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FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2014
State warms up to improving HOT lanes accessibility
City projects revenue increase over next 2 years BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
What do you think?
Drivers who use the high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes along Highway 167 between Renton, Kent and Auburn won’t have to put up with the illegal to cross double white stripes much longer. The state Department of Transportation (DOT) will change the double white stripes to one white stripe this July. The change will allow drivers easier access to move in and out of the HOT lanes where they want rather than the limited access and exit points with the two stripes. The highway features a single toll lane for about 10 miles northbound and southbound between Renton and Auburn. Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke enthusiastically clapped her hands after Craig Stone, state DOT assistant secretary toll division, told the Kent City Council about the change at
Tell us your thoughts on the design, use and nature of the HOT lanes. Send us your comments at submissions@kenteporter.com.
a May 20 workshop. She and other city officials have wanted the double stripes removed. “If you’re coming from Renton to Kent, you can’t get to Kent,” Council President Dana Ralph said. “You can only get to the very far end of Kent. And then you deal with congestion to come back. There is some signage but not enough to let people to know you’re here. …I’m very pleased that once again you will be able to access the other two-thirds of town.” Crews are expected to start work in July and take about three weeks to change the striping and signage. A federal grant [ more HOT page 4 ]
Busy Valley Freeway: State engineers are planning to re-stripe the HOT lanes on State Route 167, a change they hope will improve traffic flow. ROSS COYLE, Kent Reporter
Kent city financial staff project revenues from taxes and fees to continue to slowly trend up the next two years. Revenues from taxes and fees are projected to increase 1.5 percent in 2015 compared to the 2014 budget, according to a May 20 report to the City Council from Paula Barry, interim finance director. Revenues are estimated to hit $99.6 million in 2015 compared to the 2014 budget of $98.2 million. “Going into the 2015-16 budget cycle, we’re taking a very conservative approach when we’re looking at revenues,” Barry said. “We’ve looked at trending and there has been a very steady growth in revenues and it’s projected as we’re moving forward that growth is going to continue at a very [ more BUDGET page 4 ]
iGrad principal encourages community input to help quell fighting and bullying BY ROSS COYLE rcoyle@kentreporter.com
Carol Cleveland has seen her share of problems at schools. In her five years as Kent-Meridian High School’s assistant principal
In observance of Memorial Day, local cemeteries, like Hillcrest Burial Park, displayed flags over graves as the public came out to pay respects to family and friends or simply learn more about past soldiers from Kent. ROSS COYLE, Kent Reporter
and two more now as the principal of iGrad, Cleveland has had to manage all kinds of behavioral issues, from cultural misunderstandings to outright fights. Cleveland remembers how
students would tacitly ask her to be present when they got into a fight, so if things got out of hand she could break it up. When it comes to the issue of bullying in the district, Cleveland
has a few ideas of where it comes from and how to improve it. The issue symbolizes different problems in Kent, ranging from social and economic issues to the way the district structures educa-
tion and how different cultures interact. Often, Cleveland said, bullying or aggressive behavior stems from situations that a child encounters [ more BULLYING page 2 ]
Kent International Festival returns FOR THE REPORTER
The Kent International Festival welcomes people of all ages, ethnicity and cultures to the ShoWare Center for the sixth annual program on Saturday. The free festival, “Learn from Each Other,” runs from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and features musical entertainment and dancing, exotic foods from throughout the world from Kent restaurants and offers a variety of cultural booths. New to the festival is a hand-carried
float parade, a feature stage for learning about cultures and traditions, and the festival finale. The festival begins with the Generations Walking Together parade of all ages and cultures dressed in traditional attire. The walk begins from the Kent Station and ends at ShoWare Center. The event officially opens at 10 a.m. with musical groups, dance troupes, drums, belly dancers and instrumentalists until 5 p.m. and then reopening at 6:30 p.m.