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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 23/11
CAROLYN OSSORIO | Heere’s what’s cookin’ [15]
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5-year-olds put on wrong bus; district works on new system BY TRACEY COMPTON tcompton@rentonreporter.com
King Parker has two offices, this one on the seventh floor of City Hall, not far from the City Council chambers where he has served for 12 years. It’s not unusual to talk with constituents at his other office, the one at King and Bunny’s. The view is a constant reminder of the city he serves. DEAN A. RADFORD, Renton Reporter
King hangs up political crown BY DEAN A. RADFORD dradford@rentonreporter.com
Where Renton stands today is in large part the work of King Parker, whose marketing skills are legendary and love for Renton unquestioned. Now, he carefully explains the next stage in his life of service to his community. “I am hanging up my political shoes,” he says. But make no mistake he’s not retiring from King and Bunny’s, the appliance store in the Highlands where he will
now have more time to spend. “I am looking forward to coming back and working full time right here at King and Bunny’s,” he says. “You can say that loud and clear.” Health played no role in his decision to retire from the council, he said. “I am certain that has always been a topic of conversation,” he said. He works seven days a week, morning to night. “I do that because I enjoy it. It’s not because I have to,” he said. Parker announced before filing began for the 2011 primary election that he would not seek a fourth term on the Renton City Council. That created a rare open seat on the council – and a chance for new candidates to make their political case for election. That’s exactly what Parker wants to happen. “I think I have had a real impact on the
FYI
A party for Parker
A celebration Sunday will recognize King Parker’s years of service to the Renton community. The event, an open house to visit with Parker, is 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at the Renton Senior Activity Center, 211 Burnett Ave. N. The $40 for a ticket at the door will go toward three of Parker’s favorite causes, the Renton Technical College Foundation, Communities in Schools of Renton and the Renton Community Foundation. Food and beverages will be provided.
community,” he says. But, he adds, “it’s time, quite frankly, for me to move on.” It’s time for “some younger folks” to get involved, says Parker, who calls himself a young 72. In essence the city is seeing the po[ more PARKER page 8 ]
206.949.1696 www.marciemaxwell.com Marcie Maxwell Associate Broker, Realtor & CRS
Lisa Lam
Realtor, CRS, ABR & ASP
520636
King Parker, three-term City Council member, to spend more time at his store and work on favorite endeavors.
The Renton School District is developing a system-wide plan to make sure students get on the right school bus after the school day. The effort comes after two Benson Hill Elementary kindergarteners were put on the wrong bus and dropped off about a mile and a half from their intended stop on Friday afternoon, Sept. 16. “This was a failure on the part of the adults in the process both at the school and on the bus,” said Randy Matheson, Renton School District spokesperson. The students, a 5-year-old boy and girl, were put on the wrong school bus by Benson Hill staff and then let off the bus about a mile and a half from the daycare they attend, Matheson said. Spring Glen Daycare staff alerted the school when the children did not get off the bus. The school then called the transportation office, classmates of the students and alerted the police. After a day-care worker had left her shift, she spotted the children walking on the street and returned them to the daycare. The bus driver in the incident was a substitute, who drove for the district some last year. “It’s not an excuse that this person was a substitute,” said Matheson, who blamed all the adults involved and stated the bus driver would likely not be called for another assignment with the district. In response to the incident, the Benson Hill Elementary principal created a colorcoded system by Saturday afternoon for getting students on the right bus, Matheson said. Right now the district doesn’t have a system-wide plan to make sure children are placed on the right school bus, but officials hope to present a system-wide plan to bus drivers soon, he said. Superintendent Mary Alice Heuschel called the parents of the children Tuesday to assure them that they would put a plan in place.