Updated Feb. 20, 2013 — I get a lot of questions about why I started iLoveKent.net and what I get out of it. I started it as a simple blog last summer, but moved it to a larger, friendlier format a couple of months ago because it was getting more attention and I saw the need for information in our community growing. I wanted to provide a venue to talk about some of the businesses, events and people in Kent that I think are great but aren’t getting the exposure they deserve. Some that I’ve written about are clients, but the majority are not. When writing about a client, I will disclose that fact.

I’m not sure where the site is headed or what I eventually want to accomplish with it, but for now…

– The site is a free, community-based website.

– I post content on the site as I have time. I do it on a voluntary basis as a community service.

– I receive some advertising and sponsorship money for the site. It covers my hard costs, but not my labor costs. Nonetheless, I am grateful for the support of local businesses.

– Readers and members of the community occasionally send me items and events to post. I do so as I have time and at my discretion. I am the sole editor and publisher of the site and reserve the right to include or omit content as I see fit.

– When receiving information or photos from another source, I will ensure that I have permission to use that information and will provide credit to the original author/photographer.

– Readers comments are moderated the first time they submit a comment. After they have had a comment approved, future comments are automatically posted. I reserve the right to delete inappropriate or offensive remarks. This is a family-friendly site, and I intend to keep it that way.

– I invite members of the Kent community to submit guest posts and editorials for consideration and publishing. The original author will retain the copyright to his or her work, but grant permission to iLoveKent.net to publish the post or editorial.

– Occasionally, I hire staff to help keep the site updated. I oversee the content, so quality control is up to me.

– Any errors or omissions are strictly my own. If you find something that is inaccurate, please contact me at info@ilovekent.net, and I will make the corrections as soon as possible.

– As a member of the Kent community, I am frequently invited to political fundraisers such as campaign kick-offs, victory celebrations, etc. As a rule, I do not attend any such functions. I follow the Code of Ethics developed by the Society of Professional Journalists, and want to avoid the perception of any potential conflicts of interest. Since I may cover a particular candidate or official on iLoveKent.net, it is important that I maintain neutrality.

I welcome your input, feedback, content suggestions and ideas. I want this site to show some of the great things that Kent, Washington has to offer. Your input will help to make the site more useful, so keep those ideas coming! Send them to info@ilovekent.net.

Thanks,
Dana Neuts, publisher
iLoveKent.net

We are trying to spread the news about iLoveKent.net. You can help us do that by telling us why YOU love Kent, Washington! Comment on a post or tell us what you love about Kent – your favorite hair stylist, manucurist, restaurant, boutique, dentist, park or anything else (family friendly please) – and you will be entered to win a $10 Kent Station gift card. We will draw three names at random on May 26 for this month’s drawing. The only eligibility rules are that you must be 18 years of age and must reside in King County, Washington!

So tell us why YOU love Kent and you could WIN!

Yesterday Dana Neuts, owner/publisher of iLoveKent.net, launched iLoveCovington.com, a sister site. Like iLoveKent.net, iLoveCovington.com is intended to be a community website, by Covington, for Covington. To contribute news, events, business information, advertising and more, contact Dana Neuts via email.

In addition to the website, iLoveCovington.com can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

KENT, Wash., July 8, 2013—Publisher Dana Neuts of iLoveKent.net won a second place award for “Best Online Community Engagement” in the 2012 SPJ Northwest Excellence in Journalism Contest, a five-state regional journalism contest honoring work produced in 2012. Last year iLoveKent.net won third place in the “Best Hyperlocal Site” category.

Owned and published by freelance journalist Dana Neuts, the site was founded in 2007 as a blog to highlight news and events in and around Kent, Washington and to fill the growing media gap in South King County. Response to the site was so strong that the blog was developed into a full website in 2008, adding a calendar, weather and other resources. Traffic has grown steadily ever since, drawing an average of 9,200 unique visitors and 250,000 hits each month.

“I created iLoveKent because I have a passion for Kent. I believe our city has a lot to offer its residents and visitors,” Neuts said. “I’m thrilled that the community has reacted so positively to it, and I’m honored that the site has been recognized for its contributions.”

In addition to the website, iLoveKent has Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts, each with growing audiences. In 2013, Facebook traffic has grown significantly, due in part to two new features – 365 Reasons I Love Kent and Where in Kent? in which readers have to identify a place or object located in Kent. Later this month, the site will launch a “Park of the Week” feature to highlight one of the city’s 90+ parks.

“I added these features to further engage the community and to help them learn more about the city’s hidden treasures,” Neuts said. “People seem to be having a lot of fun with them, and I’m learning from them too which is what iLoveKent.net is all about.”

For more information about iLoveKent.net, please visit the site online or contact Dana Neuts at info@ilovekent.net or 360-920-1737.

In addition to writing and publishing for iLoveKent.net, Neuts owns Virtually Yourz, a freelance writing, editing and marketing firm. Her work has been published in a number of local publications including the Seattle Times, Seattle Business, 425 magazine and South Sound magazine. For more information about Neuts, visit VirtuallyYourz.com or call 360-920-1737.

Help others discover iLoveKent.net with your nomination

As most of you know, our small team operates iLoveKent.net primarily as a community service, because we believe in Kent and all it has to offer. We make a little advertising money, but don’t otherwise ask for much. Today we are. Please nominate us for ‘Best of Western Washington.’

