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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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Innovation Award for People
Part of the Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards, the Innovation Award for People goes to the Department of Executive Services/Fleet Services – Apprenticeship Program. Fleet Services was having trouble finding candidates with sufficient skills for heavy-duty technician positions, leading to staff shortages and delays in maintaining King County roads. The division created an apprenticeship program that allowed the county to grow a skilled workforce from within, and gave apprentices the opportunity to become career-service employees. Click here to learn more about this award and watch the video.
Watch the 2022 State of the County address Tuesday, May 24 at 1 p.m.
King County Executive Dow Constantine will deliver his 2022 State of the County address at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24, and employees are invited to watch the address live from their workstations. You can watch Executive Constantine’s address streaming live on this webpage and on KCTV Channels 22 and 322 (HD). The Executive’s remarks will begin a little after 1 p.m. Every year, during the State of the County address, Executive Constantine discusses the condition of our County and outlines his legislative agenda and priorities to the people of King County. Video and the text of… Read More
Coffee with a Cop in Burien
On Monday, May 9, the King County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with Starbucks and the Burien Police Department, hosted Coffee with a Cop. The event was a success and well-received by the community. Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall and Undersheriff Jesse Anderson joined other command staff, along with deputies and 911 dispatchers, to talk and meet with community members. Customers were pleasantly surprised to receive their drive-up order from uniformed King County and Burien deputies donning the signature Starbucks green apron. For more information about this event and other upcoming community events, visit the KCSO Facebook page.
KCTV celebrates Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander month
There’s a saying in Vietnamese, “Uống nước nhớ nguồn” that translates to “when you drink from a river, remember its origins.” Throughout the month of May, KCTV will feature local AANHPI leaders each week to see how their past is connected to the present. Week two features Shawn Wong, a Chinese-American University of Washington professor and author. When Wong was coming up as a young writer in the 1970s, he wanted to know: Where are all the Asian American authors? Fifty years later, through publishing, writing and teaching, Shawn has worked to make Asian… Read More
Congratulations to the 2021 Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards honorees
Several King County leaders today announced the honorees for the 2021 Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards in a series of videos, recognizing employees and teams for their exceptional contributions to performance, leadership, service, and innovation to better serve our residents. “I established these awards back in 2018 to honor employees and workgroups for their exceptional contributions to performance, leadership, and innovation,” Executive Constantine said in his introduction to the awards. “Recognizing great work is important; and celebrating the people behind the great work is even more important; and that’s exactly what’s behind the… Read More
Leave the car, hit the trail: Trailhead Direct returns May 28
King County’s Trailhead Direct transit service will return for the season beginning on Saturday, May 28. This summer, King County Metro and King County Parks are focusing the transit-to-trails service on its most popular route with stops at trailheads near Mount Si, Mount Teneriffe, and Little Si. Riders can take the bus, Sound Transit Link light rail, or bike to easily get to the Sound Transit Capitol Hill Link station, where Trailhead Direct coaches will depart every 30 minutes. The 2022 season will include service on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. See the… Read More
Juneteenth an observed County holiday on Monday, June 20
King County government will observe Juneteenth as a new paid holiday for the first time this year, on Monday, June 20. Last year, King County Council passed two Ordinances and King County bargained Agreements for represented employees to establish Juneteenth (June 19) and Indigenous Peoples’ Day (second Monday in October) as paid holidays starting in 2022 for King County employees who are eligible for comprehensive leave benefits. This year, King County government offices will be closed on Monday, June 20 in observance of Juneteenth. The establishment of Juneteenth and Indigenous Peoples’ Day as new holidays reflects our… Read More
Executive Constantine proclaims May 15 to May 21 as Emergency Medical Services Week
Executive Dow Constantine has declared May 15 to May 21, 2022 as Emergency Medical Services Week in King County. Emergency medical services are among the most important services provided in the area, and it is important to honor the valuable accomplishments of emergency medical services providers. The full proclamation follows below.
Emergency Management staff present at state conference
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express Four Emergency Management employees presented at the statewide Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference last month. Susanna Trimarco, Sasha Rector, Mikko McFeely and Sheri Badger gave a total of three presentations covering Regional Catastrophic Planning, Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attacks and the Trusted Partner Network. Click here to read the full story.
