Featured Headlines
VIDEO: Interim DNRP Director Mo McBroom shares her path to public service
KCSO in the spotlight: Air support
Welcoming new neighbors: King County invests in vital support for immigrant and refugee communities
King County, Plymouth Housing, and City of Kirkland celebrate opening of new permanent supportive housing community, Sheila Stanton Place
News
Behind the scenes of the limited-edition SEA26 ORCA Card
Crossposted from Metro Matters There’s nothing Seattle-area transit riders love more than a special-edition ORCA card! To celebrate Seattle’s status as a host city in the 2026 World Cup, ORCA produced a limited-edition, promotional ORCA card which celebrates the excitement of the sport and the culture of the Pacific Northwest. Led by King County Metro in partnership with 4Culture, this ORCA card was designed by local artist Alison Bremner. 4Culture is King County’s cultural services agency, providing funding and support for art, heritage, historic preservation, public art, and science and technology to help connect people throughout the… Read More
Events Ahoy! West Seattle Water Taxi is set for sailing to Mariners games, soccer matches and more this summer
Crossposted from the Captain’s Blog You don’t need a soccer tournament to stay busy in Seattle this summer, and the King County Water Taxi wants to help you get to all of the events taking place downtown—as well as to that soccer tournament! Weeknight trips after Mariners baseball Weeknight post-game sailings for the Seattle Mariners are returning this summer. The weekday post-game trips from Pier 50 to West Seattle started June 1, after an interleague game between the M’s and the New York Mets. The water taxi will provide evening post-game service Monday through Thursday…. Read More
Hundreds of thousands of people are coming to Seattle for the World Cup. Here’s what it means for your health
Crossposted from Public Health Insider With six World Cup matches and many fan events in Seattle planned in June and July, up to 750,000 people are expected to come to the region! Public Health and our partners have compiled tips to help people going to the events and exploring King County stay safe and healthy, whether you’re new to King County or already live here. Please share this information if you are hosting or working with visitors during the World Cup. Read more.
Employee Assistance Program and Making Life Easier undergo refresh, July 1
King County’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Making Life Easier (MLE) are about to go through a refresh. This is the result of feedback from employees, supervisors, leaders, and HR staff. Historically, the MLE program focused on helping all King County employees with home- and life-related stress and concerns. Beginning July 1, MLE will expand their services to also support employees with workplace issues. MLE will continue to provide support to employees and their families living in the same household for home-related stress and concerns. This all-in-one counseling is provided by our external vendor Curalinc and includes: Confidential… Read More
Using data to guide resources to where they’re needed most: Portraits of Public Health
Crossposted from Public Health Insider Our website is full of all sorts of interesting data dashboards, synthesizing information from an array of data sources to allow our staff and the public to better understand who is most impacted by various health issues. Danny is one of the data scientists who does the behind-the-scenes work to make these data visualizations possible and to allow our staff to work efficiently. For this month’s Portraits in Public Health, we look behind the scenes to understand the work of Danny and his colleagues. Hi Danny. What’s your job at Public Health? I’m a data scientist. I create software tools to help my… Read More
King County officials urge extra caution on rivers after December flooding created new potential drowning hazards
Crossposted from Field Notes King County officials are urging the public to be extra cautious on rivers this summer after major flooding this past December changed conditions and created new potential drowning hazards. They also warn that Lake Washington and Puget Sound remain dangerously cold even when the air temperature is warm. Widespread flooding this past December moved logs, rocks, and other hazards into rivers throughout King County, creating new drowning risks that might not be visible above the surface. Historically high flows shifted riverbeds, resulting in deeper or shallower pools that can create hazards for swimmers, tubers, boaters, and kayakers. Read more.
Free summer lunches for kids at King County Parks
Every kid should have access to healthy foods year-round. To help fill the gap in the school lunch program during summer break, King County Parks’ Teen Rec Aides are providing free summer sack lunches to kids under 18 along with activities at multiple locations throughout the summer. Steve Cox Memorial Park Community Center, 1321 SW 102nd St Seattle 98146, June 29 – Aug. 21: Mondays – Fridays from noon to 2 p.m. West Hill Community Center, 12320 80th Ave S Seattle 98178, June 30 – Aug. 21: Tuesdays – Fridays from noon to 2… Read More
It’s swimming season! Answers to your top questions about beach closures and reopenings
Crossposted from Public Health Insider There’s nothing quite like relaxing on a beach by the lake in the summertime. Here in King County, we’re lucky to have dozens of great beaches to choose from, and the Lake Swimming Beach Program works hard to make sure the water is safe for people to swim. Every week during the summer (typically from mid-May through mid-September) we test the water at popular swim beaches in King County for bacteria. If there’s a high risk that people could get sick from swimming or playing in the… Read More
Outdoor movies return to King County’s Marymoor Park this summer with food trucks, entertainment, dog-friendly activities
Crossposted from Field Notes This summer, moviegoers can once again enjoy big-screen films, food trucks, and dog-friendly activities at King County’s Marymoor Park in Redmond for the 22nd season of the KeyBank Movies at Marymoor presented by Sasquatch Strength & Nutrition. The season begins July 8 with the 1980s classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” kicking off another summer of relaxed, fun evenings stretched out on a beautiful grassy expanse. It will be the first season since Sound Transit’s 2 Line was completed with service to the nearby Marymoor Village Station. On July 15, audiences can sing along to crowd favorite… Read More
SEA26: Getting around town—Metro launches Waterfront Shuttles for summertime fun
