News

City of Kent gets surprise $237,535 bill

The city of Kent just got stuck with an unexpected bill of $237,535.

Mithula Rarmal receives the Miss Cornucopia crown from past queen Candy Chang during the coronation at Town Square Plaza on Friday.

Rarmal crowned Miss Cornucopia

Even if dragon boats are a part of Mithula Rarmal's culture, she has never been near one of the elegant vessels.

Mithula Rarmal receives the Miss Cornucopia crown from past queen Candy Chang during the coronation at Town Square Plaza on Friday.
Kids try to stay cool in the Town Square Plaza fountains in downtown Kent.

The heat is on in Kent!

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Kent and the rest of Western Washington from 11 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Monday.

  • Jul 11, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Kids try to stay cool in the Town Square Plaza fountains in downtown Kent.
Steve Dowell

Kent’s Steve Dowell gets his day

Steve Dowell is getting his day on Friday, July 11 in Kent.

  • Jul 11, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Steve Dowell
Derek Matheson

Covington’s Matheson moves to bigger role as Kent chief administrative officer

Derek Matheson will resign as the Covington city manager to take on a larger role as the city of Kent chief administrative officer.

  • Jul 11, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Derek Matheson

Fire breaks out at Kent Safeway on Kent Kangley Road

Kent firefighters contained a fire to a food freezer on Friday inside the Safeway store at 13200 Kent Kangley Road.

DNR expands burn ban to Western Washington because of hot, dry conditions

With a heat wave rapidly increasing fire danger throughout the state, the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is expanding the burn ban from DNR-protected lands in Eastern Washington to include those west of the Cascades, the agency announced today.

  • Jul 11, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Rainier Youth Choirs

Rainier Youth Choirs take in New Orleans

New Orleans Children's Chorus recently hosted 10 premier choirs from throughout the United States for the 15th annual Crescent City Choral Festival.

  • Jul 11, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Rainier Youth Choirs

Kent City Council committee approves two staff hires at cost of $223,000

A Kent City Council committee reluctantly recommended approval of about a $223,000 budget increase to hire an inspector for the Public Works Department and an engineering technician for the Economic and Community Development Department.

Jeffrey Lee

Kent students awarded BECU Foundation Scholarships

As part of BECU's commitment to education and assisting outstanding students, the BECU Foundation awarded 75 BECU student-members with $3,000 scholarships toward their college education.

  • Jul 11, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Jeffrey Lee
Kids play on a recent hot day at Kent's Town Square Plaza fountain.

Kent’s Town Square Plaza fountain to close intermittently this weekend

Cooling off the kids at Kent’s popular Town Square Plaza fountain is sure to be a popular activity this weekend during Cornucopia Days.

  • Jul 11, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Kids play on a recent hot day at Kent's Town Square Plaza fountain.
Temperatures in Kent and around the valley are expected to remain in the 80s and reach into the 90s for the weekend and most of next week.

Beat the heat, take precautions

The National Weather Service has forecast temperatures between the high 80s and low-to-mid 90s with little chance of rain over the next 10 days in the valley.

  • Jul 11, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Temperatures in Kent and around the valley are expected to remain in the 80s and reach into the 90s for the weekend and most of next week.
Nearly 10

Get ready for 10,000 bicyclists in Kent, Auburn for STP ride

Nearly 10,000 bicyclists will ride through Kent and Auburn on Saturday, July 12 at part of the 35th annual Group Health Seattle to Portland (STP) Bicycle Classic.

  • Jul 10, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Nearly 10
Zone 3 Explorers represented their posts well by bringing home several trophies and plaques in 2012. Ten Zone 3 Explorers and eight adult advisors will attend this year’s conference in Indiana.

Zone 3 Explorers to compete at conference

A contingency of the Zone 3 Fire Explorers and advisors head to the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., in the next few days to compete in the National Fire/Emergency Services Exploring Conference.

  • Jul 10, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Zone 3 Explorers represented their posts well by bringing home several trophies and plaques in 2012. Ten Zone 3 Explorers and eight adult advisors will attend this year’s conference in Indiana.
A vintage downtown street scene in Kent. The public is invited to the Experience Historical Kent Day celebration Aug. 16.

Experience Historical Kent Day celebrates city’s history Aug. 16

Visitors and residents are invited to celebrate Kent's past on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the first Experience Historical Kent Day.

  • Jul 10, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
A vintage downtown street scene in Kent. The public is invited to the Experience Historical Kent Day celebration Aug. 16.
Cody Beaver looks at bead color animals at the 2013 Kent Cornucopia Days.

Kent Cornucopia Days are here again

The 43rd annual Kent Cornucopia Days street fair and festival takes over downtown this weekend.

  • Jul 9, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Cody Beaver looks at bead color animals at the 2013 Kent Cornucopia Days.
Firefighters attack a blaze Wednesday at a Kent home in the 22200 block of 129th Place Southeast.

Kent firefighters limit house fire to attic

A Kent house fire Wednesday could have been much worse than it was after flames traveled from beauty bark into a vertical column supporting part of the roof, and into a portion of the attic space.

  • Jul 9, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
Firefighters attack a blaze Wednesday at a Kent home in the 22200 block of 129th Place Southeast.

Kent School District studies options in wake of growth

The Kent School District has a number of potential changes coming up over the next several years and has started discussions of how to best approach those changes in a way that will accommodate its policy goals.

Jim and Suzanne Berrios continue to make an impact in the Kent community as business owners and volunteers.

Kent Cornucopia Days goes younger with Berrios’ as King and Queen

Jim and Suzanne Berrios truly believed they were too young to be named the Kent Cornucopia Days King and Queen for 2014.

Jim and Suzanne Berrios continue to make an impact in the Kent community as business owners and volunteers.
William Hayes is up for nomination to be the new director of the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention.

King County executive nominates 30-year veteran to lead Adult and Juvenile Detention

King County Executive Dow Constantine on Wednesday nominated William Hayes, a 30-year veteran, to serve as the new director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention. Hayes has served as the interim director since February.

  • Jul 9, 2014
  • BY Wire Service
William Hayes is up for nomination to be the new director of the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention.