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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015
County prepares major plan to improve Green River levees BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
There’s a whole lot of time, work and money going into a plan to improve the Green River levees that protect the cities of Kent, Au-
burn, Tukwila and Renton from flooding. King County Flood Control District officials expect to complete this summer the formation of the Green River SystemWide Improvement Framework
(SWIF), designed to improve flood protection, as well as save salmon and enhance open space, recreation and public access. “It’s an important conversation,” said Kent City Council President Dana Ralph after hearing a SWIF
presentation on Feb. 3 at a council workshop. “We are very fortunate to have that asset in the middle of the city, and we need to make sure we are doing everything to protect it and protect the businesses that are along the river at the same time.”
Jennifer Knauer, SWIF project manager for the county, told the council that the plan focuses on the lower Green River from Auburn (near Highway 18) [ more LEVEES page 5 ]
Large housing apartment complex to be built on West Hill BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
als varsity cheer squad moves on to compete in the United Spirit Associations National Competition in Anaheim, Calif., on March 19. It is the Royals’ first visit to the national event in school history. The team has raised money to fund its travel
Construction is expected to start later this year on a 261-unit affordable housing apartment complex in Kent along Veterans Drive on the West Hill. DevCo Inc., a Bellevue-based developer, plans to build the GrandView apartments on the former Kent Highlands property it bought for $5 million last year from the city of Kent and Seattle Public Utilities. The site is 11.4 acres at 3900 Veterans Drive, just east of Military Road South. DevCo paid the city $2 million for its 3.9 acres of the property. DevCo is a private for-profit company led by president Jack Hunden, who has specialized in building affordable multi-family rental housing for nearly two decades. The company has built 15 low-income housing developments across the state. “I just received an email a few days ago from Jack Hutton of DevCo, who is developing the project, indicating that they are beginning to move forward with seeking their final (city) permits on that project to set it up for start of construction this year,” said Ben Wolters,
[ more ROYALS page 2 ]
[ more COMPLEX page 4 ]
Kent-Meridian cheerleader Mikayla Thomas takes a fall as she practices her stunts with Tabitha Velasquez, Ayisha Mulderow and Adrianna Edwards. ROSS COYLE, Kent Reporter
ROYALS PREPARING FOR NATIONAL STAGE Father, daughter guide K-M cheerleaders to greater heights
BY ROSS COYLE rcoyle@kentreporter.com
Assistant coach Erica Spalti couldn’t be more proud of her cheerleading team at Kent-Meridian High School. After a long year of after-school practices and performing in competitions, the K-M Roy-
Community colleges examine possibilities with Obama plan, BAS programs BY ROSS COYLE rcoyle@kentreporter.com
President Obama
The ripples felt by President Barack Obama’s proposal to provide two years of education at American community colleges can be
felt at Green River. “It’s kind of exciting. We’re waiting to hear more details about it,” said Allison Friedly, Green River College communications director.
Friedly said the college is still waiting to see what could happen if it receives the grant money. The influx of students would require another upgrade to facilities and
services. “That hasn’t been a discussion yet,” Friedly said. “We’re still waiting to see what’s going to happen. It wouldn’t be implemented immediately.”
The Obama administration expects the program to cost $60 billion over the next 10 years. By comparison, the U.S. government has spent $84 on the F-35 [ more COLLEGES page 4 ]