Crossposted from Metro Matters Metro’s new Waterfront Shuttle is now in service in downtown Seattle, connecting riders between the Seattle Center, the Seattle Aquarium and the Great Wheel on the downtown waterfront, historic Pioneer Square and our treasured Chinatown-International District. Rides are free thanks to a sponsorship from the Seattle FWC26 team, all part of making it easier to ride transit and leave your car home all summer long—especially on Match Days. Shuttle service is very frequent—operating every 15 minutes, seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.—with stops near the city’s… Read More
Save the Date: Seattle Pride Parade, June 28
Employees are invited to join the King County group at the 52nd Annual Seattle Pride Parade on Sunday, June 28, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friends, family members, and even four-legged companions are welcome to participate alongside the King County group. Employees interested in marching with King County should complete the sign-up form here. Employees who plan to participate in the parade can also request a complimentary T-shirt through the sign-up form. To help us estimate quantities and order sizes, employees must complete the form by June 10. Additional T-shirt details, including pickup information,… Read More
King County Permitting expanding in-person customer support
Crossposted from King County Local Starting June 1, walk‑up permitting hours will double to four days a week at 919 SW Grady Way in Renton: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Technical experts are available on Thursdays for complex questions. Permitting staff are also at the Fall City Library the first Tuesday of every month, from 1 to 3 p.m. Customers can always: E-mail: PermitQuestions@kingcounty.gov Call: 206-296-6600
FMD starts Walking Bus Pilot Program
On Monday, June 1, the Facilities Management Division (FMD) will start a Walking Bus Pilot Program in the Downtown Seattle Core. The FMD Walking Bus Pilot Program pairs groups of King County Employees with an FMD Security Officer to escort them to public transit hubs in the Downtown Core at the end of the workday. To participate, please arrive at the designated departure location and time as described below, there will be a white sign clearly marked “Walking Bus” that indicates the meeting location at each building. The Walking Bus will make… Read More
Benefits Unlocked: Supporting you in navigating your benefits
Do your benefits ever feel like a puzzle that’s hard to put together? Many employees run into stress when trying to figure out their health insurance, whether it’s for physical, dental, or mental health. King County’s new Benefits Unlocked series is here to simplify that process. Join the Balanced You team’s Karla Clark and the Benefit team’s Matt Munson as they discuss topics such as finding a healthcare provider, understanding how to make changes, anticipating any costs, and more. Together, they will answer your questions and help you feel more confident using… Read More
Women in Rail inspiring future trades workers
Crossposted from the Metro Layover Employee Newsletter Metro’s Women in Rail Employee Resource Group (ERG) helped showcase careers in skilled trades at the 45th annual Washington Women in Trades Fair earlier this month at Seattle Center. Lead Track Maintainer Stephanie Forester, Lead Maintenance Service Center Worker Helen Nicdao, and Lead Facilities Electrician Erika Ruff staffed the Rail Division table, giving attendees a hands-on look at the equipment and work that keep Metro’s rail system running every day. This year, the group wanted the display to feel authentic to the work employees do… Read More
Employees only: Join us for Pride Flag Raising Ceremony on Monday, June 1
We invite employees to kick off Pride Month with King County Executive Zahilay at the King County Pride Flag Raising ceremony. All interested employees are welcome to attend with supervisor approval. Participation is completely optional. The event will include light refreshments and recognition of employees and community members whose leadership, advocacy, and service continue to strengthen and support LGBTQIA+ communities across King County. Monday, June 1, 2026 11 a.m. King County Administration Building Plaza
Executive Zahilay announces key amendments and regional partnerships to improve Sound Transit 3 system plan for King County
Yesterday, Executive Girmay Zahilay announced his sponsorship for new amendments to the ST3 system update plan that will advance critical transit projects in King County and improve accountability at Sound Transit. The Sound Transit Board is expected to vote on these amendments and updated plan on Thursday. In March, the Executive committed to regional collaboration to address the agency’s $34.5 billion funding shortfall while keeping projects affordable and moving forward. “Addressing a budget deficit of this size is incredibly challenging, and difficult decisions were always going to be necessary,” said Executive Zahilay. “Even so, we made meaningful progress to move all of King County’s projects forward, and… Read More
Finding calm in times of change: The power of mindfulness
Are you noticing increased stress due to ongoing uncertainty? During times of change, it’s common to feel a mix of emotions – such as anxiety or frustration – alongside hope for what’s ahead. Mindfulness offers a way to pause during difficult feelings, notice what’s happening in the moment, and respond with greater calm and clarity. Balanced You and King County provide resources to help employees learn about and practice mindfulness skills. Read more.
Celebrate American wetlands this month!
Crossposted from Headwaters Each May, we celebrate American Wetlands Month to shine a light on these special ecosystems that provide clean water, flood protection, and critical habitat for plants, fish, and wildlife. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetland Inventory Program, a vital tool for tracking wetlands across the United States, including right here in King County. You can learn more about this work and check out status and trends in the NWI’s 50th anniversary Storymap. The NWI includes a wetland inventory that was developed by King County and adopted by… Read More
Summer ultimate frisbee season ready for launch
King County’s ultimate frisbee team is back for another summer season, with Wednesday evening games starting in June and running through mid-August. Players of all experience levels are welcome, including anyone brand new to the sport. It’s a great way to meet colleagues, get outside, and keep the momentum going after work hours. Interested? Reach out to Danny Arauz or Amelia Bahr for details.
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