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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
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Discounts to 2023 Washington State Fair
King County employees can save on tickets to the Washington State Fair, Sept. 1-24. Click here for instructions on how to purchase your discount tickets. Once you log in to the Corporate Perks portal, your discount pricing will be unlocked. There is no need to enter an additional discount code. See all available discounts on the Employee Discount webpage.
An update on COVID-19: Q&A with Dr. Eric Chow, Chief of Communicable Disease Epidemiology
Crossposted from Public Health Insider You may have heard reports recently of increases in cases of COVID-19 in many parts of the U.S. We talked with Public Health’s Chief of Communicable Disease Epidemiology, Dr. Eric Chow, about what’s happening with COVID-19 in King County right now. Question: Are we seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases in King County? Dr. Chow: Yes. Since the beginning of August 2023, we’ve started to see an increase in some COVID-19 metrics in King County, including COVID-19 emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Individual COVID-19 case counts have… Read More
Blood donations urgently needed ahead of Labor Day
Shared from the Washington State Department of Health The Washington State Department of Health and Northwest Blood Coalition urge people to donate blood now to avoid a summer blood shortage. Bloodworks Northwest and Vitalant characterize the summer months as the “100 Deadliest Days.” Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, demand for blood remains constant, transfusion needs increase, but donations go down. Despite updated donor eligibility guidelines that allow more people to donate blood, nationwide the American Red Cross has seen a shortfall of about 25,000 blood donations during the first two months of summer. With fewer donations,… Read More
Third annual FOD Walk nets a key and other debris
Crossposted from the DES Express On July 22, about 140 people participated in the third annual FOD Walk at King County International Airport-Boeing Field, gathering on the main runway to remove Foreign Object Debris (FOD). Notable finds this year included a key, a screw, and other debris including rocks. Foreign object debris can be dangerous to aircraft, pilots, and passengers. “This year saw new sponsorships, more people (including King County Councilmembers), and perfect weather,” said Sam Priest. “All combined that provided a fun and exciting event, making King County International Airport a… Read More
Uprooted and transplanted, Max and his trees find new homes
Crossposted from Clean Water Stories from King County People from around the world have found themselves calling King County home, with only an estimated three in 10 Seattle area adults born in Washington. One of these Seattle transplants is Max Solis, who uprooted from Los Angeles in 2019. “I felt like I was in the wrong place, like there was no future for me in California,” Max says. “I really feel like I’ve found my place in Seattle.” It should be of no surprise then to learn that Max has found himself looking over his… Read More
Growing people power rooted in community love
From the American Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pasifika Affinity Group “King County is centering people and their experiences to help inform what shapes our strategies, which shape our policies, funding, procurements, and allows true impact in communities being able to create their own resource building,” Amy Pak (she/her) says. “We have incredible leaders. There’s so much knowledge, skill, and power within the community.” Inaccessible, exclusionary practices and a history of systemic racism and inequity obstruct the pathways for grassroots, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), immigrant and refugee communities to access needed services…. Read More
Labor Day holiday is Monday, Sept. 4
Monday, Sept. 4 is Labor Day, which means that King County government offices will be closed. All offices will be back on schedule Tuesday, Sept. 5. On Sept. 4, most Metro Transit buses will operate on Sunday schedules. If you have questions about your holiday schedule, please speak to your supervisor. Have a safe and healthy holiday.
Animal Services hosts free vet clinic
Crossposted from the DES Express Washington Health Outreach and The Ellevet Project teamed up at Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) headquarters in Kent recently to provide free veterinary care for pet owners facing financial hardship. “It went really well,” said Anna Ludwig, board pre
Thunder Run uses KCIA as western hub for the first time
Crossposted from the DES Express King County International Airport – Boeing Field (KCIA) supported Thunder Run, an emergency exercise managed by a consortium of volunteer pilots and other groups, for the first time last month. KCIA served as one of the hubs west of the Cascade Mountains for the drill, which involved folks from all over Washington and Oregon. Read more.