We’d love some recognition for the work that we do, so that others can discover iLoveKent.net too. Please nominate us for ‘Best of Western Washington’ in the Online/Social Media Category in KING 5/Evening Magazine’s annual ‘Best of Western Washington’ contest. Nominating takes less than a minute, but you’ll need to create a free account first. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 18 so please nominate us today.

Thank you! We appreciate it more than you know.

~ Dana Neuts and the iLoveKent.net Team

P.S. – Voting for nominees begins Sept. 19!

**Thanks to everyone who completed our survey to help us gather data on how you use iLoveKent.net. See the results here.**

Sept. 25, 2016

Dear Kent friends,

I want to thank you for your ongoing support of iLoveKent.net. Your personal support has helped make the site possible.

Because you care about Kent the way I do, I want you to be the first to know that I am considering closing the site down at the end of the year. When I redesigned the site in May, traffic went down, partly due to Google’s search algorithms, but also because people are getting a lot of their information from social media, including iLoveKent’s own channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Despite fresh content, website traffic continues to drop, and I have to consider what that means.

I have not made a final decision yet, but there are two key reasons for my decision. First, I am running at a loss. I can run at no to low profit, but I cannot operate at a loss indefinitely. I have had some generous Kent businesses support the site in the past, but I lost a key advertiser this summer, and that hurt. Also, I am a writer, not a salesperson, which has impacted my bottom line. This is one of my shortcomings, and it has impacted the profitability of the site.

Second, it has been nine years since I started iLoveKent.net, and it may be time to move onto something else. My passion for Kent and our community has not changed, and I will continue to be involved in our amazing city, but I am not sure that iLoveKent.net holds the importance in our community that it once did. I created it to fill a media gap, but social media has taken on that role, and the need for iLoveKent.net is dwindling.

It will be hard to say good-bye to iLoveKent.net if that’s what I decide, but I wanted you to know that I am considering shutting the site down.

Thanks again for your support. We wouldn’t have made it this far without you!

~ Dana

UPDATE: Sept. 25, 11:01 AM — Since my original post, readers have asked if I would continue the social media accounts for iLoveKent.net. If I decide to shut iLoveKent.net down, I will likely shut our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts down too. I appreciate everyone’s kind words, appreciation, encouragement, support and offers to help with content. Ultimately, I have to take the emotion out of the decision and consider the financial implications and opportunity costs of continuing the site. 

Last week we sent out a survey to gauge how our readers use iLoveKent.net and how it impacts their day. The goal was to understand what information you get from iLoveKent, how you like to get that information, and what we could to improve the site should we decide to keep it going into 2017.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey. We received 47 responses. Here is a summary of the results:

• 47% of respondents visit iLoveKent.net weekly, 21% visit daily, 21% visit monthly, and 11% never visit the site.
• Every respondent follows us on at least one social media platform: 87% follow us on Facebook, 47% follow us on Twitter, and 26% follow us on Instagram.
• If iLoveKent.net went away, 68% would get local news from the Kent Reporter, 53% would get local news from social media, 8.5% would get news from Seattle TV, 8.5% would get Kent news from Seattle radio, and 32% said they wouldn’t know where they’d get news – maybe KDP, maybe the city website, maybe Kent4Health.
• When asked what they’d miss most if iLoveKent.net shut down, 81% said community news, 77% said the local calendar, 66% said social media, 28% said our monthly newsletter, 19% said editorial content (which I didn’t explain well), and 13% said various things including Kent history.
• 58% of survey respondents said they’d be willing to make a donation to keep iLoveKent.net going, 42% said they would not.
• When asked how we could improve, most people said they were pleased with the content iLoveKent.net provides. A few suggestions included:
  • More guest pieces and community member and company profiles
  • Breaking news like West Seattle Blog (we do not have the capacity or training to do this)
  • Promote iLoveKent.net more so more people know about it
  • More Facebook posts
  • More local editorials

These results will help us as we make our decision about what’s next. We will announce the winner of the $25 Kent Station gift card later today. Thank you.

Deadline to Vote is Noon, Sunday, October 30

We are excited to have been nominated for the Online/Social Media category in KING 5/Evening Magazine’s annual Best of Western Washington contest. We’d love to have your vote for 2016, so we can get some recognition for the work we do for the Kent community.

If you love Kent and visit iLoveKent.net online or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, please consider voting for us. It takes less than a minute to register to vote. The deadline to vote is noon, Sunday, October 30, so please vote today and share this with your friends. Click here or the image below to vote now! Thank you!

Readers and Supporters Made 2016 a Success for iLoveKent

Dear readers, advertisers, sponsors and supporters,

2016 was a challenging year for me both personally and professionally. Personally, I’ve been sick for the last few months. My health issues aren’t life-threatening, but they are life-changing, and I’m trying to navigate that. I’m on the mend, but it will be months before my life will return to a new normal.

Professionally, I wasn’t sure iLoveKent would see 2017, and that was hard to accept. I started iLoveKent in 2007 to fill a widening media gap in Kent. The Seattle Times, for whom I wrote at the time, discontinued its SE Living supplement. The King County Journal closed, and the Kent Reporter went from two days a week to one.

I saw this growing need for information, and I gradually tried to fill it. Fast forward to 2016 when we redesigned the site, and I watched traffic drop every month for the first time since we started. Our social media channels were strong, but people weren’t going to the website as often. After we lost a big, long-time advertiser, I wasn’t sure I could keep iLoveKent going. The prospect of shutting down the site felt like a huge failure.

