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BY STEVE HUNTER
shunter@kentreporter.com
If the month of June proves to be an accurate indicator, the cityowned ShoWare Center might be finally turning the corner when it comes to making money. City of Kent and arena officials were excited to see the ShoWare Center made $1,120 in the month of June when budget projections estimated a loss, according to the income statement released last
week by SMG, which manages the facility. “In June, we actually made money compared to a loss we expected of $53,000,” said Mike Miller, chairman of the city’s Public Facilities District that helps oversee arena operations. “We had a positive variance of $54,000 for the month of June.” The arena, which opened in 2009, still lost $173,617 for the first six months of this year. The center had expenses of $1.24 million and income of $1.07 million. The arena lost money in April ($43,620) and May ($61,429), but the losses were less than projected. Revenue is coming in at about $6,000 more
than budgeted for the first six months. Losses for the first six months of 2014 were $319,000, which included about $130,000 for unexpected repairs to the ice compressor that makes the ice for the arena floor. “I was very pleased,” said Miller at a July 30 Public Facilities District meeting about the income statement. “It’s really encouraging to see that kind of variance for the month of June and for the first six months - that’s good news.” The arena had rental income of $130,000 in June from 26 events, including 16 high school and college graduations. A big moneymaker turned out to be a June 7 appear-
CITY FINANCIAL TASK FORCE GROWS TO 18 MEMBERS The city of Kent’s newly formed Financial Sustainability Task Force grew by three more members to 18 on Tuesday partly because of a mistakenly sent email from the city. Elmo “LaMont” Palmer received noticed last month from the city that he hadn’t been selected to the 15-member committee but he also mistakenly received an email that invited him to the July 21 City Council meeting when appointees were introduced. Palmer showed up at the meeting and introduced himself along with the other task force members. Mayor Suzette Cooke and the council decided to appoint Palmer. They also added Parwinder Dhanda and Marcia “Lisa” Bartholomew to the task force after each voiced how disappointed they were to not be selected initially. The task force will evaluate services and revenues in Kent compared to other cities and recommend how Kent should pay for services and what are service priorities. The task force must prepare a draft report by May 1 for public review.
ance by Theresa Caputo, psychic and star of the hit TLC television show, “Long Island Medium,” that drew more than 5,000 fans. “It’s been a good six months,” said Tim Higgins, ShoWare general manager. “And the next six months with (Disney on Ice) Frozen and all of the other events, we’re going to have a good year. We’re seeing the ShoWare Center is building itself and getting a lot of traction in the marketplace. People know ShoWare Center. You mention ShoWare Center and people know exactly where it’s at.” Ben Wolters, city economic and [ more SHOWARE page 4 ]
Knock on door leads to stabbing; police arrest man, search for woman in East Hill attack BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
Night Out moment Francheska Joaquin, 6, left, Aleighn Joaquin, 10, middle, and Kimora Barnes, 11, pose with props in a photo booth during a National Night Out event at the Atrium on James Apartments in Kent on Tuesday evening. Similar celebrations took place in neighborhoods throughout the city. Tuesday marked the 32rd year for the national event, which is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and generate support and participation in anti-crime programs such as Neighborhood Block Watch. HEIDI SANDERS, Kent Reporter
Gwen Allen-Carston, Dave McDongal and Richard Brandau are members of the committee in favor of a fireworks ban. Richard Wilkinson, Lorraine Brinkman and Colin Hauck are members of the committee against a ban.
COUNCIL PICKS FIREWORKS COMMITTEES: Three members each were picked by the Kent City Council on Tuesday for the pro and con committees on a Nov. 3 advisory vote about whether the city should adopt a fireworks ban.
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A brutal stabbing attack of a 64-year-old Kent man at his East Hill home started out with a knock on the door by a woman he knew. A roommate of the man answered the door at about 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 22 in the 11400 block of Southeast 256th Street. He recognized the woman as a friend of his roommate, so he let her in. He didn’t recognize the man with the woman, according to a Kent Police report. What happened over the next hour, days and week turned a knock on the door into an assault, robbery and the 64-year-old man in hospitalized at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with multiple stab wounds. A hospital spokeswoman declined to release any details about the man’s condition. The attack also sent Kent Police in pursuit of Michael Anthony Santos, 32, of Kent, and Abbie M. Rupnick, 26, of Renton. Kent Police issued a media release on July 27 for the public’s help to track down Santos. Based on tips from the public, detectives arrested Santos the next day in the 21200 block of 84th Avenue South for investigation of first-degree assault, second-degree assault and first-degree robbery. Three days later, police issued another media release to seek the public’s help to find Rupnick. As of Monday, Rupnick remained at-large. She faces the same charges as Santos. Both are scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 10 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. Santos remains in the King County jail in Kent. Police found out about the stabbing at approximately 6 a.m. on the morning of the attack when a roommate transported the victim to Multicare Auburn Medical Center. Hopital staff notified police that a man had shown up with stab wounds to his groin, back and legs. Officers briefly interviewed the victim before paramedics
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ShoWare Center turns profit for month of June
August 7, 2015 [3]
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