With the farmer’s markets season in full swing, King County’s Solid Waste Division offers several tips on how to smartly store food, reducing waste and keeping items fresher longer. The food items wasted most are fresh vegetables and fruit. This is typically because we have bought too much or didn’t use it in time. By storing fruits and vegetables for maximum freshness, they will taste better and last longer, helping you eat more of them before they spoil. When buying, choose fresh foods that freeze well if there’s a chance you won’t get… Read More

The King County Auditor’s Office promotes improved performance, accountability, and transparency in King County government through objective and independent audits and studies. Follow the King County Auditor on Twitter today! Click here to view all King County social media pages.

Crossposted from DES Express As part of Healthy Incentives Farm Fresh Local program, we’re bringing Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to the workplace. CSA at the workplace – how fresh is that? Sign up for a CSA and have it delivered for pick-up at Chinook What’s a CSA? CSAs have become a popular way for consumers to buy local seasonal food directly from a farmer who offers to the public a certain number of “shares.” Typically, the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers… Read More

Assistant Presiding Judge for King County Superior Court Judge Laura Inveen sat down with KC TV recently to share some of her professional and personal experiences. She talks about her initial interest in the field and what has kept her passionate about law, as well as how the success of the juvenile drug court program is helping to address the opioid epidemic. Interviewer Andre Huff also asks Laura about her interests in triathalons and her connections to local hip-hop superstar Macklemore and poet Sherman Alexie. View the entire interview online at KC TV or read the interview transcript.

Can trash be photogenic? The Solid Waste Division sure thinks so. Since 2014 the Solid Waste Division has used Instagram to give the public an insider’s view of happenings at its transfer and recycling stations and the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill.

Crossposted from Expanding the Narrative I don’t work directly with the public. My customers are people who work in local government. I serve public servants – and it brings me joy and satisfaction. I’m a Lean consultant. That means I facilitate workshops where people get to step back from their work, name the good they create, figure out ways to measure a product that are meaningful to them, and improve the work itself. Not long ago, I worked with a team to map their process. When asked, “What is the first thing… Read More

Crossposted from the DES Express blog The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) has recognized King County with two awards. The first was the Leadership Award for Purchasing Innovation for the County’s new Proterra battery-powered bus fleet, which provides significant cost savings and environmental benefits. The second was an Outstanding Case Study Award for the purchase of liquid petroleum gas vehicles for the county’s fleet.   SPLC is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting green purchasing practices within large institutions. King County’s pair of awards were presented to environmental purchasing manager Karen… Read More

Crossposted from the DES Express blog Last week, King County hosted the Consortium for Advanced Management International‘s (CAM-I) summer quarter meeting, focusing on “Private and Public Sector Partnerships.” CAM-I is an organization that over the last four decades has developed practical and effective management tools, techniques, and methods to advance the way organizations manage costs, processes, and performance. The event drew participation from employees all across King County, as well as Boeing and the Royal Australian Navy, to name a few. Speakers for the plenary session included Deputy County Executive Fred Jarrett,… Read More

Just recently we revamped our news site http://www.kcemployees.com to highlight a fresher, bolder look. Reflecting the same content from the weekly Employee Newsletter, each story on the site now features even more engaging photos, new ways to share via social media and suggested reading tailored to readers’ interests. We’ve updated the menu options to include sorting stories by topic, connect directly to the official King County website and offer a super helpful “Hot Links” page, with hyperlinks to Employee Discounts, Benefits and Payroll, Emergency Information and additional on-demand employee websites. There’s even… Read More

Crossposted from KC Emergency News After more than four days of action simulating a catastrophic magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the Cascadia Rising exercise has come to an end. More than 20,000 people across the Pacific Northwest took part in the drills, which put emergency response and recovery plans to the ultimate test. King County activated its Emergency Coordination Center, where hundreds of people came together to support the exercise response. Walt Hubbard, director of King County Emergency Management, says overall he was impressed by Cascadia Rising. “The level of commitment to the exercise… Read More

Crossposted from Public Health Insider By Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer Early on Sunday, June 12th, a lone gunman with a semiautomatic rifle carried out the largest mass shooting in United States history at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing dozens of men and women. Our thoughts, prayers and tears go out to the families and friends of the victims, along with our hope for the quick physical recovery for the many injured, though we know the psychological toll will be long-lasting. So far in 2016, there have been 136 mass… Read More