Steve Hunter

Kent Police Public Education Officer Cesi Velez

Put on your holiday best – it’s time for Kent Winterfest

There’s a whole lot of fun planned Saturday at the 27th annual Winterfest holiday celebration in downtown Kent and at Kent Station. The activities include everything from a Santa Claus arrival parade, an all-you-can-eat breakfast, a Kids and Kritters walk, a carousel and horse-drawn carriage rides, along with choirs and bands.

Kent Police Public Education Officer Cesi Velez

Buy local? Count city in, Kent Council says

Kent city staff will need to consider buying “local first” for city purchases and contracts. The Kent City Council voted 6-0 Nov. 17 to adopt an ordinance that directs city staff to use a “best efforts” approach to purchase items or set up contracts with Kent businesses, over companies from outside the city.

Gregory Richards

Police officer in Lakewood shooting started his career with Kent Police force

Kent Police considered Lakewood Police officer Gregory Richards "one of our own." Richards, 42, of Graham, was one of four Lakewood officers shot and killed Sunday in a Parkland coffee shop. He started his police career in 2001 in Kent.

Gregory Richards

Kent’s ShoWare Center could see $340,000 loss

ShoWare Center officials say the new arena in Kent could post a loss of as much as $343,000 this year.

Julia Lewis will be a vendor at this year’s Holiday Bazaar at Kent Commons.  Lewis poses with her hand-crafted teddy bears Nov. 20.  She will have her bears for sale and display at the bazaar.

Kent Parks Holiday bazaar promises something for everyone, Dec. 4-5

With 100 vendors selling items ranging from pottery to handmade soaps to gourmet foods, just about anyone can find something of interest during a walk through the Kent Parks Holiday Bazaar.

Julia Lewis will be a vendor at this year’s Holiday Bazaar at Kent Commons.  Lewis poses with her hand-crafted teddy bears Nov. 20.  She will have her bears for sale and display at the bazaar.
Kent firefighters extinguish a residential fire May 15 on 116th S.E. in Kent. The Kent Fire Department may in the future be merged with Fire District 37

Will Kent fire department, fire district merge?

The Kent City Council will vote Dec. 8 whether to ask voters next spring to approve forming a regional fire authority merging the Kent Fire Department and King County Fire District 37.

Kent firefighters extinguish a residential fire May 15 on 116th S.E. in Kent. The Kent Fire Department may in the future be merged with Fire District 37

Blotter: Kent Police arrest man after woman is stabbed with fork

Assault A 48-year-old man reportedly stabbed a 41-year-old woman in the hand with a fork during a dispute at about 12:10 p.m. Nov. 16 at a chemical dependency treatment center in the 500 block of Washington Avenue South.

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.