Last Saturday, Allegro Performing Arts Academy served as the host for the preliminary qualification round of the second annual So You Think Kent Has Talent competition. More than 50 individuals and groups performed, hoping to win a spot in the final competition set for June 2. Judges for the preliminaries were Suzanne Smith (Arts Commissioner), Jamie Perry (Kent City Council), and Andrea Keikkala (Kent Chamber of Commerce). The winners (in alphabetical order) by category are:

Youth Division

Teddy Gutterud (piano)
Maria Victoria Kovalsky (vocal)
Jillian Marcotte (vocal)
Alexia Samuels (vocal)
Cameron Sterling (vocal)
*Honorable Mention – Czarina Ignama

Teen Division

Bollywood Royalty (dance)
Connor Gormley (dance)
David Hall/Cody Moody (vocal/guitar)
Theresa Soto (vocal/piano)
The Voice of Reason (band)
*Honorable Mention – Benjamin Phanivong

Adult Division

James Bacher (vocal)
Andrey Chebotarev (saxophone)
Carolyne Igama (vocal)
Nathan Jacobsen (vocal/piano)
Esther O’Farrell (vocal)
*Honorable Mention – Verna Benson

The final competition will be held at the Kent-Meridian High School Performing Arts Center on Saturday, June 2 starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $10 each, or you can reserve your tickets by calling 253-813-9630. All proceeds benefit Kent Youth & Family Services, a nonprofit serving youth and families in South King County. The judges for the final competition will be Mayor Suzette Cooke, Dana Ralph (Kent City Council), Bill Boyce (Kent City Council), Dave Hobbs and more.

Winning performers will also particulate in the Kent International Festival (June 16), Kent’s Fourth of July Splash (July 4), Kent Cornucopia Days (July 14) and the Kent Cornucopia Parade (July 15).

Prizes include:

$1,000 NFI Enterprise Grand Prize
$500 Overall 2nd place – Intimate Pilates
$250 Overall 3rd place – Baldwin Chiropractic
$100 Youth 1st place – Lance Timmerman DMD Dental Excellence
$100 Teen 1st place – Nigel Cooper Photography
$100 Adult 1st place – Lemon Drop Skin Care & Massage
$50 Audience Pick Winner – Baldwin Chiropractic
Theater & Advertising Sponsor – Allegro Performing Arts Academy
Award Sponsor – West Coast Awards and Athletic

For more updates, visit So You Think Kent Has Talent on Facebook.

See the legendary Isley Brothers and KEM at ShoWare Center, 625 W. James St. in Kent on June 2 at 8:00 pm.  These R&B giants will play one-night only in Kent as part of “Smooth Grooves Music Fest”.

With such hits as “Twist & Shout”, “Summer Breeze” and “It’s Your Thing”, the Isley Brothers will make you want to dance! The Grammy-award winning Isley Brothers formed in the early 1950s in Cincinnati, Ohio and today are considered one of the most important and influential groups of the last half-century.

It has been said that music feeds the soul, but KEM’s journey is equally, if not more inspirational. R&B Singer/Songwriter/Producer KEM’s love of music began as a child. Music saw him through the darkest moments in his life, took him to the top of the industry’s record charts, and earned him a record deal with Universal Motown Records. A self-taught musician, KEM was born in Nashville and raised in Detroit, the birthplace of Motown Records.

Today, KEM takes the opportunity to minister through music, sharing his life’s journey with his audience at every concert. He testifies openly about overcoming alcohol addiction and drug use and touts his sobriety since 1990. He never neglects to give honor and glory to God for his achievements.

Reserved seats range from $30 to $85. Tickets are on sale to the general public at ShoWare Center’s Box Office (with no fees) or online at ShoWareCenter.com, Facebook.com/ShoWareCenter or 253.856.6999.

For more information about this and other events, visit http://showarecenter.com.

Put June 1 on your social calendar!  At 6:00 pm, the Museum of Flight, located at 9404 East Marginal Way in Seattle will host an event with wine tasting, heavy hors d’oeuvres and a live and silent auction  presented by the Children’s Therapy Center Guild supporting Children’s Therapy Center.

