Steve Hunter

Casey Cox appears in court May 27 in Kent and pleas not guilty to charges of vehicle theft and attempting to elude police in connection with a high-speed chase May 12 with Kent Police.

Cox pleads not guilty to vehicle theft, eluding Kent Police

A 34-year-old man pleaded not guilty May 27 in King County Superior Court in Kent to charges of vehicle theft and attempting to elude police in connection with a 15-mile chase May 12 with Kent Police.

Casey Cox appears in court May 27 in Kent and pleas not guilty to charges of vehicle theft and attempting to elude police in connection with a high-speed chase May 12 with Kent Police.
Kentridge High's Natalie Lawrence

Kent students take to the 5th Avenue stage for musical awards show

Three Kent School District high school students have been nominated for outstanding performance honors as part of the 2010 5th Avenue High School Musical Theatre Awards June 7 in Seattle.

Kentridge High's Natalie Lawrence
The logo for the Kent Predators Indoor Football League team.

Predators to play Billings May 29 at ShoWare

After a week off, the Kent Predators return to action with a professional Indoor Football League game against the Billings Outlaws at 7:30 p.m. May 29 at the ShoWare Center.

The logo for the Kent Predators Indoor Football League team.
Seth Frankel lines up a shot in this 2008 Kent Reporter file photo. Frankel

Auburn Police continue to search for leads in homicide of Kent city employee

Auburn Police continue to interview friends, colleagues and relatives of Seth Frankel as well as search through physical evidence in an effort to find out who might have killed the Kent city employee. Frankel, 41, a video program coordinator for the city, was found dead May 22 lying on the floor of his Auburn home in the 100 block of D Street Northwest.

Seth Frankel lines up a shot in this 2008 Kent Reporter file photo. Frankel
Kent City Council member Ron Harmon holds up the budget and questions Chief Administrative Officer John Hodgson on an item during a Council workshop on city finances Tuesday.

Kent City Council paring down Kent budget by nearly $7 million

The Kent City Council on Tuesday agreed with Mayor Suzette Cooke to keep the city’s popular neighborhood-council program rather than drop it as part of its 2010 budget reductions. Cooke and John Hodgson, chief administrative officer, worked with city staff to find another $237,000 in savings for the rest of the year as part a budget reduction of nearly $7 million from the original general fund budget of $80 million.

Kent City Council member Ron Harmon holds up the budget and questions Chief Administrative Officer John Hodgson on an item during a Council workshop on city finances Tuesday.
Seth Frankel

Kent city worker found dead at his Auburn home; police continue investigation

The hallways and offices of Kent City Hall turned somber this week after the death of city employee Seth Frankel. Frankel, 41, a video program coordinator for the city since 2007, was found dead May 22 lying on the floor of his Auburn home in the 100 block of D Street Northwest. The King County Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy Monday, and ruled the cause of death as "incised wounds of the neck and hands," and the manner of death as homicide. A spokesman for the medical examiner listed the date of death as May 21.

Seth Frankel
Debbie Herron

Kent hearing examiner approves off-leash park

The Kent city hearing examiner on May 18 approved a conditional-use permit application by the city planners to add an off-leash dog park at Morrill Meadows Park on the East Hill.

Debbie Herron
05/14/10 U.S. Sen. Patty Murray held a media conference on the Green River near Russell Road Park in Kent to announce the $44 million the U.S. Senator has helped secure for emergency funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers needs to repair the Howard Hanson Dam Friday

U.S. senator, local officials express hope, triumph over Hanson Dam funding

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she has only just begun to fight for federal money to repair the Howard Hanson Dam and protect the Green River Valley from flooding.

05/14/10 U.S. Sen. Patty Murray held a media conference on the Green River near Russell Road Park in Kent to announce the $44 million the U.S. Senator has helped secure for emergency funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers needs to repair the Howard Hanson Dam Friday

Alleged thief: Stealing cars gives him a better high than methamphetamines

King County prosecutors filed charges May 17 of theft of a motor vehicle and attempting to elude police against a 34-year-old man in connection with the May 12 theft of a pickup truck and a 15-mile chase with Kent Police before he was caught.

Kent Council looking at developers, businesses, residents, for more transportation dollars

Fees for transportation impacts, business licenses and vehicle-license registrations all could be part of a funding package the Kent City Council may tap for funding city street projects.

