Local News from iLoveKent for Monday, January 9

iLoveKent’s first reader meetup a success!
On Sat., we held our first iLoveKent reader meetup, including me, there were 17 people in attendance. Thanks to Down Home Catering for hosting us and to the readers who came to meet each other, share what they love about Kent, and offer suggestions and ideas for how we can continue to grow and improve. We also offered a bit of history about iLoveKEnt and shared our plans for 2017 including reader meetups, social media campaigns, political debates and a 10th anniversary celebration. Get the full recap and photos here.

Severe Weather Shelter served 320 last week
The city’s official severe weather shelter is hosted at Kent Lutheran Church with coordination from other local organizations and many volunteers. Last week, the shelter was open from Mon., Jan. 2 through the night of Thurs., Jan. 5. Here are some stats to show you the need in our community:

Mon.: 60 people served, 53 slept at the shelter including a family of 19 (9 were kids)
Tues.: 80 people served, 55 slept at the shelter, including the family of 19
Wed.: 105 people signed in during the evening, with 69 spending the night
Thurs.: 75 people signed in, and 45 slept at the shelter

The success of the shelter is thanks to those who organize and oversee the program, volunteers and donors. Thanks to all who helped keep 320 people warm last week. Hot dishes that can be frozen and served later, lunch fixings, and other items are still needed. An extra special thanks to Toni Troutner and Linda Stockham for their efforts. Learn more about the shelter and how you can help here.

Living Well Kent to Meet Jan. 10 to Discuss a Farmer’s Market on East Hill
A new organization called Living Well Kent is working on a project to host its first community bazaar on East Hill on May 13 (location TBD). Join the organizational meetings to plan the event on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6 PM. The next meeting is tomorrow at Golden Steer (23826 104th Ave. SE, Kent). For more info., contact Satwinder Kaur ([email protected]) or Shamso Isaak ([email protected]).

iLoveKent has a new look
Now in our 10th year, we thought it was time for a fresh look – something that better reflects who we are. It will take time to roll out this out completely, but you’ll start seeing updates on our website and social media accounts. We hope you like it!

King County Asks for Feedback on G2C Trail at Community Meeting on Jan. 11
This Wednesday, January 11, 7 to 8:30 PM, King County Parks is hosting a meeting to ask for input on the North Segment of the G2C (Green to Cedar River) Trail, a three-mile stretch from Cedar River Trail south to Kent-Kangley Rd. The meeting will be at Lake Wilderness Lodge, 22500 SE 248th St., Maple Valley, WA. Learn more about the Green to Cedar Rivers Trail here.

King County to Host 30th MLK Celebration on Jan. 12
This Thursday King County will host their 30th Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration at Seattle’s historic 5th Avenue Theatre. Alexs Pate, author, professor and founder of the Innocent Classroom project will serve as the keynote speaker for the event. Read more about the event here.

Next ‘Coffee with the Chief’ Planned for Jan. 18
Have questions about crime in Kent? You can ask those questions at the next ‘Coffee with the Chief’ event scheduled for Wed., Jan. 18 at 10 AM at the Kent Senior Center. Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas will be on hand, along with members of his staff, to answer questions, provide community updates and more. Learn more here.

Basketball tournaments come to ShoWare this month: Jan. 16 & 26
Basketball fans can get their fix at two tournaments held at ShoWare Center this month. The first is Monday, January 16, King Showcase, a high school basketball tournament. The second is Thursday, January 26, the Les Schwab Kent Shootout.

Arts and Entertainment in Kent, Washington
As we update our monthly calendar, we are impressed with the A&E offerings in Kent, including performance venues, classes, galleries, exhibits, concerts and organizations dedicated to the cultural arts. Here are some highlights of Kent’s A&E options. See something we missed? Email us at [email protected].

Puget Sound RFA: How to avoid the flu this winter
This is peak season for the flu, and in some cases, it can be deadly. In fact, according to a recent news report, 13 people have died in Washington state from the flu. Puget Sound RFA offers tips for staying healthy (vaccine, hand washing, etc.) and warns what symptoms to watch out for.

Plan Your Year with our 2017 Calendar
Organizations within the city have tried for years to create one centralized calendar which has major events, holidays and other meetings and activities. That is a nearly impossible task, but we’re trying. Here is a 2017 calendar that includes major Kent events, holidays, school closings, City Council meetings, etc. If there is a major event we’ve missed, please let us know.

Upcoming Events:

Jan. 10:            Covington Community Expo
Jan. 11:            Kent Schools – Late Start
Jan. 16:            Martin Luther King Day, No School
Jan. 16:            King Showcase: High School Basketball Tournament
Jan. 17:            Kent City Council meeting
Jan. 19:           Kent School District Tech Expo
Jan. 19:            KDP’s Third Thursday Art Night
Jan. 26:            Les Schwab Kent Shootout Basketball Tournament
Jan. 27:            You, Me, We
Jan. 27:            Kent Spotlight Series: The Peking Acrobats
Jan. 31:            Kent Schools – No School, Teacher Workshop