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FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
Initiative would make marijuana offenses lowest police priority BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
City of Kent voters might decide this fall whether marijuana offenses should receive the lowest enforcement priority by Kent Police.
Sensible Washington, a group that supports marijuana legalization, filed an initiative March 28 with the city to “make the investigation, arrest and prosecution of non-violent marijuana offenses, where the marijuana was intended
for adult personal use, the lowest law enforcement priority.” The group filed similar initiatives this week in Olympia, Bremerton, Everett, Bellingham and Spokane. Voters in Seattle passed a low-enforcement of
Kent woman gives large donation to senior center BY SARAH KEHOE
The Machinists Union says management at Kent’s Hytek Finishes rejected an offer from the Federal Mediation and Con-
[ more MEASURE page 4 ]
BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
Friends, family and the Kent Police all seem to come up with the same response about the disappearance three years ago of 21-year-old Alyssa McLemore. “Nothing has changed in three years, sadly,” said Melissa Moore, a best friend of the Kent woman. Kent detectives have three binders of information about McLemore since she went missing April 9, 2009. “We review the investigation to date to see if there were things we missed,” said Detective Sgt. John Pagel. “There have not been any new leads that have panned out.” McLemore was last heard from the evening of April 9 when her grandmother told her that McLemore’s mother was very ill. Her mother died three days after McLemore’s disappearance.
On the fly Kentridge left fielder Devin Riley reaches high to catch a fly ball during the Chargers’ 7-6 comeback victory at Auburn Riverside last Friday. The Chargers scored a pair of runs in the eighth inning to pull out the South Puget Sound League North 4A win. Riley also went 2-for-4 for the Chargers. RACHEL CIAMPI, Reporter
Hytek rejects mediation offer in union talks REPORTER STAFF
the cannabis reform community here in Washington,” said Sensible Washington backers on their Facebook page. The Kent City Attorney’s Office will review the initiative and has
Kent woman still missing 3 years after disappearance
skehoe@kent-reporter.com
Kent Senior Activity Center employees received a $211,765 donation from Winona “Constance” Grant. The city received the gift from the estate of Grant, who was involved in many activities at the center. “We were pretty shocked and overwhelmed when we heard about the donation,” said Lea Bishop, facility manager at the center. “We’ve never received a sum this big before.” Bishop remembers Grant as a friendly and warm lady. “She loved to go on our day trips with us, it was her most important activity,” Bishop recalled. “She was a very sweet lady and just a great person all-around.” The center will use the money for repairs and needed items, including a new travel bus, computers for the computer lab, equipment for the fitness center, televisions and a salad bar for the cafeteria. “We are quite grateful she thought of us,” Bishop said. “This is stuff we badly need, but we’d never get to do if we didn’t receive the money.”
marijuana offenses measure in 2003. Tacoma voters passed similar legislation last year. “With lowest priority (and federal non-cooperation) initiatives now filed, we feel that (Wednesday) was a good day for
ciliation Service to help resolve contract talks. The union described the talks as “increasingly contentious.” “The IAM has continued to
listen to Hytek concerns, no matter how far-fetched they are,” said Kevin Cummings, a representative of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers who leads the union’s [ more HYTEK page 3 ]
Ex-Kent Police Chief Strachan appointed King County Sheriff REPORTER STAFF
The Metropolitan King County Council Monday appointed former Kent Police Chief Steve Strachan to succeed Sue Rahr as King County Sheriff. Strachan, who was Rahr’s Chief Deputy since January 2011, became interim Sheriff when Rahr left the Sheriff ’s office on March 31 to become
Alyssa McLemore remains missing after three years, but authorities continue to follow leads. COURTESY PHOTO Detectives discovered early on in the investigation that at about 9:15 p.m. April 10, someone called 911 from McLemore’s cell phone. A female voice was heard asking for help before the call ended. [ more MCLEMORE page 5 ] director of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission in Burien. Rahr had appointed Strachan to the Strachan position. Under the King County Charter, the Council is responsible for appointing a new Sheriff until the vacancy has been filled at the next general election in November. [ more STRACHAN page 5 ]