Featured Headlines
Holiday travel? Metro will help you get there
Emergency exercise tests communications ahead of World Cup
King County Wins 2025 Geospatial Professional Network Award for Innovative AI-GIS System
Recognizing the service of Metro veterans
News
Garden Questions? Call the Garden Hotline
Crossposted from the HazWasteHelp blog Is this the right time to plant tomatoes? Where can I find good soil for my raised beds? How can I win my battle with slugs? Home gardeners and landscape professionals can get expert advice by calling the Garden Hotline at (206) 633-0224, Monday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Read more at HazWasteHelp
One-on-One: Veterans program builds on military expertise and experience
Adjusting to change can be hard. Moving, starting a family or going back to school are difficult transitions. Returning to civilian life after spending time in the military is equally, if not more challenging, especially when it comes to getting a job. King County’s Vets 4 HIRE Fellowship Program tackles this issue head on, allowing veterans to transition to civilian life by connecting them with skill-building experiences at King County. With each department able to identify and create a fellowship position, the opportunities are endless. Furthermore, the Veteran and Human Services Levy… Read More
Newly-elected assessor works in a King County state of mind
When new King County Assessor John Wilson was elected last November, he was very clear about his goals. “We want to embrace the Executive’s issue of being the best-run government and be recognized nationally as the best assessment department,” he said. “We can do this by setting fair and equitable property values, and creating and sustaining a stable revenue stream for the government to operate.”
Zika in King County: What it means and who should be concerned
Crossposted from the Public Health Insider blog Blood tests confirmed the first case of Zika virus in King County today in a man in his forties who had recently been in Colombia. This is the third case of Zika virus in the state of Washington, all found in people who became infected while in countries that have current Zika outbreaks. We caught up with Dr. Jeff Duchin, King County Health Officer, to find out what this means for people who live here. Were you surprised that we’ve gone this long without having… Read More
RASKC unveils new multilingual support on website
Crossposted from the DES Express blog Serving our diverse community is important for every King County agency. To reinforce Regional Animal Services of King County’s (RASKC) commitment to improving access and delivering better and more direct service, the agency recently unveiled a “version 2.0” website that features multilingual content functionality. Read more at DES Express
Social Media Spotlight: King County Rivers Facebook
In King County we are surrounded by water, including 119 miles of rivers: from the Green-Duwamish to the White; from the Cedar to the Sammamish; and from the Snoqualmie to the Tolt, Raging and Skykomish rivers. Follow King County Rivers on Facebook today! Click here to view all King County social media pages.
Featured Job: Heavy Duty Diesel Mechanic (Transit Mechanic)
Closing Date/Time: Tue. 05/31/16 4:30 PM Salary: $32.44 – $36.04 Hourly Location: Multiple locations in King County Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week Division: Department of Transportation – Transit Division Description: In Vehicle Maintenance there is no such thing as a normal day. This position is responsible for the maintenance and repair of heavy-duty diesel industrial automotive engines, trolleys, coaches, and other vehicles operated by Metro Transit. Providing mechanic services is a career with meaning. king County Metro Transit is a regional leader in helping people move quickly throughout the region,… Read More
Kudos! Helpful and considerate Metro driver praised by rider
This Metro driver went the extra mile to help riders with questions and directions. Kudos to this driver and others who continue to provide excellent customer service!