So I did what I often do when I’m tackling a big story or a research project. I started by gathering information. I had my web traffic and social media stats, but I needed to hear from our readers. What are we doing right? What are we doing wrong? What do we provide that you can’t get anywhere else? Where would you get information if we went away?

We got some great feedback from loyal readers as well as folks new to town, and I asked my personal advisors for suggestions. I also met with Scott Schaefer who runs the B-Town blog and several other local media sites, and he gave me some great ideas and advice. We shifted our editorial strategy, covering more news and crime and publishing more stories each week.

We also added Michelle Gehlman-Teeter to our writing team. Michelle has brought a fun new writing style to iLoveKent, giving us the ability to do more feature stories and to cover events that I can’t do alone. Reader Lynn Cheng volunteered to help with our calendar, which is a job all by itself. Her work – and great ideas – have freed me up to focus on other iLoveKent tasks.

We were also very fortunate to secure some new advertisers this fall, Airways Brewing Company, Kent Downtown Partnership and AAA Pest Control, and we added the Tacoma Stars as a marketing partner. In addition, John L. Scott Realtor Marti Reeder and Party Rents and Tents continued to support us throughout the year. This helped us cover our costs and invest a little back into the site.

And when we asked our readers for help, you generously gave it. Six readers – Ed Cole, Satwinder Kaur, Dee Klem, Lacey Seaton, Heather Curtin and Karin Liesy – made donations to help us continue our work. Many of you also liked and shared our site, our Facebook posts, tweets and Instagram photos with your family and friends.

As a result of all of these changes and support, iLoveKent is ending 2016 on a high note. Our social media channels – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – continue to attract new fans and followers daily; our readers and supporters continue to share our content; and our website traffic is higher than it’s been all year. You are responding positively to the changes we’ve made, which motivates us to work even harder.

We are excited to announce that we will, indeed, make it to 2017 to celebrate our 10th year in business. We’ve got big plans for the New Year, which we’ll announce at our first-ever reader meetup on Saturday, January 7 (10 AM to Noon) at Down Home Catering (211 First Ave. S., Kent, WA 98032). If you want to attend, please RSVP here.

We couldn’t have gotten through this year without your unwavering support. Thanks to each and every one of you for reading, for sharing and, most of all, for believing.

Happy Holidays to all of you. We look forward to sharing another great year with you in 2017!

~ Dana Neuts, Publisher

Join iLoveKent for Our First-Ever Meetup

–EDITED 12/27/16 with new meeting info–

In 2017, iLoveKent will celebrate its 10th year! It’s hard to believe we’ve been around that long, but with your help, we got through this year and our personal and professional challenges. We plan to head into the New Year with big plans to better serve our community, and we’d love to share those plans with you and to meet some of our most engaged readers. Please join us.

The date is set for Saturday, January 7, 2017 from 10 AM to Noon at Down Home Catering (211 First Ave. S., Kent, WA 98032), who will offer beverages, fresh fruit and pastries.

We have a brief program planned:

• Introduce yourself
• Tell us why YOU love Kent
• We’ll share our mission and a brief history of iLoveKent
• We’ll tell you about some of our plans for 2017.
• We’ll discuss what type of content is most important to you, what we are doing well versus what we can improve upon, and how you see our role in the Kent community

After that, we will just mix and mingle and get to know each other.

To RSVP your attendance, please click here. iLoveKent will cover the cost of the breakfast, but we need an accurate count, so please RSVP by Jan. 4. Donations are gladly accepted.

A big thank you goes to Lynn Cheng for helping plan the program and for her hard work in keeping the iLoveKent calendar updated!

Evening Debates for Kent Mayoral and City Council Candidates

This year iLoveKent is celebrating its 10^th year, and we are continuing to grow. As we do so, we are looking for new ways to serve the Kent community. Following the August 2017 primary, iLoveKent will host two Kent candidate debates:

Thursday, September 14:             Kent Mayoral Candidate Debate

Thursday, September 28:             Kent City Council Candidate Debate

Both events will be hosted in the evening from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Kent Senior Center (600 E. Smith St., Kent, WA). In addition, the debates will be live streamed and recorded, so Kent residents who aren’t able to attend the debates can watch them at their convenience.

Both debates will be moderated by Greg Haffner of Curran Law Firm, and Haffner and iLoveKent publisher Dana Neuts will select the questions to be asked from reader suggestions.

“We want these debates to be accessible to as many Kent residents as possible, so we’re going to live stream and record the debates,” Neuts said. “This way voters across the city can learn more about each candidate and hear where they stand on important Kent issues. iLoveKent is excited to facilitate that conversation.”

Additional event details will be made available closer to the debates. For more information, please contact Dana Neuts at 360-920-1737 or info@ilovekent.net.

iLoveKent will not endorse any candidate, nor accept any advertising from any political candidate or about any political issue.

About iLoveKent

iLoveKent was founded by owner and publisher Dana Neuts in 2007 to fill a growing media gap and to provide an outlet for Kent news, events, information and resources. Neuts writes for and publishes the site. Brooke Blozis and Michelle Gehlman-Teeter are also regular contributors to iLoveKent. Now celebrating its 10^th year, iLoveKent will host quarterly reader meetups, an anniversary celebration and local candidate debates in 2017.

Local News and Events for Kent, Washington

We had another busy but beautiful weekend in the Pacific Northwest: Des Moines Waterland Festival, Renton River Days, Kent Farmer’s Market, and much more! I hope you and yours were able to take advantage of the great weather and all of the fun activities the Kent area has to offer. It looks like it will be a hot week, so stay cool and have a super week.

