Brian Beckley

Valley Bank Announces promotions

Valley Bank on Feb. 9 announced the recent promotions of Greg Jones to executive vice president/credit administrator and Leo Dreith to executive vice president managing wholesale operations in South King and Pierce counties.

Election update: Kent school levies on the right track

With both school levies apparently on their way to passing, the key word from the school community is “grateful.”

Both Kent levies headed toward passage in early returns

M&O and technology levies passing with 52 percent in first round of results.

Where to find 24-hour ballot boxes for Feb. 9 election

King County voters looking to drop off their ballots for the Feb. 9 special election t their local ballot box may be surprised to find their local ballot box is no longer there.

Workers at Allied Waste pause for a photo during a barbecue celebrating a near-perfect safety record for January. (Back row

Alied Waste celebrates safety with barbecue

For the first time in recent memory, the aroma behind Allied Waste in Kent was something people were breathing in and enjoying. That’s because on Feb. 5 the company celebrated its safety numbers by throwing a special barbecue for its workers, complete with chicken, ribs, pork and all the fixin’s.

Workers at Allied Waste pause for a photo during a barbecue celebrating a near-perfect safety record for January. (Back row
A crowd of Kent teachers

Kent teachers’ union rally draws a crowd

The Kent Education Association hosted a rally Feb. 6 in support of the Kent School District levy propositions on the Feb. 9 ballot complete with sign-waving, entertainment and speeches form community leaders.

A crowd of Kent teachers

Kent homeless count yields telling results

One night every January for the past three years, Kent resident Cynthia Tanis takes a last peek at her kids, bundles herself up and heads out to the streets of Kent as part of the One Night Count, an annual event designed to provide a snapshot of the city's homeless population.

Kent Education Association to rally Saturday for Kent school levies

The Kent Education Association, the union that represents the teachers of the Kent School District, is hosting a rally this weekend in support of the Kent School District Levy, which is on the Feb. 9 ballot.

Kentridge students (from left) McKenna Longley

Kentridge kids raise nearly $10,000 for Haiti – in less than two minutes

The plan was simple: At the start of third period on Jan. 22, members of the Kentridge High School Leadership class would collect money from their classmates in an envelope, which would then be run down to the cashier’s office, all within two minutes.

Kentridge students (from left) McKenna Longley
Kentridge junior Mitchell Willmore

Life after high school: Kent schools event shows college, trade options

On Feb. 4, the Kent School District is hosting a "Beyond High School" event, geared toward ninth-, 10th- and 11th-graders at its four high schools and those at Tahoma High School. The event is designed to get students and their parents thinking about their life after graduation.

Kentridge junior Mitchell Willmore

K-M gym remodel among Kent School projects that may see delay, thanks to dip in economy

The Kent School District is planning to postpone and reschedule several construction projects from the 2006 bond due to the dip in the economy.

Kent is epicenter of education conference

King County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Urban Enterprise Center and Kent School District join for B.E.S.T., a program designed to focus on how better to engage parents in minority communities and to reinforce the importance of creating an environment in which education is important.

The Mill Creek Middle School micro-lending club

Mill Creek students get global in thinking with microlending

A new club at Mill Creek Middle School is hoping to make a lot out of a little. The micro-lending club, headed by language-arts teacher Christopher Crew, launched a read-a-thonearlier this month to raise start-up money to be loaned out in small amounts to poor business owners around the world.

The Mill Creek Middle School micro-lending club
Shelby Peasley

Kentridge hosting statewide dance competition: Chatelaines’ ‘Kick it up’ contest

This Saturday, Kentridge High School will become the center of the Washington State dance-competition universe, as 45 teams from around the state descend on the school for the 19th annual Kentridge Chatelaines Kick It Up Competition.

Shelby Peasley
Kent dentist Mark Walker

Kent dentist waiting to see if he can help in Haiti

For each of the past two years, Kent dentist Mark Walker of the Meridian Dental Clinic has joined a team of doctors and dentists in a trip to Haiti, but due to the earthquake, he is worried that this year’s trip, scheduled for March, may not happen.

Kent dentist Mark Walker

Kent Downtown Partnership joins fight to save Main Street Program

The Kent Downtown Partnership is joining a growing opposition to a plan from the governor to remove funding for the Washington State Main Street Program as a way to help close the state's $2.6 billion budget gap.

Maria Anderson

Kent Technology event Jan. 27 showcases student achievements

The Kent School District’s annual Technology Expo is scheduled for this week and this year’s event promises to be bigger than ever.

Maria Anderson
Kent-Meridian High School student Viliana Apollon is a native of Haiti. Apollon said the school she attended before moving to the United States was heavily damaged in the recent earthquake.

Kent-Meridian student watches homeland of Haiti recovering from quake

For many people, the images of devastation from the earthquake in Haiti are those of a far-off nation crumbling and in need of immediate aid. But for Kent-Meridian High School junior Viliana Apollon, who grew up in a suburb of the Haitian capital of Port-Au-Prince, those pictures hit home, literally.

Kent-Meridian High School student Viliana Apollon is a native of Haiti. Apollon said the school she attended before moving to the United States was heavily damaged in the recent earthquake.
One of the top Kent Chamber of Commerce's legislative priorities for the new year is ‘expedient repairs of the Howard Hanson Dam.’ Shown is Army Corps of Engineer Col. Anthony Wright at the control tower bridge during a tour in September of the Howard Hanson Dam.

Kent chamber announces its legislative priorities

With the 2010 legislative session under way in Olympia, the Kent Chamber of Commerce has released its priorities for this session. According to Executive Director Andrea Keikkala, the top priority for the chamber this session deal with the potential for flooding throughout the Green River Valley.

One of the top Kent Chamber of Commerce's legislative priorities for the new year is ‘expedient repairs of the Howard Hanson Dam.’ Shown is Army Corps of Engineer Col. Anthony Wright at the control tower bridge during a tour in September of the Howard Hanson Dam.
American Preparedness President Jeffrey Guite describes what goes into the Kent-based company's emergency kits Jan. 20. A batch of the company's kits are about to go to Haiti through the Red Cross. Behind him Warehouse Supervisor Tonya Duncan builds a set of the kits. The company's warehouse is located in SeaTac near the airport.

Kent company builds kits to help residents of earthquake-ravaged Haiti survive

As relief supplies from all around the world are pouring into the earthquake-ravaged Caribbean nation of Haiti, one Kent-based company is sure their product will begin to make a difference as soon as it arrives.

American Preparedness President Jeffrey Guite describes what goes into the Kent-based company's emergency kits Jan. 20. A batch of the company's kits are about to go to Haiti through the Red Cross. Behind him Warehouse Supervisor Tonya Duncan builds a set of the kits. The company's warehouse is located in SeaTac near the airport.