Wire Service

Gov. Chris Gregoire opens her campaign April 7 at the Rainbow Cafe in Auburn. On the left is congressman Norm Dicks. On the right is Gregoire’s husband Mike Gregoire.

Gregoire kicks off re-election bid in Auburn

Gov. Christine Gregoire launched her reelection campaign April 7 in Auburn’s Rainbow Café, a few feet from where she once sat after school while her single mother cooked flapjacks and flipped burgers.

Gov. Chris Gregoire opens her campaign April 7 at the Rainbow Cafe in Auburn. On the left is congressman Norm Dicks. On the right is Gregoire’s husband Mike Gregoire.

Clerk stabbed in robbery attempt

Kent Police are searching for a man in connection with an attempted robbery that left a female clerk injured April 8 at the Days Inn motel, 1711 W. Meeker St.

Sentencing scheduled in hate-crime attack

A 21-year-old Kent man, who pleaded guilty to a hate-crime attack against a Kent taxi-cab driver is scheduled to be sentenced at 3:30 p.m. Friday before Judge Monica Benton at the King County Superior Courthouse in Seattle.

Court rules VMC recall petition as insufficient

King County Superior Court Judge Michael Trickey ruled last week that Chris Clifford’s recall petition of Valley Medical Center/Hospital District 1 Commissioner Don Jacobson isn’t sufficient.

Shirt-cutting episode ends in altercation, arrest

A domestic dispute broke out 10:06 p.m. March 31 at an apartment in the 24900 block of 103rd Avenue Southeast, after a woman became upset at her boyfriend for hanging up a phone on her.

Arraignment in stabbing death is April 21

Randall Edward Connor, the man charged with first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of a Kent woman last year, is scheduled to be arraigned 9 a.m. April 21 at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

Teen charged in stabbing death

King County prosecutors charged a 15-year-old Burien girl April 15 with second-degree murder in connection with the April 5 stabbing death of a 49-year-old Kent man at his Panther Lake-area home.

Briefly

Randall Edward Connor, the man charged with first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of a Kent woman last year, is scheduled to be arraigned 3:30 p.m. Friday at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

Schools chief to retire

Kent School District Superintendent Barbara Grohe last week announced her upcoming retirement, which will be effective June 2009.

Randall Connor

Man enters plea Friday in Kent murder charge

Randall Edward Connor pleaded not guilty to a first-degree murder charge at an arraignment Friday in King County Superior Court at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

Randall Connor
It took about 20 Renton firefighters

Black bear caught in Renton Highlands

Marcie Palmer has seen plenty of wildlife in her Kennydale neighborhood. She’s seen coyotes, deer, possums and raccoons. Last summer a cougar was spotted in lower Kennydale. But April 23 was the first Kennydale bear sighting for the City Council member and many of her neighbors.

It took about 20 Renton firefighters
King County Animal Shelter Manager Al Dams talks about cat kennels while giving a media tour of the shelter in October after a report criticized conditions in the shelter.

County Council OKs dollars for shelters

The King County Council on Monday approved $965,000 in additional funding this year for immediate upgrades to the county animal shelters in Kent and Bellevue.

King County Animal Shelter Manager Al Dams talks about cat kennels while giving a media tour of the shelter in October after a report criticized conditions in the shelter.

PULLIAM

Pulliam, took a job as the city’s vegetation-management supervisor. He held that job for 22 years before retiring in 2003.

STRACHAN

use of marijuana by individuals. If we want to have a debate about regulating or otherwise changing our legal focus on marijuana, let’s have that debate. We ask only that we make laws that are supported and enforced. The “Green Reaper” case is about neighborhoods and public safety, not individual use. Let’s keep our focus on the big picture, rather than getting distracted by potentially worthwhile but unrelated debate about personal use of marijuana.

CASHMAN

days is my goal. Don’t know if I’ll make it before mom begins to notice, but even she says I should try to follow my dreams.

Geoff  Simpson

Lawmaker arrested

State Rep. Geoff Simpson was arrested April 27 by King County Sheriff deputies and booked into the county jail in Seattle on suspicion of fourth-degree assault.

Geoff  Simpson

Drivers take note: HOT lanes now open on SR 167

After months of watching the signs, electrical equipment and striping being installed along nine miles of SR 167 between Renton and Auburn, people who drive alone can pay for a variable, electronic toll to travel in the high occupancy toll lane.

Music teacher Darren Motamedy

For one Kent schools teacher, this tune is sweet

Between the busy nights performing as a professional jazz musician and the jam-packed days teaching elementary-school band students, Darren Motamedy said the latter has become the more challenging career.

Music teacher Darren Motamedy
Kentridge High School alum Mike Geisen

Kentridge alumnus makes the grade

Mike Geisen, 35, said he doesn’t remember all the academic details he learned as a Kentridge High School student, but he does remember the teachers there who inspired in him a passion for learning.

Kentridge High School alum Mike Geisen