GIMME SHELTER | An anonymous builder added a bench to a bus shelter in the Maplewood neighborhood [5]
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Story time! | This week’s ‘Family Date’ suggestion is a new story hour for preschoolers. [Weekend 13]
FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2013
City budget in good shape at midpoint Expenditures and revenues coming in better than predicted By Brian Beckley bbeckley@rentonreporter.com
At the halfway point through the 2013 budget, the City of Renton is in pretty good shape. According to a report given to the City Council’s Finance Committee, the city is on pace to finish the year spending less than expected and bringing in slightly more revenue than planned. As of the end of June, the city is showing revenues at $1.6 million, or 3.1 percent over budget. “The city’s budget is on the right track,” said Administrator Services Administrator Iwen Wang. According to Senior Finance Analyst Hai Nguyen, revenues from property taxes, sales taxes, permit fees, shared state revenue and others are all coming in at a higher-than-budgeted rate. Sales tax appears to be the primary driver, coming in at $640,000 more than planned. According to Nguyen, the main reason is the purchase of building and construction materials for
A DOGGONE FUN NIGHT OUT K-9 Officer Boss, above with handler Jason Trader, made lots of new friends during the annual National Night Out celebration Tuesday night at Philip Arnold Park on Renton Hill. Community members were treated to free hamburgers, hot dogs, snow cones, cotton candy and popsicles, as well as arts and crafts, games, free child fingerprinting and even a bounce house, right. This was the 30th year for the national community event. MORE PHOTOS INside See page 15 for more pictures
Brian Beckley, Renton Reporter
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Man helps fight church fire before Fire Department arrives on the scene dradford@rentonreporter.com
The roof of the Community of Christ Church on Monroe Avenue Northeast was damaged in a fire Tuesday. Dean A. Radford, Renton Reporter
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Joshua Hoffman was going to class at Renton Technical College Tuesday afternoon, when he saw smoke and flames billowing from the side Community of Christ Church in the Highlands. He ran across Northeast Seventh Street from the college’s parking lot. A workman was pulling his welding equipment out of the driveway and
moving his van. Hoffman grabbed a neighbor’s hose and for about four minutes he fought the fire crawling up the back of the church before fire crews arrived. “I started hitting the side of the church, trying to get as much of it out before the fire department could get there,” he said. “It was really hot.” Unfortunately, he said, he couldn’t reach the roof. “I did as much as I could,” he said. Tuesday and Wednesday, church
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members, insurers and fire inspectors were assessing the damage to the church, which is also home to the Highlands Preschool. Damage was estimated at about $50,000. The fire’s cause was ruled accidental; sparks from a contractor’s welding equipment ignited juniper bushes next to the building, according to Fire Chief Mark Peterson. The church had hired the contractor to replace the roof and remove [ more Fire page 11 ]
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By DEAN A. RADFORD
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