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Happy Friday, Kent!
Summer in Kent is the best! Whether you’re grabbing fresh produce at the Farmers Market, attending a concert in the park, or soaking up the sun with your family and neighbors, there are so many ways to get out and enjoy our city.
Check out everything happening this season at KentWA.gov/Summer.
Also, tomorrow is the Juneteenth Celebration at Morrill Meadows Park hosted by the Kent Black Action Commission. It's a celebration with live music and festivities from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. I hope you enjoy this week's update, find it informative and have a great weekend!
Dana Ralph, Kent Mayor
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On Tuesday, I joined Gwen Allen-Carston, Executive Director for the Kent Black Action Commission (KBAC), city staff and residents as we raised the Juneteenth flag at Kent City Hall! Thanks to Councilmembers Fincher, Boyd and Michaud for attending.
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Shout out to all the FedEx drivers at the Kent facility for exceeding safe driving standards every day.
Earlier this week, I was invited to the facility to meet and thank these outstanding men and women. They take safety seriously and it shows in the data.
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Last week, at the Senior Center Advisory Committee meeting we discussed the upcoming changes to the lunch program, facility safety, programming and staffing, Meals on Wheels and the SODA ordinance and more.
Thank you to the Advisory Committee members.
I am grateful for your dedication to our Senior Center.
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We are so happy to officially welcome Riverbend Bar & Grill to the Kent family. I had a wonderful evening celebrating with Council President Kaur, and Councilmembers Boyce, Fincher, and Michaud, along with owner Corey Mason, Kent Parks Director Julie Parascondola, business manager Matt Steele, and the rest of the incredible Riverbend Bar & Grill team.
The restaurant is located at the 18-hole golf course at Riverbend Golf Complex and provides a family-friendly space with delicious food, great staff, and beautiful views. Be sure to stop by and check them out!
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On Saturday, we cut the ribbon, and the Kent Farmers Market officially opened for the summer.
Thank you to Living Well Kent Collaborative for taking the reins on this long-standing Kent tradition. Also, thanks to the Kent Lions for managing the market for so many decades.
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Congratulations to the AJAC Advance Manufacturing Apprenticeships Class of 2025!
Friday, we celebrated the graduates including employees of Kent companies Tri-Tec Manufacturing and Hexcel.
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Our next Green Kent volunteer event is tomorrow at the Green River Natural Resources Area!
The GRNRA provides flood protection, surface water treatment, and a place for residents and visitors to recreate. Plus, it is home to over 200 animal species and is lush with trees, plants, flowers, and shrubs!
The work completed here will be essential to keep this natural area beautiful, healthy, and thriving. Come and work alongside Kent Parks staff to remove blackberry and give back to the community through hands-on conservation!
Sign up as a volunteer today! MyKentParks.com/GreenKent
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Congratulations to our June Employee of the Month, Leah Bryant!
Leah joined the Parks Department on January 18, 2022, as an Accounting Technician. She became an Operations Analyst on May 16, 2022, and was promoted to her current role as a Grant and Accounting Analyst on March 1, 2025. In this position, she handles a range of complex professional and analytical accounting duties.
Leah was nominated for her commitment to growth, learning, and meaningful contributions to the department. She leads with patience and compassion, consistently supporting her colleagues while balancing her own workload. Her dedication shines through in the way she trains and mentors others, always taking the time to ensure everyone feels heard, respected, and supported.
Her career progression reflects her drive for excellence, and her ability to empower others has strengthened the entire team. Leah truly embodies our core values. Congratulations, Leah, and thank you for all that you do!
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 Have you signed up for the 2025 Kent Cornucopia Days 5k?
Join us on Saturday, July 12 at Three Friends Fishing Hole.
Walk or run with family and friends.
Participants age 60 and over run for FREE courtesy of Long Painting.
Learn more about the race and register online today at MyKentParks.com/CornucopiaDays5k.
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If you don't yet have plans to celebrate the 4th of July this year, come on down to Lake Meridian Park for our annual SPLASH event, happening from 5-10 p.m.!
