Attention King County employees, Washington state is preparing to launch WE-bike, an instant rebate program that helps Washington residents purchase certain cycling equipment and electric bicycles, also called e-bikes. On April 9, people across the state will be able to apply online for one of these instant rebates. The programs ends the morning of Wednesday, April 23. More than $4 million is available for instant rebates of either $300 or $1,200 per person, depending on income qualifications. Interested residents can visit the WE-Bike program website ahead of April 9 to check eligibility, learn about… Read More

Crossposted from Metro Matters King County Metro needs new members to join our Mobility Equity Cabinet to help us shape our transit policies, plans and programs. We value your thoughts and opinions! Members of the cabinet will: Gain a deep understanding of Metro as an organization, its guiding policies, services, operations and decision making. Build and strengthen connections in their communities, learn and share about their community’s history, assets, needs and priorities around transit. Shape Metro initiatives and policy updates by collaborating and advising us on key initiatives and policy updates. We… Read More

By Noah Haglund, DAJD Communications Specialist IV Seattle Central Little League joined the Mariners Opening Day festivities on March 27, having the honor of saying the two most important words in baseball: Play ball! The league was represented by 70 young people alongside its Coach and President Aaron Parker, who also serves as director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention’s (DAJD) Community Corrections Division. This unforgettable moment before first pitch was a highlight for local players, coaches, and families, as they helped start the Major League Baseball season Seattle Central… Read More

By Noah Haglund, DAJD Communications Specialist IV To attract the next generation of officers at King County jails, the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention’s (DAJD) recruitment team is trying out a novel form of storytelling. “On the Job” uses a comic book-style to show the journey of three wayward young people who tour a jail, meet COs, and overturn their assumptions about working in corrections. By the end, they are ready to apply to work as corrections officers. Created in collaboration with LA-based Hero Projects, “On the Job” was published online in March…. Read More

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. At least nine people a day are killed in distracted driving crashes. Handheld and hands-free phone calls and texts, emails, social media, passengers, snacks, and even built-in vehicle touchscreens are just some of the distractions fighting for your attention on the road. Here’s a simple way to think about it: if something requires your hands, your eyes or your attention while you’re driving, it’s a distraction. Distracted driving isn’t just risky for you, it can be deadly for every nearby driver, pedestrian, bicyclist, and worker. Pledge… Read More

Crossposted from King County Local Last November, a rare “bomb cyclone” pounded the Puget Sound region. The storm downed trees and knocked out power and other services for weeks in parts of unincorporated King County. This week, the Department of Local Services invited representatives from utility providers and partner agencies that serve unincorporated King County for a discussion about communication, coordination and recovery during the storm. The discussion also covered lessons learned and ways to collaborate and strengthen partnerships to better serve communities during major weather events. Read more.