News

Kent-area man gets 50-year prison sentence for killing stepdaughter

A 40-year-old Kent-area man was sentenced June 18 to 50 years in prison for killing his 3-year-old stepdaughter in 2003 in an attempt to recover life insurance money from the girl's death.

  • Jun 22, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
City of Kent Visual Arts Coordinator Cheryl dos Remédios and Park Project Manager Brian Levenhagen pose with Earthworks Park's split rings behind them June 17. The split rings will be restored with $70

Kent’s Earthworks Park to get much-needed facelift, thanks to grant

Cheryl dos Remédios pointed to where the water and rocks should be as she stopped the afternoon of June 17 between the sculpted split-ring berms at Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks Park on the eastern edge of downtown Kent.

City of Kent Visual Arts Coordinator Cheryl dos Remédios and Park Project Manager Brian Levenhagen pose with Earthworks Park's split rings behind them June 17. The split rings will be restored with $70
Lake Meridian residents

Register for National Night Out Aug. 3 in Kent

Want to know the people in your Kent neighborhood better? Then sign up with the city of Kent for National Night Out, which takes place Aug. 3.

  • Jun 21, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
Lake Meridian residents
Kent saxophonist Darren Motamedy will perform June 24 at Evening of Jazz and Art at the Kent Senior Activity Center. The show also features the Seattle group Pearl Django.

After 41 years in Kent, popular musician and teacher Darren Motamedy headed for Vegas

It is going to be a farewell concert of sorts for Kent saxophonist Darren Motamedy at the third annual Evening of Jazz and Art June 24 at the Kent Senior Activity Center. Motamedy, the 2008 Kent School District teacher of the year for his work as a band instructor at several elementary schools, will move this summer to Las Vegas to teach band and jazz band at a middle school there.

Kent saxophonist Darren Motamedy will perform June 24 at Evening of Jazz and Art at the Kent Senior Activity Center. The show also features the Seattle group Pearl Django.
Metro Transit riders board the bus in this file photo from King County.

Kent East Hill ‘In Motion’ transit program focuses on healthy travel choices

King County Metro Transit is launching an “In Motion” program on Kent’s East Hill to entice residents to get around by walking, cycling, riding the bus or train, and sharing rides.

  • Jun 21, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
Metro Transit riders board the bus in this file photo from King County.
For 10 weeks

Kent youngsters experience ‘Girls on the Run’

For a lot of youngsters, running laps around a field can feel like a chore. Not so for a group of girls at Sunnycrest Elementary School in Kent. For 10 weeks, the students gathered two afternoons each week to stretch and put in the laps around the playfield at their school. Sure it was hard, and they sweated. But there was something extra special that kept them going.

For 10 weeks
Seth Frankel lines up a shot in this 2008 Kent Reporter file photo. Frankel

Auburn Police continue to seek leads in Frankel homicide

Nearly four weeks after the killing of Seth Frankel, 41, a video program coordinator for the city of Kent, Auburn Police continue to investigate the case.

Seth Frankel lines up a shot in this 2008 Kent Reporter file photo. Frankel
Mill Creek Middle School teacher J.P. Frame stands with student Nikki Isberto for photos June 4 at Kent City Hall

Kent teacher sees state award; thanks his grandmas

Mill Creek Middle School teacher J.P. Frame may have won a state award for his dedication to teaching history, but aside from his students and colleagues, there are two people to whom he feels a special sense of gratitude: His grandmothers, Sis and Dorothy.

Mill Creek Middle School teacher J.P. Frame stands with student Nikki Isberto for photos June 4 at Kent City Hall
County Sheriff Sue Rahr

Kent man faces first-degree murder charges in shooting death of Renton teen

Alajawan Brown's homicide wasn't random. He was targeted – by mistake, said King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg Thursday in announcing the filing of first-degree murder charges against Curtis John Walker, 35, of Kent.

County Sheriff Sue Rahr
State Rep. Dave Upthegrove.

Have lunch with State Rep. Dave Upthegrove, the Kent Reporter

Join State Rep. Dave Upthegrove, Kent Reporter Publisher Polly Shepherd and Editor Laura Pierce for lunch noon Friday at the Kent Senior Activity Center.

