federal way mirror, december 21, 2011

BY ANDY HOBBS

[email protected]

By all accounts, it’s tougher for single-parent households to survive, es-pecially in today’s economy.

In Federal Way, almost one out of three single par-ents are likely to live in pov-erty. About 37 percent of Federal Way’s nearly 33,000 households are headed by a single parent with children under age 18, according to the city’s consolidated plan. In King County overall, that number is 27 percent, and for Washington state, it’s about 31 percent of households.

“A lot of single parents, mostly women, have faced some kind of trauma,” said Pam Taylor, development director at Valley Cities, a non-profi t behavioral health center that serves Federal Way and South King County. “Divorce is a trauma unto itself.”

Single parents can face steeper obstacles in meeting the fi nancial demands of a household, and oft en lack support for fl exible child care and transportation.

“If you have a sick kid, somebody’s got to watch them,” said Taylor, noting that single parents miss more days of work. “It’s a web of things that add up to make it really tough.”

Higher shares of single-parent families occur in areas with large minor-ity populations like South King County, according to a report by Dick Morrill, University of Washington professor and urban de-mography expert.

Other areas with more single-parent families include Indian reservations and military bases. On the other end of the spectrum, affl uent suburbs have the lowest share of single-par-ent households.

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MIRRORYOU’LL LIKE WHAT YOU SEE IN THE MIRROR | 50¢

SPORTS | Decatur boys basketball falls to Foss; Gator wrestlers win [8-9]

COMMUNITY CALENDAR | Check out these Federal Way holiday happenings [3]

VOL.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2011

OPINION | Bob Roegner: Top political chuckles from 2011 [4] Nandell Palmer: Good health is the ultimate holiday gift [4]

SCENE AND HEARD | Readers share their photos of Federal Way faces [6-7]

LETTERS | Topics include human services and Bally tennis court closures [4 and 10]

CRIME BLOTTER | Man calls police, asks to be arrested. Plus: Booze n’ methadone [3]

Demographic represents 1 in 3 households

[ more SINGLE, page 2 ]

[ more CUTS, page 2 ]

Struggles of single parents

State recycles more and wastes lessBY GREG ALLMAIN

[email protected]

Washington’s recycling rate bumped up to 49 percent in 2010, just 1 percent short of a goal set by state lawmakers in 1989. Th at 49 percent puts Washington well above the national average of 34 percent.

According to the state Depart-ment of Ecology (DOE), Washing-ton residents are recycling more and throwing away less. In 2010, the total amount of municipal recycled waste increased 14 percent, with 540,000 tons recycled in 2010. Th e total amount of waste disposed by households and businesses con-tinued a downward trend in 2010, dropping by 65,000 tons — 1 per-cent less than 2009, the DOE says.

One number that was down in

2010 was the total amount of waste being diverted from disposal, going from 54.8 percent in 2009 to 54.3 percent in 2010. Th is drop comes from construction and demolition related materials being disposed instead of recycled.

Laurie Davies, program manager for DOE’s Waste 2 Resources pro-gram, said this decline is attributed to a slow attrition of DOE staff .

“Our program has increasingly focused on keeping these materi-als out of landfi lls by following the statewide solid and hazardous waste plan,” she said. “We continue to struggle with declining staff re-sources to carry out our state plan.”

Recycling of organic materials, plastics and electronics increased in 2010. Increased awareness of how to recycle organic waste, such as yard

debris and food scraps, accounted for half the increase in recycling. Th e DOE notes that less aluminum and paper were collected for recy-cling in 2010 than in other years.

Th is increase in recycling means that Washington state “avoided emitting 3.1 million tons of green-house gasses into the atmosphere.” Recycling also saved the equivalent of conserving 1.3 billion gallons of gasoline. According to DOE, that amount can “power 1.5 million homes for a year.”

“Reducing and recycling waste have economic, environmental, and public health benefi ts for our states residents,” Davies said. “It protects our water, reduces our exposure to toxic chemicals which lowers health risks, and can build a clean, green economy for Washington’s future.”

Debbie Horne’s original oil paintings are on display through Jan. 4 at Dumas Bay Centre, 3200 SW Dash Point Road. Selected as part of the Federal Way Arts Commission’s 2011 gallery program, the exhibit features a dozen works,

including “Lilies, Lemons and Hydrangeas” (pictured left) and “The Brothers” (above). Horne lives on Lake Dolloff and works as a para-educator and ELL instructor for Federal Way schools. Exhibit hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, with weekend hours depending on Centerstage shows. To learn more, call (253) 835-2000. COURTESY PHOTOS

Dumas Bay Centre displays Federal Way artist’s work

BY GREG ALLMAIN

[email protected]

With the state Legislature only shaving $480 million from an approximate $2 bil-lion state budget shortfall, Gov. Chris Gregoire shared her offi ce’s ideas on more areas where state govern-ment could be trimmed and money could be saved.

Th e state has consolidat-ed agencies and eliminated positions amid more than $10 billion in reductions to current and projected state spending.

“It’s been made clear — state government can’t do it all. We can’t aff ord to,” Gregoire said.