Kent-Meridian’s Catherine Nguyen

Kent’s VisFest puts student filmmakers on big screen

Jessica Nawar compares going to the Kent School District's VisFest Film and Game Festival to attending one of the high school's drama productions. "It's like going to a play at a school to see acting, only you're going to see what students can do with technology," said Nawar, a Kentwood High School senior and a member of the VisFest student advisory board, during a May 14 interview. "They (festival attendees) would have a lot of fun seeing what everyone from elementary to high school students are making." VisFest is short for "Visual Literacy Arts Festival." The district started the event in 2002 to give students an outlet to display their creative and artistic visual-literacy talents to fellow students, teachers and the community.

Kent-Meridian’s Catherine Nguyen

Group tells city to keep Kent Neighborhood Councils

Representatives from four Kent Neighborhood Councils told the City Council Tuesday to dump any idea of cutting the neighborhood program as part of proposed city budget cuts. The Council discussed potential reductions in the neighborhood program at a May 10 budget workshop. The Council has not yet formally voted on any proposed cuts for the rest of 2010 in order to reduce the budget by nearly $7 million. That vote is expected to be taken before the end of June, said Council President Jamie Perry.

Kent Senior Center volunteers of the year from left

Kent senior center lauds top volunteers

It was an afternoon of surprises for the winners of the annual Kent Senior Activity Center volunteers and senior citizen of the year awards.

Kent Senior Center volunteers of the year from left
Neighborhood Program Coordinator Toni Azzola

Kent city officials come out for Panther Lake annexation open house

It pleased Warren Nance that Kent city officials came out May 11 to the soon-to-be annexed Panther Lake area to present an open house about what services the city offers. "This is a good start with public outreach," said Nance, who has lived 16 years in Panther Lake in unincorporated King County, during an interview at the event. "This is very beneficial." Nearly 200 residents attended the open house at the Kentridge High School library to find out more about city of Kent programs and services. The annexation becomes effective July 1.

Neighborhood Program Coordinator Toni Azzola
The Taylor Trophy on loan from Auburn High School is being exhibited at the Kent Historical Museum during the museum's football exhibit. The trophy is awarded to the winner of the annual football game between Kent-Meridian and Auburn high schools. The exhibit runs through June 18.

From Predators to Taylor Trophy: Museum exhibit covers history of Kent football (Video and story)

Claude French, Owen Taylor and Morris “Red” Badgro are not household names to most Kent residents. But the names soon become familiar after a tour of the Kent football history exhibit at the Kent Historical Museum. The exhibit is open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday through June 18.

The Taylor Trophy on loan from Auburn High School is being exhibited at the Kent Historical Museum during the museum's football exhibit. The trophy is awarded to the winner of the annual football game between Kent-Meridian and Auburn high schools. The exhibit runs through June 18.

Verdana is a go: Kent City Council approves new East Hill development

The Kent City Council approved an ordinance May 4 to allow a proposed East Hill commercial development on the southern edge of town.

RW Scott Construction of Auburn pours the sub-grade concrete mix on Kent's East Valley Highway in January

Kent City Council looks at levying vehicle license fee for street projects

Kent vehicle owners might be charged an annual $10 to $20 vehicle license registration fee as the City Council tries to come up with new ways to fund city street projects.

RW Scott Construction of Auburn pours the sub-grade concrete mix on Kent's East Valley Highway in January

Domestic violence visitation center Safe Havens is safe for now, thanks to donations

Kent city officials have decided to keep Safe Havens, the Kent-based domestic-violence visitation and exchange center, open for at least the rest of year and will continue to pursue a long-term operator for the facility.

Brothers Sammy Halber

Financial woes continue for Kent ShoWare Center

The financial woes for the ShoWare Center in Kent continued in the first three months of this year. "We are $84,000 in the hole," said Patrick McClusky, ShoWare finance director, at a Thursday meeting of the Public Facilities District board.

Brothers Sammy Halber
Kentlake students

Kentlake drama program brings ‘South Pacific’ musical to life

There were a few doubts in Pam Cressey's mind about whether her Kentlake High School drama club students could make the characters in the musical "South Pacific" seem real. But the students quickly erased those doubts after the opening weekend of shows.

Kentlake students