King County Elections today mailed ballots to nearly 1.3 million registered voters. This Primary Election includes candidates for state and local offices as well as four ballot measures. King County Elections has opened 10 new drop boxes in time for the Primary Election, for a total of 53 available drop boxes. The new ballot drop-off locations include Kenmore, Mercer Island, Tukwila, Newcastle and Rainier Beach in Seattle. Make sure to read and follow directions on your ballot, sign the return envelope, and get it back before the August 1 election day deadline. Here’s… Read More

When King County’s Noxious Weed Control Team discovered the toxic noxious weed poison hemlock growing near multiple community gardens in the county, they knew a multilingual communication campaign was the only way to alert the diverse communities of gardeners who speak a wide array of languages “All told, we installed more than one hundred posters in nine languages and 19 unique language combinations at 76 community gardens, farms, and other public spaces in King County,” Nate Dolton-Thornton, Assistant Education Specialist and Multilingual Outreach Lead with the Department of Natural Resources and Parks,… Read More

Here’s something you don’t think about every day: recycled water. Millions of gallons of water are cleaned every day at the five wastewater treatment plants that King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) operates. After the water is cleaned, some of the water is recycled for other uses like industrial, irrigation and wetland purposes. In fact, WTD even uses recycled water to cool machinery and buildings at the West Point and South Treatment Plants. By using recycled water, WTD saves the county approximately $650,000 annually, and saves millions of gallons of water. “We’re helping to… Read More

When domestic violence is perpetrated by children in their own homes, families are faced with a difficult decision about whether to involve the police, which can lead to incarceration and a criminal record. In many instances families want their children to have the opportunity to “cool down” and learn how to manage their feelings of anger or frustration in non-violent ways. That’s why King County created FIRS (Family Intervention and Restorative Services). One of the employees who oversees FIRS is Stephanie Trollen, Legal Services Supervisor at the county’s Juvenile Division of the Prosecutor’s Office. “FIRS… Read More

Nearly 1,000 walkers and runners took part in King County Parks’ eight annual Big Backyard 5K presented by Kaiser Permanente on Sunday, June 11, 2017, and participants did more than just get a Sunday morning workout. The proceeds of the event, which took place at Marymoor Park in Redmond, go toward the maintenance and operations of King County Parks. “The Big Backyard 5k is a great event that our employees, supporters and volunteers put on for runners and walkers across our community,” said King County Parks Director Kevin Brown. “Not only does it showcase one of the crown jewels in our… Read More

Crossposted from Clean Water Stories When King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) dedicates a new wastewater facility, we invite people near and far to join us. Celebrations provide an ideal opportunity to thank project communities for their role in the project and their patience during the process.  People get to see firsthand how public input shaped a neighborhood’s new clean water asset. King County welcomed about 200 people to dedicate the Murray Wet Weather Facility in West Seattle on a sunny Saturday in June. Visitors arrived on foot, bikes, or by car. … Read More