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FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2013
Property owners stop city's fee to pay for 256th Street project BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
The news greatly pleased Susan Draine that neighboring property owners had turned in enough signatures to stop the city of Kent’s plan to charge them extra fees
to pay for Southeast 256th Street improvements. “You just made my stomach jump,” said Draine during a phone interview. “I’m delighted to hear that.” Despite protests by property owners, the Kent City Council
voted 4-2 on March 5 to approve the formation of a Local Improvement District (LID) to pay about $2 million of a $7 million project to upgrade and widen 256th Street on the East Hill
Albertson
from the “Y” intersection at Kent-Kangley Road to 116th Avenue Southeast. “I was so upset at that meeting,” said Draine, who testified in front of the council. “We’ve done the petition twice and they made
KSD considers introducing charter schools BY MICHELLE CONERLY
[ more CHARTER page 3 ]
BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
Prize time
story, photos online… kentreporter.com
Michella Freeman, 3, receives a prize from Princess Lolly for winning a costume contest during the Spring Fairy Festival at Green River Community College last Saturday. The festival gave fantasy enthusiasts the chance to gather and celebrate the coming of spring by dressing up as their favorite fantasy figure, whether they be fairies, pixies or sprites. RACHEL CIAMPI, Reporter
Famous pianist mentors Kent-Meridian student BY MICHELLE CONERLY mconerly@kentreporter.com
A slightly nervous but excited Arries Mcquarter walked to the piano as students rushed the stage. Mcquarter had just sat through an outreach assembly at Kent-Meridian High School where classical pianist Alpin Hong performed for the
[ more STREET page 4 ]
Firefighters rescue woman from apartment fire
mconerly@kentreporter.com
The Kent School District, along with 12 others from throughout the state, has taken the first steps toward introducing charter schools. In November, voters passed Initiative 1240, allowing the implementation of charter schools throughout willing districts in the state. April 1 was the deadline for any school district looking to pursue that track to submit a letter of interest to the State Board of Education. Although the letter does not solidify the decision, Chris Loftis, executive director of communications, said it is a way for the district and School Board to “keep (their) options open.” “To lose the option to be a part of the discussion in our own district boundaries just seemed imprudent to the Board,” Loftis said. “We are currently looking into the intricacies of the
us do it again.” The signatures turned in at the council meeting didn’t have the legal authority to stop the LID. But the council’s approval started a 30-day period for property
student body. Taking his seat at the piano, Mcquarter knew trying to get Hong’s attention would be difficult as a mob of students surrounded the musician. So instead of raising his voice, Mcquarter slowly raised his hands to the piano keys and began playing “One Final Effort” by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, the theme
song from the video game Halo. In that moment as Mcquarter played the thrilling tune, Hong decided this precocious Kent-Meridian junior would not only join him on stage at his concert that night but also would be his new prodigy for years to come. The story began in 2009, when [ more PIANIST page 2 ]
Kent firefighters rescued a woman following an apartment fire at about 8:30 p.m. Monday in the 24000 block of 104th Avenue Southeast. The fire broke out in a first-floor apartment where the woman lived alone, according to a Kent Fire Department media release. The fire was controlled by a sprinkler system which had been retrofitted into the building approximately five years ago. Firefighters were initially dispatched to a sprinkler alarm. They upgraded the call to a fire when they found smoke in the first floor common hallway of the
three-story building. When they entered the apartment where the fire was located, they found the occupant unable to escape on her own. They quickly evacuated her from the smoke-filled apartment to treatment by King County paramedics. She was then transported to a local hospital due to smoke inhalation. According to firefighters at the scene, the outcome of this fire could have been tragic if there had not been a sprinkler system. The fire was limited to the one apartment due to the sprinkler system and a quick attack of the fire by firefighters. A small amount of [ more FIRE page 3 ]
Piano prodigy: Arries Mcquarter, 16, practices before joining classical musician, Alpin Hong, on stage at a concert. COURTESY PHOTO, Arries Mcquarter