~ Dana Neuts, Publisher

REMINDER-–Puget Sound RFA to host reception for Fire Chief candidates, July 24
Today Puget Sound RFA will host a reception for the finalists for the Fire Chief position. The new Fire Chief will replace Chief Jim Schneider who is retiring at the end of August after 15 years with the department. Get event details here.

NEW–Distracted Driving Law went into effect yesterday
Yesterday the new Distracted Driving Law went into effect to prevent drivers from using their cell phones, eating, smoking or grooming while they’re driving. No hand-held cell phone usage is allowed, even when stopped at a stoplight. Fines for an Electronics DUI (E-DUI) are $136 for a first offense, and $234 for a second offense. Tickets will be reported to insurance companies. Learn more here.

NEW–Multi-agency task force forms to address street racing, 40+ arrested
On July 14, multiple police agencies in King County got together to collaborate with the Washington State Patrol to crack down on illegal street racing. In an enforcement emphasis exercise, the task force arrested more than 40 for various offenses, including unlawful race attendance, street racing and stolen vehicles. Read more about the sting here.

REMINDER–Register for National Night Out by July 28
National Night Out is next Tues., August 1. Neighborhoods are encouraged to get together and to get to know each other. Consider a potluck, outdoor movie night, ice cream social or other gathering, and be sure to register with the Kent Police Department, so a representative from the city can stop by to say hi. Get more details here and here.

NEW–Let your voice be heard – vote by August 1.
Next Tuesday, August 1 is Primary Election Day in Washington. If you are a registered voter, complete your ballot and mail it with a first-class stamp by August 1, or if dropping it off at a ballot box, drop it off by 8 PM on Election Day. We have several contested races in Kent for Kent City Council and the Kent mayoral race. Let your voice be heard. Vote by August 1. See last week’s article for additional voting resources and ballot box locations.

REMINDER–Free summer concerts in Kent on Tues., Wed. and Thurs.
Thanks to Kent Station, the City of Kent and the Kent Arts Commission, there are four free concerts each week in Kent through August 17: Take Out Tuesdays (noon to 1 PM) at Kent Station, Wednesday Picnic Performances, especially for kids (noon to 1 PM) at Town Square Plaza, Wednesday Family Date Night (6 PM – 8 PM) at Kent Station, and Thursdays at the Lake (7 – 8:30 PM) at Lake Meridian Park. Click here for a list of concerts, days and times.

NEW–Kent Police Chief releases additional info. to family of Giovonn McDade
Last week Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas released additional information to the family of Giovonn McDade, the 20-year-old Kent man who was shot and killed in late June, following a car chase. The additional information was released after a meeting with the family the previous week. Read more here and here.

NEW–Vehicle crashes into outdoor staircase of a Kent apartment building
Last Tuesday, a driver crashed into the outdoor staircase of a Kent apartment building in the 22400 block of Benson Road on Kent’s East Hill. No one in the building was injured. The driver and passenger were sent to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Read more here.

REMINDER–iLoveKent has reduced its coverage
Due to the loss of an advertiser, iLoveKent has reduced its news, features and event coverage. This means we will have fewer feature stories, we will be a bit slower with breaking news, and we’ll cut back on daily news posts and our social media posts. If you’d like to make a donation to support iLoveKent, you may do so here. Thank you!

NEW–Dog Daze & Feline Fantasies Pet Adoption Event at Kent Station, Aug. 5
Come on down to Kent Station on Saturday, August 5 (11 AM to 3 PM) to meet hundreds of adoptable dogs and cats. Also, pets and their owners will enjoy raffles and free samples, Kent Police K9 demonstration (noon), pet product vendors, and pet-friendly, happy hour patios. Read more here.

This Week in Kent

(Get additional details on our July “things to do” post or on our Google calendar.)

July 24          Books at Kent Station
July 25          Take Out Tuesdays concert
July 25           Animals Build It Puppet Show
July 25           PNW Summer Handcycling Series
July 26           Self-Guided Trail Walk (Van Doren’s Landing Park)
July 26            Breaking Down Comics Art Workshop
July 26            Wednesday Picnic Performance concert
July 26            Date Night Wednesday concert
July 27            Thursdays at the Lake concert
July 27             KYFS Silent Reading Party
July 28             Kent Library: Kids’ Movie of the Month: The Lego Movie
July 29             Kent Farmer’s Market with Experience Historical Kent
July 29             Kent Valley Figure Skating Club’s Summer Showcase
July 30             Open House by Islamic Center of Kent

Stop by the iLoveKent booth for an activity and giveaway!

Kent Station is celebrating the summer and back-to-school season with its annual SOAKS (Summer’s Almost Over at Kent Station) event on Thurs., Aug. 17 from 5 to 8 PM. This is a fun, free family event with many fun activities, including vendor booths, the August Adventure Run and the completion of the Fill the Bus campaign done to support Communities in Schools Kent.

Here are a few event highlights. Visit Kent Station’s SOAKS page for all the details:

• Family-friendly vendor booths with cool activities and giveaways. Look for ShoWare, TBirds, Kent Police Dept., Kent Fire Dept., Z-Ultimate, iLoveKent, Republic Services and more!
• Raffle prizes and giveaways
• Redhook Beer Garden (must be 21+ and have valid ID)
• Fill the Bus: bring school supplies to donate to Kent students in need in CISK’s 5th Annual School Supply Drive. Cash donations will also be accepted on site. Here’s a list of needed items.