One of Gregoire’s con-tinuing reforms would be to privatize the state lottery. Th e governor feels the private sector should see if it can operate the lotto at a lower cost than the state. According to the state, any savings achieved by this would still be funneled toward education funding through the Washington Opportunity Pathway program. Th at program is aimed at increasing the eff ectiveness of early learn-ing programs and higher

Private lottery? Gregoire keeps on cutting

RECYCLING INFEDERAL WAY: LEARN MOREBusiness recycling: The Federal Way Solid Waste and Recycling Division is seeking applications for the annual Leadership in Recycling Award until Dec. 31. This award recognizes local businesses that in-crease recycling, reduce waste and employ other sustainable practices. Visit www.cityoff ederalway.com/recycling.

Styrofoam block recycling: Free dropoff for clean white Styrofoam block recycling Dec. 26 to Jan. 13 in Federal Way City Hall parking lot, 33325 8th Ave. S. Call (253) 835-2771 or visit www.cityoff ederalway.com/recycling.

Child car seat recycling: Free dropoff for unusable, expired and/or recalled child car seats from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Fed-eral Way Community Center Health and Safety Fair, 876 S. 333rd St. Call (253) 835-2771 or visit www.cityoff ederalway.com/recycling.

Debbie Horne

[2] www.federalwaymirror.comDecember 21, 2011

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Single parents often run into economic and emo-tional trouble not because of one particular trauma, but when traumas pile up, Taylor said. It starts with a divorce or unemployment, which can snowball into losing a home or falling into depression, for example.

Poverty further compli-cates these life situations. According to the city’s con-solidated plan, 31 percent of Federal Way households headed by a single female with children under age 18 were in poverty. For King County, the overall figure is 27 percent.

The poverty line is de-fined as the minimum level of income needed to secure life’s necessities.

“Poverty generates all kinds of different prob-lems,” Taylor said. “You’re always put in a position to always ask for help. It has a tendency to put people in a position of powerlessness.”

One indicator of an area’s poverty is the rate of free and reduced meals in schools. The Federal Way School District reports that as of June 2011, nearly 56 percent of students receive free or reduced price lunch-es. Olympic View and Mark Twain elementary schools have a rate of nearly 83 percent. These schools are located in areas of Federal Way where the percentage of low- to moderate-income households exceeds 51 percent, according to the city’s report.

On that note, black and Hispanic households have a slightly lower annual medi-an household income (just over $40,000) than Asian (approaching $60,000) and non-Hispanic white households ($60,000-plus), according to the report. The National Kids Count Pro-gram estimates that in 2009, black families comprised 67 percent of single-parent households, and Hispanic families comprised about 40 percent.

About 13.6 million single parents live in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Those single parents are raising 21.2 million children, or about 26 percent of chil-dren under age 21.

[ SINGLE from page 1]

education programs.

“I want to see if the state lottery can be managed for less money through the private sector,” Gregoire said. “If it works, it could provide more funds to support critical education programs.”

With the recent passage of Initiative 1183, which took liquor

sales out of the state’s hands, Gre-goire said the liquor board is no longer needed as a state-funded group. Instead of a three-person board, Gregoire hopes a single director can manage the issue.

“We don’t need a paid board for a system that will be mostly in private hands,” she said. “If a board is needed, it should be voluntary, like the gambling and

lottery commissions.”The governor announced she

will issue an executive order to get all state agencies abiding by “Lean process improvements,” a system designed by car manufacturer Toyota to “increase efficiency, decrease waste and use data to confirm results.” Several state agencies are already in the process of implementing these techniques.

All of these changes come as part of the governor’s Direc-tive 11-18, which ordered state agencies to “find savings through smart use of cellular communica-tions, state vehicles, home assign-ment and personnel procedures.” Other examples of the state trying to reduce its costs include:

-newal notices for a driver’s license

and vehicle licenses to save $1 million in the current biennium, and $5.3 million in future biennia

replacing vehicle license plates from seven years to 10, to save $1 million in the current biennia, and $4 million in future biennia

-endars for state agencies, a move designed to save $30,000 annually

[ CUTS from page 1]

Following is a sample from the Federal Way police log:

At 12:34 a.m. Dec. 18 in the 1900 block of SW 309th Place, a man called 911 requesting to be taken to jail. According to the police report, the police attempted to find the man in a number of locations, but were unsuccessful.

At 5:14 a.m. Dec. 18 in the 4700 block of SW 320th Street, a man was involved in a car accident. According to the police report, the man had to be extricated from the vehicle by South King Fire and Rescue. The report notes that the man admitted to drinking and tak-ing methadone earlier in the day before the accident.

On December 18, At 8:40 a.m. Dec. 18 in the 2200 block of SW 330th Street, a man’s adult son had shown up at his residence unex-pectedly. According to the report, the man’s son informed him he was going to be a grandpa. The report notes the son was given permis-sion to stay the night, but that the father eventually decided to kick him out of the house. At that point, an argument ensued, prompting police to arrive and calm down the situation.

At 9:35 a.m. Dec. 18 in the 33000 block of 4th Avenue SW, five people reported their mailboxes had been broken into overnight. According to the report, the esti-mated damage to the mailboxes was approximately $500.

car: At 10:26 a.m. Dec. 18 in the 33000 block of 17th Place South, a victim reported her vehicle had been broken into through a rear passenger side window. According to the report, the victim’s Xbox was

in the back seat, and was stolen from the vehicle.

arrest: At 10:48 a.m. Dec. 18 in the 34000 block of 28th Place SW, a man and his 16-year-old daugh-ter were in an argument. According to the police report, their argu-ment was non-violent, but a check of the daughter’s name revealed an existing warrant for her. The daughter was arrested and booked into the King County Juvenile Hall.

