Top 10 most-read stories of 2025 at rentonreporter.com

1. Loss of funding leads to Valley Medical clinic closures: In the wake of significant financial instabilities and uncertainties, Valley Medical Center announced in May that would shutter multiple healthcare units and clinics throughout South King County, beginning with Renton Landing Urgent Care. Valley Medical announced that loss of funding from the state and federal government, along with private sector reimbursement instability, will lead to the closing of two inpatient units, five clinics and the consolidation of two clinics. Valley Medical, which serves over 600,000 residents, has a growing year-to-date operating loss of more than $25 million.

2. Green River levee breach impacts small areas of Kent, Renton and Tukwila: A GO NOW evacuation notice was issued Dec. 15 for small portions of Kent, Renton and Tukwila due to a Green River levee breach in Tukwila, according to King County Emergency Management Services and the National Weather Service. King County reached out to 1,100 contacts in the impacted area, mostly an industrial and business area, and more than 500 people were evacuated.

3. Renton garbage collection sites open amid Republic Services work stoppage: A Republic Services work stoppage due to a labor dispute had stopped waste collections in several cities in mid-July, including Renton. More than 2,000 Teamsters at Republic Services went on strike or actively honored picket lines nationwide. The strike lasted about two weeks.

4. Renton encourages businesses to occupy vacant buildings: The city of Renton changed an ordinance to encourage businesses to occupy vacant commercial spaces. The change in the city code removes deductions to impact fees for vacant structures or buildings. Impact fees are collected from any applicant seeking development approval from the city for any development activity that requires the issuance of a building permit, or a permit for a change of demand to offset the additional demand on public facilities, such as transportation, fire facilities, and school districts.

5. Southbound I-405 to close this week for construction: Drivers saw a lot of construction and closures along Interstate 405 this year as part of the Renton to Bellevue widening and express toll lanes project.

6. Man who killed four in Renton crash sentenced to over 17 years in prison: A man who was traveling at 112 mph and crashed into a minivan, killing one woman and three kids, and injuring two other kids in the Renton area was sentenced to prison. On April 25, a judge sentenced Chase Daniel Jones, 19, to 210 months. Jones pleaded guilty as charged to four counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault that occurred on March 19, 2024, at the intersection of Southeast 192nd Street and 140th Avenue Southeast in Fairwood.

7. No Kings rallies set for Oct. 18: No Kings rallies were held across King County and the nation Oct. 18 in response to the federal government’s policies. In June, millions of people across the country participated in No Kings Day in response to a military parade on President Donald Trump’s birthday.

8. Layoffs at Valley Medical Center stem from loss of funding: On March 25, 101 non-union employees at Valley Medical Center were laid off due to an abrupt end to the hospital’s Medicaid, or Apple Health, reimbursements. According to Valley Medical, the firings were “excruciatingly tough, but necessary for Valley’s viability” and that they “affected individuals from across the organization in non-clinical, support, leadership, and ancillary departments.”

9. Renton Historical Society asked to remove artifacts from museum: The Renton Historical Society was directed by the city to move all artifacts out of the Renton History Museum, and the society was asking the community about its future. The society has partnered with Renton since it incorporated as a nonprofit in 1971.

10. One year later: Remembering those lost in high-speed Fairwood crash: In memory of the four people who died in a high-speed collision a year ago in Fairwood, families and friends are organizing an “Act of Kindness Day.” On March 19, the families of Andrea Hudson, Buster Brown, Eloise Wilcoxson and Matilda Wilcoxson invited people in the Renton and Kent communities (and beyond) to honor them by spreading “love, kindness and positivity just like they did in their short but impactful lives.” A post shared on Facebook offered different ways for people to participate.

The Cancer Center at Valley Medical Center in Renton is officially open and serving patients. After seven years, the center finally welcomed patients on Feb. 3. Pictured is the moment the ribbon was cut at the new Cancer Center. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing

More top Renton news events of 2025

JANUARY

• The Fairwood Shakey’s closes: For over 40 years, Shakey’s Pizza in Fairwood was “the place for birthdays and sports parties” and it has now officially closed its doors. With about a week of notice of the beloved restaurant’s closing, locals and pizza fans from all over the area — a long line formed out the door and down the street — came out in hopes of getting a slice, taking a wack at a colorful arcade game and reflecting on the restaurant’s place in some patron’s childhoods.

• Board approves schematic designs for Renton High School: The Renton School Board approved the schematic designs for replacing Renton High School. Representatives from Capital Planning and Construction and BRIC Architecture presented an update that included design concepts for a new three-story high school building for Renton High School in downtown Renton. The total project has a budget of $434,736,000 and will be funded from the 2023 bond.

