News

Marcel Jones Sr. and Marcel Jones Jr.  pick out fireworks last year from a booth in Kent selling the legal variety of July 4 devices. Local officials are asking residents to be cautious in using fireworks

Fireworks available for sale Saturday

Legal fireworks go on sale Saturday in Kent. But fireworks are illegal to use in the city until the Fourth of July.

  • Jun 26, 2008
  • BY Wire Service
Marcel Jones Sr. and Marcel Jones Jr.  pick out fireworks last year from a booth in Kent selling the legal variety of July 4 devices. Local officials are asking residents to be cautious in using fireworks

Drowning victim identified

The 14-year-old teen who drowned June 20 at Lake Meridian in Kent has been identified as Isaih Goodwin.

  • Jun 26, 2008
  • BY Wire Service

Kent man charged in assault of female patient

King County prosecutors on Tuesday charged a 31-year-old Kent man with second-degree rape for allegedly raping and impregnating a physically and mentally disabled woman at a Kent assisted-living facility.

State test scores are up – and Kent scores are, too

Preliminary scores for the Washington Assessment of Student Learning are out, with 85 percent of students statewide passing the test and the Kent and Tahoma school districts more than keeping pace.

  • Jun 25, 2008
  • BY Wire Service
Grant Higa

Strongman event draws a crowd

The Des Moines Marina was crowded June 7, but the event didn’t call for aquatic sports.

  • Jun 24, 2008
  • BY Wire Service
Grant Higa
Kent-Meridian High School senior Michelle Yi

Kent students bring global perspective to city park

Included among the eye candy at the opening of the new Town Square Plaza in downtown Kent June 28 will be a piece of art created by Kent-Meridian High School students — a big piece of art.

  • Jun 24, 2008
  • BY Wire Service
Kent-Meridian High School senior Michelle Yi
Mark Haddock

Kent educator never lost his focus on diversity

When Mark Haddock leaves his Kent School District position this year, he’ll leave local schools on a more level playing field than when he arrived.

  • Jun 24, 2008
  • BY Wire Service
Mark Haddock
Todd Smith is the volunteer marketing director for King County Jaguars semipro football team. Smith came up with the idea to donate a portion of gate receipts from the Jaguar opener at French Field June 28 to help fund the Fourth of July fireworks show at Lake Meridian Park.

Thanks to many donations, the show will go on

Kent businesses and residents have more than doubled the amount of donations in the last two weeks to try to keep the community’s Fourth of July Splash fireworks show at Lake Meridian Park as big as before.

Todd Smith is the volunteer marketing director for King County Jaguars semipro football team. Smith came up with the idea to donate a portion of gate receipts from the Jaguar opener at French Field June 28 to help fund the Fourth of July fireworks show at Lake Meridian Park.

Blotter: Man arrested after threats to woman

Police arrested a man for investigation of harassment June 11 after a woman reported that he had made threatening comments to her as she waited with her children for a bus at 10:40 p.m. June 11 in the 1200 block of Central Avenue North. The man also claimed to have a gun in his vehicle, she said.

Woman dies after car plunges into sound

An 86-year-old woman drowned Friday night at the Des Moines Marina after the sport utility vehicle she was riding in drove off the dock and plunged into the Puget Sound.

  • Jun 24, 2008
  • BY Wire Service
Elizabeth Kennedy

Dig into your pocket to launch your boat?

In a few months, the privilege of using the boat launch at Lake Meridian might cost a few dollars.

Elizabeth Kennedy

Kent opts out of plan for new regional jail

City of Kent staffers have decided to drop out of a group of South King County cities that want to build a new regional jail. City officials decided the current Kent jail could serve the city’s needs for the next several years without spending as much as $13 million on a new jail.

Video-program coordinator Seth Frankel does some filming Tuesday  at Kent’s  Earthworks Park. The city worker has a lot on his plate these days.

Video coordinator keeps his eye on Kent

Nobody watches the city of Kent as closely as Seth Frankel.

Video-program coordinator Seth Frankel does some filming Tuesday  at Kent’s  Earthworks Park. The city worker has a lot on his plate these days.

Police conduct booze sting

Kent Police cited five employees at five businesses for reportedly furnishing liquor to minors during a June 14 town-wide compliance check at 21 stores, restaurants and bars.

  • Jun 19, 2008
  • BY Wire Service

Blotter: Wife arrested for assault after trucking imbroglio

A heavy truck load and a forgotten delivery invoice reportedly led to a domestic dispute between a husband and wife truck-driving team at 6:17 a.m. June 9 near a Kent warehouse in the 22800 block of 54th Avenue South.

…And the field narrows for vacant Council spot

The Kent City Council picked seven finalists on Tuesday for its vacant Council position.

Meadow Ridge Elementary students crowd around to give first-grader Anthony Rupan fives at a Walk-a-thon event to raise money for the 7-year-old student. Rupan has been fighting a brain tumor for the last two months

Helping one of their own

Meadow Ridge Elementary School students, teachers and parents wore a path around the school June 16 as they braved the heat on their feet for an hour for the benefit of one of their suffering own.

  • Jun 19, 2008
  • BY Wire Service
Meadow Ridge Elementary students crowd around to give first-grader Anthony Rupan fives at a Walk-a-thon event to raise money for the 7-year-old student. Rupan has been fighting a brain tumor for the last two months

Kent church celebrates major expansion with open house

Kent Covenant has expanded its facilities, and it's opening them to the community Sunday with a party and free food.

  • Jun 19, 2008
  • BY Wire Service

Kiwanis of Kent honor exceptional students

The Kiwanis Club of Kent commended 13 Kent School District students for their exceptional writing skills, compassion and commitment to language arts June 13 at an annual awards luncheon at the Golden Steer Steakhouse in Kent.

  • Jun 19, 2008
  • BY Wire Service
Radcliffe Place Seniors and Meridian Elementary School joined together June 10 to plant flowers at Covington Christian Fellowship Church. From left

Meridian Elem. kids, seniors team up to beautify church

The front walkway of Covington Christian Fellowship Church became 100 flowers prettier June 10, thanks to a group of Kent seniors and students working side by side in one “Labor of Love.” Residents of Radcliffe Place Senior Apartments in Kent and special-needs students in the third-through-sixth grades at Meridian Elementary School gathered that day to plant flowers and enjoy the company of each other’s generation despite the cold, wet weather.

  • Jun 19, 2008
  • BY Wire Service
Radcliffe Place Seniors and Meridian Elementary School joined together June 10 to plant flowers at Covington Christian Fellowship Church. From left