[3]www.federalwaymirror.com December 21, 2011

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Joseph E. Fenwick•

Age 93, Born October 23, 1918 in Cambridge, OH. Passed away December 13, 2011 in Federal Way.

Joseph graduated from Ohio State University with a B.A in Electrical Engineering. He lived in the Chicago

area and retired from Motorola where he was in Radar Development. Joseph has lived in Federal Way since 1974. He is preceded in death by his first wife Bernice. Joseph is survived by his wife of 18 years Elsie; daughter and son-in-law Valerie and Robert

Little, 2 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. Memorial service 1:00 PM December 29, 2011 at

Foundation House, 32290 – 1st Avenue S., Federal Way.

Memorials are suggested to the Franciscan Hospice.

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CRIME

ALERTThis week’s…

UPCOMING EVENTSPinocchio: Centerstage The-atre presents “Pinocchio,” another traditional Eng-lish Christmas “Panto,” a fun-filled musical for all the family. It’s loud, boisterous and full of music, and audience participation is encouraged. Show runs through Dec. 23 at 3200 SW Dash Point Road. Visit center-stagetheatre.com.

Gift wrapping: Bring your gifts to Mud Bay Pet Supplies (near Trader Joe’s), 1706 S. 330th St. from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 23, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 24. Paper, ribbon, etc. will be provided. Dona-tions will be accepted by Cascade Animal Protection Society, an all-volunteer, no-kill shelter.

Candlelight Christmas: Federal Way United Methodist Church will

host caroling and treats at 7 p.m. Dec. 23, with “A Child’s Christmas”

at 5 p.m. Dec. 24 with storytell-ing, drama, music. Services

are 7 and 9 p.m. Dec. 24. Visit fwumc.org.

The anti-corporate pro-

test started by Occupy Wall Street in New York City has

reached Federal Way. Email [email protected].

The Fed-eral Way Senior Center at 4016 S. 352nd St. offers morning and afternoon computer classes. To register, call (253) 839-5418.

Seminar for parents to manage childhood anxiety will run 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Jan. 7 at 33600 6th Ave. S., Suite 212, Federal Way. Led by Sally Baird, Ph.D. To register, call (253) 952-4366.

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR


Critical human service needs in FW

It is a well-known fact that South King County has been faced with critical human service needs in 2011.

Due to the economic down-turn, our human service agen-cies are seeing more and more women, children and men facing desperate situations, as their op-tions for safety and support are shrinking. Th ere is an increase in calls for critical, life-saving

services, shelter and basic needs. As needs increase, there are less resources for help.

FUSION (Friends United to Shelter the Indigent, Oppressed, and Needy), a local volunteer-based non-profi t, has witnessed an increasing demand for housing and support services this past year. More and more families have faced loss of jobs, home foreclo-sures and an increase in domestic

violence during these tough eco-nomic times. FUSION has been blessed with a dedicated core of over 160 volunteers that give their time to provide 16 fully-furnished housing units.

Th e board of directors and vol-unteers work tirelessly throughout the year to raise suffi cient funds to provide support services contract-ed through Catholic Community Services — the key ingredient

for a successful transition from homelessness to self-suffi ciency.

Over the past 18 years, at least 80 percent of the families we have served have successfully moved on to permanent housing, becom-ing stable and self-suffi cient.

We obviously could not provide these basic needs and support to needy families without the com-munity’s generous support.

Recently, King County Council-

man Pete von Reichbauer secured a $20,000 grant from the King County 2012 budget to support FUSION’s mission. His actions clearly refl ect his understanding of the impact of the economic recession on our community’s most vulnerable residents. Th is funding will allow us to continue to provide support services to homeless families and hopefully increase our ability to meet the ever-growing demand for ad-ditional housing. We appreciate Pete von Reichbauer’s community

Each year, I keep track of political comments and situations readers might fi nd interesting or entertaining. Here are some of my favorites.

In a discussion about improving job opportunities, one local council member said, “What can we do without having to think?”

Sunland Park, N.M., Mayor Martin Resendiz had an unusual response as to why contracts he signed should be in-valid. He said he was drunk. Th e former police offi cer and judge plans to run as a Democrat for Congress. Maybe he can run as the “honest” candidate.

“I had a Rick Perry moment” said a local of-fi cial who couldn’t remember the third of three points he wanted to make. However, that may be better than using the usual phrase “a senior moment” because seniors are starting to get sensitive — and they vote.

Th e Driving Impact Panel of Island County has come up with an interesting way to bring attention to their fi ght against drunk driving. Th ey held a wine tasting party. Proceeds will go into education.

“I haven’t studied the issue, but I have an opinion,” said one erstwhile candidate for city council. Another, who apparently doesn’t like to read, said “the budget is too hard to understand, it should be shorter.” Just a suggestion, but most voters like their candidates knowledgeable and informed. Th at’s so they can explain issues and the budget to the rest of us.

As an example, “to censure or to censor.” A nearby city council voted to “censure” a fellow council member for questionable behavior. However, aft er several citizens complained about the council’s “censoring” the council

member, another council member in an eff ort to be helpful wrote a letter to the editor explain-ing the diff erence between the two words. Some

residents felt they were being told they weren’t very bright.

Speaking of censors, the candidates for the Republican nomination for president may need one. Newt Gingrich said “it was his passion for his country that contributed to his marital infi del-ity.” Th ree times? He posted this helpful clarifi cation to Christian Broadcasting.

