Lifestyles - Renton Reporter

The Gallagher family of Renton wins the recycling challenge

After five weeks of sifting through garbage, the challenge is over. The six East Renton Plateau families are done lugging their trash bags to a scale each week. The final numbers have been crunched, and a winner has been determined. And that winner isn’t the early favorite. Five weeks ago, the name on everyone’s lips was Baiba. But after Thursday’s final weigh-in, that name had become Rebecca. And James, Emma, 8, and Owen, 5. Those, plus dog Sophie, are the members of the Gallagher family. And with an 82-percent garbage reduction over the past five weeks, the Gallaghers are the winners of the Renton Neighborhood Challenge, part of King County’s campaign called “Recycle More. It’s Easy To Do.”

Renton families wrap up recycling challenge June 26

It’s the home stretch in the Renton Neighborhood Challenge, and the competitors are still going strong. Over the past four weeks, the six East Renton Plateau families have reduced their trash by a combined 80 pounds – from just over 146 pounds at the first May 29 weigh-in to just over 65 pounds at last Wednesday’s. Tomorrow, (Thursday) the six neighbors will lug their trash bags to the scale one last time. The family whose trash has lost the most weight over the five weeks wins the challenge.

Search for Renton 'Highlands Man,' Woman may lead to closed grocery store

The leads investigators are following to identify Highlands Man and, now, Highlands Woman, may take them to Johnson’s Grocery, which closed in north Renton more than three decades ago.

Puget Sound global sightseeing group to celebrate 50th anniversary

The Puget Sound See Gulls Trailer Club once did lots of seeing. Once or twice a month the families boarded their motor homes and travel trailers and set off for the ocean, Skagit County, Death Valley, Mount Vernon and even Tahiti. Once there they had cook-outs, played games and held dress-up contests.

South County club offers help for moms of multiples

After discovering she was pregnant, Linda Simpson told her husband James she wanted another baby. With three young children at home, James didn’t like the idea. But Linda challenged him, joking, “Don’t tell me what to do — I’ll have twins!” And she did. Twins weren’t new in the Simpson family. Simpson’s husband James is an identical twin. Her twin daughter Jana later continued the tradition, having a set of twins herself. Still, twins were a surprise for Simpson. She found out only six weeks before giving birth. So she was thrilled to receive an invitation to join Valley Mothers of Multiples Club, Inc., (then Valley Mothers of Twins Club).