Here’s the evening schedule, including check-in times, etc. for the Adventure Run:

• 5 to 7 PM: Activity booths for everyone
• 5 PM: Register at Road Runner Sports for the Adventure Run
• 5 to 6:30 PM: Visit Vendor Village in the Plaza (booths are open until 7 PM)
• 6:30 – 7:30 PM: Hit as many checkpoints as you can
• 7 PM: Redbook Beer Garden opens
• 7:45 PM: Raffle prizes in the Plaza

The event is done in partnership with the City of Kent, Kent4Health and Communities in Schools Kent.

This is the first year iLoveKent will be participating, and we are so excited. Stop by our booth and help us create a wall with reasons we love Kent! We’ll have fun giveaways, so make sure you come by.

Celebrate the tail end of summer with free family fun. Take lots of pix and post to social media with the hashtag #KSSOAKS and, of course, we’d love it if you tag them with #ilovekent or #ilovekentwa too.

2017 Kent mayoral and city council candidate debates

Thanks to all who participated in, attended or helped with the iLoveKent candidate debates. We held the Kent mayoral candidate debate on Sept. 21, 2017 and the Kent City Council candidate debate on Sept. 28, 2017. Both were held at the Kent Senior Center and were moderated by Greg Haffner of Curran Law Firm. If you missed them, here are the replays from Kent TV21.

iLoveKent – Kent Mayoral Debate from Kent TV21 on Vimeo.

ILoveKent.net Council Debate 2017 from Kent TV21 on Vimeo.

Local News and Events for Kent, Washington

Good morning, everyone and Happy Monday! I hope you enjoyed the beautiful fall weekend. We’re expecting cold, rainy weather this week, so it was good to get a last dose of sunshine before the fall rain hits. I spent Saturday evening at Kent Has Talent, hosted by the Kent Community Foundation. What a fun night! Read more about it below.

As you may have read on Facebook, I will be starting a contract with the City of Kent today, working in the mayor’s office to support day-to-day communications for the city. I will still be maintaining iLoveKent and my other business, Virtually Yourz, but Michelle Teeter and Kara Hackney have agreed to help take on more of the daily operations of iLoveKent, so you shouldn’t see a big difference. The contract is through year end, so this is just a temporary gig. During that time, Michelle Teeter will be covering city issues for us, rather than me. It will be a busy few months, but I’m excited about the opportunity to serve the city I love and to learn more about it from the inside.

Have a great week!

~ Dana

NEW–Congrats to the Kent Has Talent winners!
Saturday night, attendees were treated to some fabulous local talent, organized by Allegro Performing Arts Academy and the Kent Community Foundation. Thanks to all of the volunteers and participants, and congratulations to this year’s winners!

Adult: Katie Jones
Teen: Dalamari Holman (she won in 2016 too!)
Youth: Dre’moni Watts
Grand: Alix Chappell
Audience Choice: Sanaina Kaur Dhaliwal and Jasmin Kaur Bains

The event was emceed by Bender of KISS FM, and all proceeds for the event benefit the Kent Community Foundation in its mission to strengthen and support the greater Kent community through partnerships and philanthropy.

NEW–Kent Police Dept. to host community meeting, Oct. 11
This Wednesday, October 11, the Kent Police Department is hosting a community meeting at Panther Lake Elementary (10200 SE 216th St., Kent, WA 98031) at 7 PM. The meeting will bring together members of the community and the Kent Police Department to help make neighborhoods safer. At this meeting, there will be a special presentation on body cameras. Learn more here.

NEW–King Co. Sheriff’s Office wear pink badges through October
This month the King Co. Sheriff’s Office is honoring breast cancer awareness month with pink badges and label pins. Deputies could buy customized badges and pins to wear in October. More than 500 pins and 305 badges were ordered, raising more than $8,000 for the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Read more about it here.

REMINDER–iLoveKent’s 10-year anniversary celebration is this Friday
We may be busy with debate prep, but we have not forgotten that iLoveKent turns 10 this month. We are proud to have grown and to have been able to serve the Kent community for 10 years now. Help us celebrate. Join us Oct. 13 (6 to 8 PM) at Artsy Fartsy Art Lessons (218 W. Meeker St., Kent, WA 98032) for a family-friendly celebration. RSVP here so we can plan ahead. In addition to light refreshments and giveaways, we will be collecting donations for the Kent Turkey Challenge, so please consider bringing a non-perishable food item to donate.

NEW–Watch iLoveKent mayoral and Kent City Council candidate debates
If you weren’t able to attend the debates we hosted last month, Kent TV21 recorded them for us. They are part of their regular broadcast line-up, and they are also available on demand at Vimeo and on iLoveKent. Click here to watch the Kent Mayoral and Kent City Council Candidate Debates on iLoveKent.

NEW–United Way of King County is hiring for AmeriCorps
United Way of King County is looking for workers passionate about social justice issues and who are interested in social work, public health, nonprofits or the government to affect change. There are currently three positions available: Streets to Home AmeriCorps, Benefits Hub and Free Tax. Learn more about the positions and how to apply here.

NEW–Voter registration deadline is today
Today is the last day to register to vote online in King County. To register online, you’ll need a current Washington State Driver’s License or a current Washington State ID Card. New voters have until Oct. 30 to register in person. Visit King County Elections online for more information.

NEW–Beyond High School Night at Kentridge High School, Oct. 25
High school juniors and seniors and their parents are invited to Beyond High School Night at Kentridge High School on Oct. 25 (6:30 PM – 8:30 PM). Universities, colleges, tech schools, the military, apprenticeships, employers and other vendors will be on hand to guide students on the next step in their educational or career journey.