Michelle Bachmann said “the hurricane and earthquakes are God’s warning to Washington to cut spending.” One political cartoon noted that God had also sent a drought to the Bible Belt and Bachmann to Minnesota.

“We’re all human here,” said the candidate for mayor of a city south of here, who was charged with theft , fi led for bankruptcy, and had a guilty plea for drug possession. Must be quite a city.

Th e Tacoma mayor said, “I should have chosen my words more carefully,” aft er getting caught suggesting to a group of young Demo-crats that Republicans are racist. Maybe the message should have been “think before you talk?”

If you want one more election, then Whidbey Island is the place for you. Al the Alpaca’s term as mayor is coming to a close. For $1, residents can vote for their pet to replace Al. Th e new mayor will even make public appearances, al-though the speeches are expected to be shorter. It’s a fundraiser for Big Brothers\Big Sisters.

Democratic Congressman Rick Larsen fi red three indiscreet and apparently not very bright staff aides for commenting on Twitter about

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EDITORIAL

BOARDThe Mirror’s editorial board members: Rudi Alcott, publisher; Andy Hobbs, editor; Joann Piquette, retired and community advocate; Matthew Jarvis, business owner; Nandell Palmer, author; Bob Dockstader, retired attorney; Mel West, business owner.

Contact the board: [email protected]

Th e Christmas lights twinkled from the stately tree near the grand piano, bedecked with tinsels and other decora-tive ornaments. Th e Redmond millionaire hardly paid any attention to it.

Instead, he looked up onto the winding staircase inside his sprawling man-sion, hoping to get to the upper fl oors. But for now, that chance to get to the top will remain only wishful thinking.

Less than a year ago, the 50-something man was diagnosed with a rare form of disease, which is terminal. Gone are the power lunches, the cross-country corporate speeches, and his jetting off to distant lands in search of just a little more pleasure. Every day he wakes up, he’s very grate-ful to be alive, not certain when he will take his last breath.

To me, life is defi nitely showing more of the mystery that it is. Money is the least of this man’s problems, yet he can barely eat more than a tod-dler lest he compromise his health.

During the holiday season, there’s a segment of society that is out of work; some cannot fi nd their next meal; those who gave to the food bank last year, are the ones in need this year.

Unlike the aforementioned millionaire, the Christmas tree for some this year will be in its pristine form in the open just like how Martin Luther saw it. Th ese people will have no roof over their head because of foreclosure or otherwise.

As Luther rode home from work on his horse one moonlight night, the light glistened on the ice crystals from fi r trees in the German coun-tryside like starlight. He was so inspired by that sight, that before long he cut down a tree, brought it home and had it lit with candles.

Folks, I have mentioned time and again in this column the joys of having good health. No amount of money can compensate for that. De-spite your not having the fi nancial wherewithal this holiday season to do the things you once did, don’t despair. Know that your circumstances are subject to change.

When in doubt, read some of the inspirational autobiographies of yesteryear. Th e pauper today could very well be the rich man tomorrow and vice versa.

I treated myself three months ago to a gift that can never be bought. I rented “Th omas Mellon and His Times” from the library. I have uncov-ered some of life’s lessons for which I am richer.

Th e Irish-Scottish emigrant came to America when he was 10 with his farming parents. For the most part, he self-schooled himself, not wanting anything remotely to do with farming. He went on to become one of this nation’s noted citizens: attorney, judge, banker, and philanthropist, just to name a few. If you were to strip the dates from some of the things Mellon described in the early

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● L E T T E R S - Y O U R O P I N I O N C O U N T S : To submit an item or photo for publication in The Mirror: email [email protected]. Letters may be edited for style, clarity and length.

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On behalf of Referrals Unlimited, president Trudy Miller (right) presented a $750 donation to Patti Spaulding (left) and Tricia Schug (center) of the Multi-Service Center, which supports thousands of disadvantaged people in South King County. Referrals Unlimited is a business networking group with a membership of more than 40 and has been meeting in Federal Way since 1994. COURTESY PHOTO

Networking group donates to Multi-Service Center

Earlier this month, Federal Way resident Beverly Triplett wrote a letter to The Mirror about a tree decorated by an unknown person on South 336th Street on the Weyerhaeuser campus in Federal Way. Tracey Galland of unincorporated King County sent this photo of Santa visiting the tree last Friday night. COURTESY OF TRACEY GALLAND

Santa visits mystery tree

AROUND TOWNArt history: High gothic and renaissance art will be the topics for a weekly art history class that runs Jan. 17 to Feb. 28 at Village Green Retirement Campus in Federal Way. Cost is $55 for non-residents, $40 for residents. To register and learn more, call Jane Fitch at (253) 952-7714.


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Food drive seeks Federal Way volunteers in JanuaryFight hunger: Volunteers are needed for the Federal Way Diversity Commission food drive in January. The commission is hosting the food drive Jan. 14, in conjunction with the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. Donations will be collected between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and will benefi t the Multi-Service Center’s Federal Way Food Bank, which is one of the largest food banks in South King County. Volunteers are needed to help staff the Federal Way area grocery stores for this year’s drive. To learn more or sign up, contact Brook Lindquist at (253) 835-2401 or brook.lindquist@cityoff ederalway.com.

