.com
NEWS | Rehab on southbound I-5 begins, will last 18 months before completion [2]
VOL. 18, NO. 13
MIRROR
F E D E R A L WAY
DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
OPINION | Johnson: Women, be kind to each other [4] Roegner: McCarthy, Dorn and Trump [4] NEWS | Parents protest classroom violence outside Green Gables Elementary [3] COMMUNITY | Local students organize United in Greatness youth rally [6]
SPORTS | FWHS player scouted SENIOR | Joan Leonard makes merry music for over FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016 | 75¢ for Philippine national team [10] 80 years [22]
FAA responds to Federal Way’s aircraft noise questions BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@fedwaymirror.com
I
t appears the Federal Aviation Administration can’t do much about the aircraft noise in Federal Way, according to several answers officials provided to questions Federal Way city officials sent months ago. At least not yet.
“It’s still a work in progress,” said Federal Way Chief of Staff Brian Wilson, adding that there’s a meeting between the city and the FAA scheduled at the end of March to work on the aircraft noise issues and get clarification on some of the administration’s responses. After a November 2015 community meeting with
Mayor Jim Ferrell, the city identified common themes and concerns Federal Wayans had about noisy airplanes. The city then submitted about 15 questions to the FAA. These themes included addressing whether Federal Way could “share” the noise load with other areas, if the administration had utilized
“optimized profile descents” as much as possible, whether the south end of the Puget Sound region was getting a fair deal when it came to departures, if there had been any changes to routes, the military’s role in noise and if changes were at all possible. According to the FAA, fanning out departures so
they aren’t always going over the same point isn’t currently possible. The city had asked if there were different points after takeoff when aircraft could turn into their flight routes, but administration officials said making such changes would “cause a safety hazard for the air traffic controllers and potential environmen-
tal impacts to the community.” In fact, “any proposed procedural changes need to be submitted to the FAA Instrument Flight Procedure Gateway,” a process the administration follows to evaluate for feasibility, fly-ability, environmental impacts and whether public [ more NOISE, page 9 ]
City flags lowered Federal Way woman in serious condition, after Brussels attacks man arrested after four-car accident on I-5 BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@fedwaymirror.com
Flags at Federal Way City Hall were lowered to half-staff on Tuesday to honor those affected by attacks in Belgium. JASON LUDWIG, the Mirror BY JASON LUDWIG editor@fedwaymirror.com
Flags adorning city spaces in Federal Way will be lowered through Saturday to honor the victims of Tuesday’s deadly attacks in Belgium. “I am saddened by the images we are seeing out of Brussels,” Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell said Wednesday in a statement. “In accordance with today’s presidential proclamation, I have directed flags on all city facilities to be flown at
half-staff until sunset on Saturday, March 26. “My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victims of this egregious attack on liberty, as well as the people of Belgium.” At least 34 people were confirmed killed, with at least 250 reported injured, after explosions ripped through Brussels Airport and a subway station near the city’s European Union offices. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks.
A 24-year-old Federal Way woman is in serious condition after she was involved in a four-car accident on Interstate 5 Monday night. According to the Washington State Patrol, at around 7:18 p.m., a 34-year-old man from Seattle was driving southbound on the right shoulder of I-5, just north of State Route 18. His 2006 BMW 750 collided with the woman’s 1999 Honda CRV, causing it to roll over. Her vehicle crashed into a Tacoma driver’s 2015 Subaru Legacy, and both of their vehicles came to a rest on the right shoulder. The 56-year-old man driving the Subaru was not injured, but the woman was transported to Harborview Medical Center. After the Seattle man hit the Federal Way woman,
The Federal Way woman’s 1999 Honda CRV after the car accident. Courtesy of Washington State Patrol he continued across I-5 and hit a fourth vehicle, a 2013 Honda Civic, being driven by a 62-year-old woman from Port Ludlow. She had a 26-year-old woman from Seattle as a passenger. Both occupants were transported
to St. Francis Hospital. Their vehicles came to a rest on the left shoulder, and the roadway was blocked for nearly two-and-a-half hours as Washington State Patrol investigated. Troopers believe the
suspect was speeding on the right shoulder of I-5 and, as he re-entered the traffic lanes, struck the woman driving the Honda CRV. Everyone involved in the
Welo’s mental health counselor license is suspended pending legal proceedings. Documents from the department’s license suspension process indicate that “[s]everal of these sexual encounters occurred during their scheduled therapy sessions in [Welo]’s place of business”
and also at various public places such as parked cars and public restrooms. Her license was suspended for unprofessional conduct, sexual misconduct and the finding that Welo “abused a position of trust and violated client/therapist boundaries by engaging in sexual misconduct with a
vulnerable minor child.” Jodi Ryznar, Valley Cities’ human resources director, said the organization became aware of the charges against Welo in January and dismissed her immediately. “We take allegations of
[ more CRASH, page 14 ]
Therapist’s license suspended for sexual misconduct with minor
BY JASON LUDWIG
editor@fedwaymirror.com
The Washington State Department of Health suspended a Federal Way mental health coun-
selor’s license after she was charged for having sex with a 16-year-old client. Tiffany Welo, a licensed mental health counselor who was employed at the Federal Way Valley Cities facility for nine years prior to her dismissal, was arrested on Dec. 31, 2015, and charged in January
with two counts of firstdegree sexual misconduct with a minor. Charging documents state the victim was being treated by Welo between September 2014 and February 2015, during which time Welo had sex with the victim. Their sexual relationship continued until December 2015.
[ more LICENSE, page 9 ]