Steve Hunter

Kent City budget: It’s not over yet, and more meetings are scheduled

The Kent City Council continues to grapple with the 2010 city budget after a second public hearing about the budget this past week. The Council will have a budget workshop 5 p.m. Dec. 2 at City Hall, and is scheduled to adopt the budget Dec. 8, although that date could change.

Kent Youth Soccer Association club players and family members came out to show their support to Mark Fremmerlid

Kent City Council gets an earful over city budget

Seventy-two parents and players from a Kent soccer club packed the Kent City Council meeting Tuesday night at City Hall to plea for replacement of the fields lost two years ago when the city built the ShoWare Center.

Kent Youth Soccer Association club players and family members came out to show their support to Mark Fremmerlid
From left

Rainier Chorale gets into the holiday spirit with concerts

Ron Bayer returns year after year as director of the Kent-based Rainier Chorale because of the music and the people.

From left

Blotter: Boyfriend tells police he punched himself in the face

ASSAULT Police arrested a 30-year-old woman for investigation of fourth-degree assault after she reportedly threw a pop can that hit her boyfriend in the back, then punched him several times in the face.

Late ballot decision: Heide beats Miller in hospital-board race

Voters in Valley Medical Center’s Public Hospital District 1 decided to go a new direction by picking challenger Aaron Heide over incumbent Mike Miller for Commissioner Position No. 4.

King County plans to euthanize its animal control, shelter services, by Jan. 31

King County plans to close its animal shelters in Kent and Bellevue by Jan. 31, and let the cities and regional, nonprofit animal-care groups take over the care of the region’s unwanted pets.

Windstorm with 50 mph gusts could hit Kent tonight

Weather forecasters predict a windstorm with speeds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts up to 50 mph could strike Kent between Monday evening and noon Tuesday.

No arrests in pedestrian-car accident in Kent; woman knocked 150 feet

A 41-year-old Kent man will not face charges from King County prosecutors in connection with his vehicle reportedly hitting a Kent woman Oct. 27 as she tried to cross the Benson Highway to catch a bus.

Kent animal shelter: Pets to stay put, for now

With lower Green River flood odds, King County officials say they’ll keep put the cats and dogs of the Kent Animal Shelter, rather than moving them to a temporary site, as had been announced earlier this fall.

Kent business owner dies two days after shooting; Lt. Gov. Brad Owens’ son recovering

A Kent business owner died Wednesday, two days after he reportedly shot and injured a coworker and then shot himself during a Monday dispute at their office.

Billie Mayer

‘This is insane,’ mom says of Green River flood threat

Billie Mayer is trying to do everything she can to protect her Kent home and personal belongings from the Green River floods.

Billie Mayer
Fardig Development crews place the super sacks last month along the east bank of the Green River that borders the Riverbend Golf Course.  The workers

Kent bolsters levees to ward off floods

Kent city crews and contractors have placed nearly 20,000 giant sandbags along a 12-mile stretch of Green River levees in an effort to help protect homes and businesses from flooding this winter.

Fardig Development crews place the super sacks last month along the east bank of the Green River that borders the Riverbend Golf Course.  The workers

Kent shooting victim is Lt. Gov. Brad Owen’s son

A dispute between a manager and a bookkeeper Monday at a Kent auto body shop led to a double shooting and left two men injured.

Kent sales tax picture improving: city officials give report

Kent city officials called it a “trend stopper” as sales tax revenue in September nearly matched the city’s monthly budget projections for the first time all year.

ELECTIONS: Valley Medical Center board race is a tight heat

Incumbent Mike Miller and challenger Aaron Heide are locked in a tight race for Commissioner Position No. 4 on the Valley Medical Center Public Hospital District 1 board.

Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke reacts Tuesday night after the first vote count of the 2009 general elections put her ahead of her challenger for the position

‘I was so ecstatic.’ Re-elected Kent Mayor Cooke wants to get on with city work

Suzette Cooke was in a celebratory mood Tuesday night, the eve of the General Election ballot count. The incumbent Kent mayor had withstood a number of accusations by challenger Jim Berrios to easily earn a second, four-year term.

Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke reacts Tuesday night after the first vote count of the 2009 general elections put her ahead of her challenger for the position
Washington State Department of Transportation Maintenance Manager Pat Moylan stands Tuesday in front of a row of giant sandbags along State Route 167 near Kent

DOT: State Route 167 should handle floods better than other routes

The Washington State Department of Transportation will place about 660 giant sandbags along a short stretch of Highway 167 shoulders in Kent to protect the road in case of Green River flooding.

Washington State Department of Transportation Maintenance Manager Pat Moylan stands Tuesday in front of a row of giant sandbags along State Route 167 near Kent
Army Corps of Engineer Col. Anthony Wright speaks Thursday at a press conference regarding an update to the status of the Howard Hanson Dam. In his speech

UPDATED STORY: Flood risk goes down for Hanson Dam; Green River Valley

THIS IS AN UPDATED STORY: The repairs at the Howard Hanson Dam have helped, but the risk of flooding remains high this winter in the Green River Valley. That was the word Thursday at an Army Corps of Engineers press conference in Seattle. The corps had encouraging words about a reduced risk of flooding - a 1-in-32 chance, thanks to measures that have been taken to aid the dam and river levees - but noted that's still a lot less than when the dam's reservoir was fully operational.

Army Corps of Engineer Col. Anthony Wright speaks Thursday at a press conference regarding an update to the status of the Howard Hanson Dam. In his speech

Kent man, estranged wife charged in child-rape case

A 36-year-old Kent man and his estranged wife are facing charges of first-degree rape of a child.

Kent School Board candidates Bill Boyce

Kent School Board candidates: Better communication needed district-wide

In the aftermath of the teachers strike, the Kent School District needs better communication among administrators, board members, teachers and parents.

Kent School Board candidates Bill Boyce