>>>
>>> NOW
>>> NOW FROM THE AAA TRAVEL ALCOVE, HERE IS MARGARET
LARSON.
LARSON.
LARSON. >>> MEET YOUR MAYOR SERIES
CONTINUES THIS MORNING AS WE
HEAD TO THE THIRD-LARGEST CITY
IN KING COUNTY, WE ARE HEADED
TO KENT.
TO KENT.
TO KENT. AND WE HAVE MAYOR DANA RALPH
WITH US.
WITH US.
WITH US. GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THINGS
GOING ON IN KENT.
>> THIS IS A GIFT I RECEIVED
FROM BLUE ORIGIN.
THIS IS A ROCKET COMPANY.
THEY HAVE 1500 EMPLOYEES IN THE
VALLEY THAT ARE MAKING ROCKETS
THAT COME -- THAT GO INTO SPACE.
THEY BROUGHT ME THIS BACK FROM
THEIR FLIGHT IN APRIL.
>> THEY WENT TO SPACE AND CAME
BACK.
BACK.
BACK. AND
BACK. AND THEY GAVE YOU THAT, THAT IS
AMAZING.
AMAZING.
AMAZING. THAT'S THE TYPE OF THINGS GOING
ON IN KENT.
TELL US ABOUT THE OTHER THINGS.
>> WE ARE WORKING ON REBRANDING
THE KENT VALLEY.
PEOPLE JUST THINKING ABOUT IT BE
DISTRIBUTION IN WAREHOUSES.
THERE'S A TON OF HIGH-TECH
GOING ON.
GOING ON.
GOING ON. WE HAVE BLUE ORIGIN, AMAZON IS
THERE, STARBUCKS.
THERE, STARBUCKS. ROBBINS COMPANY YOU NAME IT.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF EXCITING
THINGS HAPPENING IN THE VALLEY.
>> YOU KIND OF GET STUCK
THINKING ABOUT AN AREA IN ONE
WAY.
WAY.
WAY. WHY
WAY. WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE MAYOR?
>> I HAVE LIVED IN KENT MY
WHOLE LIFE AND I LOVE MY CITY.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
CELEBRATE THE THINGS THAT I
LOVE AND MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT IT AND TO
TACKLE THE CHALLENGES.
>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES THAT YOU WANT TO
WORK ON?
WORK ON?
WORK ON? >> WE ARE THE THIRD LARGEST CITY
SO THAT COMES WITH GROWING
PAINS.
PAINS.
PAINS. AGAIN, BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES
COME UP.
COME UP.
COME UP. WE NEED FUNDING TO MAKE SURE WE
HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO TAKE CARE
OF ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND
-- INFRASTRUCTURE AND HIRE
POLICE OFFICERS.
POLICE OFFICERS. >> OTHER PLACES HAVE SIMILAR
CHALLENGES.
CHALLENGES. SOMETIMES THEY GET FEDERAL MONEY
. THAT MAYORS CAN DO THINGS ON
THEIR OWN.
THEIR OWN. THEY COULD COME UP WITH THEIR
OWN SOLUTIONS.
OWN SOLUTIONS. WHAT ARE YOU THE MOST PROUD OF
FOR TACKLING?
FOR TACKLING? >> I THINK RETHINKING THE OLD
MODEL.
MODEL.
MODEL. THERE ARE 70,000 JOBS THAT ARE
HAPPENING HERE.
HAPPENING HERE. IT IS GOING OUT AND ATTRACTING
THOSE BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT
HAVE GONE TO OTHER LOCATIONS.
WE KNOW THAT KENT IS COMPLETELY
-- CONVENIENTLY LOCATED.
MANY COMPANIES ARE MOVING SOUTH
SO WE ARE IN A GREAT POSITION.
>> DO HAVE A SPECIAL HOPE FOR
THE CITY?
THE CITY?
THE CITY? I KNOW YOU HAVE PLANNED FAR
BEYOND YOU HAVE THAT YOU WILL
BE MAYOR.
BE MAYOR.