REMINDER–Register Now for Team Up 2 Clean Up Kent, Oct. 14, 2017
On Saturday, October 14, the City of Kent, Kent Downtown Partnership, Kent Station, Republic Services, Doorman Services and the Lions Club are teaming up to clean up Kent with another citywide littler clean-up event, Team Up 2 Clean Up Kent. The event will be held 9 AM to noon, rain or shine. Click here to learn more, or click here to register now.

REMINDER–October in Kent: hockey, fundraisers, live music & more
October is a busy month in Kent. The Seattle Thunderbirds continue their 2017-18 season, the Tacoma Stars and the Kent Spotlight Series kick off their respective seasons. We’ve also got election events, social security and historical workshops, fundraisers and much more. Get the highlights of this month’s events in our October 2017 ‘Things To Do’ list here. For additional details and new additions, visit our Google calendar.

REMINDER–Torklift Central kicks off annual Turkey Challenge, Oct. 12
This week Torklift Central kicks off its annual Kent Turkey Challenge to collect food and raise money for hungry Kent families. The goal this year is to raise $25,000 and 10,000 pounds of food for the Kent Food Bank. Learn more about the Kent Turkey Challenge and how your or your business can participate here.

Event Highlights This Week

[For details, visit our Oct. 2017 ‘Things To Do’ list or our Google calendar.]

Oct. 10          Cultural Communities Board: Mayoral Candidate Forum
Oct. 10          Seattle Thunderbirds vs. Vancouver Giants
Oct. 11          KDP’s Business Block Watch
Oct. 11          Business Expo and Taste of Kent
Oct. 11          Kent Police Dept. Community Meeting
Oct. 12          Meet School Board Candidate Denise Daniels
Oct. 12          Project Feast Meet and Greet
Oct. 13          No School – Teacher Workshop
Oct. 13          Kent Food Bank – 17th Annual Breakfast Fundraiser
Oct. 13          iLoveKent’s 10th Birthday Celebration
Oct. 13          KBAC Kent Candidates’ Forum
Oct. 14          Team Up 2 Clean Up
Oct. 14          ReLeaf
Oct. 14          Arts & Tech Fest
Oct. 14          Seattle Thunderbirds vs. Victoria Royals

Yesterday I was verbally attacked on Twitter for my dual roles as the publisher of iLoveKent and for serving as a temporary communications consultant to the City of Kent. For the sake of transparency, I want to clarify those roles and explain how I have handled them thus far. First, a little history about iLoveKent.

1. I began publishing iLoveKent in 2007 to help fill a growing media gap in South King County. The King County Journal had stopped publishing, Kent Reporter had gone from two days a week to one, and Seattle media outlets were reducing their coverage of Kent, including The Seattle Times, for whom I wrote for the SE Living special section.
2. I am a one-man operation and never intended to cover breaking news or do hard news. My degree is in business administration, and I was trained as a journalist by some amazing editors when I started my freelance career. After being laid off from my “corporate job,” I started my own freelance career full-time in 2004. I do not have the capacity or training to do breaking news.
3. As a freelancer, I joined the Society of Professional Journalists in 2005 to better learn my profession and to learn and uphold the organization’s Code of Ethics. I served as local president for several years, served on the national board of the organization for seven years, and was the national president of the 7,000+ member organization in 2014-15.
4. Another goal when starting iLoveKent was to highlight nonprofits, local businesses and events, including providing a community calendar.
5. As the website has grown, I have redesigned it and hired several talented writers and marketers to help support my work. Currently, there are two independent contractors – Michelle Teeter and Kara Hackney – who work with me to post news and events to the site and to help with social media. Also, Lynn Cheng generously donates her time to keep our calendar updated.
6. We still do not cover “hard news” or “breaking news.” Michelle Teeter and I write features, usually about nonprofits for the site, and occasionally, I write public service pieces such as the recent “When to call 9-1-1 versus the non-emergency number” article. We do not, nor will we, do investigative journalism. I am not trained to do that, and I don’t have the desire to learn. My passion is storytelling.
7. The “news” you see on the site is largely repurposed or lightly-edited press releases. They are typically identified by the “Guest Contributor” byline, and we always include the name of the source, and a link if possible, to the original press release. I will not take credit for work that isn’t mine.
8. My site earns some income, but I wouldn’t consider this a “for profit” site. The advertising money I make is reinvested in the site (e.g., hard costs like web hosting, graphic design, print materials, marketing, stock photos) and used to pay my contractors. I do not pay myself for my time. After my costs are paid, there is little if anything left. I do not publish iLoveKent as a money-making venture. I do it because I am passionate about Kent, I believe a source like iLoveKent is needed in our community, and I want to support my city however I can. I am essentially a volunteer.

Last month I was asked by the City of Kent to help them fill a temporary vacancy in the mayor’s office. I am contracted as a communications consultant through year end. The mayor-elect Dana Ralph will choose how to fill that vacancy. Until then, I am acting as the city’s primary communications professional, and I work with a team of talented city employees who assist in our communications efforts.

