REPORTER
COVINGTON | MAPLE VALLEY | BLACK DIAMOND
NEWSLINE 425-432-1209
LOCAL | Inaugural Cedars Dead Run takes off this fall [page 3]
Still Swinging | Eleven players from Tahoma’s historic 2011 softball team FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2014 continue with the sport in college [9]
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
City moves forward with bridge project
Multi year sentences issued over shooting
BY ERIC MANDEL
ERIC MANDEL
emandel@covingtonreporter.com
emandel@maplevalleyreporter.com
The rebuilding of a frequently used bridge appears to be good news for some students and area park walkers, but miserable news for some neighbors. “I’d just assumed it (would) stay the way it is,” said Joe Diambri, who has lived across the street from the former Jenkins Creek pedestrian bridge for 15 years. The Covington City Council completed the first major step to rebuilding the bridge by entering into a contract agreement with King County at a council meeting May 20th. The roughly 60 foot bridge washed away during a particularly heavy rain storm in the winter of 2010. It took the city nearly three years, but it finally received a $418,000 federal community development block grant from King County in November
A marijuana grower and dealer from Maple Valley who shot fleeing robbers in a residential neighborhood was sentenced to 32 months in prison, while one of the men that was shot received a 12 year sentence. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Jason Loken, 38, received the 32 month prison sentence, along with three years of supervised release, on May 27. Prosecutors said Loken thought he lined up a drug deal to sell six pounds of marijuana to a call girl he met on Backpage.com on Aug. 13, 2013. Instead, he was confronted by two robbers who bound him with zip ties and stole his marijuana, hash oil and guns. Following the robbery, Loken freed himself, grabbed another gun and started shooting, wound-
Kayse Guest and Brianne Feiden (left), of Tahoma celebrate graduation by raising their diploma covers after crossing the stage and becoming alumni. Seniors from Tahoma graduated on June 12 at White River Amphitheater while students from Kentwood (upper right) and Kentlake (lower right) graduated on June 14 at Showare Center. DENNIS BOX AND KATHERINE SMITH, The Reporter
Offering a hand, and an anchor, to inmates BY KATHERINE SMITH ksmith@maplevalleyreporter.com
One of the first things to be noticed about John Ewell is his ink. A small, plain cross adorns his left cheekbone, just under his eye, and his arms and hands are covered in an array of art as well. At first glance the colors run together, but a question about a tattoo on his right hand – a heart, anchor and a cross — reveals that much of his art, done by his
brother, tells Ewell’s story. That particular tattoo, he explained, represents faith, hope and charity. Then there’s “hold fast” and “disciple” spelled out across his fingers, the latter word formed when he folds his hands in prayer. On the right side of his neck is a piece that reads “prodigal son,” a label he said is more than fitting for him. That tattoo is juxtaposed with one on the left side of his neck that is the logo for his passion, Anchor Ministry.
COVINGTON
GLASS 253.981.3456 • www.covglass.com
Ewell lives in Maple Valley and attends Hope Fellowship Church. He formed the nonprofit Anchor Ministry as an outreach to inmates four years ago. He’s the first to admit that he never expected to work for a ministry, let alone run one. “Guys who do ministry have big degrees and speak well, and certainly don’t look like me,” Ewell said. He grew up hopscotching around Los Angeles and his dad worked for the LA County Sheriff ’s Office. Ewell has a passion for reaching inmates, a good portion of which comes from the fact that he used [ more ANCHOR page 8 ]
[ more SHOOTING page 15 ]
John Ewell founded the nonprofit Anchor Ministry four years ago to reach out to inmates at area prisons. Courtesy photo
AUTO GLASS SPECIALS
Call for details • Insurance accepted • Residential • Auto • Replacement Glass • Vinyl Windows • Table Tops • and more!
1063863
[ more BRIDGE page 8 ]
Class of 2014