BE MAYOR. >> SUSTAINABILITY IS THE
BIGGEST THING THAT WE WANT TO
TAKE YOUR OF OUR POPULATION.
MY BIGGEST GOAL IS THAT THE
REGION AND THE STATE LOOK AT
KENT AND KNOW THAT WE HAVE
GREAT THINGS GOING ON THAT I
REALLY WANT TO GET PAST THAT
OLD VIEW AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT
IS A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO
BE.
BE.
BE. >>
BE. >> AND MAYBE A NEW FEET -- A NEW
FUTURE TOGETHER.
FUTURE TOGETHER. HERE'S A LIGHTNING ROUND.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO INVITE
TO A DINNER PARTY, WHO WOULD
YOU LIKE TO INVITE?
>> OH THAT IS A TOUGH ONE.
OH BOY, MY GRANDFATHER.
LET ME THINK OF SOMEONE FAMOUS.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> HE WOULD BE VERY COOL AT
DINNER.
DINNER.
DINNER. >> WHAT MUSIC IS ON YOUR
PLATELETS THAT WOULD SURPRISE
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. >> METALLICA, GUNS AND ROSES.
[ LAUGHTER ].
>> THOSE ARE MY TWO FAVORITES.
>> I ALSO HAVE MASTER OF
PUPPETS.
PUPPETS.
PUPPETS. SWEET CHILD OF MINE IS MY
FAVORITE.
FAVORITE.
FAVORITE. >> WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GUILTY
PLEASURE FOOD?
PLEASURE FOOD? >> ANYTHING WITH CHEESE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> WERE YOU BORN IN KENT?
>> I WAS BORN IN FARGO, NORTH
DAKOTA BUT I LIVED MY WHOLE LIFE
IN KENT.
IN KENT.
IN KENT. >> HOW OFTEN DO YOU FLOSS?
>> I PLUS DAILY.
I DO.
I DO.
I DO. >>
I DO. >> YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON ON
EARTH.
EARTH.
EARTH. CATS OR DOGS?
>> WE HAVE A DOG BUT I WOU
LOVE A CAT.
>> WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ?
>> OH MY GOODNESS.
THE BUDGET BOOK.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE FUN.
TALKING ABOUT THE HUNTING
TRADITION.
TRADITION. >> WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAD
THE SHOW WHERE 7 YOU CAN GO
THERE TUESDAY, FRIDAYS AND
SATURDAYS AND SEE KIDS THAT
PLAY ON THE HOCKEY TEAM.
>> THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE
TRYING TO MAKE IT TO THE NHL.
>> THEY GO TO SCHOOL AND CAN'T
AND THEN THEY VOLUNTEER IN THE
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. THEY ARE WONDERFUL PART OF THE
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. >> WE HAVE HAD THEM ON THE SHOW
BEFORE.
BEFORE.
BEFORE. THEY ARE GREAT FUN.
THAT WAS AN AMAZING GAME WHEN
THEY WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP.
>> TONS OF PEOPLE CAME OUT TO
CELEBRATE.
CELEBRATE. WE WERE SO PROUD OF THEM.
>> I AM SUPER JEALOUS, YOU GET
THE NEXT PITTSBURGHERS?
>> WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT WE
HAVE A FABULOUS LOCATION UPON
PACIFIC HIGHWAY.
PACIFIC HIGHWAY. I GOT TO GIVE AWAY ORANGE
TICKETS.
TICKETS.
TICKETS. THEY GET TO BE FIRST IN LINE ON
OPENING DAY.
OPENING DAY. >> WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE
COMING TO THE AREA.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A REALLY
GOOD JOB.
GOOD JOB.
GOOD JOB. >> WE LIKE TO CELEBRATE THE
DIVERSITY.
DIVERSITY. WE HAVE A VARIETY OF
RESTAURANTS AND LOTS OF EVENTS
AND LOTS OF GOOD THINGS GOING
ON.
ON.
ON. >>
ON. >> KEEP US POSTED ABOUT THAT
BECAUSE WE LIKE TO KNOW.
WE CAN GO DOWN AND ENJOY SOME
OF THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>>> SHE LIKES METAL