Connecting more veterans, service members and their families to support services with specially trained Pathfinders and Navigators
On July 30, King County Executive Dow Constantine announced a $7.5 million initiative that will provide specially trained Pathfinders and Navigators to connect more veterans, servicemembers, and their families to a network of supportive services.
The community-based Pathfinders and Navigators will reach out to veterans, servicemembers, and their families throughout King County, focusing on those who face the greatest barriers, including veterans who are women, transgender, Native Americans, people of color, veterans who are experiencing homelessness, and their families. In addition to services, the Pathfinders and Navigators will connect veterans who experience isolation to supportive communities.
“No other county in this nation does more to support those who serve in the armed forces, yet our mission will not be complete until we connect all veterans, servicemembers, and their families to the services they need to thrive,” said Executive Constantine. “We have increased the resources available to veterans who live in King County. Now, our specially trained Pathfinders will reach those who face the greatest barriers to those resources.”
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Community Court Program building safer neighborhoods
King County is helping low-level offenders get their lives back on track and building safer communities through a program called Community Court.
The Community Court Program is an alternative problem-solving court that can help low-level offenders avoid the traditional court system if they adhere to a plan, access community services, and create positive changes in their lives and their community.
“It warms my heart to have people succeed and to see the change in them,” King County District Court Judge Lisa Paglisotti said in a recent video about the program. “This is the one program that, I think, we’re giving people tools teaching them to be self-sufficient, giving them hope, restoring their dignity, energizing them to move forward in positive ways.”
The Community Court addresses crimes such as theft, shoplifting, and other low-level offenses. The goal is to divert people from the traditional justice system and offer resources that can help them address the underlying issues that led to their offences, and ultimately lead to stronger, safer neighborhoods.
The Community Courts are located in Redmond and Burien, and include Resource Centers that offer services to participants, such as job training, education, housing, healthcare, and much more. The Community Court Resource Centers are open to everyone, not just those enrolled in the program.
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King County employee honored for working to advance social justice
Janine Anzalota, Equity and Civil Rights Manager in the Office of Equity and Social Justice, will be honored with the Hubie Jones Urban Service Award, a Boston University School of Social Work Alumni Award. Janine will receive the award in September.
This prestigious award is named after Hubert Eugene Jones, better known as “Hubie,” who shaped and defined the civic and social landscape of Boston, MA, for more than 45 years. He played a leadership role in the formation, building, and rebuilding of at least 30 community organizations within Boston’s Black community and across all neighborhoods in the city. He was the first African-American appointed to a deanship at Boston University, serving as the dean of the School of Social Work from 1977 to 1993. He continues to be a tireless advocate for racial justice and equity.
This award upholds Hubie’s racial justice legacy by honoring alumni who have provided outstanding professional accomplishments and contributions to racial and social justice. Prior to Janine joining King County, she managed the Boston Office of Fair Housing and Equity where she reported to Mayor Walsh, and before that worked for the Boston Public Health Commission where her work focused on addressing health inequities in Boston communities of color. Janine has contributed to advanced racial and social justice in local government for 13 years, and has worked at King County since March 2018.
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Executive branch EEO/AA Committee recruiting new committee members
The Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Committee is recruiting new committee members for the 2020– 2022 term. The committee is employee-based and serves in an advisory capacity to the county executive; developing and reviewing strategies, systems, policies and guidelines to implement and enhance executive branch EEO/AA plans.
The committee is actively recruiting representatives from:
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Department of Natural Resources and Parks
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Elections
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King County Sheriff’s Office
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Metro
The application period closes Sept. 6. Please visit www.kingcounty.gov/jobs for additional information regarding qualifications and to apply. For questions, contact Lisa D. Longdon, Workforce Equity Program Manager at 206-477-3258 or by email at
Lisa.Longdon@KingCounty.gov. View a video with additional information about the committee below.
Local food, music and fun at CHOMP!
Join us as we celebrate all that is fresh, delicious, local, and sustainable at our 5th annual CHOMP!, King County’s local food and sustainable living festival. Taking place in the Willowmoor Farm at Marymoor Park on Saturday, August 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., our annual event is free to attend and offers a variety of activities for the whole family to enjoy!