Ernest Kandilige appointed permanent Metro Deputy General Manager
Crossposted from Metro Matters Since the beginning of the year, Ernest Kandilige has been serving as Metro’s Interim Deputy General Manager. Starting today, I’m delighted to share that we will no longer need “Interim” in his title, as I have officially appointed Ernest as Metro’s Deputy General Manager. As Deputy General Manager, Ernest is focused on supporting Metro operations in Vehicle Maintenance, Bus Operations, Transit Facilities, Safety and Security, Marine and Rail. I am confident in the leadership that Ernest brings and know how deeply he cares about the role Metro plays… Read More
New public website, www.KingCounty.gov, now live
King County has successfully transitioned our public website (kingcounty.gov) to a new platform! The new website provides a user-centered experience with information that is easier to find, navigate, and understand. The site features a modern design and simplified organization that reflects current best practices. Universal templates offer consistent experiences across departments and encourage “plain language” content written for 5th-8th grade reading levels. Thank you for your patience while we settle into this new and exciting online space! Here’s what you can expect: Be prepared for customer questions. Online visitors will see the new King… Read More
Tips for clean air indoors on smoky days: A Public Health comic
Crossposted from Public Health Insider When it’s smoky out, it’s important to do all you can to keep indoor air clean. Check out these tips from our crafter’s corner and don’t forget to visit www.kingcounty.gov/wildfiresmoke for more tips and resources. More information about protecting your health from wildfire smoke, including how to make a DIY box fan filter is at www.kingcounty.gov/wildfire smoke. View the entire comic here.
Employees, others get an opportunity to test out “zippy” electric vehicles
Crossposted from the DES Express Fleet Services recently hosted their first “Ride and Drive” event focused solely on light duty electric vehicles, the kind you might drive at work or home one day (or already!). The goal was to provide information and opportunities for King County employees and folks from other agencies to try out electric vehicles, enticing them to consider using them when more become available. Attendees met first to hear presentations from electric auto makers. “Ford, Volvo and Mack Trucks all focused on their vehicle electrification programs, what’s available and… Read More
Kelsey Urban gets a birds-eye view of the county’s potential risks
Crossposted from the DES Express When your job is to help manage risk for King County, it’s critical to understand what those potential risks are. So, when an opportunity came to get a birds-eye view during a routine King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) helicopter flight, Kelsey Urban, the new Deputy Director of the Office of Risk Management Services, jumped at the chance. Brendan McCluskey, Director of Emergency Management, joined in to provide an emergency management perspective. Read more.
Voters renew Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy—continuing nearly two decades of successes
King County voters approved the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy for the fourth time, ensuring that veterans, seniors, and resilient communities can continue to access a broad range of programs and services in King County. Read more in the official press release.
State retirement plan contributions change Sept. 1, 2023
Employer contribution rates for some of the following retirement plans will change on Sept. 1, 2023, as approved by the State Legislature. The state Pension Funding Council adjusts contribution rates, as needed, to fund the retirement benefits earned by members. The PERS employer rate will change to 9.53% for all PERS plans. You will see the new employer contribution amounts under employer-paid benefits on your paystub beginning Sept. 14, 2023. More information is available on the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) website. If you have any questions about the rate… Read More
New Racially Just training for all Executive branch employees
Dear fellow King County employee, One of our core values is “We are racially just.” This means that we work purposefully and intentionally against racism and discrimination, and toward equity for all by building anti-racist and pro-equity approaches into our work, our policies, our budgeting, and our trainings. It means that we make racial justice a central part of how we work and act as King County employees. That is why we have launched a new training: We Are Racially Just: Our King County Values at Work. This training will help to… Read More
Take care in hot temperatures
The hotter than normal weather we’re experiencing this week can take a toll on our mental and physical health so it’s important to take care of ourselves, our loved ones, and our furry friends. With the National Weather Service’s Heat Advisory for our area now extended until Thursday, Aug. 17 at 11 p.m., here are some tips from Public Health – Seattle & King County to help you manage the heat. Learn more.
Website migration starts Monday, Aug. 21 – what to expect
Starting Monday, Aug. 21, King County will begin transitioning our public website (kingcounty.gov) to a new platform. While website migration is underway, site visitors may experience brief, occasional errors. This process is expected to be completed by Wednesday, Aug. 23. KCIT is working with departments’ Web Content Manager(s) to ensure a smooth transition with minimal disruptions, but you can help: Be prepared for customer questions. After the transition, online visitors will see the new King County homepage and your department’s new webpages. Your webpages will look different, and customers may need help navigating to… Read More
KCIA hosts Blue Angels for Seafair weekend
Crossposted from DES Express The U.S. Navy Blue Angels roared in and out of King County International Airport for this year’s Boeing Seafair Airshow, held Aug. 4 – Aug. 6. The Blue Angels were parked on the airport’s main terminal ramp again this year, making for a close-up show for airport employees and others at the terminal. Read more.
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