FEBRUARY

• Property owner pushes back on Renton School District’s offer: Property owners facing eminent domain disputed the offered value from the Renton School District. Last Flash LLC, owners of the property 301-309 Airport Way in Renton, were offered $2.7 million for their property by the Renton School District, which they believe is below the value of the property. The school district is looking to acquire the property as part of a replacement and expansion of the Renton High School campus property.

• Cancer Center is open and ready to serve South King County: The Cancer Center at Valley Medical Center in Renton is officially open and serving patients. After seven years, the center finally welcomed patients on Feb. 3, where they were able to utilize the center’s Phase 1A features, which includes the Infusion Center with 40% capacity, Infusion Pharmacy, Fast Track Rooms, Acute Symptom Management Clinic and the Trapper and Samantha Wellbeing Resource Center.

Ruby Randolph, 16, helps her dad Steve Randolph, a board member for Sustainable Renton, build up another wall of sandbags late Dec. 11 as water seeps into the backyard of a Maplewood resident. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing

MARCH

• Protesters rally against proposed Logan 6 development: Residents have been protesting the proposed six-floor mixed-use Logan 6 development in Renton after a hearing examiner approved the project earlier in March. Nearby residents want access for the building to be on Logan Avenue instead of the proposed accesses on N. 3rd Street and N. 4th Street.

APRIL

• Generous citizens donate van to Sustainable Renton: After a short period of worry when its van was stolen, the local nonprofit Sustainable Renton was gifted an even better van that will allow it to continue feeding people. The nonprofit’s van was stolen on March 8, and they had to revert to using volunteers’ cars. An anonymous couple reached out and said they had been reading the Renton Reporter when they saw that Sustainable Renton needed a van. The couple had a van they had been using for camping, but they didn’t use it anymore, so they thought it would be good to donate it.

• Renton School District cuts librarians from 8 schools: Due to gaps in state funding that have cost the Renton School District more than $104 million over the past five years, the district has had to make significant cuts, including the dismissal of all middle school and high school librarians for the 2025-2026 school year. The district’s budget shortfall of $15 million was caused by the end of COVID relief funds, inflation and rising labor costs, the state’s operation budget declining, and declines in enrollment, among other reasons.

Memorial Day was May 26, and a service was held at Greenwood Memorial Cemetery to remember and mourn those who have died while serving in the military. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing

MAY

• Renton preps downtown for hosting World Cup action: The city of Renton is preparing for next year’s World Cup — and hosting a national team — by improving its downtown public spaces. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place in the U.S., Canada and Mexico next summer. Seattle has been named a host city for World Cup matches, while the city of Renton recently announced it will be hosting the national team at the Seattle Sounders facility during and prior to the main competition.

• New state law inspired by Renton family’s fight for land justice: In a journey that started with monthly Renton School Board public comments at the IKEA Renton Performing Arts Center and ended on the desk of Gov. Bob Ferguson, the Houston Eminent Domain Fairness Act has been signed into law. On May 12, Ferguson signed State Bill 5142, which will provide “owners of real estate taken through eminent domain by school districts, or sold under threat of eminent domain, the opportunity to purchase the real estate back when it is not put to intended public use.” The act was named after John Houston and his family, who have been seeking reparations from the Renton School District after Houston’s parents were threatened with eminent domain in the 1960s so a new school could be built on the land.

JUNE

• Apartment complexes bring 590 new units to Renton: DevCo Residential Group hosted a ribbon-cutting event for the opening of their two new apartment complexes in Renton, Astra and Solera, on June 21. The new apartments bring 590 new units to NE 11th Street in the Sunset Neighborhood. Astra, the fully “affordable” community, has 275 units with one-bedroom, one-bath apartments starting at $1,617. Solera has 315 market-rate units with one-bedroom, one-bath apartments starting at $2,300.

• Best of Renton 2025: The Best of Renton 2025 awards ceremony took place June 18 at Don Persson Center in a partnership between the Renton Chamber of Commerce and the Renton Reporter. The room was electrified with hometown heroes, well-known community leaders and everyday people who keep the city bustling and thriving.

JULY

• Cedar River asphalt plant will no longer be built: Lakeside Industries has agreed to halt building the proposed asphalt plant on State Route 169 and the Cedar River. King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn and local community group Save the Cedar River made an agreement with Lakeside Industries to possibly construct a warehouse at 18825 Renton-Maple Valley Road instead of an asphalt plant, which was proposed for the site in 2017. Dunn said the agreement is “set” between county leadership, environmental leadership and Lakeside Industries.