This Christmas season will be happier for homeless clients of Reach Out Federal Way

men’s and women’s winter shelters thanks to volunteers from the current Advancing Leadership Youth class who helped assemble Christmas bags. The ALY class has chosen Reach Out to help for One Day Federal Way this year and is planning a community walk in February. (Back row l to r): Amy Johnson, ALY team project coordinator, Herman Brewer, Jordan Crahan, Raley Rewa, Kayla Rhodes and Caleb Dawson. (Front row): Diana Graddon, Alaina Burck, Dannielle Dowd and Alice Stevenson. COURTESY OF NANCY JAENICKE

Reaching out to Reach Out

County warns of email scamFROM STAFF REPORTS

King County is warning residents of an apparent email scam. Th e email is in regards to property tax pay-ments, and is a false confi r-mation that a payment was received. According to the county, these emails have been sent to people in other states and countries. Th e county says these emails have not been sent by the county, and that none of the county’s systems have been compromised.

A spokesman reiterated that the county’s electronic systems are well protected.

“We have robust protec-tions on all of our informa-tion technology systems,” he said.


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AY Decatur boys fall to No. 9 Foss in overtime

Decatur senior guard Dom Hunter dribbles the ball during the Gators’ 77-68 overtime loss to the Foss Falcons Friday night in the Gatordome. Hunter finished with 20 points to lead the 4-3 Gators. CASEY OLSON, The Mirror

Falcons outscore Gators 11-2 during OT; Eagle boys lose first SPSL South game of the season to Curtis

BY CASEY OLSON

[email protected]

The Decatur Gators boys basketball team came very close against the ninth-ranked team in the state Friday night, but couldn’t put away the Foss Falcons. The Falcons (5-0) outscored Decatur, 11-2, during overtime to win the game, 77-68.

The game was tied 66-66 at the end of regulation after a back-and-forth second half inside the Gators’ home gym.

Decatur (4-3) had three players score in double figures, led by the 20 of senior guard Dom Hunter. Jeff Bartley fin-ished with 17 points and Markus Rawls chipped in 12 points. Foss was led by 23 points from Marcus Chambers.

The Gators jumped out to a quick 18-12 lead after the first quarter. But Foss came back to take a 37-35 lead at halftime.

Federal Way — The seventh-ranked Curtis Vikings were too much for the Eagles Friday night, 64-50. It was the first loss in the SPSL South by Federal Way.

The Eagles (3-4 overall, 3-1 SPSL South) jumped out to a 17-6 lead early in the second quarter, but couldn’t hang on. The Vikings (5-1, 4-1) used a 16-4

BY CASEY OLSON

[email protected]

The Decatur Gators continued their impres-sive early season by winning the prestigious, 34-team HammerHead Invitational at the Kitsap Sun Pavilion in Silverdale.

The win at the HammerHead comes just a week after the talented Gators won the 16-team Hurricane Harris Invitational in Federal Way.

Junior Rowland Gaydosh was the lone Ga-tor to bring home an individual title in the

170-pound division from the Kitsap Sun Pavilion. But Deca-tur did use its depth to win the team title.

Gaydosh, a state tournament veteran, breezed through the bracket with three-straight pins to advance into the semifi-nals. The 170-pounder then beat Emerald Ridge’s Cayle Williams, 16-5, to reach the title match against Eastmont’s Darin Hardgrove. After wrestling

to a 4-4 tie after three rounds, Gaydosh earned the first point in overtime to win 5-4.

The Gators also got a second-place finish from junior Nick Karis at 160 pounds. Karis, also a state vet, was pinned by Mercer Island’s Blake Johnson in the champi-onship. Karis earned the title

shot by squeaking by Gig Harbor’s Ben Small in

Wrestling: Gators cruise to another tourney title

Rowland Gaydosh K.W. Williams

run during the second quarter to cruise to the victory.

Junior Brayon Blake led Federal Way with 17 points and 13 rebounds and D’Londo Tucker finished with 13 points.

The Eagles tried to comeback, cutting the Curtis lead to six early in the fourth quarter. But the Vikings finished the game on a 16-7 run.

Beamer — The Titans blew away Graham-Kapowsin, 70-44, Friday night. Beamer broke the

game open by outscoring the Eagles, 19-5, during the second quarter.

The Titans got 21 points from Roosevelt Jones, 17 from Thomas Rhodes and 12 from Juwan Flow-ers.

GIRLS BASKETBALLThe Thomas Jefferson Raiders got the best of

the Decatur Gators, 62-42, Friday night in a non-[ more BASKETBALL page 9 ]

[ more WRESTLING page 9 ]

Thomas Jefferson High School is offering the Raider Basketball

Winter Clinic for boys and girls in second through eighth

grade. The camp will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 21 and 22. The cost is $25 per

day. The camp is run by TJ head

coach Kyle Templeton inside the school’s gym. Players will need to bring their own sack

lunch and all registration will be done at the door the day

of the camp. Payments can be made by cash or checks made

out to Federal Way Public Schools.

For more information, call Templeton at (206) 518-0503

or email [email protected].

Sports contact: Casey [email protected]

or (253) 925-5565

JEFFERSON HOSTING WINTER BASKETBALL CLINIC ON DEC. 21-22


league contest at TJ. The Raiders (3-5 overall, 1-4

SPSL North) got 23 points from Christy Kullberg and 14 from Jada Piper during the win. A’yesia Rogers led Decatur (1-3 overall) with 21 points.

