April is National Arab American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the rich history, culture, and contributions of Arab Americans around the country!
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At Tuesday night's Kent City Council meeting, I presented a proclamation recognizing April 13 as Vaisakhi and Khalsa Day in Kent!
Vaisakhi is a significant celebration in the Sikh community, marking both a harvest festival and the establishment of the Khalsa in 1699. It’s a time for reflection, unity, and reaffirming the values of truth, equality, and service.
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Also at Tuesday night's Kent City Council meeting, I presented Gillian Lawrence, from the city's Parks Maintenance team, with a proclamation for Arbor Day—a day dedicated to planting, nurturing, and celebrating trees.
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Earlier this week, I met with Ivy for her Civics project. She is a senior at Kentwood. Ivy's mom and brother also joined us.
She had many of great questions about being a mayor and city government. We discussed the issues facing our community and country. I was definitely impressed with her insight and compassion.
Ivy is hoping to follow in her mom's footsteps and become a nurse and care for others. I know she will be amazing.
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Only 1 more session of Kent 101!
This week, Chief Padilla talked about the incredible work of our Police Department. It’s been amazing watching our participants engage and learn more about how our city operates!
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Want to guarantee you’re represented in future regional transportation plans?
Check your mailbox from now until June for an invitation to complete the Puget Sound Regional Travel Study.
Invited households will receive a gift card for participating! To learn more, visit: survey.psrc.org
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Spoiler alert on the demolition that's been happening in the vacant lot downtown!
This space is being converted to an extension of Kherson Park and sod is coming in next season.
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Kent Downtown Partnership kicked off their Spring scavenger hunt last weekend! It's a free, fun, family-friendly activity running the whole month of April--with the chance to win awesome prizes!
Little stuffed bees have scattered across Kent, and they need your help to track them down. Search for the hidden bees, complete your passport, and submit it for a chance to win prizes from local businesses. Get your scavenger hunt passport here!
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Thank you to those who donated to the 11th Annual March for Diapers Drive.
The 2400 donated diapers and 1668 wipes will stay here in Kent and go to Domestic Abuse Women's Network (DAWN) & Kent's Pediatric Interim Care Center (PICC).
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Here's the recap on this week's Kent City Council meeting!
As a reminder, you can view meeting agendas, minutes and live stream recordings here!
 
Last week, our Economic and Community Development team had a great time at Mattson Career Day, as we introduced students to the world of city planning!
During two interactive sessions, Long Range Planning Manager Kristen Holdsworth shared insights about city planning and how communities evolve. Then, students got creative—building collages to showcase their vision for the future of Downtown Kent as part of our ReDiscover Downtown project.
We love seeing the next generation get involved in shaping our city!
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It's curbside clean-up time!
April 7-11 is Kent's annual "Spring and Fall Curbside Clean-up" program where residents may rid themselves of extra yard waste and garbage.
The events are free to all residential households living in the Kent city limits. Simply place your extra garbage and yard waste at the curb on your regular yard waste pick-up day. Here's all the info!
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If you received a message from DSHS about potential EBT card theft, take action now. Call the number on the back of your card or visit a DSHS office to request a new card—changing the PIN alone isn’t enough.
Reminder: DSHS will never ask for personal info via text. Learn more: dshs.wa.gov/text
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April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Kent PD will join regional police departments to conduct additional enforcement for distracted drivers.
Distractions are still a factor in 30% of fatal crashes across Washington. It takes all of us to keep our roadways safe. Help us all get from one place to the next safely. On the road, off the phone!
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Traffic safety is a top priority in Kent, and last week’s community corridor meeting is an important step in making our streets safer for everyone.
Thank you, Sara, from our KPD Community Education Unit and King County Target Zero for bringing together local leaders, agencies, and community members for this critical conversation. Your hard work and dedication are making a real difference.
In Kent, we take a well-rounded approach to traffic safety, focusing on the 3 Es:
Engineering – Creating safer roads and infrastructure to prevent collisions before they happen.
Education – Ensuring drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians have the knowledge to make safe choices.
Enforcement – Holding drivers accountable and reinforcing rules that keep our community safe.
These efforts work hand in hand to protect our residents, whether they’re walking to school, commuting to work, or simply enjoying everything our city has to offer. But we can’t do this alone. It takes all of us—local government, law enforcement, engineers, and community members—working together to make our streets safer.
I encourage you to check out the media coverage on this important discussion:
Kent Reporter: Slower is Safer – Steps to Increase Traffic Safety in South King County
KOMO News: State Safety Commission Launches Study into Notorious Stretch of King County Road
By continuing these conversations and putting action behind our words, we can make a real impact.
Registration is now open for 2025 Green Kent events!
We look forward to another season of restoring and conserving our parks and natural spaces with the support of our community.
Check out this season’s event schedule and sign up as a volunteer today! MyKentParks.com/GreenKent
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Our Mini Recycling Event is Friday, April 11 at Hogan Park.
Instead of going to the landfill as trash, all collected items will be reused or recycled! Learn more about accepted items at KentWA.gov/Recycle
*Paint will not be accepted at our mini collection events.
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Puget Sound Energy will be in Kent offering small businesses free energy-efficiency assessments and easy upgrades April 22 - 24.
More Information: pse.com/smallbizkent
If you have questions, email: smallbusiness@pse.com
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We are kicking off our Green Kent program this weekend with the Arbor Day event, hosted by our Parks staff.
Come join staff and volunteers as they plant our ceremonial Arbor Day tree and other native trees and shrubs to celebrate Kent's 24th year as a Tree City USA!
📅 Tomorrow, April 5
⌚ 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
📍 3 Friends Fishing Hole
Community members of all ages are welcome to volunteer and work to help keep our parks and natural areas healthy and thriving.
Applications are now being accepted for the city's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Board!
The goal of the board is to increase engagement, integration, and access to city services for all cultural communities in Kent.
You can learn about the city's work in these areas and the Equity Strategic Plan at KentWA.gov/Race-Equity and apply to be on the board here!
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