I accepted the contract position because I saw a new way to serve the City of Kent. It was an opportunity to share my passion and expertise while learning more about the city from the inside and to perhaps learn some new skills and establish new relationships and connections. It has been an amazing experience, and I am honored to have been asked to help in this way. Though I was not asked to do so, I changed how I manage iLoveKent to be as transparent as possible. Here are some of the steps I have taken to separate the two roles:

• When initially contracted with the City, I disclosed to administration, city directors and my colleagues how I would handle iLoveKent moving forward.
• I stopped publishing city-related news releases to the site. The ones that come from the City of Kent now come from my office. They are typically about upcoming events like the Holiday Craft Market, the Christmas Rush Fun Run, or the 12 Days of Goodness. I sometimes write them for the City or have at least edited and/or distributed them. It is, therefore, not appropriate for me to publish them here. Michelle Teeter does that, often under her own byline, but crediting the original source. Here is an example of a press release I wrote the other day. My name is listed as the source at the bottom.
• When these press releases are published, I do not share them on social media. That is done by my iLoveKent team.
• Information I learn during the course of my work at the City is for the purpose of serving the City, not to promote my site or to publish as an “inside scoop.” I am there as a contractor, but my sole purpose there is to serve the City, not for personal gain.
• I have found the employees at the city, particularly administration and the directors, to be transparent and above board. They are happy to share information with me, staff, residents, other governmental officials, etc. Each day I continue to be impressed with the high caliber and ethical behavior of those with whom I work. I am proud to be a colleague, even if my role is temporary.
• On multiple occasions, both in my weekly Sound Bites column and on Facebook (which auto-posts to Twitter), I have disclosed and explained my dual roles. No one approached me at those times or commented, publicly or privately, that they felt there was a conflict of interest or the potential for ethical violations.
• I have separated my iLoveKent and Virtually Yourz businesses from my city work for the purposes of transparency and public records. My iLoveKent work is done on own computers, and I have two separate phones – which I provide and pay for – one for city work and one for my own business. I do not do my other work at the city. When I’m at the city, I’m working for them.

Some will still choose to believe there is a conflict of interest. I understand and respect that concern, but I am confident that I have handled the two roles ethically and transparently. If you have specific concerns, I welcome the opportunity to discuss them one on one, or you may reach out directly to city administration or the city attorney’s office for additional clarification.

Thanks for reading,

Dana Neuts, publisher

South King Media to expand into Kent with acquisition

Last week iLoveKent.net and South King Media, owner of six local blogs – including The B-Town and Waterland Blogs – celebrated their 10-year anniversaries with a big announcement. 

Effective January 1, 2018, South King Media will take over the day-to-day operations of iLoveKent.net, a Kent-based blog started by freelance writer and publisher Dana Neuts in September 2007. Scott Schaefer will be responsible for the editorial side of the business, and Theresa Schaefer will manage the business side including sponsorships and advertising.

iLoveKent celebrated its 10-year anniversary on December 8 at Artsy Fartsy Art Lessons in downtown Kent with about three dozen guests in attendance, including readers, sponsors, advertisers and friends. Neuts made the announcement that evening.

“I started iLoveKent ten years ago to fill a growing media gap in South King County. The site has grown beyond my expectations, particularly in the last year with our rebranding, participating in community events and hosting of two successful Kent political candidate debates,” Neuts said. “It is time to take the site to the next level, and I know that the Schaefers and their team are the right people to do that. They will retain all of our strengths and build upon our successes.”

South King County media will keep Michelle Teeter and Kara Hackney of the iLoveKent team on to assist with the transition and future growth. Neuts will stay on as an advisor and occasional writer, and the Schaefers will be responsible for all editorial and operational decisions starting January 1.

“This is a very exciting opportunity,” Schaefer said. “Our goal is to utilize what we’ve learned over ten years of producing local, award-winning reporting and translate that to iLoveKent. Dana has done a terrific job building her site up, and we will work hard to replicate what we’ve done in our other markets – in this case our goal will be to make this the leading news source for Kent.”

Kent is the sixth largest city in the state, and third largest in the county, with a population of 126,952.

iLoveKent will be the seventh local news blog that South King Media publishes in the region.

Exciting changes ahead for iLoveKent

Dear readers, supporters and friends,

When I started iLoveKent in September 2007, I had no idea what an impact this site would have on the community – or on me. It started on a whim to share local stories about nonprofits, local businesses and events, but it grew beyond that to become a community of readers who care about Kent and who want to see it succeed.

While most of our path was onward and upward, we suffered a setback in the fall of 2016 that I didn’t think we’d overcome. I had redesigned the site, and we lost a lot of SEO and ‘Google love’ along the way. I was investing more in the site than I was making, I wasn’t paying myself for my time, and I was at a point where I wasn’t sure I could keep things going. I reached out to readers and advertisers for support, and many of you came to our aid, showing us that the work the iLoveKent team was doing mattered. We rallied and came back stronger than ever.

Much of that is due to the advice and friendship of Scott Schaefer of South King Media, publisher of the B-Town blog and five other local blogs. He shared ideas and made suggestions for where we could improve, and every one of his ideas was a winner. We rebranded, covered more news, though still on a limited basis, participated in community events like Kent Station’s SOAKS, sponsored events like Kent Community Foundation’s Kent Has Talent, and hosted two Kent political candidate debates. We raised our visibility and credibility.

Along the way, I was offered the opportunity to work for the City of Kent as a communications consultant, serving the city I love in a new way. That presented a conflict which I worked hard to resolve, removing myself from day-to-day operations. I consulted with Scott to decide what was next for iLoveKent. As we talked, it became clear to me that iLoveKent had certain strengths (feature stories, event listings, strong readership) but that we weren’t really covering the news to the best of our ability. We were missing out on opportunities to better serve our readers and local businesses.

