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Sports | Auburn lowers boom on Kentridge; K-M falls to Jefferson [19]
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2012
Moody’s downgrades city’s bond rating again BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
The city of Kent’s struggle to keep revenues above expenses took another hit as Moody’s Investors Services downgraded the city’s bond rating for the second time this year. New York-based Moody’s down-
graded the city to a Baa2 rating from A1 and gave the city a negative outlook to the rating for $72.9 million worth of limited tax general obligation bonds. Moody’s provides financial research on bonds issued by commercial and government entities and is considered one of the big three of credit-rating
agencies along with the Fitch Group and Standard & Poor’s. “Disappointed,” said Kent Councilman Les Thomas about the latest rating during a phone interview. “I’m very concerned with the direction we’re going.” Obligations rated Baa are judged
STATE OF THE T-BIRDS GM, coaches bring in skill, new faces to spur turnaround Russ Farwell, Seattle Thunderbirds general manager, takes in a team practice from his quiet perch at the ShoWare Center. Farwell and his staff are optimistic the revised T-Birds can manufacture more wins and fill more seats. MARK KLAAS, Kent Reporter BY MARK KLAAS mklaas@kentreporter.com
cellphone vibrates on Russ Farwell’s desk as he tries to tame a clutter of papers, charts, reminders and folders. With the Seattle Thunderbirds’ front office staff busy tending to morning business, Farwell pauses for a moment, then sits up in his chair. He ignores the calls,
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but only for a moment. A junior hockey league general manager’s job is demanding, perpetual, seldom done. One call follows another, just as Farwell’s players – unproven teens and touted prospects – continuously come and go. “It’s constant,” Farwell said of the challenges of directing the ever-changing Kent-based T-Birds as a GM and part-owner. “What people don’t see is because of that
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mandating, automatic turnover, a big part of the job is next year’s group. Always. “Our guys are already out … (watching) tournaments … doing full-bore scouting for the draft and working with our (players). As soon as these guys hit the ice, we have to start on next year’s team.” For Farwell, a longtime top executive in hockey circles – from the Western Hockey League to the National Hockey League – spotting and developing talent remain a big part of what he does in the [ more T-BIRDS page 9 ]
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to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics, according to Moody’s. Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke said the rating “disappointed” her. But it also surprised her. Thomas
[ more RATING page 5 ]
City officials plan to help slow down 223rd Drive traffic BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
Kent city officials will work with residents along Southeast 223rd Drive to find a way to slow down drivers who speed through the neighborhood. The street drew the city’s focus after a 1996 Nissan Coupe driven by Justin Jerald Cordova, 18, struck and killed motorcyclist David Daniel, 55, on Aug. 22 along the street. Cordova reportedly had a blood-alcohol level of 0.12 percent and traveled at an estimated 65 mph in the 25 mph zone just prior to the
accident. Cordova has been charged with vehicular homicide. That accident increased the efforts by residents who live in the neighborhood to get the city to install a speed bump, traffic circle or other device to slow traffic down. “We have 73 signatures from people who live along Southeast 223rd Drive who want speed bumps or a roundabout or some physical structure to slow people down,” said Matt Richner, a resident of the neighborhood. [ more DRIVE page 8 ]
Ailing Kent man goes extra mile to fight cancer BY TRACEY COMPTON tcompton@rentonreporter.com
Glen Schallman hopes to inspire people with his courageous battle against a brain tumor he’s been living Schallman with for about a decade. The 53-year-old Kent resident joins the Seattle Brain [ more SCHALLMAN page 2 ]
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