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11TH ANNUAL
OCT 9-11 , 2015
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
City to return $221,750 grant for bicycle lane project BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
It’s rare when a city returns grant money. But that’s what Kent will do with $221,750 it received to help
build a bicycle corridor along James Street. The money’s going back to the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) because city officials couldn’t find any other ways to help fund the $1.3 million project
to build bicycle lanes from the Interurban Trail near the ShoWare Center to Washington Avenue South. The City Council’s Public Works Committee voted 3-0 on Monday to approve a return of
the funds by Public Works Director Tim LaPorte to the PSRC. “It’s always best to return the money rather than have them take it from you,” said Mark Howlett, city design engineering manager, to the committee.
“The benefit is we can compete in future grant cycles.” Howlett said the city asked the PSRC, which distributes federal grants for transportation projects, [ more GRANT page 4 ]
Faculty unrest continues at Green River BY HEIDI SANDERS hsanders@kentreporter.com
As a new school year begins at Green River College, faculty members have not buried their old frustrations with the college’s administration. More than 50 faculty members attended the Sept. 17 Board of Trustees meeting. Among the attendees was former auto body technology instructor Mark Millbauer, who recently accepted a buyout from the college to end his employment after college officials in July, citing low enrollment and a budget shortfall, cut the auto body program.
Kent firefighter Cameron de Mestre, left, Capt. Brian Bailie and engineer Nikki Smith display the T-shirts the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority will wear to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month. STEVE HUNTER, Kent Reporter
INSIDE: GRC student fights fires, page 12
Millbauer, who served as president of United Faculty, the faculty union, addressed the board before he turned the floor over to the new union president, Jaeney Hoene. “Today when I came to realize I was going to have this opportunity (to address the board) tonight, I thought about what does one say to their employer upon being dismissed,” said Millbauer, who worked at the college for 22 years. [ more COLLEGE page 5 ]
Show of freedom Cindy Roman, a dancer with Grupo Folklorico Tonantzin, performs during a ceremony Sunday at City Hall that celebrated Mexico’s independence and its close ties with the city of Kent. Local and state officials and Latino community leaders watched as
more photos online… kentreporter.com
Mayor Suzette Cooke accepted a bronze bust of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the ‘father of Mexican independence.’ The bust will be permanently displayed in the foyer at City Hall. See story, photos, pages 2, 4. MARK KLAAS, Kent Reporter
Kent firefighters promote cancer awareness BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
Kent firefighters won’t be throwing on just any T-shirt next month. Many members of the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire
Authority will wear blue T-shirts with pink logos in support of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The shirts are provided by the Kent Firefighters Foundation, a nonprofit connected with Kent Fire Fighters Local 1747 that sup-
ports numerous charitable and educational efforts. The International Association of Fire Fighters initiated the T-shirt idea about 10 years ago. Kent has participated each [ more FIREFIGHTERS page 4 ]
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