don’t know what Aplets and Cotlets are but we still buy them for our tourist friends. We do have a whimsical side and have a college whose nickname is the “Fightin’ Geoducks.” Some of our neighbors have slugs for pets. They don’t do many tricks, but then they don’t take up a lot of your time walking them either. Federal Way as an area is very old, but we are still in the infant stages of learning to be a city. Like every suburban community, we have about 200 people who are active in everything and many were born and raised here. Without them, we wouldn’t have come this far. But we are changing. We have over 100 different languages spoken here and most of our residents were born somewhere else. Our school district has gone through some difficult times recently and while those may not be fully in the past yet, we have some really good teachers, staff and parents to help us. We are more working class than rich but we have hopes and dreams. We want to be a regional player and changing our comfort zone from looking inward to looking outward may not be easy. But with our geography between two ports, that is where our economic future is. We want a real city center that fits the needs of a city with 90,000 residents, a place that draws the community together for parades and celebrations. City Hall, the police station and the courts would be a nice addition to downtown. So will a large park or green space. We will have a Performing Arts and Conference Center soon, although many of our residents think there might be higher priorities. Some worry that the fragile nature of the financing plan will be a problem in the future but we hope it isn’t. Sometimes, the city and the business community will agree, sometimes they won’t, and that check and balance is healthy for civil discourse. Our July 4 celebration is a good family activity. FUSION is one of many charitable events that help the less fortunate. We have some beautiful assets in PowellsWoods Garden, Dumas Bay, Celebration Park and the Community Center. We have stunning views of Puget Sound and there is no better place in the world to be in the summer than here. Our summer is the last week in August. Be sure and plan ahead. We just elected Jim Ferrell as our second full-time mayor. He shows a lot of promise. It wasn’t a fun election and we have a ways to go in how we handle difference of opinion. Some healing is still needed. We have a local newspaper. It’s called the Mirror, because for better or worse it reflects our community with all its shining success and glaring imperfections. You will like it here. Like most of us, you chose to live here and that gives us all a community of purpose that will bind us even in our disagreements. Welcome Becca, glad you joined us!
Bob Roegner, a former mayor of Auburn: bjroegner@ comcast.net.
[ DAWSON from page 4]
is a standard I hope this city holds me to as well. I can assure the Federal Way community that I will strive to make your voices heard on issues that will affect you and your families. I will investigate; I will ask the hard questions. While I may not live here - I’m currently hanging out in the city of the Seahawks Training Facility, or Renton — I do have a beautiful soon-to-be-10-year-old sister and energetic 4-yearold brother who do live in Federal Way. Because of this, I already care deeply about a city I’m just getting to know. So, send me your story ideas, introduce yourselves so that I can begin to scratch the surface of the 92,000 people who live here. Everyone has a story.
spectful. There are, indeed, alternatives to a full-time education at Todd Beamer. Both of my sisters enrolled in the Running Start program at Highline Community College; my oldest sister has graduated and is currently attending Washington State University, while my twin sister will graduate from Highline within the year. Enrollment at the Puget Sound Skills Center is also an option for students who would like to take different avenues of education. I have a respectable understanding of what these programs offer and I acknowledge the outstanding benefits of each, but the time spent away from Todd Beamer may skew the perception of what it really is. Upon reading “What I didn’t learn at Todd Beamer High School,” I was disappointed in the approach taken as what I assume was
shows me that the district wants to find the best ways to teach its students, but the unfortunate results of the implemented programs seem to outweigh the honorable intentions in the eyes of many individuals of the Federal Way community. Yes, I know that Todd Beamer High School and the school district are quite far from perfect. There are definitely things that need to be changed, but while people with the urge to make those changes are simply complaining about them, it is evident that too few people are taking the necessary actions. Complaining about what a person did not learn in high school when he or she has been away from the school for the past two years, unwilling to see the progress that the school has made with the great dedication of a revived student body and