Jefferson led just 14-13 after the first quarter. But the Raiders outscored the Gators, 15-6, in the second quarter to take a 10-point halftime lead.

Beamer — The Titans (5-3 overall, 2-3 SPSL South) used a strong third quarter to get by the Graham-Kapowsin Eagles Friday, 41-31. Beamer outscored Graham-Kapowsin, 15-5, during the third to break a 16-16 halftime tie.

Senior Meghan Graf led the Ti-tans with 15 points and Megan Huff and Megan Lindgren both finished with eight.

Federal Way — The Eagles rolled over the Curtis Vikings Friday night, 57-29, in University Place.

Federal Way (4-1 overall, 4-1

SPSL South) outscored Curtis, 22-8, during the first quarter and led 35-12 at halftime. The Eagles were led by the 20 points of senior point guard Darah Huertas-Vining. Huertas-Vining is averaging 23.4 points a game and has scored in double figures in all of Federal

Way’s games, including 31 dur-ing a loss to Emerald Ridge. Her low game is 14 during a win over Bethel.

Raven Benton ended up with 18 points during the win over Curtis and freshman Mariyah Vongsaveng finished with seven points.

the semifinals, 5-4. Junior Kyle Gleed earned

a third-place medal at 285 pounds after losing to eventual champion Kyle Lanoue in the semifinals.

Gleed, a state vet, pinned Graham-Kapowsin’s Alex Boynton in the third-fourth match.

Decatur’s only other placer at the HammerHead was senior Nick Lindholm at 126 pounds. Lindholm ended up fourth after winning five out of six matches.

Thomas Jefferson senior K.W. Williams remained unbeaten on the season by winning the 195-pound title at the HammerHead. Williams, who lost in the 189-pound state title match last year, cruised to four-straight wins Saturday, including a 7-0 win over Olympic’s Caleb O’Halek in the championship.

FEDERAL WAYThe Eagles also picked up

a tournament title Saturday when they won the nine-team Barry Knott Invitational at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle.

Federal Way tallied 196 points, 30 ahead of second-place Liberty.

The Eagles got individual titles from Anthony Pena (113 pounds), Daniel Song (120) and Jessy Leifi (285).

Federal Way’s Trenton Shaf-lik (106), Luiz Alberto Bravo (126) and Khalil Weston all lost in championship matches.

BEAMERThe Titan girls finished in

eighth place at the Rogers Holiday Tournament Satur-day thanks to an individual title from Arian Carpio. The freshman won the 112-pound bracket with a pin of Yelm’s Courtney Gray in the title match.

Sports Briefs: Three Eagle football players named All-State

Decatur junior guard Markus Rawls keeps the ball away from a Foss defender during the Gators’ 77-68 loss Friday in the non-league game in Federal Way. CASEY OLSON, The Mirror

[ BASKETBALL from page 8] [ WRESTLING from page 8]

BY CASEY OLSON

[email protected]

Three Federal Way High School seniors were named to the Associated Press’ Class 4A All-State Team last week. Defensive tackle Uso Olive, middle linebacker Jordan Pulu and safety D.J. May received the honor by sportswriters from around the state.

Olive is a Portland State-commit and might be the strongest player in the state of Washington. The 6-foot, 310-pound Olive can bench press 455 pounds and can toss away opposing offensive lineman like flies.

The senior finished third in the South Puget Sound League South Division in tackles for loss with 12 during the regular season. Olive’s presence in the middle of the Eagle defense helped Federal Way give up just 11.7 points a game, which was far-and-away the best in the SPSL.

Pulu was a first-team, preseason all-state selection and didn’t disappoint. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound middle linebacker was a beast in the middle for the Eagles’ defense and will play next fall at Washington State University. Pulu was named the SPSL South Division’s Linebacker of the Year by the coaches.

Pulu led Federal Way in tackles with 61 in nine SPSL games for an average of 6.8 a game. He had 50 solo tackles and a high game of 10.5. Pulu broke his ankle during the Eagles’ playoff opening win over Sno-homish and was held off the field during their state loss to Eastlake.

May was more known for his exploits on the offensive side of the ball for the Eagles. As a running back, he totaled 1,288 yards on just 123 carries, including 21 for touch-downs despite missing two games because of a rib injury. He was a first-team, All-SPSL South selection for the second year in a row and will play college football next year. He has received offers from schools like Idaho, Eastern Washington and Idaho State, among others.

As a defensive back, May tallied three interceptions and ran two back for touch-downs.

Thomas Jefferson senior K.W. Williams was an honorable mention pick as an all-purpose player on offense.

Williams led the entire SPSL in rush-ing yards with 1,282 yards during the nine league games. Williams was the first-team, All-SPSL North quarterback and the divi-sion’s offensive back of the year. He also became the third quarterback in SPSL his-tory to rush for 1,000 yards and throw for 1,000 yards during the season. He finished with 1,111 yards with 11 touchdowns. In total, he accounted for 26 touchdowns in nine games.

will hold open tryouts on January 21-22, 2012, at the team’s training fields at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila. Tryouts will be con-ducted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

The tryouts are open to male soccer players ages 18 years and older. Tryouts will feature small-sided as well as 11v11 games.

Players will be assessed by members of

the Sounders FC technical and coaching staffs, including Head Coach Sigi Schmid, General Manager Adrian Hanauer and Technical Director Chris Henderson. In addition, other approved assessors will oversee the tryouts including goalkeeper coaches.

