LOOKING BACK | Superintendent Merri Rieger takes a look at her first year in Renton. [3]
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REPORTER Human trafficking sting nets 11
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Volunteers needed | The folks at the ARISE mens shelter need help making lunches and snacks for men in need. [4]
FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2014
Valley board to appeal UW alliance decision to Supreme Court
Renton police operation targets patrons of underage prostitutes
BY DEAN A. RADFORD
Sign here
BY BRIAN BECKLEY bbeckley@rentonreporter.com
Police in Renton arrested 11 men last week for commercial exploitation of a minor during a sting at a Renton hotel called “Operation Cold Shower.” The 11 men range in age from 20 to 45, come from cities all around Puget Sound including Renton, Bellevue, Seattle, Auburn and Lynnwood and have all been charged with felony commercial exploitation of a minor. The operation, which took place July 9 and 10, was headed by Officer Bryan Elliott of the Renton Special Operations Division and Special Enforcement team. “This has been something as a police department we have been talking about for quite a while,” Elliott said Tuesday. Elliott said the operation came after the mayor, police chief and city administrator attended special presentation [ more STING page 15 ]
dradford@rentonreporter.com
After signing her arm, above, Seahawks tackle Russell Okung asked Naomi Cojocaru, 7, to return the favor during an appearance Tuesday at Heritage Park in Renton. Okung signed autographs and handed out free lunches as part of the city and school district summer lunch program. BRIAN BECKLEY, Rentoon Reporter
Public Hospital District No. 1 will ask the state Supreme Court to hear its challenge to the strategic alliance between UW Medicine and Valley Medical Center. A majority of the district’s commissioners had asked for a special meeting to decide whether to pursue the district’s challenge, following a state Court of Appeals ruling June 23 that the alliance is legal. But Dr. Paul Joos, president of the district’s Board of Commissioners, told fellow commissioners Tuesday night that on July 3, he authorized attorney Phil Talmadge to file a brief with the Supreme Court, asking for the review. Two commissioners, Barbara Drennen and Carolyn Parnell, questioned why other board members weren’t given a chance to make the decision. “It would be more fair if all three of us had a say,” said Parnell. [ more VALLEY page 8 ]
IKEA plans to build new, twostory store at Renton location BY BRIAN BECKLEY
bbeckley@rentonreporter.com
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[ more IKEA page 9 ]
206-949-1696 info@MarcieMaxwell.com www.MarcieMaxwell.com
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An artist’s rendering of the new IKEA store, set to built next to the current store, which will be demolished after construction. COURTESY IMAGE
The IKEA corporation last week filed papers with the city to build a brand new, two-story store on the site of its current Renton store. The current store will be demolished when construction is complete. The new store will be built in part of the current parking area, with the older store ultimately being demolished to allow for more parking. Until the new, updated store opens, customers can continue to shop at the existing Renton
store. IKEA is shooting for fall 2016 as an opening date. The 398,000-square-foot current store was built in 1994. It was the first U.S. franchise for the Swedish retailer and is located on 29 acres in Renton’s southern, industrial and commercial section. Built in 1979, the original, single-level structure previously had been utilized as a warehouse for aerospace electronics until IKEA converted it to be a retail store in October 1994. The