Local News from iLoveKent for Monday, Oct. 31, 2016

Kent, Washington remains a busy place, growing and changing every day. Here we’ve got the latest Kent news. #kentnews

Thank you to all of our readers, sponsors and advertisers.
Thank you for supporting iLoveKent!This time last week I was unsure about iLoveKent’s future. We had gotten a lot of moral support, but hadn’t secured any donations or new sponsors or advertisers. You rallied behind us, and we are grateful. It is making a big difference.

We have a new volunteer helping with the calendar, we’ve received four generous donations from readers, we have one new advertiser and several more interested, and our website and social media traffic are all up because you’ve shared our stories. Keep the love coming! With your help, we will make it to 2017 to celebrate our 10th year. Thank you is hardly adequate to show our gratitude, but it is heartfelt. Thank you.

Meet Kent Resident and Avid Volunteer Nancy Simpson.

Kent Community Profile: Meet Nancy Simpson
Story and feature photo by Michelle Gehlman-Teeter

When we surveyed our readers, you asked for more community profiles and stories about the people and businesses in Kent. Michelle Gehlman-Teeter offers the first profile. She interviewed Nancy Simpson of the Greater Kent Historical Society. Learn more about Nancy and what she loves about Kent here. We’ll be publishing more of these stories in the future, so watch for them. Have a Kent person or business for us to consider? Email us at info@ilovekent.net.

2 More Weeks to Donate to Torklift Central’s 6th Annual Turkey Challenge
Kent Food Bank Food DriveHelp hungry Kent families this Thanksgiving with donations of cash or non-perishable food items for Torklift Central’s annual food drive. As of Oct. 30, the company had collected 1,946 pounds of its 10,000 pound goal, and $5,068 of its $25,000 goal. Many Kent companies are contributing to the food drive. This week Plemmons Industries leads the canned food portion of the drive with 433 cans collected, while Eberle Vivian has collected the most money at $982. Visit Torklift Central online to find donation sites, including Kent Downtown Partnership, Curran Law Form, Central Ave. Mini Storage, Kent Crossfit and Express Employment Pros.

Election Day is November 8. Let your voice be heard.
Register to vote by Oct. 10This has been a crazy election year, and I think most of us are just ready for the elections to be over. Fortunately, they are just a week away. Election Day is Tuesday, November 8. King County voters have already received their voters’ guides and ballots. Those must be postmarked by Nov. 8 or dropped off in a designated dropbox by 8 p.m. on Nov. 8.

Still not registered? You can still register through today, in person, at the King County Elections Office (919 SW Grady Way) in Renton. It is open today from 8:30 AM and 6 PM, and a reader tells us it was very easy. Saturday King County Elections tweeted that ballots are pouring in. They’ve received 232,744 ballots so far, 30% more than predicted. Click here for more voter resources including where to find election results once they’ve posted. Please vote. Your voice counts.

Kent School District Puts $252 Million Proposal on Ballot.
Educational Resources in Kent, WashingtonYou may have seen the sign-wavers this weekend, as local residents encourage local voters to pass the $252 Million Bond Measure that missed getting approved by voters last spring. If passed, the money raised will reduce overcrowding, improve safety, increase energy efficiency, upgrade schools and more. For more info. on the bond measure, visit KSDBond.org or our story on the bond measure here.

Veterans Employment & Career Expo in Kent this Thursday, November 3.
WorkSource is hosting a Veterans Employment and Career Expo this Thursday, Nov. 3 from 11 AM to 2 PM at the Kent Commons (West Gym, 525 4th Ave. N., Kent, WA). Sponsored by the City of Kent and the Employment Security Department Veteran Team, the event has jobs available in more than a dozen industries including security, federal government, health care, hospitality, energy, computer and software and more. Learn more here.

Auburn to Host 51st Annual Veterans Day Parade & Observance next Saturday.
Kent Events: 51st Annual Veterans Day ParadeSupport and honor our Veterans at Auburn’s 51st Annual Veterans Day Parade. The parade begins at 11 AM in downtown Kent. More than 200 units and 6,000 parade participants are expected including 30+ high school marching bands, military vehicles, veterans’ units, honor guards and more. The parade route travels along Main Street from E Street to A Street SW/NW. Click here for more details about the parade and related events including Veterans Got Talent on Nov. 3, American Legion Auburn Post #78 Breakfast, Auburn Veterans Day 5K Fun Run/Walk and more.

Craft Fairs Galore Coming to Kent.
‘Tis the season for craft fairs. The city hosts its 30th annual Holiday Craft Market Friday and Saturday, and on Saturday, several elementary school PTAs host their own events including Martin Sortun and Sunrise Elementary Schools. Also the Kent Guild of the Seattle Children’s Hospital is hosting its annual artisans’ festival at the Meridian Valley Country Club. Get the details and links on our November “things to do” list.

Disney on Ice 2016: Worlds of Enchantment at ShoWare Nov. 2 – 7.
Can’t get enough of Disney? See Disney on Ice for its fall tour in Kent. Worlds of Enchantment will include Lightning McQueen, Pixar cars, Ariel from The Little Mermaid and Buzz, Woody, Jessie and more from Toy Story. Get details, tickets and the new dress code policy at ShoWare Center online.

Daylight Saving Time ends in Kent Sun., Nov. 6, 2016.It’s Time to Fall Back. Daylight Saving Time Ends Nov. 6.
As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, it is time to fall back an hour as Daylight Saving Time ends. The time change officially occurs at 2 AM on Sunday, November 6, but I won’t be staying up late – or getting up early – to switch my clocks back. I’ll be sleeping in!

Mark Your Calendars for These Upcoming Kent Events:

Nov. 3: Veterans’ Job Fair at Kent Commons
Nov. 3: Kent Downtown Partnership’s “Talking Shop: Downtown Meet ‘n Greet
Nov. 5: Martin Sortun and Sunrise Elementary PTA Craft Fairs
Nov. 6: Time Changes, Fall Back One Hour
Nov. 7-8: 27th Annual Artisan’s Festival at MVCC
Nov. 8: Election Day
Nov. 11: Veteran’s Day (No School)
Nov. 18: Kent Has Talent
Nov. 26: Holiday Sip ‘n Shop to Celebrate Small Business Saturday

 

Dana Neuts

I am a full-time freelance writer, editor, marketing pro and the publisher of iLoveKent.net.