News Stories - South King County

Kukors reaches third final of the Olympic Trials

Auburn’s most controversial baristas can keep doing their thing as long as they cover their breasts from the areola on down. In a letter sent out last week to the stand’s owner, Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis let the women of Cowgirls Espresso at 1216 A St. S.E., that the City of Auburn will be watching. And if customers get more of an eyeful than the law allows, the city is ready with penalties.

Vehicle goes over embankment, down steep ravine; VRFA rescues occupant

Kukors falls barely shy of bid for Beijing Olympics

Priest to make Auburn appearance on Tuesday

Auburn's Cowgirls Espresso gets to keep gimmick, but city will be watching

VRFA, other units extingush residential fire on Ginkgo Street SE

Congressional candidate's house fire ignited accidentally

Congressional candidate's home destroyed by fire

VRFA, Kent firefighters douse Pacifc home fire

Auburn's Neal selected VP of Kiwanis International

City Council member resigns

Bud Sizemore, saying he doesn't have the time any more to devote to the work, has resigned as a Covington City Council member.

Really big life stories

The three-city Relay for Life puts about 200 people on their feet

New director for animal shelter

King County's embattled animal care and control program has a new acting director to replace the old one.

King County crews prep for summer road repairs in Covington/Maple Valley

Culverts beneath roadways are out of sight and out of mind until there’s something wrong with them. Then comes the work, as in two major projects this summer in the Covington and Maple Valley areas.

Donation keeps K-9 unit going

The Black Diamond Police Department’s K-9 unit can continue, thanks to a donation of $3,000 from Wal-Mart.

Battle is on against knotweed

A public meeting in Covington later this month will be part of an effort by King County officials to enlist citizens’ help to protect riversides from knotweed.

Happy ending for ‘Bambi’

In a scene worthy of a Walt Disney movie, authorities say a fawn was reunited with its mother with the help of a King County Sheriff deputy and a state wildlife agent.

Rahr pleads her case at forums Sheriff: Budget will cut “a lot of cops”

King County Sheriff Sue Rahr spoke at Maple Valley Library last Thursday in another of a series of public forums on proposed budget cuts that she and other county officials say will hurt law enforcement.

Festival and parade will be back this month, organizers say Count Covington Days in, rumors out

The parade will be back and Covington Days is going strong, according to organizers of the community festival.

Power lines and highway project are on the move

State highway officials were advising motorists last weekend to keep an eye out for workers relocating power lines on Interstate 405 as part of a larger project involving the Maple Valley Highway junction.

Family doubts Federal Way police did enough to protect slain woman

While Chan Kim proceeds through court trials for the alleged slaying of his girlfriend, Baerbel Roznowski, her grown daughters wonder if police could have done more to protect their mother. Roznowski, 66, sought an anti-harassment order May 1 against Kim, also known as Paul Kim, her live-in boyfriend. She thought the order was her ticket to escaping her 16-year relationship with Kim in a quick and safe manner. Instead, Roznowski was found slain in her home May 3, hours after Kim was served an anti-harassment order and told by Federal Way police he must immediately leave the residence.

Federal Way: Father charged after infant found dead in fire pit

An arraignment date is scheduled for July 9

Fireworks: Legal or not, people love ‘em

You can’t light fireworks in Federal Way, Auburn, Des Moines or any of the cities surrounding Federal Way. But people keep buying fireworks.

Explosions in the sky dance to music

The show may only last 20 minutes, but preparation for Federal Way’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display starts a year in advance.

In OTHER NEWS

The King County Prosecutor’s Office filed charges of manslaughter in the second-degree June 27 against Alberto Rios in the death of his 7-month-old son June 22.

Art can make your children smarter

Kidz Workshop maintains high standards when hiring teachers

Federal Way: 7-month-old child found dead in fire pit

The mental health ward in a hospital can be an unfamiliar and scary place.

A little pet therapy goes a long way

Those looking to advertise services and goods, or tout political candidates, must follow the city’s newly clarified regulations or face a fee to reclaim illegally placed signs.

Federal Way redefines sign regulations

Federal Way School District officials are hopeful that no one will lose their job as a result of next year’s budget, said chief financial officer Sally McLean.

IN OTHER NEWS

Kent biz encourages creativity in planning funerals online

Would you like to be buried or cremated? A fancy casket or a biodegradable coffin? Ashes sprinkled over the Puget Sound or launched into space? A somber church service or a party with live music? These are all questions you now can answer - long before you kick the bucket - on one Kent couple’s new Web site, www.thefuneralsite.com.

Kent mechanic keeps city's rides running smoothly

It’s easy for the city of Kent to find a good mechanic. Robert Stone works as one of four vehicle-repair staffers at the city maintenance shop on West James Street just east of Russell Road. He helps keep nearly 565 city cars and trucks running smoothly as part of the fleet division of the Public Works Department. Stone helps make sure residents as well as city officials benefit from his work.

Blotter: Exchange of gunfire from cars prompts call to officers

Drive-by shooting

City residents put their bids in for Council seat

A stay-at-home mom, an attorney and a middle school teacher are among the seven finalists for the vacant Kent City Council position.

Ready for detours, Green River Trail users?

A roadblock has gone up for bicyclists, joggers and pedestrians along the Green River Trail in Kent.

