Crossposted from Public Health Insider Ever since the election, people are wondering whether their health insurance coverage will survive next year, if the Affordable Care Act (sometimes called “Obamacare”) is targeted for repeal. The short answer is, Yes. Your insurance should stay the same all through 2017, whether you are enrolled through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange or through Washington Apple Health (Medicaid). Open Enrollment has already started, for people with incomes that qualify for discounted plans on the Exchange. There are two deadlines coming up. The first deadline – to complete… Read More

Crossposted from King County Wastewater Treatment Division Over four days in early Nov, area firefighters and wastewater employees participated in hands-on training in rescuing people from hard-to-reach, potentially hazardous spaces. These “confined spaces” are defined by how hard it is to get in and out of them, and can have poor or even dangerous air quality. Each day, about 12 firefighters participated in drills along with Brightwater treatment plant employees. “It gives everyone – the firefighters and our plant employees – a chance to practice our procedures for responding to a potential… Read More

Crossposted from Inside Transportation After months of hard work, I want to thank the King County Council for embracing many of the Executive’s proposals and adopting our $1.9 billion biennial operating budget and $1.2 billion capital investment plan for 2017-2018. The adopted budget makes significant investments in 88 Metro Transit bus routes to reduce crowding, improve reliability and increase the frequency of trips on key corridors. It includes infrastructure funding for 2017-18 and a six-year plan of capital investments outlined in Transit’s long range plan, METRO CONNECTS. The budget also invests in… Read More

Crossposted from Go, Green Team! As of October 2016, fifty percent of K-12 schools in King County outside City of Seattle have received assistance, tools, and recognition from the King County Green Schools Program. Join these 248 schools and get help to engage your school community in improving waste reduction, recycling, and other conservation practices. King County Green Schools Program provides assistance, school visits, and the resources and tools (including recycling containers and signs) schools need to make improvements. Sign up to participate. Here are a few examples of what schools are… Read More

Transportation advocates in New York are pushing the city to consider a reduced-fair program similar to ORCA LIFT. The program received a mention in the New York Times for its success in charging residents with low incomes less to ride public transportation. Read more about this national movement and how King County helped lead the way in the original New York Times article.