REPORTER
COVINGTON | MAPLE VALLEY | BLACK DIAMOND
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COMMIT TO BE FIT | Second part of series on fitness journeys [page 3]
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TUMBLING TO THE TOP | Kentlake’s Ashley Pernell makes gymnastics FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013 comeback after torn ACL [9]
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Arboretum board hires first director
City pushes for bills to annex donut hole
BY KRIS HILL
BY KATHERINE SMITH
khill@maplevalleyreporter.com
ksmith@maplevalleyreporter.com
Amy Hardebeck wanted to be a forest ranger when she grew up. “I really just wanted to be outside,” Hardebeck said. Instead, she studied theater and communications in college, but her love of the outdoors brought her from her native Indiana to the Seattle area 17 years ago. Now a Renton resident, Hardebeck may have scored an ideal job as the first professional director of Lake Wilderness Arboretum in Maple Valley. The arboretum, which covers 40 acres next to Lake Wilderness Lodge, has gardens and trails that wind through the surrounding woods. She started in January. “I love hiking, the ocean and the mountains,” Hardebeck said. “Everything everyone loves about the Pacific Northwest from the topography to the vibe of the people, this is a very liberal, ac-
Members of the Maple Valley City Council made two trips to Olympia in support of a pair of bills which propose to amend the process for cities to annex property. If passed and signed into law, the bills would raise the threshold for the amount of land that can be annexed from 100 acres to 175 acres and would remove a stipulation that the property in question must contain residents. This would allow the city of Maple Valley to begin the annexation process for Summit Place, also known as the donut hole, 156 acres located off Kent-Kangley Road and Southeast 228th Street that is home to a county transportation maintenance facility, nine holes of the Elk Run Golf Course, and undeveloped land. The donut hole is entirely surrounded by the
[ more DIRECTOR page 8 ]
Tahoma Take Down
Tahoma’s Matt Hopkins loosens up prior to his 195-pound final match at Mat Classic XXV, the state wrestling championship tournament, Feb. 16 at the Tacoma Dome. Hopkins was one of three Bears wrestlers in the finals. Tahoma finished second to Lake Stevens in the team title chase. KRIS HILL, The Reporter To view a slide show go to www.maplevalleyreporter.com
Partnership could lead to careers in healthcare for Kentlake students BY KATHERINE SMITH ksmith@covingtonreporter.com
A partnership between Kentlake High and Renton Technical College could fulfill an innovative education vision for students. Through the partnership, Kentlake students could earn a two-year associate’s degree in pre-nursing alongside a high school diploma. The program, which is tentatively called Kentlake Medical Career Pathways, will align Kentlake’s curriculum with requirements at Renton Tech for students in the
Your Neighborhood Veterinarian
program, allowing a direct transfer of credits to Renton Tech or the possibility of transferring to another college or university explained Kentlake Principal Joe Potts. “Renton has a distinct focus on healthcare and healthcare related fields,” Potts said of the reason Joe Potts Kentlake decided to partner with Renton Tech. “The president of Renton Tech was really interested in promoting this partnership,
he’s been at the table with his sleeves rolled up from the beginning.” Currently, proposals are before the boards of the Kent School District and Renton Tech for approval. Once Kentlake is given the green light Potts expects the final details to be worked out in time for the program to start next fall. “Initially, maybe a couple dozen (students) starting next year,” Potts said. “(It) could develop into a significant draw, anywhere from 25-100 in the future.” The idea, Potts said, is to give students more opportunities to earn credits, credentials and degrees and to help them be successful as they leave high school. “Students can take college level courses early in their career, giving them that support and success here,” Potts said. “The
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earlier, the better.” Kentlake offered a similar kind of program when the school first opened, Potts said. That program also allowed students to earn a credential as a certified nursing assistant. When the school was built a few classrooms were designed with that program in mind, however staffing and funding issues led to that program being discontinued, Potts said. “We’re resuscitating the CNA program,” Potts said. “There are a lot of things you have to be able to work through. It’s a lot of work.” The program will also include a partnership with MultiCare in Covington, according to Potts. Some of the classes will be taught at MultiCare, giving students hands-on experience in the community.
Hours: Mon. Tue. Wed. Thur. and Fri.7am-7pm; Sat 8am-6pm; Sun: Closed
Covington Animal Hospital 27045 174th Pl. SE (behind Jiffy Lube, adjacent to WalMart) r www.vcacovington.com
[ more ANNEX page 5 ]
[ more CAREERS page 2 ]