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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
News
King County IT Security Tips: Data Breaches
Data breaches are becoming more and more common these days. You hear about them in the news all the time. So you might be wondering: what exactly is a data breach? A data breach is when secure information is taken from a trusted environment without permission. The bad guys can use this information to steal your identity, hack into your online accounts, or use the information for targeted phishing attacks to gather even more information about you. However, just because the data was exposed does not necessarily mean it’s already being used… Read More
Jennifer Hills receives Fred Jarrett Award
The recipient of the Fred Jarrett Leadership Excellence Award is Jennifer Hills, Director of the Office of Risk Management, Department of Executive Services. This award is named for former Deputy Executive Fred Jarrett and honors a senior leader of a department or division. Under Jennifer’s guidance, King County has adopted a more progressive view of risk. Where it once avoided risk, the county now uses a more balanced approach and takes risks when it can add value, drive change, and deliver results. Watch the video to learn how Jennifer led the Office of… Read More
Welcome Back Bash to Celebrate County and City Employees
Fellow Public Servants, It’s time to celebrate your great work in support of our residents and communities! Thank you for all you have done to serve the people of Seattle and King County during a time of significant challenge. We were the first in the nation to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, but because you stepped up with courage, dedication, and hard work – even while lives and livelihoods were upended – our region is recovering and reopening. To celebrate you, and all public employees, during these unprecedented times we are throwing a… Read More
Local Food Initiative supports farmers, protects land, and increases access to healthy foods
King County strives to be a healthy community, where residents can access opportunities and receive the support needed to succeed. One way it does this is through the Local Food Initiative. This program was started in 2014 and aims to make the local food economy more equitable and resilient to climate impacts. The initiative is overseen by Mike Lufkin, Food Economy Manager in the Department of Natural Resources and Parks. Mike has been with King County since 2015. His work includes growing the food and farm sectors, increasing access to healthy nutritious… Read More
Executive Services BEAT Assessment wins 2022 Achievement Award
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express The Department of Executive Services’ Beginning, Exploring, Applying and Transforming (BEAT) Assessment has been recognized with an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties. The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents. The BEAT Assessment was recognized in the Personnel Management, Employment and Training Category. Read more.
Metro Pride! Operator Johnathon Futch selected as Grand Marshal of 2022 Pride Parade
Cross-posted from Metro Matters Pride Month celebrates the history and accomplishments of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities throughout the world. For Metro Operator Johnathon Futch, Pride 2022 is an opportunity to lead the celebration as one of the Grand Marshals of Seattle’s 48th Annual Pride Parade through downtown Seattle on Sunday, June 26. Read more. Join Johnathon to represent King County in the 2022 Seattle Pride Parade. Participants will be required to show proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test. For information, email leah.holland@kingcounty.gov with the subject line “PRIDE Info.”
People Leader Award honors Hedda McClendon
The People Leader Award recipient is Hedda McClendon, COVID Emergency Services Director for the Department of Community and Human Services. This award honors a leader below the department or division leadership level who directly manages staff. In an incredibly challenging year, Hedda led operations at two high-volume COVID-19 vaccine sites, King County’s Isolation and Quarantine System Sites, and the White Center Cooling Center, and oversaw the Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program. Watch the video to learn how she inspired multi-departmental teams to produce big results with her leadership, partnership, and information-sharing –… Read More
Biologists see promising signs for native kokanee salmon
Biologists observed a sharp increase in the number of adult kokanee salmon returning to spawn four years after Executive Dow Constantine announced that King County would enact recommendations from the Lake Sammamish Kokanee Work Group. Last fall, biologists observed more than 2,000 adult kokanee returning from the lake to spawn in tributary creeks, more than the total number of spawners they observed during the previous five years combined. See the full story here.
King County rolls out the state’s first battery-electric heavy-duty truck built in Renton
King County – already a leader in the transition to bus fleets powered by clean energy – is now the first organization in the state to operate a battery-powered heavy-duty truck manufactured at Kenworth’s plant in Renton. It will be one of the first Class 8 battery-electric trucks in North America operated by a waste management agency. Along with King County Metro’s progress toward electrifying its bus fleet, King County is a leader in the transition to zero-emission vehicles that reduce air and noise pollution. Read more.