State Rep. Dave Upthegrove.
A group of Kent-area residents put their new skills into action June 6

Kent-area residents participate in Weight Watchers challenge

With nine weeks of training behind them, a group of Kent-area residents put their new skills into action June 6, participating in the Weight Watchers second-annual Walk-It Challenge.

  • Jun 17, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
A group of Kent-area residents put their new skills into action June 6
Mayor Suzette Cooke and Police Chief Steve Strachan presented awards for the Keep a Friend Alive Poster Contest at a council meeting May 1.  Front row from left

Kent kids are winners in Keep a Friend Alive poster contest

Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke and Kent Police Chief Steve Strachan presented awards for the Keep a Friend Alive Poster Contest at the May 1 City Council meeting.

  • Jun 17, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
Mayor Suzette Cooke and Police Chief Steve Strachan presented awards for the Keep a Friend Alive Poster Contest at a council meeting May 1.  Front row from left
Kent Police Officer David Beerbower works in his police cruiser. Kent Police say they aren't doing emphasis patrols on the new cell-phone law at this time

New cell phone law has a learning curve, Kent Police find

One man told Kent Police he had to answer his cell phone while driving because his plumber called. A woman told an officer she simply forgot about the new state law, which allows police to ticket drivers if they are holding a cell phone to their ear or texting while driving.

Kent Police Officer David Beerbower works in his police cruiser. Kent Police say they aren't doing emphasis patrols on the new cell-phone law at this time
Predators line up on the 1-yard line against the Grizzlies in their home opener March 12 at the Kent ShoWare Center.

Will Predators return to Kent for a second season of arena football? Owners not sure

The co-owners of the Kent Predators of the professional Indoor Football League will decide over the several weeks whether the team will return to the ShoWare Center for a second season in 2011, after losing "a lot of money" the first year.

Predators line up on the 1-yard line against the Grizzlies in their home opener March 12 at the Kent ShoWare Center.

Open house planned for June 22 at Safe Havens domestic violence facility

Safe Havens, the Kent-based domestic-violence visitation and exchange center, will have an open house from 4-6:30 p.m. June 22 to acknowledge and thank the community for financial contributions last month that kept the facility from closing.

  • Jun 15, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
A tour group strolls past an earthen structure in June 2009 at Kent's Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks Park. The tours were organized by the national group Americans for the Arts

City of Kent receives $70,000 grant for Earthworks Park

The city of Kent received a $70,000 grant to help restore the sculptural landscape elements at Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks Park, 742 E. Titus St., on the eastern edge of downtown.

  • Jun 15, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
A tour group strolls past an earthen structure in June 2009 at Kent's Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks Park. The tours were organized by the national group Americans for the Arts

Headlight issue leads to chase, chomp from police dog: Blotter

Kent Police arrested a 32-year-old man for investigation of possession of a stolen vehicle, attempting to elude police, obstruction of an officer, drunk driving and possession of drug paraphernalia after stopping a car driving without its headlights on.

Kent Community Foundation 2010 Scholarship recipients

Kent Community Foundation awards Kent’s top students

Kent-Meridian High School senior Larren Wright Jr. proudly walked up to the microphone to accept his scholarship award at the 2010 Kent Community Foundation Awards Banquet. "It's an honor to be acknowledged for accomplishments in the classroom and on the athletic field," Wright said as the winner of the $500 Rob Osborne scholarship given to a Kent-Meridian student planning to attend a Washington college.

Kent Community Foundation 2010 Scholarship recipients

Kent conducting census of Panther Lake residents June 17-July 17

A census worker wearing a City of Kent identification badge will visit households between June 17 and July 17 in the Panther Lake annexation area. The city is required by the state to conduct a census of all homes in Panther Lake, since the area will annex to the city July 1.

  • Jun 14, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
From left

Looking for love, hundreds of ‘The Bachelor’ hopefuls show up at Kent Station

From left, Simone Loban, of Seattle, Chelsey Helman, of Sacramento, Breann Bozlee, of Kent, and Ashley Julian, of Monroe fill out their application for their “The Bachelor” audition at Kent Station Sunday, June 12.

  • Jun 14, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
From left