renton .com
Reporter
friday APril 13/12
Democrats’ turn | This Sunday Democrats will nominate their presidential favorite [10]
Ready for the stretch run | See how the local baseball and softball teams look [12]
A bright spot| Toni Nelson and Roxanne Hanson are bringing back their Renton Flower Reporter Newsline 425.255.3484 Shop to downtown Renton [5]
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
Tuesday is deadline in school-bond vote By TRACEY COMPTON tcompton@rentonreporter.com
Ballots must be postmarked no later than Tuesday for the special election in which Renton voters are being asked to approve $97 million in school construction bonds. The proceeds will be used to build a middle school and make
other improvements. The measure barely missed getting the 60 percent majority it needed in the February election. Citizens for Renton Schools committee members went door to door in the Newcastle, Bellevue, and North Renton areas of the school district last weekend to hand out informational brochures on the bond measure.
The district is looking for some much-needed support from the bond to alleviate overcrowding in the middle schools and make improvements to the pool building at Lindbergh High School, among other building improvements in the district. The bond is expected to cost residents 18 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, which
equates to less than $46 per year for an average home valued at $257,000. Recently candidates in the governor’s race touted the Renton School District for its exemplary programs when they rolled out their education plans for the state. Democrat candidate Jay Inslee mentioned the district for its many innovative partnerships
City Council preparing public vote on library
Seattle man charged in fleeing state trooper on Interstate 405 BY DEAN A. RADFORD dradford@rentonreporter.com
By DEAN A. RADFORD dradford@rentonreporter.com
During its next two meetings, the Renton City Council will draft a ballot measure that will give voters the decision where to build the new library in downtown. The city’s legal staff is drafting the wording of the measure as it would appear on the ballot. The council must act by its April 23 meeting in order to meet a King County deadline of April 25 to place the measure on the August primary ballot. The council at Monday’s meeting also directed city staff to present cost estimates to build a new library next to the Piazza or to make renovations to the current downtown library over the Cedar River. The council is taking these steps after deciding two weeks ago to stop a citizens intiative to keep the library over the Cedar. The council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 1055 S. Grady Way.
with local businesses, colleges, universities and communities. Republican candidate Rob McKenna also praised the district for its graduation rate, which is currently at 94 percent. For more information about voting by mail, watch a short video, visit the Elections Web site or call 206-296-VOTE (8683).
Just toss it in the air
Smoking Monkey Pizza pizzaiolo Gustavo Frias tosses a pizza into the air as he prepares another pizza at the new downtown Renton pizzeria. The new restaurant will feature regional Italian pizzas. For more on Smoking Monkey, including how it got its name, please see
page 4. tracey Compton, Renton Reporter
A 25-year-old Seattle man had been living for a couple weeks in a stolen vehicle he used to run over the foot of a state trooper during a traffic stop on I-405 Monday morning. The man, Joseph Victor S. Gill, was charged Wednesday with theft of motor vehicle, thirddegree assault and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle. His arraignment is April 23 in Kent. He was being held Wednesday in the county jail in downtown Seattle on $50,000 bail. The trooper, a six-year veteran of the Washington State Patrol, pulled over Gill at about 8:55 a.m. Monday for driving alone in the carpool lane in a 2012 Chrysler sedan near the Sunset Boulevard overpass. During the stop, the trooper was notified the car had been reported stolen to the Port of Seattle police on April 2, although the actual theft from Alamo Rental Cars occurred on March 17, according to court documents. In attempting to arrest Gill, the trooper ordered him to show his hands and get out of the vehicle. Instead, Gill ducked his head down, according to documents. Two other troopers arrived, who saw the trooper holding his gun at Gill. Gill drove off, turning into the trooper who was near the driver’s [ more chase page 7 ]
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