County employees garden for their health
Land that stood vacant last week is now a temporary demonstration garden that county employees will use to teach each other how to grow healthy food. Made entirely of scavenged or donated items, the garden was initiated by employees in a workplace culture that promotes good health as a way to reduce rising health care costs.

King County AAA credit rating reaffirmed
King County government has preserved AAA credit ratings despite the continued effects of global recession and an ongoing budget deficit.

Help shape the future of open data in King County by attending public workshop
Software developers and interested residents in King County are being asked to help guide the county's expanded access to the public data that it stores. Next week, King County will host the first countywide workshop on open data, bringing together local innovators and county staff to brainstorm next steps for the County's new data ordinance.

King County Executive orders immediate assessment of agencies’ cash handling
King County Executive Dow Constantine has directed Executive-branch agencies to evaluate all cash transactions for compliance with the county’s policies and procedures, following the arrest of a suspect in the theft of about $7,500 in cash receipts from a locked safe in the office of the King County Marine Division.

News release: Exec on Council inaction
King County Executive Dow Constantine this afternoon responded to inaction by the Metropolitan King County Council on several proposals to let voters decide what level of public safety services they wanted to support for next year...

Constantine: RapidRide approval will bring better transit service to South King County
Transit riders in South King County can expect more and faster transit service starting this fall with the County Council approval today of legislation establishing the first of six RapidRide transit lines. King County Executive Dow Constantine applauded the vote.

Constantine thanks Sen. Murray for securing $44 million for critical repairs to Howard Hanson Dam
King County Executive Dow Constantine today thanked U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, for her efforts in securing $44 million in emergency funding today for interim repairs to the Howard Hanson Dam. At Senator Murray's invitation, Executive Constantine joined regional and state leaders in Washington, D.C., last week to impress upon federal officials the critical need for immediate dam repairs.

Executive’s proposal to extend jail contract clears way for cities to consider shelving plans for a new municipal jail in north/east King County
King County Executive Dow Constantine today proposed creating a regional jail planning group and providing cities with 150 beds in the King County Jail until 2020.

Hundreds of King, Pierce and Snohomish County scholar-athletes to be honored at Paul Robeson Awards
Hundreds of King County parents, teachers and community members are expected to turn out tomorrow with King County Executive Dow Constantine to celebrate the in-class, on-field or on-stage accomplishments of more than 700 student-athletes at the 23rd annual Paul Robeson Scholar-Athlete Awards.

Governor, county officials urge federal government to help expedite Howard Hanson Dam repairs
After key meetings today in Washington, D.C., state and King County leaders came away optimistic that federal officials understand the urgency of securing funding for interim and permanent repairs at the damaged Howard Hanson Dam.