Environmental Protection Agency recognizes asthma program’s leadership
Crossposted from the KC Public Health Insider blog On May 3, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the King County Asthma Program as a recipient of the 2016 National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management. The award honors local asthma programs for leadership in improving the lives of people with asthma, especially those in underserved communities. Asthma is a respiratory disease that makes breathing difficult. Nine percent of adults and five percent of children in King County have asthma, a chronic disease that can seriously impact quality of life and increase risk… Read More
ESJ fairs to showcase how we’re addressing equity
Achieving equity and social justice doesn’t just happen on its own. It takes thoughtful intention, a willingness to honestly evaluate our practices, a spirit of innovation, and persistence in the face of obstacles. Throughout King County, committed employees have not shied away from the challenge. In every department, concrete actions are underway to further equity and social justice in how we do business, how we work with the communities we serve, and how we interact with one another. You can find out about these efforts at one of three Equity and Social… Read More
Spring – a natural time for lawns
Use Natural Yard Care tips to create and keep a lush, healthy lawn. This season start mowing about 2 inches high for most lawns, and switch your blade to mulch mow, which chops the leaves into fine clippings for free fertilizer. For lawns in poor condition: aerate, overseed, and top-dress with 1/2 inch of compost. Kasey Keller, Hall of Fame soccer player appreciates that Puget Sound Starts Here with every lawn. Watch his and the new how-to videos at naturalyardcare.info. Brought to you by STORM (Stormwater Outreach for Regional Municipalities) a coalition… Read More
May is Puget Sound Starts Here month
May is dedicated to appreciating the streams, lakes and stormwater drains that connect everyone with Puget Sound. Puget Sound Starts Here has programs that get people involved in habitat restoration and preventing water pollution. Cities, counties and nonprofits have hundreds of local programs and events lined up at PugetSoundStartsHere.org. Join us at Puget Sound Starts Here Night at the Mariners (Safeco Field) – May 14, 6:10 PM game against the Angels and visit our booths. Tickets are $15 View Level, $32 Main Level; Deadline to purchase: Friday, May 13 – 5:00 p.m….. Read More
Trade industries fair highlights the ‘other’ four-year college
For more than 35 years, the Women in Trades Fair has helped young women (and some young men) learn about career opportunities in diverse industries from transportation and utilities to maintenance, energy, and more. The event is held every spring at the Seattle Center, and is attended by more than 1,000 people. Over 80 exhibitors are featured at the fair, providing workshops, first-hand learning opportunities, career information and resources. Notable exhibitors have included Seattle Pipe Trades, Pacific Northwest Ironworkers, and last year’s first place exhibition winner, King County Wastewater Treatment Division. The… Read More
Vets 4 HIRE, a bridge from military to civilian employment
The King County Vets 4 HIRE (Heroes In Reintegration Experiences) Fellowship Program was created to support military personnel and veterans in making a successful transition to civilian employment. The Program goal is to provide veterans with valuable hands-on, practical experience to increase their competitiveness for King County and other civilian positions. The Program started in response to President Obama’s 2012 plans to downsize the military. King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn and others motioned for the Human Resources Division to explore creating an internship program for veterans. “A disproportionate unemployment rate exists among… Read More
From the Hip: Lorinda Youngcourt, Director, Department of Public Defense
A promising program helps young people take charge of their lives As public defenders, we’re often representing people who have already experienced considerable trauma in their lives, people in need of much more than a good criminal defense lawyer. We represent people who are homeless and mentally ill, who are poor and jobless, who have few resources and little support. That’s why I’m so pleased when we’re able to take steps that help to address some of the underlying issues that bring a person into the criminal justice system. And one such… Read More
Supporting Employee Growth and Development
When Kathy Waymire in the Department of Natural Resource and Parks’ Water and Land Resources Division talked to her staff about the One Thing the group would focus on for their action plan, Growth and Development bubbled to the top of the list. Some were interested in improving skills for their current jobs and some were interested in looking down the road at what might come next for them. So, Kathy, eager to do something to support these aspirations now, turned to development plans as a tool to help her staff identify… Read More
A local organization’s perspective on why Communities of Opportunity is receiving national attention
Crossposted from the Best Starts for Kids blog In King County, many have taken note of Communities of Opportunity (COO), a ground-breaking partnership between community, the Seattle Foundation and King County to address inequities in health, social, racial, and economic outcomes. Now this approach is getting national attention. This past weekend, US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro honored Communities of Opportunity. The Seattle Foundation received the Secretary’s Awards for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships in Washington D.C. at the Council of Foundations annual conference. Read more at Best Starts for Kids
Discounted tickets to see the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm Ticket prices between $16-$29, most sections within 101-128 Friday, June 3, 7 p.m. vs Phoenix Mercury Sunday, July 10, 4 p.m. vs Indiana Fever Friday, August 26, 7 p.m. vs Los Angeles Sparks Click here to access this offer and enter promo code: KING2016. See all available discounts on the Employee Discount Webpage.
Seventh annual Big Backyard 5K supporting King County Parks
Register for the seventh-annual Big Backyard 5K in support of King County Parks. The race is Sunday, June 5 at 9 a.m. at Marymoor Park. The course is flat, chip-timed, and stroller and dog friendly! Register as an individual or team today! And as a King County employee use promo code KCP5 for a $5 discount on your registration fee. Don’t forgot to stop by the King County Parks info booth for your Healthy Incentive’s Parks Fitness Challenge code! For more information about the Big Backyard 5K visit http://www.bby5k.com.
Administrative Professionals Recognition Day, April 27
On Wednesday, April 27, 2016, King County celebrated National Administrative Professionals Day. Guest speakers included King County Executive Dow Constantine, Rhonda Berry, King County Deputy Executive for Operations, King County Councilmember Larry Gossett, Susie Slonecker, Interim-Deputy Director-Human Resources Division, and Joanne Lee, Business and Development Manager of Seattle Colleges. Thank you to the Administrative Professionals Advisory Committee for their great work in putting this event together!! Click here to see a video of the event, or watch it below.
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