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FRIDAY APRIL 27/12
Downtown Library | Next step is to write explanatory statement for election [3]
Liquor store auction | The rights to buy a liquor license at Renton’s three liquor stores Reporter Newsline 425.255.3484 were sold for more than $500,000 [3]
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Soccer news | Hazen chases Seamount title, two local clubs merge to form PacNW SC [26]
School bond measure is approved
fyi Friends of Renton Schools The Third Annual Friends of Renton Schools Benefit Breakfast is at 7 a.m. April 30 (checkin) at the Renton Pavilion Event Center, 233 Burnett Ave. S. A record crowd of about 300 is expected. The deadline to get a ticket for the breakfast to benefit Renton School District programs is Sunday. Contact Pam Teal by email at mpteal@comcast.net. “We want to grow on our momentum,” Teal said of the effort that has raised 10s of thousands of dollars to help educate Renton’s school children.
By DEAN A. RADFORD dradford@rentonreporter.com
The Renton School District’s $97 million school-improvement bond measure has won approval. Final approval never was in doubt the day after the special election April 17, when the bond reached the critical 60 percent approval mark. Initial results after the election had the bond falling just shy of 60 percent. Last Friday, the count stood at 60.55 to ap-
prove the measure vs. 39.45 percent to reject it. That percentage didn’t change through this Wednesday, although the numbers crept up slightly, with 10,330 voting yes and 6,731 voting no. “I am thrilled,” said Renton schools Superintendent Mary Alice Heuschel. The King County Elections Division will certify the results today (Friday), with the final results posted at the division’s website (kingcounty.gov) early afternoon. The turnout is about 30 percent of the
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56,637 voters in the Renton School District, which extends outside the city limits. The bond measure fell just shy of the 60 percent approval in February’s special election. The Renton School Board acted quickly to place it on the April ballot. School Board member Pam Teal said she was confident this time around. “We did a better job with messaging,” she said this week. The next stop is for the planning to begin on [ more bond page 2]
Opening night of SIFF-Renton return is May 18 By DEAN A. RADFORD dradford@rentonreporter.com
Jeff Reynolds, the school resource officer at Renton High School, was voted ‘Best Police Officer in Renton’ in this year’s Best of Renton. tracey compton, Renton Reporter
Renton’s best cop: Jeff Reynolds Reynolds, school resource officer, Renton High School
By TRACEY COMPTON tcompton@rentonreporter.com
Perhaps because it’s his favorite job and it shows, he’s become Renton’s favorite police officer. This year, Officer Jeff Reynolds was voted “Best Police Officer in Renton.” Originally from Richland, Wash. he’s been a police officer since 1979 and a school resource officer since 2002.
When asked what he thinks of the honor, Reynolds modestly says there are others more deserving of the title. He calls Renton High School, where he works, his favorite high school because, “these kids are so genuine here and they’re such good kids,” Reynolds said. He is the school’s back-up to security if they have [ more best of page 21 ]
[ more SIFF page 4 ]
206.949.1696 info@marciemaxwell.com “Your Residential Specialists”
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“These kids are our greatest generation.” Jeff
Opening night of the return engagement of the Seattle International Film Festival in Renton is just three Fridays away. The largest film festival in the nation last year debuted Renton as one of its three suburban venues, showing films at the IKEA Performing Arts Center at Renton High School. This year the opening night gala is May 18, with a big party at the Renton Pavilion Event Center at the Piazza and a film that’s still under wraps. Tickets for the opening festivities and the 18 films that will show through May 24 go on sale Thursday, May 3, at the SIFF’s website, siff.net. PeaceMaker Nation will return to provide the entertainment. “We want to throw a great party on May 18,” said Suzanne Dale Estey, the city’s economic development director. Planning for this year’s festival has been under way for months. The planning includes finding about 100 or more volunteers to help keep the festival run-