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We want to hear from you: Community feedback needed on proposed future transit options in south King County
King County Metro seeks community feedback on its proposed future transit options to connect Renton, Kent, and Auburn, with faster, more frequent, and more reliable bus service and innovative travel options. This effort is a follow up to the public survey issued in March that identified transportation needs for people who live, work and play in the impacted area. Metro is now proposing transit options to address those needs. Community summer events, an online open house and a new survey, which closes August 25, will help Metro understand which of those options to prioritize to best serve the region. Read more.
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King County mobilizing for 2020 Census
You may have heard some buzz about the U.S. Census in the news lately. Whether the “citizenship question” can be included in the Census has been the focus of much debate. While the Supreme Court ruled that the question can’t be included, many communities still feel uneasy about participating in this important, once-a-decade civic event.
“It leaves the immigrant communities to believe that the [federal] government is still after information that could endanger them,” Denise Hulett of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund told Slate magazine.
King County made early decisions to mobilize to ensure as accurate a count as possible. County Executive Dow Constantine called together a Complete Count Committee, with Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and former Gov. Gary Locke as co-chairs. Read more.
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Balanced You Worksite Fund update
Thank you for you patience as Balanced You finalizes the 2019 Balanced You Worksite Fund review process. This announcement helps to share the updated timeline with applicants.
This year, the Worksite Fund received an overwhelming response, with 159 applications. That is a 59% increase from last year! The Balanced You team worked with leadership to adjust the timeline to extend the review period due to the increased number of applications. This also allows more time to work with departments to identify alternate funding streams for some of the projects.
Balanced You now plans to announce winners in late-August. It has adjusted the implementation timeline accordingly, so winners still have four months to complete their projects.
Chinook conference room technology open house and trainings
The Facilities Management Division and KCIT have been working on a joint project to upgrade the video conferencing technology in the Chinook first floor conference rooms 115, 121, 123 and 124 to the KCIT standard.
KCIT is hosting open house events to showcase the new technology and provide onsite training that includes the specific audio-visual systems in each room. Drop by for some quick Q&A or stick around for some in-depth training with the new tech.
Training and Q&A Sessions:
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Room 115: Thursday, Sept. 5, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday, Sept. 9, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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Room 123: Wednesday, August 21, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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Room 121/123: Wednesday, August 7, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Friday, August 30, 1 – 4 p.m., Friday, Sept. 13, Noon - 2 p.m.
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Room 124: Thursday, August 8, 8 - 11 a.m., Thursday, August 15, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
August treats and tunes at City Hall Park
Training Spotlight
Mindful Eating, September 10: In this four-hour workshop, held over the lunch hour, we'll explore mindfulness and how it's application to eating helps us become wiser and more joyful in our approach to eating. Mindfuless is the capacity to bring full attention and awareness to one's experience, in the moment, without judgment. Mindful Eating brings mindfulness to food choice and the experience of eating. Mindful eating helps us become aware of our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations related to eating, reconnecting us with our innate inner wisdom about hunger and satiety. This course is sponsored by Balanced You. Register and learn more.
Pet of the Week: Logan
Say hello to Logan, our Pet of the Week!
This young, handsome boy is a big goober of a guy who could use some help gaining his confidence and being the best dog he can be. Logan would benefit from a positive reinforcement training course so he can learn his manners and people skills. He is still learning how to trust people and can be a little fearful of new folks. It may take him some time to become friends with them. Although he is still learning to trust people, he loves to play with large dogs and can play all day long! Read more.
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Featured Job: Accounting and Collections Supervisor
Salary: $3,092.87 - $3,920.40 Biweekly
Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week
Department: DJA - Judicial Administration
Closing: 8/11/2019 4:30 PM Pacific
The Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) is an innovative, forward-looking agency using technology to help perform tasks better, more efficiently and reliably. DJA (also known as the Superior Court Clerk's Office) performs a variety of services for the court, litigants and the public. DJA's mission is to provide professional, high-quality Superior Court record services and justice system programs, while ensuring access to justice and integrity in the process.
DJA operates three office locations within King County (King County Courthouse, Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent and the Youth Service Center – Juvenile Court in Seattle) in addition to our on-line applications for electronic filing and record requests. With the ease of access to file or request records the volume of financial transactions processed through the court's trust is large, with receipts exceeding 350,000 and well in excess of $100,000,000 annually, and in excess of 154,000 accounts receivable exceeding $705,000,000
KC Headlines
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