.com
LIGHT RAIL | Chamber, school board, others take stance on light rail extension route [3]
VOL. 17, NO. 22
MIRROR
F E D E R A L WAY
DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
OPINION | Editorial: Step up to serve Federal Way [4] Roegner: Long-term vision sorely needed on light rail route [6] CITIZEN OF THE MONTH | P.E. teacher Tom Wallat gets kids, families moving [11] BUSINESS | Best Western hotel owner to turn 100 in July [12]
Sports | Todd Beamer fastpitch FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015 | 75¢ earns state playoff berth [8]
POLICE | Walkers find dead body on beach [13]
Police seek suspects who fatally shot man in Federal Way BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ editor@fedwaymirror.com
F
ederal Way police are searching for two suspects — one who is considered armed and dangerous —involved in a fatal shooting on Saturday morning. At approximately 2:10 a.m., police received multiple 911 calls of shots fired in the area
of 1400 S. 304th St. Upon of the victim. Douglas arrival, officers located was treated at the scene Martin A. Douglas, a and later died of his 53-year-old Tacoma man, injury at Harborview who had a gunshot wound Medical Center. to his head, lying in the Witnesses reported driveway at the locahearing two gunshots Anthony Espinosa and saw two men runtion, according to Cathy Schrock, police spokesning away from the woman. scene eastbound. Police A 32-year-old woman living at conducted an extensive K-9 the residence is an acquaintance search but could not locate the
suspects. However, following the preliminary investigation, police have developed probable cause to arrest 26-year-old Michael Anthony Espinosa, also known as “Joker,” for murder, Schrock said. The victim got into a verbal dispute with the suspects in the driveway of the residence over a prior incident. The details of
this dispute are unknown at this time. The second suspect has not been identified. The weapon is still outstanding. Police describe Espinosa as 5 feet, 8 inches, he is bald and has a thin mustache. He also has multiple tattoos, including the word “Lokos” above his right [ more SUSPECT, page 13 ]
Centerstage’s future unclear, pending negotiations with city BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ editor@fedwaymirror.com
Honoring the fallen The Kiwanis Club of Federal Way and the Historical Society of Federal Way sponsored the first Federal Way Memorial Day observance at Todd Beamer High School on Monday. The Federal Way Chorale, Harmony Kings and Jet Cities Chorus sang a medley of patriotic songs during the event. In addition, youth from all four high schools participated. Photos courtesy of Bruce Honda
Over 800 emails from Centerstage supporters flooded the City Council’s inbox last weekend, urging city officials to allow the theatre to continue operating the city-owned Knutzen Family Theatre. Mayor Jim Ferrell and city staff notified Centerstage on May 20 that the city decided to allow the contract to expire with the theatre, which has operated the Knutzen Family Theatre at the Dumas Bay Centre since 2009. Instead, the city said it would manage and operate the theatre in-house and requested that Centerstage vacate the theatre when the contract expires on June 30. However, the massive emails and a letter from the Centerstage board to the city prompted city officials on Wednesday to resume negotiations on a future contract with the theatre. “I am pleased we are moving forward with negotiations towards a new agreement,” said Alan Bryce, Centerstage director. “Centerstage is a tremendous community asset that is recognized regionally for quality theater productions. We want to continue our relationship with the city of Federal Way at the Dumas Bay facility.” The mayor said he was “encouraged” by the progress city staff and Centerstage made during a negotiation meeting on
Wednesday. Ferrell said he will recommend up to a 90 day extension of the current contract to council in order for an agreement to be reached. “Our relationship with Centerstage is very important to our community and our citizens,” Ferrell said. This proposed contract extension will be presented to the Parks, Human Services and Public Safety Council Committee at 5:30 p.m. on June 9 and to the council as a whole for approval on June 16. The extension period would be from July 1 through Sept. 30. Dates and times for negotiation sessions have been tentatively scheduled during this period. Both Bryce and the mayor agree the meeting on Wednesday was a positive step forward for both parties. However, many Centerstage supporters are questioning why the city seemingly “abruptly and precipitously” ceased negotiations initially with Centerstage last week, according to the theatre’s board of directors president Bob Dockstader, who said the move could have been the “death of Centerstage.”
CITY CONTRACTS WITH CENTERSTAGE
Bryce said managing a theater and trying to stay afloat is “a constant battle that you just have to fight to move forward.” Nine years ago, Centerstage struggled [ more THEATRE, page 18 ]
Federal Way rhododendron garden director caught in Indian landslide BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@fedwaymirror.com
While on a plant exhibition, Steve Hootman, the executive director of the
Federal Way-based Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, found himself involved in a landslide that left 1,200 tourists stranded in India on Saturday. None of the 18 “rhododendron enthusiasts” on the tour were hurt. Program and outreach
manager Katie Swickard said the garden was recently notified of the news by Chip Muller, the immediate past president of the Rhododendron Species Foundation, who is also on the exhibition. “[Hootman] goes out on exhibitions to discover new
species to document where particular species occur in the wild,” Swickard said. “There’s a subsequent trip later this year to China.” She said the plant explorers left on May 12 and are expected to return June 6. The landslide blocked three switchbacks in the
main road of north Sikkim, a state in India near the Himalayan Mountains, Muller wrote. The exhibition group was one of the last sets of vehicles to make it through the beginning of the slide. “After spending two full days of exploration of the Lachung and Yumthang
areas of north Sikkim, the group returned to the slide area in six vehicles, which they had to leave north of the slide,” Muller said. The group’s tour agent Sailesh Pradhand hired porters and a bus to help get them out of the area. Police [ more LANDSLIDE, page 2 ]