Aerial rescue success on the Pacific Crest Trail
Crossposted from the KCSO newsletter
On Wednesday, Aug. 2, the King County Sheriff's Office Communications Center received a call from the Yakima County Sheriff's Office. They had received an alert from a Garmin inReach device – a personal satellite transmitter/receiver – about an injured hiker on the Pacific Crest Trail near Mt. Adams.
Pilot Deputy Josh Sweeney, Co-Pilot Tony Mullinax, Safety Officer Sergeant Eric Gagnon, Rescue Specialists Deputy Travis Brunner and Sergeant Tim Lewis, and King County Medic Rosenblum responded immediately. Guardian 2 was on its way to the hikers’ location within two hours, and they captured some fantastic views along the way.
The Air Support Unit (ASU) team swiftly located the hiker, who had been making their way from Southern California toward Canada before getting injured. They were transported to the Yakima Airport where AMR was waiting to transport the patient, whose injuries were more severe than originally thought.
This mission saved hours of work for volunteers and helped get a community member to care more quickly than if it’d been a ground rescue. The team did a fantastic job thinking on their feet and solving problems as always. Fantastic work by everyone involved!
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$1.2 million in narcotics blocked by Shoreline Police and King County Sheriff’s Office - keeping nearly 300,000 fentanyl pills off the street
Nearly 300,000 fentanyl pills and other narcotics are out of the hands of a narcotics trafficker thanks to the diligent work of the King County Sheriff’s Office, which recently conducted an operation to stop the dangerous drug from hitting the street. The amount of fentanyl seized is enough to cause more than two million lethal doses and is one of the Sheriff’s Office largest seizures ever.
Operation “Jade” took place on Thursday, Aug. 3, and was led by the Shoreline Police Special Emphasis Team (SET) and assisted by Precinct 4 SET and Narcotics Detection K9 Quinn. The operation targeted a narcotics trafficker suspected of distributing large amounts of fentanyl and other substances in the cities of Shoreline, Burien, White Center, and Seattle. Read more.
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King County Metro’s largest union approves 3-year labor contract with higher salaries and expanded training opportunities
King County Metro and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 have finalized a three-year labor contract that increases wages by approximately 17 percent over the life of the contract. The agreement also includes a lump sum retroactive payment, a retention bonus of $2,500, and a one-time $2,500 ratification signing bonus. The contract shortens the pay step progression and vacation accrual time for part-time transit operators, aligning it with the current policies for full-time employees.
Negotiations on the contract started in May 2022, with the parties reaching a tentative agreement this June. The ATU members ratified the contract on Aug. 15. Read more in the official press release.
Caroline Whalen retires after 29 years at King County
Crossposted from DES Express
Caroline Whalen, director of the Department of Executive Services since 2010, retires next month after 29 years at King County. Her last day in the office will be Sept. 8.
“Working for King County was the best career decision I’ve made,” Whalen said.
During her county career, she has written land use code, organized massive rezone mailings along with an associated call center, analyzed legislation, and served as a lead staff for the County Council. She worked her way up to deputy director in the former Department of Development and Environmental Services, then joined DES as deputy director in 2002 before becoming director in 2010. Read more.
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Participate in survey to improve the Customer Experience
The Customer Experience (CX) Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives from departments across the county, has developed a survey to learn more about how we are delivering customer service across the enterprise. If customer service, whether external or internal, is a component of your work, please participate in the survey. It takes 10-15 minutes to complete and will be open until Aug. 25. To access the survey, click here.
With your participation, we will be able to gain a robust understanding of services we provide to customers, ways we interact with customers, and how we request feedback from customers. This information will be used to build a countywide strategy for providing an exemplary Customer Experience across the enterprise in support of one of the Executive Branch values, “We focus on the customer.” For more information or questions, contact Brittany Carter, Enterprise CX Lead in the Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget.