Seattle Pride Parade is back and King County is marching
Mark your calendars for Sunday, June 26 at 11 a.m. to join your colleagues representing King County in the 2022 Seattle Pride parade. Participants will be required to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test in order to participate. T-shirts will be available for sale, so stand by for more information. There will be 150 adult size t-shirts available at no cost on a first-come, first-serve basis the morning of the parade. Further details about when and where we will meet for the Parade will be sent out once it is available. To stay up to date on all things related… Read More
KCIT Tech Centers now located in Tukwila, Northgate, and South Seattle
Executive Branch employees can now get IT support at any of KCIT’s new Tech Centers in Tukwila, Northgate or South Seattle. KCIT Tech Centers provide employees with convenient onboarding/offboarding services, docking station and monitor replacements, and general PC fixes that can’t be solved remotely. KCIT Tech Center support is available by appointment only. If onsite help is needed, KCIT staff will contact you to schedule an appointment at your preferred location. KCIT Tech Centers are another example of how KCIT is supporting King County’s hybrid workforce as we move forward with the Future of… Read More
Changes coming to King County COVID-19 testing sites
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider As King County COVID-19 case rates have fallen from the Omicron peak earlier this year, and as the availability of free rapid self-test and community testing options have increased, demand at King County COVID-19 test sites has significantly declined. In order to better align with demand and transition to long-term testing solutions, Public Health – Seattle & King County will end its operations of our Tukwila, Federal Way and Auburn COVID-19 testing sites. The last day of King County operations for the Federal Way and Tukwila testing sites… Read More
Immunocompromised? You may be eligible for this medication to help protect from COVID
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider If you or someone you know is at higher risk from COVID-19 because of a compromised immune system, pre-exposure prophylaxis (also called PrEP, available as the product Evusheld) can help to protect from severe disease. When taken before infection or exposure, Evusheld helps your body fight the coronavirus and avoid getting really sick or needing to visit the hospital. Find more information here.
March and April Operators of the Month
Cross-posted from Metro Matters They are as unique as the people they meet with everyday when behind the wheel of their coaches: A tennis coach. A bowler. Another who started driving for Metro to help pay for school. A retired banker who now regrets telling the bus drivers who got him to work to “hurry up.” And those who started driving buses after being told they would be good at it. They are part of a group of transit operators with more than a century of experience at Metro. Click here to meet the… Read More
How King County businesses help protect public health and the environment through our Industrial Waste program
Cross-posted from Clean Water Stories Staff at the King County wastewater treatment plants do an excellent job of cleaning wastewater, but not all types of waste can be filtered out during the treatment process. The Industrial Waste Program is in charge of preventing pollution from entering the wastewater system in the first place. That’s also where local business can make a difference. By making sure that they only send wastewater to the County system that meets the standards set to protect the environment, businesses play a big role in keeping our waterways clean. Read the full story here.
KCTV celebrates Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander month
There’s a saying in Vietnamese, “Uống nước nhớ nguồn” that translates to “when you drink from a river, remember its origins.” Throughout the month of May, KCTV will feature local AANHPI leaders each week to see how their past is connected to the present. This week features Rachel Yang, a Korean-American chef and James Beard nominee that co-owns the Relay Restaurant Group, which includes the popular Joule and Revel restaurants. You can see the YouTube video here and Facebook video here. Watch for upcoming features including artist Erin Shigaki, writer and UW Professor Shawn Wong, and… Read More
Executive Constantine thanks retiring Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention director John Diaz and names successor
Executive Constantine announced that John Diaz, Director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD), will retire in late June following a distinguished three-year tenure that included unprecedented changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. A former Seattle police chief, Diaz joined DAJD as interim director in April 2019 and assumed the director position that August. Executive Constantine has appointed Juvenile Division Director Allen Nance to take over the role. Read the full announcement here.
Thanking Sheriff’s Office employees in National Police Week
This week is National Police Week, and King County Executive Dow Constantine used the opportunity to thank King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) employees for their service. I am grateful for everything that you do for the people of this region, and I thank you for your ongoing service,” Executive Constantine said in an email message to KCSO staff. “You are there, day in and day out, ensuring their safety and helping to make more welcoming, thriving communities.” With over 1,000 employees, the KCSO serves the law enforcement needs of over half a… Read More
New ORCA card system begins on May 16
Cross-posted from Metro Matters Starting May 16, hundreds of thousands of ORCA transit customers across the Puget Sound region will have access to a new website, smartphone app, and real-time value loading for their ORCA cards. Customers will also begin to see new card readers and vending machines as technology is updated and rolled out at transit locations throughout the region. This will mark the start of ongoing improvements to the ORCA system over the next several years. Get more information here.
May is Mental Health Month: Back to Basics
Mental Health Month is celebrated in May of each year. Due to the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the national conversation around mental health is normalizing. This year, Mental Health America has focused Mental Health Month on “Back to Basics,” helping re-center us on what mental health is, how we can support our mental health, and what resources are available to help. Learn more here.
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