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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013
Council approves recreational marijuana ban BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
The Kent City Council told businessman Chris Kealy to take his potential 102 jobs and shove them.
The council voted 4-3 on Tuesday night to approve a six-month moratorium to keep marijuana businesses out of Kent. Kealy, of Tacoma, told the council he and his partners planned to invest $20 million in
the city to start up recreational marijuana production and processing plants that would employ as many as 102. “What I plan on doing would be behind closed doors, under gate, lock and key and it would
have no public awareness,” Kealy said to the council. “My business plan is a producer processor level to deliver to the dispensaries that do get authorized that may or may not be in your city.” Voters statewide approved Ini-
tiative 502 in November 2012 to allow recreational marijuana producers, processors and retailers. The state Liquor Control Board is taking applications over the next [ more BAN page 2 ]
Judge sentences Kent pimp to 35 years in prison BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
GOOD TIMES
more photos online… kentreporter.com
Ranjit Teji, left, sings a duet with Komaljit Komal as part of the Hindu Diwali celebration at the Golden Indian Curry House in Kent last Saturday night. Diwali is a national celebration for Hindus that commemorates the return of Rama, a Hindu religious figure, after 14 years of exile. ROSS COYLE, Kent Reporter
Stober concedes defeat to Sharp in Kent City Council race BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
Bailey Stober conceded defeat to Ken Sharp in a tight race for the Kent City Council. “This morning (Tuesday) our journey has ended as I have called Councilman-elect Sharp and congratulated him on his victory,” Stober said in an email. Sharp has 48.26 percent of the
vote to 46.64 for Stober, according to King County Elections through Tuesday. Sharp has 8,277 votes, Stober 7,998, a difference of 279. Sharp led by 264 votes after the first results on Nov. 5. Write-in votes were at 5.01 percent and 875 votes. Most of the write-in votes were for Debbie Raplee, a former Kent City councilwoman who [ more RACE page 2 ]
Shacon Barbee received an exceptional prison sentence of 35 years for pimping girls in Kent and Seattle. King County Superior Court Judge Patrick Oishi on Nov. 15 in Kent followed the state’s recommendation to add nearly nine years to the standard sentence range against Barbee for two counts of promoting sexual abuse of a minor. Barbee reportedly made as much as $192,000 during one eightmonth period of pimping. “I thought about this trial and sentencing and how I would describe it and there are so many words to describe what this case is about,” Oishi said. “There
Kent Toys for Joy program seeking area donations
Ken Sharp, appearing at Mayor Suzette Cooke’s campaign party on election night, has won his City Council race. STEVE HUNTER, Kent Reporter
The Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority, Kent Firefighters Local 1747 and the Kent Firefighters Foundation are once again sponsoring and supporting the Toys for Joy program. Toys for Joy is an annual event where new, unwrapped toys are col-
Shacon Barbee and defense attorney Brian Todd appear at Barbee’s sentencing Nov. 15 in King County Superior Court in Kent. STEVE HUNTER, Kent Reporter was an incredible amount of greed, an incredible amount of manipulation and an incredible amount of a lot of people being hurt, especially young women. [ more BARBEE page 4 ]
lected, sorted, wrapped and delivered to the Kent and Covington Food Banks for distribution to needy families in the community. Nonperishable food and monetary donations also will be accepted. Economically, 2013 has seen improvements over previous years, but there are still many in need. Some families have to dedicate their money to the basics in [ more DRIVE page 2 ]