“We continue to seek the best domestic and foreign talent that can help the Sound-ers be more successful on the pitch,” said Sounders FC Technical Director Chris Henderson. “Anytime a player has a chance to perform in front of a professional coach-ing staff with hopes of pursuing his lifelong dreams, it is very exciting.”

The registration cost for each player is $125. Space is limited and will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.

To register, visit SoundersFC.com/open-tryouts.

Once applications are accepted partici-pants will receive email notification.

will be making their way to Federal Way next summer and tickets are now available for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials — Diving.

The Trials will be held June 17-24 at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center. More than 100 of the nation’s best divers are expected to vie for 16 spots on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team in London. The Trials will include men’s and women’s individual events in 3- and 10-meter com-petitions, plus men’s and women’s synchro-nized events at both heights.

Federal Way, which also hosted the div-ing trials in 2000, was selected by USA Div-ing, in conjunction with the United States Olympic Committee, over Indianapolis.

“This is great news for Federal Way and the entire Seattle metro area,” Gov. Chris Gregoire said. “It means increased tourism for our region. It puts a spotlight on our corner of the world. And, after the state be-ing such a great partner with the Vancouver Olympics, we’ll be part of the success of the 2012 London games as well.”

Tickets will be priced at $135 for an all-session pass and $100 for finals-only. Single session seats will be priced at $35 for the finals, $25 for semifinals and $15 for preliminaries. Reserved tickets will be $100 for all sessions, $75 for finals and single-session seats will be $25 for finals, $15 for semifinals and $10 for prelims. General admission tickets are $15 for finals, $10 for semis and $5 for prelims.

Purchase tickets today at ticketmaster.com. Only All-session ticket packages are on sale with finals-only and single sessions to be released at a later date. For ticketing for groups of 20 or more, call (206) 461-5865.

The King County Aquatic Center is no stranger to hosting national and interna-tional events. It was constructed to host the swimming and diving portions of the 1990 Goodwill Games and has been the home to more than 50 competitions annually.

NBC owns broadcast rights for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, giving this event and the Puget Sound region national media exposure.

Federal Way High School senior D.J. May was one of three Eagles named to the Associated Press Class 4A All-State Team last week. Also included were seniors Uso Olive and Jordan Pulu. CASEY OLSON, The Mirror


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days in Pennsylvania when people were losing their prop-erties left, right and center, you would believe he was talking about 2011. It goes to show that things come in cycles. The biggest factor in making a lot of us distracted is our quest to keep up appearances. We would go to great lengths to ensure that we wear the right clothes and drive the ideal car. Nothing is wrong with those things if they don’t mentally strangle you at night.

There’s something radically wrong with the idea of people running about overspending at the last minute to get a basket-ball jersey for Little Gerald or a Kindle for Aunty Sarah. These gifts, obviously given from compulsion because you will

be thought of differently, earn you no points whatsoever in the long run.

Acts of kindness have a shelf life that go on for generations. Therefore, the little things you do today for somebody who cannot repay you for your deeds, could position you for something 10 times greater in the future.

If you can help to make a difference in somebody’s life this holiday season, please do so. For a few hours, just forget about what you don’t have and make a mark of kindness to those that are less fortu-nate. Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noel. Happy holidays one and all.

Federal Way resident Nandell Palmer is president of Write A Blessing Media: [email protected].

“drinking on the job” and their “idiot boss.” On the other hand, who hired them?

NASA recently announced that a new planet, Kepler 22b, has been discovered. As if that announcement will placate those of us who miss the much more regal sounding Pluto.

And lastly, the Tea Party was formed because some voters were disillusioned with the Democratic and Republican parties. According to the New York Times, a new group has been formed in response to the

Tea Party and their “uncivil” behavior. It’s the Cocktail Par-ty: a group of “unconcerned citizens, stirred and sometimes shaken into action in defense of the American spirit.” Their slogan is “join us under our tiny umbrella.”

Given the likely nature of politics in 2012, membership in the Cocktail Party may increase.

Happy holidays and thanks for reading.

Federal Way resident Bob Roegner, a former mayor of Auburn, can be reached at: [email protected].

awareness and ability to work with his colleagues to address the needs of those less fortunate in Fed-eral Way and South King County. Councilmember von Reichbauer has worked hard to increase ser-vices to our residents struggling to get their most basic needs met.

On behalf of the FUSION board of directors and the families we serve, thank you to the City of Federal Way, businesses, churches, service organizations, individuals and volunteers who have assisted FUSION in anyway throughout the past year. By working together, we are able to assist homeless families, giving them hope and the ability to realize their dreams of a stable and secure future. Thank you so much!Peggy LaPorte, Federal Way (founder of FUSION)

Standards based grading system

I understood that students are complaining that the system is making them fail and some of them were going to respond by...missing class. I know that the par-ents are not happy with the system, and I am one of those parents. Do we have an explanation of where standards-based grading has worked in the country, and where it’s been tried and failed?

I am also wondering about where the Federal Way high schools stand academically in comparison to other high schools of the state of Washington. In talking to the principal at my son’s

school, I get one answer. Listening to the school board, I get a second answer. I’m just wondering if the state of Washington has any way of ranking the high schools, and where Federal Way specific high schools rank. I ap-preciate any help you can give me, and hopefully this would be the start of an interesting article about the new grading policies.Scott Jablon, Tacoma

Boo to LA Fitness and Bally tennis closure

I read the article printed in Dec. 14 issue in regard to Bally tennis players. My wife and I were mem-bers of Bally for the past 20 years. The first time we were made aware of Bally’s closure was when I at-tempted to renew my membership online and was advised that Bally had sold out to LA Fitness.