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Employee Engagement for the Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan Continues Aug. 28 – Sept. 13
Employees who opted-in to Identity-Based Affinity Spaces should have received a calendar invite for their Affinity Space’s second meeting, which are scheduled to take place between Aug. 28 – Sept. 13. Please check your email to ensure you’ve received this calendar invite and seek time approval from your supervisor.
Effectively engaging King County employees is a key part of refreshing the Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan. Earlier this year, employees opted-in to Identity-Based Affinity Spaces, one of the ways the Refresh project will engage with employees. In these meetings, employees will provide information and ideas on how King County can improve its workplace culture, increase equity in workforce practices, and ensure a sense of belonging for all employees. These meetings have been created specifically for this refresh project so employees can gather face-to-face in shared identity spaces and speak openly.
Learn more on the ESJ Strategic Plan Refresh Sharepoint Site.
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KCIA hosts Blue Angels for Seafair weekend
Crossposted from DES Express
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels roared in and out of King County International Airport for this year’s Boeing Seafair Airshow, held Aug. 4 - Aug. 6. The Blue Angels were parked on the airport’s main terminal ramp again this year, making for a close-up show for airport employees and others at the terminal. Read more.
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Website migration starts Monday, Aug. 21 – what to expect
Starting Monday, Aug. 21, King County will begin transitioning our public website (kingcounty.gov) to a new platform. While website migration is underway, site visitors may experience brief, occasional errors. This process is expected to be completed by Wednesday, Aug. 23. KCIT is working with departments’ Web Content Manager(s) to ensure a smooth transition with minimal disruptions, but you can help:
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Be prepared for customer questions. After the transition, online visitors will see the new King County homepage and your department’s new webpages. Your webpages will look different, and customers may need help navigating to popular web content.
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If issues persist, please contact your department’s Web Content Manager(s) for assistance.
Thank you for your patience while we settle into this new and exciting online space. Visit the “KingCounty.gov Refresh” project page to offer feedback or learn more information.
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Take care in hot temperatures
The hotter than normal weather we're experiencing this week can take a toll on our mental and physical health so it's important to take care of ourselves, our loved ones, and our furry friends.
With the National Weather Service's Heat Advisory for our area now extended until Thursday, Aug. 17 at 11 p.m., here are some tips from Public Health – Seattle & King County to help you manage the heat. Learn more.
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Mental Health First Aid@Work
Like CPR and physical first aid, Mental Health First Aid@Work training teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues. Participants will learn how to support an individual who may be experiencing mental illness and connect them to available resources internal and external of the workplace.
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Get Movin' with Balanced You
Balanced You has partnered with Vivecorp to bring you virtual workouts with certified fitness trainers. Get moving with us every other Wednesday via Microsoft Teams.
These 30-minute move breaks are free and virtual so you can tap in from anywhere and benefit from the instruction of a certified trainer. These sessions will focus on stretching. Join us for the other classes in the Get Movin' with Balanced You series focusing on strength training, yoga, and stretching.
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Mindfulness Classes
Mindful Relationships 1: How Do You Relate?
How do we cultivate the feelings of safety, security, and well-being we need to feel connected? Mindfulness can help. We feel it, and neuroscience proves it: human beings need connection to thrive in all relationships–at home, at work, and in the world. By bringing mindfulness to our interactions, we can enrich all our relationships through the cultivation of safety, security, and well-being. Get to the root of harmful relationship patterns such as blame, defensiveness, avoiding conflict, and shutting down in this workshop on bringing mindfulness to how you relate to others.
Mindful Relationships 2: Growing Healthier Relationships
Take a deep dive into untangling repetitive patterns of reactivity through mindfulness and cultivate a better understanding of yourself and those and others by becoming more aware of emotions and needs. Develop kindness and compassion as you find ways to repair rifts and build connections. Can be taken on its own or as a follow-up to Mindful Relationships 1: How Do You Relate?
View full mindfulness schedule here.