Juneteenth events for King County employees
King County employees are invited to participate in a week full of celebrations featuring events, speakers, and opportunities to build community while commemorating Juneteenth. The Importance of Juneteenth with keynote speaker Hill Harper, Monday, June 13 Award-winning actor, bestselling author, and philanthropist Hill Harper will share what Juneteenth means to him. Monday, June 13 from noon to 1:20 p.m. via Zoom, meeting ID: 812 7312 8226 and usepasscode: 274575. Click here to add to your Outlook calendar. Transformational Conversations featuring Larry Gossett, Tuesday, June 14 Former King County Councilmember Larry Gossett shares… Read More
Income and employment verification InVerify becomes The Work Number
King County’s income and employment verification service – InVerify – is transitioning to a new provider, The Work Number from Equifax. The Work Number provides a comprehensive income and employment verification service that helps employees qualify for loans, credit, government aid, and more. All current InVerify processes will be transferred to the www.theworknumber.com on Wednesday, June 8. Employees can visit www.employees.theworknumber.com to get the verification services they need to obtain: Loans, home mortgages, new jobs, rental qualifications, and Social Service benefits such as temporary assistance, housing assistance, child support, and nutrition assistance. For more information, or to access… Read More
Individual Contributor Award honors Carolina Johnson
This year’s recipient of the Individual Contributor award is Carolina Johnson, Data Asset and Technical Manager, Department of Community and Human Services. This award honors an individual contributor who does not directly manage staff. Carolina is the product owner for the Community and Human Services and Public Health Integrated Data Hub, and she created the first-in-county structures and processes to allow for transparent and responsible data use and interpretation. She moved her project team to quickly generate data analysis that shaped the county’s COVID-19 homelessness response and limited the spread of the virus…. Read More
King County’s Vashon Recycling and Transfer Station goes energy neutral with new solar array
Posted by the Department of Natural Resources and Parks As it becomes more urgent to address the effects of climate change, the Solid Waste Division in King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks is working to provide recycling and waste disposal services throughout the county while reducing its carbon footprint and overall environmental impacts. At the Vashon Recycling and Transfer Station, a recently completed solar project will help the division reach its climate goals, providing energy-neutral recycling and garbage service to Vashon Island residents for years to come. Read more.
Executive Constantine moves Free Youth Transit Pass forward, aiming for implementation in time for school
In his State of the County address last month, Executive Constantine touted the great work of King County Metro and acknowledged key investments for the future, including the Free Youth Transit Pass that will connect youth to the freedom of transit throughout our region. The proposed free youth transit pass builds on King County’s many years of success in providing ORCA passes to middle and high school students during the school year, and also stretching into summertime for those who most need travel support. By adopting a year-round free youth transit pass… Read More
DAJD mourns long-serving head cook
Submitted by the Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention (DAJD) Claro “Ed” Mitre was a beloved figure in the kitchen at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, where he had worked as lead cook/baker since the facility opened in 1997. The father of seven had started working at King County jails soon after he retired from the U.S. Navy. That was back in 1979. And earlier this year, at 86, he was still keeping up his dedicated routine. Sadly, Mitre passed away on Monday, May 16. He had worked his regular… Read More
Executive Constantine proclaims June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month
King County Executive Dow Constantine has proclaimed June 2022 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month. King County is a leader advancing equitable policies and practices based on sexualorientation and gender identity in the areas of marriage, employment, housing, public accommodations, and contracting. Executive Constantine urges everyone to honor the fight against discrimination and the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people to our County and our society. View the full proclamation below.
King County transitions COVID-19 testing sites to community partners
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider As announced earlier this month, Public Health – Seattle & King County is ending its operational oversight of itsTukwila, Federal Way and Auburn COVID-19 testing sites in the transition from COVID-19 emergency response to long-term prevention management. Community partners will take over operation of these three sites in June, following a brief closure during the transition process. These sites will continue to provide free tests regardless of immigration or insurance status. Click here for more details.
Innovation Award for Sustainability honorees
The Innovation Award for Sustainability goes to the Department of Natural Resources and Parks/Water and Land Resources Division – Lones Levee Setback and Floodplain Restoration Project. The 1,600-foot-long Lones Levee on the Green River had fallen into disrepair and no longer provides adequate protection from flooding and erosion. The Water and Land Resources Division worked with landowners and tribes to build a new, stronger levee that restored functional floodplains, improved salmon and native fish habitats, and supports forests and greenspace. Click here to learn more and watch the video of the presentation. Each… Read More
Celebrating Pride and the fight for equality
Dear fellow King County employee, Happy Pride Month! Every June we celebrate Pride and honor the fight for equality and equal rights for LGBTQ+ people that began in June of 1969 with the Stonewall Riots led by trans women of color. Pride is a time to recognize the accomplishments and many contributions of LGBTQ+ people to our communities here in King County and around the world, to our shared history and our shared future. It is a time to reflect on the adversities that LGBTQ+ people have faced throughout history and their… Read More
For Drug Court Month, one family shares a story of resilience
Dakota – Cody to his parents – spent more than five years on the streets and in places like Echo Glen, where juveniles are incarcerated. In March 2021, with advocacy from his defense attorney, Dakota transferred into King County Adult Drug Diversion Court on residential and other burglary charges. Thirteen months later, with his parents, defense attorney, and drug court team cheering him on, Dakota graduated from the program with his life remarkably transformed. Click here to read the full story.
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