Fairwood protesters during the Oct. 18 No Kings rally. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing

AUGUST

• District approves design development of Renton HS expansion: The Renton School Board approved the design development phase of the Renton High School Replacement Project, which was presented to the school board during its July 23 meeting. With funding from the 2023 bond of “a total project budget of $334,736,000,” the presentation of the designs for the school included the most current project schedule, a summary of the design development process, an update on student and family engagement, a review of the design development, site studies and land use approval process. The district reports the project is in the early stages of demolition and site preparation, which is expected to end summer 2026, leading into demolition and phased construction, which is expected to be complete before the beginning of the 2030 school year.

• Renton School District and coaches union sign a contract: After over two years of organizing and months of deliberation, the Renton coaches and Renton School District have reached an agreement, and the union (American Federation of Teachers) voted unanimously to accept the school district’s offer on Aug. 25. According to Hazen High School coach Buddy Ryan, the leader of the organizing effort, the contract doesn’t have everything the coaches were wanting. But it is a massive step in the right direction, he said.

SEPTEMBER

• Gov. Ferguson visits RHS for financial aid event: Gov. Bob Ferguson made a stop at Renton High School on Sept. 19 to talk to RHS seniors about signing up for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA), along with signing a new executive order. Ferguson hit the stage at the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center with representatives from Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) to talk about the guidelines and timelines, and to clear up any misinformation about applying for financial aid for college, trade schools and qualifying “on-the-job training programs.”

• Renton looks to Auburn for homelessness solutions: The city of Renton is looking to Auburn as a model for a better way of dealing with homelessness. At a “Talks on the Block” event on Sept. 2, Renton Mayor Armondo Pavone said officials are looking to change the way they handle homelessness in the city by implementing a program similar to the approach in Auburn. “They’ve kind of fixed it in Auburn. It’s a completely different model,” Pavone said. Auburn Director of Human Services Kent Hay led the charge in revamping the homelessness outreach in the city of Auburn. Hay said they have a different approach to homelessness in Auburn with a focus on compassion, but also accountability.

OCTOBER

• Renton school enrollment continues to decline: Student enrollment has been on the decline in the Renton School District for years. When looking at the difference between the enrollment peak in October 2020 (14,624) and enrollment peak in October 2024 (13,580), the data shows a decrease of 7.1 percent. For the 2025-2026 school year, the data shows that enrollment was 13,202 in September and was 13,417 in October. One reason given for the decline in enrollment is a family’s choice to transfer students to other districts. Last October, accepted and pending transfers out of the district totaled 982, which has increased to 1,181 for October 2025. The district reports that around 41% of all transfers are to the Bellevue School District.

Renton Mayor Armondo Pavone (left) and Renton Pride representative Winter Cashman (right) unfurl the Pride flag in June 2025. File photo

NOVEMBER

• Election results: While incumbents held their seats on the Renton City Council and Renton School Board, the biggest news from the November elections was the passage of two levies for the Renton School District. Proposition No. 1, the Educational Programs and Operations Replacement Levy, would result in a tax of $1.06 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The district reports that this replacement levy would renew funding for jobs and basic education programs. Proposition No. 2, the Technology/Capital Projects Replacement Levy, would result in a tax of $0.72 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The district says this levy needs to be continued so that construction, modernization and remodeling of school facilities could be supported as needed throughout Renton schools.

• Man is convicted 31 years after murders of mother and son: Exactly 31 years since a mother and son were killed in Renton, a man was convicted for their murders in King County Superior Court following guilty verdicts from a jury. On Oct. 28, Jerome Frank Jones, 55, was convicted by a jury of two counts of aggravated first-degree murder, each with a deadly weapon enhancement. This followed Jones’ trial, which began its opening statements on Sept. 18, 2025, stemming from the Oct. 28, 1994, Renton murder of Stacy Falcon-Dewey and her son Jacob.

DECEMBER

• Major Cedar River flooding beats 1990 record: The atmospheric river flooding has beaten a 35-year record for the Cedar River in Renton. On Dec. 11, the flood levels peaked at 18.25 feet at 3 p.m., according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), breaking the previous record of 17.13 feet, which was set on Nov. 24, 1990. From Wednesday afternoon (Dec. 10) through the following evening, flooding in low-level areas along the Cedar River like the Maplewood neighborhood, the Riviera Apartments off of SR-169 and homes along Southeast Jones Road was a major concern. The apartments and several Jones Road homes were flooded, while people from the Maplewood neighborhood off of SR-169 made a public call for help, asking for people to come with sandbags to keep the river that runs close to their homes at bay.