This year we'll have an official city-sponsored fireworks display as well as live music, food trucks, and more. It will be tons of fun.
Be sure to check out the details and share with your family & friends!
With the 4th of July approaching, just a reminder to everyone that all forms of personal fireworks are illegal in Kent. Kent City Code 13.05 prohibits fireworks and was adopted following a voter majority vote on Advisory Proposition 1 in 2015.
You can report fireworks violations by calling the Kent Police Non-Emergency line at 253-852-2121. Please do not use 911 to report unless there is an immediate safety concern.
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ReCode Kent is a city initiative to update zoning and development standards to align with state mandates.
These changes are meant to improve the supply, types, affordability and quality of housing options.
- These changes won't affect your existing property or ownership
- Zoning is being updated to units per lot instead of acre
- Types of zones are being simplified
- Zones are being updated to require higher density and more units near transit
- The zone you live in may be changing, but you don't need to do anything.
Check out the interactive map which highlights zoning changes by parcel (site) level at bit.ly/4mAP22w.
There’s still time for you to provide input! Check out the draft ordinance and let us know what you think. bit.ly/4mlgWzg.
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Copper theft is a serious issue that affects everyone in the Kent community. Intentional cable cuts cause significant disruptions to network services.
If you see something, say something. Report suspicious activity to law enforcement by calling 911.
Customers can always check for outages or address common service issues at xfinity.com/status or the Xfinity app. Video produced by Comcast.
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Here's the recap on what the Kent City Council has been working on! It was a busy week with lots of important items to attend to.
You can also see the full meeting agendas, minutes and livestream recordings on our website.
At Tuesday's Kent City Council meeting, our Charitable Contributions Committee presented a check to Sound Generations.
Sound Generations is the largest provider of comprehensive senior assistance services for aging adults and their loved ones. They connect older adults and adults with disabilities to vital resources in their communities by providing food security, transportation, and assistance services. #WeAreKent
City employees raised $1750 for the organization! Thank you to all of the city employees who donated to the event.
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Also, at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, I had the honor of recognizing the 135th anniversary of Verity Lodge.
For well over a century, Verity Lodge has been a part of Kent’s story, promoting service, community, and the values that strengthen our city. Congratulations to the members of Verity Lodge on this incredible milestone and thank you for your ongoing commitment to our city.
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This week, Chief Padilla introduced two new members of Kent PD, Corrections Officer T. Klair and Police Officer A. Mendoza Chavez.
Corrections Officer Klair was born and raised in Washington. With a background in respiratory therapy, she’s now pursuing her passion for law enforcement and is especially excited about our CO-to-PO career path.
Officer Mendoza Chavez is a first-generation college grad, currently earning his degree in Criminal Justice at UW. A former long-haul truck driver, he was inspired to join KPD after connecting with us through social media and our Community Police Academy.
They now begin the next phase of their training. Please join us in welcoming them both to the Kent Police Department.
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Thank you to everyone who joined us for this week’s Speaker Series event.
It was an honor to welcome Dr. Terrence Roberts to Kent and hear his powerful reflections and personal story. His story was a reminder that understanding where we’ve been helps guide where we’re going.
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 Applications are still 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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Living Well Kent has brought their Farmers Market downtown! This is a community driven market, increasing access to fresh, healthy, and culturally relevant produce to our community.
📅 Every Saturday until September 13
⏰ 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
📍 2nd Ave between Smith and Gowe
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 Kyle, Josh and Tracy go GREEN!
Green Kent that is. Listen in as Margaret Wagner, Kent Parks Natural Resources Coordinator talks about the Green Kent volunteer events and how you can get involved!
Listen now on:
🔊 Apple Podcasts apple.co/3J2UMkd
🔊 Spotify spoti.fi/3GNCeli
🔊 Amazon Music amzn.to/3jjaOvU
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 The KentWorks app lets you access information and improve your neighborhood and community by reporting non-emergency issues to the city. You can request a service, report a problem and find information about the City of Kent all from your mobile device in just a few taps!
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