This piece was featured at the top  of the Seattle Times’ Rants and Raves list. Kudos to the Elections office for a job well done! “RAVE To the staff at King County Elections office who helped us to obtain our overseas ballot. The staff members were all polite, problem focused and patient in guiding two senior citizens through the computer programs. Thank you for making our votes count.” Image courtesy of the Seattle Times

About 40 women participated in Pantsuit Tuesday on November 8 to celebrate the accomplishments of professional women. This informal, non-partisan, non-political lunchtime event invited staff from multiple departments to “suit up” and enjoy the opportunity to network with each other and recognize the achievements of women here in King County and around the U.S.

Crossposted from King County Natural Resources and Parks Blog  Employees of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks recently volunteered to plant trees and other plants at a restoration site in Marymoor Park. We planted 500 native plants, including 170 trees in a wetland area near the Sammamish River. Planting one million trees by 2020 is a goal set in King County’s 2015 Strategic Climate Action Plan, a road map for how King County will reduce carbon pollution, increase transit, protect open spaces, and prepare communities for the impacts of a changing… Read More

King County’s iMap software got a shoutout recently in Q13 Fox. The article mentioned how King County’s Department of Natural Resources reacted to the tragedy of the Oso mudslide by remapping the landslide threats throughout the county. The iMap King County software allows users to view landslides data, relative to a specific address. Read more in the Q13 article, or view the video below.

Crossposted from King County Youth Justice King County Juvenile Court and the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office tried its first felony case through a peacemaking circle, which incorporated victim advocates, mentors, family members and community leaders through months of what became a transformative mediation. A moderator who led a peacemaking circle movement in Boston is growing the practice here in King County. Rimon and his mother both invested in the first King County Juvenile Court felony case to be resolved through a peacemaking circle, a process inspired by Native American traditions. A week before… Read More

Construction crews will close the left lane of northbound 4th Ave S between S Washington and Jefferson streets starting Monday, November 7, through early spring 2017. During this period, crews will also typically close the center lane of 4th Ave S between S Washington and Jefferson streets on week days between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Travel lanes on the east side of the street will remain open during this work. Pedestrian, bicycle, vehicle, and bus detours will be placed around the lane closures, please use caution near the work zone. Due… Read More

King County Regional Veterans Court invites you to the RVC Celebration and Graduation Ceremony. Celebrate the hard work and successes of Regional Veterans Court participants and graduates. The ceremony will be held on Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 1 p.m. at the King County Courthouse, Room E-326, at 516 Third Avenue, Seattle, WA. Light refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to RVC Manager Callista Welbaum at Callista.welbaum@kingcounty.gov. We look forward to celebrating with you!

King County is helping local military veterans make the transition from military to civilian life through its model Veterans Services program. More than 127,000 veterans of the U.S. Military live in King County and, since the 1950s, the County has made it a priority to serve those who’ve served. Early on, the County’s programs provided services to indigent disabled and homeless veterans with funds provided by Revised Code of Washington 73.08.010, which authorized a dedicated property tax as a source of funding. Continuing in that tradition, the residents of King County passed… Read More