My wife and I went into LA Fit-ness, located at 35009 Enchanted Parkway. We sat in the lobby with other Bally members waiting to speak with a representative. During that time, several members of Bally had told us their horror stories in trying to get their memberships transferred to LA Fitness.

One couple in particular told us that they were lifetime members at Bally, but LA Fitness told them that only one of them would be allowed to be a member and the other would have to pay a one-time enrollment fee of $300 down and $39 per month.

To say the least, they where livid. We had sat down with the manager

of LA Fitness, and had explained to him that my wife just received a notice in the mail from Bally that her membership had lapsed and that she could renew it at her

present rate of $99. However, when she attempted to do so online, it would refer her to LA Fitness.

We explained our dilemma to the manager at

LA Fitness as he sat eating his lunch in front of us. He explained

to us with a smirk on his face, in-forming us that it is an unfortunate problem for my wife, but it is not his problem.

He continued to say that “this is Bally’s problem, not ours, we only took the members who were current.” He said that if LA Fitness took all Bally’s members who were in the middle of a renewal, LA Fitness would have backed out of the deal. He stated that if my wife is interested in a membership, it would cost her $340 down and $3 per month. He continued by saying sorry, but I have to get to the other Bally’s members and give them the bad news as well, as he smiled.

I feel that LA Fitness is nothing more than a money machine and could care less about satisfying existing clients of Bally’s, and now has found a gold mine in raping Bally’s members by forcing them to sign up for an outrageous member-ship. Maybe the Attorney General’s office should look into this.Ken Harris, Federal Way

Editor’s note: Due to limited print space, more Federal Way letters can be found on-line at federalwaymirror.com

[ ROEGNER from page 4]

[ PALMER from page 4]

[ LETTERS from page 4]

FEDERAL WAY

LETTERS

www.federalwaymirror.com Dec 21, 2011 [11]www.nw-ads.com

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The Federal Way School DistrictAs required by King County Public Rule Document No. ELE 9-2 and RCW 29A.32 and as authorized by the Federal Way Public Schools Board of Directors, community members are needed to serve on a committee(s) to prepare arguments for the voters’ pamphlet advocating approval of the district’s Educational Programs & Operating Levy and/or Capital Levy on February 14, 2012.The committee size is limited to three people, and statements are limited to 200 words. If you are interested, please contact Sally McLean at 253-945- 2042 or email [email protected]. Deadline for re- sponding is 4:30pm on December 20, 2011. Com- mittee appointments will be made on December 22, 2011.FWM1834First Date of Publication December 17, 2011Last Date of Publication December 21, 2011

The Federal Way School DistrictAs required by King County Public Rule Document No. ELE 9-2 and RCW 29A.32 and as authorized by the Federal Way Public Schools Board of Directors, community members are needed to serve on a committee(s) to prepare arguments for the voters’ pamphlet advocating rejection of the district’s Educational Programs & Operating Levy and/or Capital Levy on February 14, 2012.The committee size is limited to three people, and statements are limited to 200 words. If you are interested, please contact Sally McLean at 253-945- 2042 or email [email protected]. Deadline for re- sponding is 4:30pm on December 20, 2011. Com- mittee appointments will be made on December 22, 2011.FWM1835First Date of Publication December 17, 2011Last Date of Publication December 21, 2011

City of Federal WayREQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

City Hall Espresso CartI. PURPOSE OF REQUEST.The City of Federal Way (“City”) is requesting proposals for the purpose of operating an espresso cart in the City Hall main lobby. The City’s needs are outlined in the following Request for Proposal (“RFP”).II. TIME SCHEDULE.The City will follow the following timetable, which should result in a selection of a contractor by De- cember 30, 2011. Issue RFP 12/17/11 Deadline for Submittal of Quotes 1 2 / 2 8 / 1 1 @ 2:00 PM Notify Contractor Chosen 12/30/11III. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS. A. All proposals shall be sent to: Jeri-Lynn Clark, Accounting Technician ICity of Federal Way33325 8th Avenue SouthFederal Way, WA 98003-6325(253) 835-2526Option: fax quotes to: (253) 835-2509 or e-mail to:Jeri- [email protected] All questions directed to Steve Ikerd, Parks and Fa- cilities Manager at (253) 835-6911 or Jason Ger- wen at (253) 835-6962 B. All proposals hand delivered must be in a sealed envelope and clearly marked in the lower left-hand corner: “RFP - “City Hall espresso cart “ or fax quotes to: (253) 835-2509 or e-mail to: Jeri- [email protected] All quotes must be received by 2:00 p.m., Dec 28, 2011 on the provided quote sheet, at which time they will be opened or reviewed. C. For a complete “RFP - “City Hall espresso cart” please go to the City of Federal Way website www.cityoffederalway.com/bids FWM1838Date First Published: December 17, 2011Date Last Published: December 21, 2011

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H O L I D A YB U F F E T

federal way mirror, december 21, 2011

Documents

percent of households

singleparent households

singleparent families

percent short

percent of federal ways

lot of single parents

lowest share of single

single parents