an attempt to create change, but I believe, while it only serves as a tool to inform others, it lacks essential factors of making a real impact unless action is taken. Being a “grammar enthusiast,” I also took pride in pointing out the few errors in the submission. It displeases me that generalizations are made about our district when the perspective is amplified from a short sample of experiences at Todd Beamer. Let me tell you, every single teacher in this district has a passion for teaching. Every administrator is dedicated to the safety and well-being of our schools. The school board, collectively, strives to further the education of our community with the best intentions. Regardless of their efficiency or the corresponding test results, they are here because they love students and want
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Rate
Points
Fees
SammamiSh mortgage 30 15 10 20
yr yr yr yr
fixed fixed fixed fixed
4.125 3.125 2.875 3.750
% Down
APR
425-401-8787
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4.126 3.195 2.989 3.805
(A) (B) 3015 112th Avenue, NE, Suite 214, Bellevue, WA 98004
$165,000 loan amount
Loan Program
Rate
Monthly Payment
1 yr ARM 5/1 ARM 15 yr fixed 30 yr fixed
3.13% 3.21% 3.38% 4.29%
$707.27 $714.47 $1,169.86 $815.57
$435,000 loan amount
Loan Program 30 yr jumbo
Rate
4.31%
Monthly Payment $2,155.25
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Lenders, to participate in this feature caLL Bankrate.com @ 800-509-4636 Legend: The rate and annual percentage rate (APR) are effective as of 5/23/14. © 2014 Bankrate, Inc. http://www.interest.com. The APR may increase after consummation and may vary. Payments do not include amounts for taxes and insurance. The fees set forth for each advertisement above may be charged to open the plan (A) Mortgage Banker, (B) Mortgage Broker, (C) Bank, (D) S & L, (E) Credit Union, (BA) indicates Licensed Mortgage Banker, NYS Banking Dept., (BR) indicates Registered Mortgage Broker, NYS Banking Dept., (loans arranged through third parties). “Call for Rates” means actual rates were not available at press time. All rates are quoted on a minimum FICO score of 740. Conventional loans are based on loan amounts of $165,000. Jumbo loans are based on loan amounts of $435,000. Points quoted include discount and/or origination. Lock Days: 30-60. Annual percentage rates (APRs) are based on fully indexed rates for adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). The APR on your specific loan may differ from the sample used. Fees reflect charges relative to the APR. If your down payment is less than 20% of the home’s value, you will be subject to private mortgage insurance, or PMI. Bankrate, Inc. does not guarantee the accuracy of the information appearing above or the availability of rates and fees in this table. All rates, fees and other information are subject to change without notice. Bankrate, Inc. does not own any financial institutions. Some or all of the companies appearing in this table pay a fee to appear in this table. If you are seeking a mortgage in excess of $417,000, recent legislation may enable lenders in certain locations to provide rates that are different from those shown in the table above. Sample Repayment Terms – ex. 360 monthly payments of $5.29 per $1,000 borrowed ex. 180 monthly payments of $7.56 per $1,000 borrowed. We recommend that you contact your lender directly to determine what rates may be available to you. To appear in This Table, call 800-509-4636. To reporT any inaccuracies, call 888-509-4636. • http://heraldnet.interest.com
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Raechel Dawson began at the Federal Way Mirror in May. Contact her at 253-925-5565 ext. 5056 or rdawson@fedwaymirror.com.
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to enlighten young minds. The way we learn may not be entirely satisfactory, but what we have the ability to learn is endless. The claim that money and statistics are the only things that make our educators work each day is grossly miscalculated. I understand that there have been, currently are, and always will be mistakes in an education system. I want all to understand that writing about how awful it may be will do nothing in comparison to its alternatives. Change of an institution is most effective, not through hatred of its standing, but through the support of its potential. Instead of attempting to tarnish the reputation of the school board and hard work of dedicated students, one should encourage constant improvement. Clayton Regehr, Federal Way
1051891
[ ROEGNER from page 4]
May 30, 2014 [5]
www.federalwaymirror.com [ LETTERS from page 4] faculty, is unfair and disre-
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