My Secure Advantage financial wellness webinars
Financial wellness is a key component to an overall sense of well-being. King County partners with My Secure Advantage (MSA) to provide employees with tools and coaching that support you in reaching your financial goals. Attend an upcoming webinar or register to receive the recording. Pre-registration with MSA is required.
MSA Webinar: Money Basics: Let's Build a Plan
If you want to feel confident about your personal finances, consider following a plan that has four components: controlling spending, managing debt, prioritizing savings, and maintaining excellent credit. If you lose focus on any of these disciplines, you risk adding stress to your life. This class explains the importance of each component of your plan and helps you get started.
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Training Spotlights
Facilitating Effective Meetings – Online – This two-day training covers the skills used by a facilitator to design and run an effective meeting. How to be a better participant is also discussed. Topics include specific facilitation skills, group decision making skills, and how to deal with disruptive behaviors. This class does not cover use of Zoom or other electronic meeting platforms, but lightly touches on certain aspects of video calls. In this class you will learn how to navigate difficult behaviors and keep meetings on track.
- Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 22-23 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Fees apply. Register here.
Building Gender Inclusive Spaces for Managers and Supervisors – Online – In this workshop, participants will gain a foundational understanding of gender identity, terminology, and transgender history, learn best practices to create a gender inclusive workplace, and understand their role as managers and supervisors in supporting transgender and non-binary employees in the workplace. Participants will have the opportunity to move through real-life scenarios, apply their understanding of pronoun use, and develop strategies to advance gender equity at King County and in their teams.
Communication and Problem Solving Skills – Online – Join instructor Lenny Borer for this two-day training. He will address communication and problem-solving skills with the public and with co-workers. This class covers skills for effective listening, speaking, handling conflicts, and managing defensive behavior.
- Tuesday, Sept. 12 and Wednesday, Sept. 13, from 8:30 a.m. to noon both days. Fees apply. Register here.
Please visit our King County Eventbrite website, our Learning and Development website, and our Career Support Services website for more learning opportunities. For more information, contact the Learning and Development Team at KCTraining@kingcounty.gov or visit Learning and Development at www.kingcounty.gov/learning.
Pet of the Week: Tuggy
Hi, my name is Tuggy and I'm available for adoption. I'm a 9-year-old female domestic shorthair cat, white/brown Tabby (ID #A687066). My previous owner said that I lived with other cats, dogs of all sizes, and children. When I lived with them, I liked to lay on my back and wear sweaters. My favorite toys are mice. I am an affectionate lovebug who would be thrilled to cuddle up with you at home. I have a green personality. I am an adaptable cat who loves to go with the flow. I am outgoing and carefree, and I just can't wait to find my forever home.
You can find out more about me and my other friends on our website at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet. If you have more questions, you can contact RASKC via phone at 206-296-7387 (PETS) or email pets@kingcounty.gov.
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Featured Job: OLEO Investigations Monitor
Salary: $122,704.40 - $165,019.40 Annually
Job Type: Appointed
Job Number: 2023AW19666
Department: KCC - King County Council
Division: Office of Indep Oversight
Opening Date: 8/16/2023
Closing Date: 9/14/2023 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: Z2 : Council Guidelines
Discover a fulfilling career fighting for equity and social justice while making a difference in your community. The Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) seeks an Investigations Monitor to lead and manage OLEO's investigations program. This position monitors, supervises, and leads investigations of the King County Sherrif's Office.
OLEO is dedicated to improving the lives of King County residents through its independent oversight of the King County Sheriff's Office. We aim to further policing standards that are driven by the community and rooted in equity through objective reviews, independent investigations, and evidence-based policy recommendations.
Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
King County Headlines
DES Express: Tips to stay cool in extreme heat
Metro Matters: Metro Matters: Transit service update: Peak weekday routes 16, 232, 237, 301, 304 and 320 remain suspended through Sept. 1; alternative routes are available
Our Green/Duwamish: Summer Check-In
KC Emergency News: It’s a summer heat wave in the NW – what you should know
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