Pedestrian dies in hit-and-run accident

A 22-year-old Renton man was struck and killed at about 11:30 p.m. June 27 while walking in the roadway of Des Moines Memorial Drive South.

Kent men critically injured in apartment shooting

City of Kent staffers have decided to drop out of a group of South King County cities that want to build a new regional jail. City officials decided the current Kent jail could serve the city’s needs for the next several years without spending as much as $13 million on a new jail.

Kent opts out of plan for new regional jail

King County prosecutors on Tuesday charged a 31-year-old Kent man with second-degree rape for allegedly raping and impregnating a physically and mentally disabled woman at a Kent assisted-living facility.

Kent man charged in assault of female patient

The 14-year-old teen who drowned June 20 at Lake Meridian in Kent has been identified as Isaih Goodwin.

Drowning victim identified

'Trio' Relay for Life sees big increase in number of participants

It’s true that a year can be all the difference, at least for the organizers of the Trio Relay for Life event this past weekend at Tahoma Junior High School, which was bigger and better than last year. Bigger in that there were nearly 200 participants and a significant increase in teams, said Peggy Walker, online chairwoman for the event’s organizing committee. The Trio Relay – so-namned because residents from a the city trio of Covington, Black Diamond and Maple Valley organized it – began in 2000, after breaking off from the Kent Relay for Life.

New director for animal shelter

King County's embattled animal care and control program has a new acting director to replace the old one.

King County crews prep for summer road repairs in Covington/Maple Valley

Donation keeps K-9 unit going

The Black Diamond Police Department’s K-9 unit can continue, thanks to a donation of $3,000 from Wal-Mart.

Battle is on against knotweed

A public meeting in Covington later this month will be part of an effort by King County officials to enlist citizens’ help to protect riversides from knotweed.

Happy ending for ‘Bambi’

In a scene worthy of a Walt Disney movie, authorities say a fawn was reunited with its mother with the help of a King County Sheriff deputy and a state wildlife agent.

Rahr pleads her case at forums Sheriff: Budget will cut “a lot of cops”

Festival and parade will be back this month, organizers say Count Covington Days in, rumors out

The parade will be back and Covington Days is going strong, according to organizers of the community festival.

Power lines and highway project are on the move

Emergency crews were called to the Green River near Ka

Emergency crews were called to the Green River near Kanasket-Palmer State Park last Saturday after a man became unconscious while kayaking.

Renton car show returns for 18th year

Hot rods, muscle cars, low riders and tricked-out trucks. These are just some of the more than 300 rigs that will line the streets of downtown Renton Sunday. The occasion? The Return to Renton 2008 18th Annual Benefit Car Show and Cruise.

Renton police seeking SUV in accident June 26

Not every day are deputies with the King County Sheriff’s Office dealing with criminals. On a recent Saturday, a sheriff’s deputy and a wildlife officer from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife worked together to hopefully reunite a fawn and its mother southeast of Renton.

King Co. Sheriff's deputy, state wildlife agent re-release fawn into woods

To promote pedestrian safety during summer school and before local children start school in fall, the City of Renton has installed the first speed camera at McKnight Middle School and a stepped-up enforcement campaign against drivers who speed, run red lights, and do not stop for school buses.

Renton installs speed camera at McKnight Middle School

City staff is currently conducting a census of the newly annexed 374 acres south of Maple Valley Highway. The land, formerly called the New Life-Aqua Barn annexation, stretches almost to 184th Avenue Southeast. This land became part of Renton June 9.

Census of recent annexation could push Renton pop. over 80K

A generous community has helped ease the financial pain inflicted on 83-year-old Alvina Popke by a unscrupulous scam artist. A fund was set up at US Bank to help raise money to offset Popke’s loss. About $665 was raised from 10 donations. Because the donations are kept private, Popke can’t thank each donor personally. But, she wants everyone to know the money will help.

Community donates about $665 to Renton senior scammed out of savings

Work is under way on rebuilding the longtime McDonald’s restaurant on Rainier Avenue that was destroyed in a spectacular fire in December. Rainier Avenue that was destroyed in a spectacular fire in December. The nearly 4,000-square-foot restaurant is expected to open in late September, according to George Kobory, the project superintendent for Spectrum Enterprises of Lakewood, which is building the restaurant.

Classic Renton McDonald's destroyed by blaze to reopen in September

Beginning June 29, people looking to adopt a new pet or retrieve a lost one will soon have even more opportunities to search the King County Animal shelter in Kent.

County animal shelter in Kent expands hours

The 23rd Annual IKEA Renton River Days kicks off July 23 and continues July 25-27. The theme for this year’s festival is “Explore the Heart of Renton.” River Days got its start in 1986. The festival includes stage entertainment, food, arts and crafts, recreation and special features for kids.

Renton River Days returns July 23

About 1,000 graduating seniors from Renton and surrounding high schools got a late-night helicopter ride over Renton, part of their graduation-night celebration. The idea was to keep them busy – and safe – on what can become a dangerous night of unsupervised partying. “We look at potentially keeping 1,000 DUIs from happening,” said Michael O’Leary, owner of AirO Inc., which offered the four-minute flights through the grad-night packages typically organized by parents of the seniors. But the noise from those dozens of helicopter flights over six nights has generated enough complaints from those trying to sleep that O’Leary will meet with Mayor Denis Law about the future of the flights.

Renton grads' week of helicopter flights draws noise complaints