After much thought and reflection, I decided that iLoveKent was ready to grow, but that I wasn’t the right person to grow it. In fact, while I am very proud of the work I’ve done with iLoveKent, I have probably been holding the site back. Talking to Scott, I realized he had an exciting vision for iLoveKent that I couldn’t yet see. He also had the time, talent and team to make it happen. When Scott agreed to keep our team on, I knew that this was the right decision for me and for iLoveKent.

What does that mean for our readers and advertisers?

• More of what you love about iLoveKent – more news, more features, more social media posts.
• I will serve as an advisor and may occasionally write for the site, but I am ceding all operational and editorial control to Scott and his team.
• If Scott ever decides this isn’t working, he’ll give me the right of first refusal to take the site back.

Though Scott will take over the site on January 1, changes to the site won’t be immediately noticeable. It will look the same, but you will start seeing more posts and a different editorial voice. Local businesses will have more opportunities to advertise, and the community will be better served by a more active editorial team.

That said, my transition away from iLoveKent will not be easy. I created this site, not having any idea how it would change my life, rooting me to a place thousands of miles from home. As a result of iLoveKent, I have made lifelong friends, and it has helped me to fully embrace Kent for all of its qualities, good and bad. I may not be running the show anymore, but I won’t be far away, and I will always be grateful for your friendship and support. You are the reason we are still here.

All the best,

Dana Neuts, Publisher
iLoveKent.net

[EDITOR’S NOTE: This column – originally published in 2008 on our sister site The B-Town Blog – is in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, whose life and work we celebrate today:]

“When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered.”

– Dr. Martin Luther King,
from a speech delivered in 1967

by Mark Neuman

Contemplating the Giant Triplets
I am embarrassed to admit that, at age nine, I knew more about Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch and a TV situation comedy called “F Troop” than I did about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I know this because I was watching a syndicated repeat of that silly show on the afternoon of April 4, 1968, when a news bulletin cut into regular programming to announce that Dr. King had been shot and killed earlier that day.

I did not know who he was.

I quickly got to know, in part, on the strength of my third and fourth grade teachers at Holy Rosary Elementary School in West Seattle, and then I never forgot.

Our recent handful of years
With an over half-trillion dollar burden set firmly on the backs of Americans not yet born, the powers-that-be recently bailed out the powerful who failed us.

And some number of millions of everyday Americans participated as well, in the pursuit of a piece of the glittering illusion: unbelievably rapidly appreciating equity.

Any number of common desk working brokers and agents just “did what the boss told us” to earn fast, fat commissions.

Regulators, overseers are somewhat difficult to blame. They, too, like the profits, were largely imaginary, nonexistent. Those who existed sat by, quite silent.

Today, a Senator from Illinois engenders, through no fault of his own, racist sentiments from various pockets all about our country.

And this is seven score and three years after the end of the Civil War.

And meanwhile another chunk of trillion has been thrown at a conflagration, a quagmire, in the Middle East that, inarguably, Dr. King would have opposed.

A great speech
And so I bring to you today words earnestly delivered by Dr. King, less than a year before he died. Officially it is titled: “Why I Am Opposed to the War in Vietnam.”

It could quite well be subtitled: “The Giant Triplets Speech.”

It could also be called: “Please Don’t Make Our Country Look Like This in the First Decade of the 21st Century.”

If only all we Americans had recited or read, daily, his powerful words, spoken forty-one years ago:

“When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered.”

In our modest blog offices it was suggested: Should we post and highlight this speech two days before Election Day?

We “Woodwarded and Bernsteined and Bradleed” this about. Would some be offended? Might some misunderstand?

Perhaps some will.

Some always do.

Any complaints? Send them to me.

Any credit or compliments? They go to Dr. King.

Here is a recording of, in my opinion, a stunning and timeless speech from the greatest and most courageous leader of my lifetime.

When you hear Dr. King’s words, spoken less than a year before he passed, does your heart beat fast?

I should expect and hope it would.

Perhaps your eyes water at certain points.

You’re in good company if they do, I assure.

Never heard this speech before? You are not to blame. We live in a “forget the past’ society. Additionally, Dr. King’s other stunning and courageous works, including “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” happen to overshadow his own genius, literary and oratory greatness and prescience displayed at other times in his life.

Does the speech seem familiar? Please give it a listen again, in the relative stillness of this, the day most often set aside for meaningful thought, then send a note to that Social Studies teacher from grade six, your History professor from college, your Speech Coach and thank her or him for the initial introduction.

Send the links to your nephew in the Navy, your sisters from the old sorority, your Aunt in Auburn or Alabama, your boss in Bellevue, your kid in college.

Move it along the internet line to your favorite State Rep or least favorite Congressman, the most ethical attorney you know, or maybe even the least trustworthy scumbag Wall Street suit you are glad you never met, or, perhaps, are sorry you ever did.

Print out Dr. King’s words, fold it up and send them along with warmth in your Holiday greetings later this Autumn.

And so, on this Contemplative Holiday
Let us all, now and in these crucial near years, stare down those Giant and Ugly Triplets and knock them off their high perch for good.

Thanks.

– Mark Neuman
mark@southkingmedia.com

And in case you haven’t heard it in a while, here’s Dr. King’s classic “I Have A Dream” speech:

And newly-released in 2016 – Dr. King’s acceptance speech for the 1964 Nobel Prize:

[fbvideo link=”https://www.facebook.com/nobelprize/videos/10153332954979103/?ft[tn]

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