The Renton Chamber of Commerce held its ninth annual Ahead of the Class Excellence in Education Awards recently. The program pays homage to the crème de la crème of educators in the Renton community — and this year’s eight winners (one was a team of four) were no exception. I am an admitted sap when it comes to teachers and the subject of education in general, but last Thursday’s program really got to me on several levels.
Let’s not tip-toe around what happened to Alajawan Brown.He was murdered.And someone out there knows who fired that fatal gunshot or at least who was… Continue reading
Alajawan Brown liked to play football. A couple Thursday’s ago, he took the bus to Walmart to buy some football cleats, using $20 he got from his brother to clean the kitchen.
I can't imagine the terror and pain Velda K. Mapelli must have felt, if only for an instant, after she was knocked to the ground by a bicyclist late Sunday afternoon on the Cedar River Trail.
If you’re like me, you probably still have questions about the federal healthcare reform bill. Through the media, many of us have heard that pre-existing conditions no longer prevent people from getting or keeping health insurance. Still others may be aware that their children under 26 are now eligible to be covered under their health insurance plan, and that it closes the Medicare Part D “donut hole” for seniors.
Thousands have driven by the WACAP adoption agency’s
offices on South Second Street, probably giving it little thought or more likely, not even noticing it.
April is Volunteer Month and I want to take this opportunity to celebrate the spirit of volunteerism that defines our community. Volunteers continue to make a big difference; last year more than 4,000 volunteers contributed more than 60,000 hours of service to the Renton community. Their contribution and their personal commitment to serve make our community unique and special. Some of our volunteers have served for more than 35 years.
The furor over the national National Health Care Reform Act has got to stop. Next-to-nothing has been implemented yet and parts of the bill are being challenged by attorney generals from a number of states. Yet, things are getting out of hand.
The FBI on Tuesday arrested a Selah (Yakima County) man for threatening to kill Sen. Patty Murray, who voted for the health-care bill.
The state’s Constitution has this to say about public education:
1. “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex.” (Article IX, Section 1)
I think Renton. I think airplanes
I think Kent. I think lettuce.
I think FAA. I think sky.
Airplanes, sky. Lettuce, floodplains.
It seems to me that Renton is a pretty darn good fit for the Federal Aviation Administration. It has been for 20 years.
Three hundred and two people were recorded as living in King County in 1860. That’s hard to believe when you drive around the county today.
Someone might argue that our “Question of the Week” this week was a trick question:
“Is it right that a city can’t prevent a strip club from locating in a city?” (You really have to think about the phrasing, too.)
Earlier this year, news that Wall Street banks had posted record profits and were quickly returning to a “bonus-as-usual” mentality left families across our state… Continue reading
Welcome to Renton, King County Library System.
To those who wanted to pull the welcome mat, it’s time to move on. The results of the Feb. 9 election, while close, still reflect the will of the people. The decision to give up a nearly 100-year-old library system should have been agonizing.
Bill Ptacek, the director of the King County Library System, is sending signals that he understands the deep sense of loss some Renton residents are… Continue reading
We in Washington have a public school funding CRISIS right now!!
Many people are not familiar with how public school funding works in Washington. Many think property tax pays for the majority of the public education bill. That’s not accurate.
Complex social problems, such as violence and homelessness, continue to challenge us. Our Valley communities are being threatened with the possibility of a flood from… Continue reading
As I write this, it’s still unclear whether the City of Renton will annex to the King County Library System. The results after two days of counting remain close, although initially those opposed to annexation felt disheartened.
