News

Sweethearts Marian

Longtime Kent couple have advice for making every day a Valentine’s Day

This year, Marian and Gene Willhite celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, looked back on their time together.

Sweethearts Marian
Kent Superintendent Edward Lee Vargas and State Assistant Superintendent for Student Learning Erin Jones pose for a photo after exchanging greetings at Kent-Meridian High School for the launch Feb. 10 of a business/education summit.

Leaders stress business, parental involvement at education summit in Kent

More than 150 business, education and community leaders came together at Kent-Meridian High School Wednesday for the King County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's inaugural Business and Education Striving to the Top (B.E.S.T.) summit to try and fire up minority business communities to recognize that early childhood education is a form of economic development.

Kent Superintendent Edward Lee Vargas and State Assistant Superintendent for Student Learning Erin Jones pose for a photo after exchanging greetings at Kent-Meridian High School for the launch Feb. 10 of a business/education summit.

Toddler remains in serious condition after fall from window onto concrete driveway at Kent home

A 2-year-old boy remained in serious condition Thursday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after falling Wednesday morning from a second-story window at a Kent home in the 11700 block of Southeast 268th Street on the East Hill.

Refugee and Immigrant Service Center Director Shane Rock accepts the keys to a van from King County Councilwoman Julia Patterson Feb. 9.  The Council has donated vans to nonprofit groups to help meet their transportation needs

A new set of wheels from King County Counci to Kent non-profit group

Refugee and Immigrant Service Center Director Shane Rock accepts the keys to a van from King County Councilwoman Julia Patterson Feb. 9. The Council has donated vans to nonprofit groups to help meet their transportation needs, including those of the Kent-based center.

  • Feb 12, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
Refugee and Immigrant Service Center Director Shane Rock accepts the keys to a van from King County Councilwoman Julia Patterson Feb. 9.  The Council has donated vans to nonprofit groups to help meet their transportation needs
Office Depot facilities in Kent’s Cascade Commerce Park on West Valley Highway are shown with a sandbag wall to protect against flooding.  The state Legislature is working on measures to provide more flood insurance for businesses in the Green River Valley.

Keiser bill could provide last-resort flood insurance for Green River Valley businesses

The Washington state Senate approved a bill Feb. 9 that could help as many as several hundred businesses in Kent, Auburn, Tukwila and Renton obtain hard-to-find supplemental flood insurance.

Office Depot facilities in Kent’s Cascade Commerce Park on West Valley Highway are shown with a sandbag wall to protect against flooding.  The state Legislature is working on measures to provide more flood insurance for businesses in the Green River Valley.

Election update: Kent school levies on the right track

With both school levies apparently on their way to passing, the key word from the school community is “grateful.”

The Kent Predators are about to start their season and will call the ShoWare Center home.

Kent Predators open season with press conference Friday

The front office staff of the Indoor Football League’s newest franchise, the Kent Predators, invite the community to a press conference and information sharing session starting 2:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at the ShoWare Center in Kent.

  • Feb 10, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
The Kent Predators are about to start their season and will call the ShoWare Center home.
A toddler has been airlifted to the local trauma center via helicopter following a fall from a second story window in the 11700 block of SE 268 Street at approximately 10:50 this morning.

Toddler hurt in fall from second-story window at Kent home

A toddler was airlifted by helicopter to Harborview Medical Center Wednesday morning after falling from a second-story window at a Kent home.

  • Feb 10, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
A toddler has been airlifted to the local trauma center via helicopter following a fall from a second story window in the 11700 block of SE 268 Street at approximately 10:50 this morning.

Keiser bill revives state vaccine program for kids

Senate Bill 6263, sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, finalizes an agreement reached by key stakeholders to continue providing children in Washington with easy access to needed immunizations.

  • Feb 10, 2010
  • BY Wire Service

Both Kent levies headed toward passage in early returns

M&O and technology levies passing with 52 percent in first round of results.

Thunderbirds Brenden Dillon dives to swat away the puck from Winterhawks' Luke Walker Jan. 23. The T-Birds are teaming up with Kent-Meridian High School students to develop a promotional television commercial.

T-Birds and Kent-Meridan students partner for TV commercial contest

The Seattle Thunderbirds have partnered with Kent-Meridian High School to sponsor a TV Commercial Contest among the marketing and video production classes at the school.

  • Feb 9, 2010
  • BY Wire Service
Thunderbirds Brenden Dillon dives to swat away the puck from Winterhawks' Luke Walker Jan. 23. The T-Birds are teaming up with Kent-Meridian High School students to develop a promotional television commercial.

State Senate passes bill to ensure flood insurance to Green River Valley businesses

The Washington state Senate voted 30-18 Tuesday to help businesses in Kent, Auburn, Renton and Tukwila obtain hard-to-find supplemental flood insurance and prevent job losses.

  • Feb 9, 2010
  • BY Wire Service

Where to find 24-hour ballot boxes for Feb. 9 election

King County voters looking to drop off their ballots for the Feb. 9 special election t their local ballot box may be surprised to find their local ballot box is no longer there.

Man punches holes in girlfriend’s walls; texts her promising to fix them – Kent Police Blotter

Malicious mischief Kent Police cited a 24-year-old man for investigation of third-degree malicious mischief Jan. 20 after he reportedly broke a mirror and punched holes in the walls of his girlfriend's apartment. The incident occurred 1:38 a.m. at an apartment in the 10700 block of Southeast 256th Street.

A crowd of Kent teachers

Kent teachers’ union rally draws a crowd

The Kent Education Association hosted a rally Feb. 6 in support of the Kent School District levy propositions on the Feb. 9 ballot complete with sign-waving, entertainment and speeches form community leaders.

A crowd of Kent teachers

T-Birds fall short to Portland Jan. 30

The Seattle Thunderbirds clawed back from an early 2-0 deficit to tie the game midway through the second period, but eventually fell to the Portland Winterhawks 6-2 on Saturday evening in Portland.

  • Feb 8, 2010
  • BY Wire Service

Panther Lake condo fire displaces two

Two residents were displaced when oil heating on a stove caused a fire that heavily damaged a condominium at about 7:55 p.m. Saturday in the 11300 block of Southeast 209th Street in the Panther Lake area of unincorporated Kent.

  • Feb 8, 2010
  • BY Wire Service

Kent homeless count yields telling results

One night every January for the past three years, Kent resident Cynthia Tanis takes a last peek at her kids, bundles herself up and heads out to the streets of Kent as part of the One Night Count, an annual event designed to provide a snapshot of the city's homeless population.

ShoWare Center sees reduction in liquor fines

The state Liquor Control Board reduced a $500 fine to $300 against the ShoWare Center operators after eight vendors were caught selling alcohol to minors.

King County judge rules state has duty to fully fund education

Echoing the sentiments of educators across Kent and Washington State, King County Superior Court Judge John P. Erlick ruled in favor of two families and the Network for Excellence in Washington Schools (NEWS), ruling that the state's funding mechanism for public education fails to meet the duties laid out in the state constitution, which states that providing "ample funding" for education is the "paramount duty" of the state.

  • Feb 5, 2010
  • BY Wire Service