh, local… Read More

With the help of a Macklemore parody titled “Flushing Awesome,” the King County Wastewater Treatment Division hopes to save $120,000 in annual wastewater treatment costs. The TV, radio and bus ad campaign, includes two colorful cartoon “music videos” — one a parody on Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop,” the other “One to Flush” inspired by “A Chorus Line.” “Not gonna flush my trash/ only put TP in my toilet/ I-I’m not gonna cause a sewer backup/ This is flushing awesome,” the cartooned ad sings. The goal of the comedic campaign is to get King… Read More

The broad, county-wide participation of all King County departments and agencies, the committed and supportive leadership, and Public Health – Seattle & King County as a strong coordinating organization helped make the first season of healthcare enrollment a success in King County. More than 165,000 King County residents signed up for low-cost or free health insurance during the six-month period ending March 31. A report by Elizabeth Ambriz, a Public Health intern and Masters of Public Health Candidate at the University of Washington School of Public Health, found that the coordinated efforts of… Read More

We’re expecting our first taste of real summer-like temperatures this week. The Facilities Management Division (FMD) is committed to your safety and comfort at work, and to running King County buildings as efficiently as possible. To help us all keep cooler as the weather warms, here are a few tips: Lower the blinds in your work area to reduce sunlight streaming in Keep windows and doors closed when the air conditioning is on Dress for the weather conditions Turn off unnecessary lights, and unplug unused electrical equipment For a reminder, feel free… Read More

Employees from Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) were among the more than 300 volunteers who removed trash and debris from Union Bay as part of the 12th Annual Puget Sound Keeper’s Lake Union Sweep on May 17. Environmental Lab Scientists Bob Kruger and Stephanie Hess used the lab’s 25-foot aluminum research vessel Chinook to pick up trash collected by kayakers and keep a general eye on safety, with Bob skippering the boat and Stephanie serving as a deck-hand. They joined volunteers in kayaks, row boats, canoes and motorized craft for the… Read More

The city of Kirkland has a new neighbor in town. “As a downtown merchant I can say we are really excited to welcome the pump station as our newest downtown neighbor. It’s the kind of neighbor that everybody wants; it’s clean, quiet and attractive,” Penny Sweet, Kirkland’s Deputy Mayor said. Waste water from local Kirkland buildings travels to the pump station, where the water is then pumped to a waste water treatment plant in Renton. The treatment plant takes the waste water, recovers nutrients that can be used, and then treats the… Read More