City Council to vote on committee’s decision to ban medical marijuana dispensaries, gardens

City Council to vote on committee’s decision to ban medical marijuana dispensaries, gardens

Medical marijuana dispensaries and collective gardens may soon be banned in the city.

On Monday, the City Council’s Economic and Community Development Committee voted 2-1 to ban the dispensaries and collective gardens from the city, councilmember Jamie Perry announced at the city council meeting Tuesday.

At the committee meeting, council members Bill Boyce and Deborah Ranniger voted for the ban and Perry opposed it.

The full council will now vote on the ordinance at their next meeting, June 5.
 

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Kent man’s unsafe wheelchair ramp to be replaced at Rampathon

A Kent man will soon have an easier and safer time getting around his home in his wheelchair, thanks to the 19th annual Rampathon event Saturday.

Steven Wangsness, who has been wheelchair bound for five years and has been using an unsafe ramp, w has been chosen as a recipient of the wheelchair ramp, which will be built by volunteers ramp captain Rob VanHouten, of Powell Custom Homes and Renovations.

“Builder captains will lead their teams in constructing access ramps giving recipients the ability to get in and out of their homes with greater ease and flexibility,” says Art Castilleja, the 2012 Rampathon chairman. “For many of them, it will be the first time in years they have not had to rely on family or friends just to get in and out of their homes.”

Since 1993, teams from the Master Builders Association have constructed 320 wheelchair ramps for those in need.
 

Flood Control District approves $5.8 million plan to remove Green River sandbags

Flood Control District approves $5.8 million plan to remove Green River sandbags

It’s time to remove nearly 26 miles of giant sandbags lined up along the Green River, the King County Flood Control District’s Board of Supervisors decided yesterday.

The district approved the $5.8 million plan to get rid of the 3-foot-high sandbags, which have been stacked up since 2009 to provide extra flood protection to Kent, Auburn, and Tukwila because of the increased risk of flooding due to seepage problems at the Howard Hanson Dam.

Last fall, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which owns and operates the dam, said it was once again operating at full capacity, making the bags unnecessary.

Learn how to be safe with Kent Police Department

Learn how to be safe with Kent Police Department

Learn about creating a safer community with the Kent Police Department this month.
The department is hosting two informational meetings this month to provide residents with information to make their neighborhoods safer.

Community Education Specialists will host a “Blockwatch 101” meeting on Wednesday, May 16th.

The program is designed to teach or refresh community members about the purposes, strategies, and outcomes of effective community block watch programs. The class is an excellent opportunity for community members to learn more about the Blockwatch program, whether starting a new program or joining in an established Blockwatch.  Blockwatch 101 will be held in the City Council Chambers at Kent City Hall. Class starts at 6:30 p.m. and runs to 8 p.m. Interested persons are asked to RSVP Sara Wood at 253-856-5851 or by email at swood@kentwa.gov. 

The second meeting will be May 30 at 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Panther Lake Elementary School, 10200 SE 216th Street.

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Investigators: Argument led to Kent woman's murder

Investigators: Argument led to Kent woman's murder

The murder of a woman whose body was found inside a burned-out car began with an argument, according to investigators.

Denise K. Grigsby, 39, of Kent was found dead in the trunk of a burning car earlier this month. Suspects Kennon G. Fastrup and Michelle Backstrom have been arrested for investigation for murder.

According to the statement of probable cause, 34-year-old Backstrom confessed to her involvement in the murder and implicated Fastrup.

Fastrup, 30, has been dating both Grigsby and Backstrom, she told investigators, and all three are known to be methamphetamine abusers.

On May 4, all three were at Backstrom's home when an argument broke out between Fastrup and Grigsby. Backstrom said as she tried to intervene, Grigsby bit her thumb, prompting her to punch Grigsby in the head.

As the scuffle carried over into the garage, Fastrup grabbed a hard metal object and repeatedly struck the victim on the head.

Both Backstrom and Fastrup then used "braded metal rope and a nylon key lanyard" to strangle Grigsby.

Future of Green River sandbags up for debate today

Future of Green River sandbags up for debate today

Today, King County’s flood control district meets to decide what to do with thousands of sandbags left along the Green River.

An extensive run of sandbags were stacked up when the river threatened to cause devastating flooding, but since the Howard Hanson Dam was fixed, the bags are no longer needed.

Removing the bags isn’t cheap. The total cost is expected to be more than $7 million.

Today’s meeting could determine who will have to pay that bill.
 

City council to discuss medical marijuana ban tonight

City council to discuss medical marijuana ban tonight

The topic of medical marijuana expected to draw a big crowd to tonight's city council meeting.

The City of Kent will discuss the outright ban on new dispensaries and collective gardens at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

In January, the council voted 4 to 3 on a six-month hold on medical pot shops.

City Council member Elizabeth Albertson voted “no.”

“When you’re the one who’s laying in the bed with the MS or the Parkinson’s of the illness, and you’ve got a couple months between you and your time, the last thing you care about is the political goings on with the Kent City Council. What you care about is easing your pain,” Albertson said.

Members in favor of the ban say they're not heartless, but as public servants they have to uphold the law.

Federal law prohibits the use of medical marijuana, but state law allows it.