Eastside Digest
Assault, animal cruelty net man 6-month term

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BELLEVUE — A King County Superior Court judge sentenced a 25-year-old Bellevue man to six months in jail after he pleaded guilty earlier this month to assaulting his girlfriend and killing her 6-week-old kitten.

Arturo "Art" Federico was charged with fourth-degree assault domestic violence and first-degree animal cruelty in August. Charging papers say his girlfriend at the time saw him repeatedly throw her kitten down on the bed while in a drunken rage. Twenty minutes later, Federico began pushing and choking his 20-year-old girlfriend before locking her out of the apartment they shared, the papers say. The girlfriend later found her cat dead.

On Friday, a judge ordered Federico to complete domestic-violence batterers' treatment and alcohol- and substance-abuse treatment in addition to serving his sentence, said King County prosecutors' spokesman Dan Donohoe. Federico will spend two years on probation after his release and pay a $1,000 fine, Donohoe said.

County Council approves deal to preserve 36 forested acres

KIRKLAND — The Metropolitan King County Council yesterday approved a three-way deal that will save 36 forested acres in Juanita from development.

Two years ago, the state Department of Natural Resources proposed selling the property for use as single-family homes. But local residents raised money through the Denny Creek Neighborhood Alliance in hopes of preserving the woodlands.

Under the terms of the deal, the county will pay the department $7 million for the land from conservation funds. The neighborhood alliance will then give the county $500,000 to help offset costs.

Information is from the Eastside bureau of The Seattle Times.

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company