The Museum of Flight has been helping kids fly since 1979 and this event is a way for you and your friends to help in their efforts and have a great time doing it.  For more information, please call 206-764-5700 or visit http://www.museumofflight.org/visit.

Thursday, May 10, 2012
Willow’s Place
214 N. Washington, Kent, WA  98030
Breakfast Fundraiser
7:30 – 9:00 a.m.

Breakfast is being donated by Down Home Catering, Golden Steer Steak ‘n Rib House and Maggie’s on Meeker.

Raffle tickets will be available for purchase to win gift baskets. Tickets are 6 for $5.00 or 25 tickets for $20.

To RSVP for the event, or to sponsor the event, contact Sally Goodgion at 253-852-0880.

The organization is also accepting donations. Checks can be mailed to Willow’s Place, c/o HomeStreet Bank, 505 W. Harrison St., Kent, WA  98032, Attention:  Oriana Pon.

Items Needed:  Paper plates, trash bags, napkins and coffee.

What do ice dancer Ben Agosto, Hilton Hotels and ShoWare Center have in common? They will all be integral players in bringing Skate America 2012 to Kent October 19 and 20, drawing thousands of sports fans and journalists from around the world to South King County.

Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke announced the news this morning at a press conference attended by local and state officials and representatives, media and residents and business people. Skate America will feature three days of competition featuring 52 world-class figure skaters from 15 countries. The DoubleTree by Hilton (SeaTac location) will be the host hotel, and ShoWare Center will host the competitions during the weekend-long event.

An enthusiastic Mayor Cooke said she wants to show the world “the very best Kent has to offer” in terms of dining, restaurants, lodging and other amenities.

“Let’s roll out the red carpet,” she said.

Though she had originally been scheduled to make the announcement, Governor Christine Gregoire was called away on last minute business. She made this statement in a press release issued following the press conference:

“We are excited to again welcome the international figure skating community and its fans to the state of Washington for 20120 Hilton HHonors Skate America,” Governor Gregoire said. “In recent years, Washington has hosted record-setting crowds in Spokane and Everett. The anticipated economic impact and international television exposure the event will bring to Kent and the greater Seattle area is exciting.”

King County Executive Dow Constantine was on hand to share in the good news. Constantine said he hopes to build on the success of the Olympic Diving Trials to be held in Federal Way next month, helping to position the area as a premier destination for sporting events.

“Thank you, Skate America, for choosing King County,” Constantine said.

Medalist Ben Agosto encouraged attendees to buy tickets for the event, explaining that some of the competitions held in Washington State are among the most memorable of his career.

“When you see it live, it is completely different than seeing it on TV,” Agosto said. “There’s a big energy transfer between the skaters and fans.”

Laura Lee of Production Sports will be handling the promotion of the event, with Ben Agosto serving as Skate America’s honorary chairman.

“This is our time to get noticed,” she told an audience of about 100.

Sports commentator Chris Egan of KING5 concluded the program: “It’s coming to YOUR city!”

Tickets for the international skating event will range in price from $75 for a weekend pass to $350 for premium seats. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow. For more information about the event, visit www.2012skateamerica.com.

The car show, scheduled from 9 am to 3 pm is the kick off to the “Stuff the RV” drive benefiting soldiers stationed overseas.  Torklift Central RV will be collecting non-perishable food, hygiene products, reading materials and games for our troops.  Torklift’s General Manager, Rick Shafer’s goal is to stuff one RV completely full with the donations.

Prizes will be awarded, raffle tickets will be available and given away to participants and a free catered barbecue will also be provided during the car show.

Torklift is located at 917 Central Avenue South in downtown Kent.  To enter your “classic” car, call 253-299-0076.

Medications that can be dropped off include controlled, non-controlled and over the counter medicines; all solid dosage pharmaceutical products and liquids in consumer containers and liquid products like cough syrup, cold medicines, etc.

Let’s reduce drug abuse!  If you have any of the above medications to get rid of, support the Prescription Drug Take Back Day by taking them to the Kent Police Station on Saturday, April 28 from  am to 2 pm.