REPORTER
COVINGTON | MAPLE VALLEY | BLACK DIAMOND
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LOCAL | High schools set aside rivalries to plan first K-Day event [page 3]
A Strong Pitch | Kentwood softball ace Kendall Goodwin has the Conks primed for FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2014 a postseason run [9]
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
Tentative ‘yes’ for schools land transfer
Mayor releases harassment documents
BY KATHERINE SMITH
BY ERIC MANDEL
ksmith@maplevalleyreporter.com
emandel@covingtonreporter.com
The Kent and Tahoma school districts have reached a tentative agreement regarding a proposed land transfer of the Forest Creek neighborhood. The request was submitted to the Puget Sound Educational Service District, which oversees school district boundaries, in the fall by residents of Forest Creek. Residents wanted the 29 homes to become a part of the Tahoma School District. The move would affect about a dozen students, who reportedly all attend Tahoma on transfers. The Kent School Board denied the transfer in January, citing the loss in assessed valuation that would occur if the transfer went through, resulting in a 21 cent increase in property taxes per $100,000 of assessed value for a homeowner in the Kent School District. The Kent Board did however adopt an optional student attendance zone for the neighborhood
Black Diamond Mayor Dave Gordon released his right to attorney-client privilege, which put the harassment claims against him and related documents in the public domain. The documents include allegations against Gordon by Black Diamond City Administrator Christy Todd, who claims the BLACK mayor made DIAMOND harassing and unwelcome comments, emails and behavior, which included “repeated comments about my clothing, my smile, how proud he is of me, that he considers me a ‘prized possession’ and ‘a trophy.’” Todd said she also felt uncomfortable about finding the mayor had uploaded a photo of her from the internet on to his cellphone. Todd said she was ready and willing to continue in her role as city administrator and the harassment
[ more SCHOOLS page 5 ]
Reeling ‘Em In
Loren Holt, 2, fishes off the dock at Lake Wilderness Park with help from his dad, Jason Holt. Community members flocked to the park for an overnight campout and the annual “Hooked on Fishing Derby” sponsored by the Maple Valley-Black Diamond Chamber of Commerce. To view a slide show go to www.maplevalleyreporter.com. KATHERINE SMITH, The Reporter
Mr. Popular Skyler Daniels has brought his contagious enthusiasm to the Maple Valley business world BY ERIC MANDEL emandel@covingtonreporter.com
Skyler Daniels was pushing around a broom when a sweaty man on an elliptical machine called out, “Hey, Sky, what’ve you been up to?” “Nothin’,” Daniels responded. “Workin’.” Usually, Daniels would stop to chat about the baseball he caught during batting practice of the Mariners game or encourage the man on his workout. But Daniels was feeling a bit nervous — he
was being followed by a newspaper reporter with a camera and had just finished an interview about his job. Excited and nervous. Usually it’s only excited — a quality that led him to being named Prom King at Kentlake High School and to earning multiple metals at the Washington Special Olympic Games. He seems to glow with a unique brand of enthusiasm that makes those around him feel better. At ease. “People gravitate towards him,” said Mike Milat, 22, manager of Maple Valley Fitness. “Within the
[ more MAYOR page 6 ]
first two months of being here he knew more people than I do.” Daniels, 20, is a member of Trillium Employment Services, a nonprofit organization that has helped businesses recruit, train and retain employees with developmental and intellectual disabilities in Washington for more than 30 years. Trillium serves King, Kitsap, Pierce and Clark Counties. Trillium helped Daniels get an apprenticeship with Maple Valley Fitness in February of 2012. He’d clean the cardio equipment, vacuum, mop, distribute flyers, hand out raffle tickets and shake the Maple Valley Fitness sign outside. He made quite an impression. “His dedication to the work is greater than everybody on the staff,” Milat said. “The hardest
Skyler Daniels laughs along with co-worker Miranda Hallock at Maple Valley Fitness. [ more POPULAR page 7 ]
ERIC MANDEL, The Reporter