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SPORTS | Marine Hill Swim Club dominates All-City meet [7]
VOL. 18, NO. 34
MIRROR
F E D E R A L WAY
DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
OPINION | Letters: Community reacts to proposal for ex-Weyerhaeuser campus [4] Roegner: A fish wareshouse? [4]
BUSINESS | Students tour local pharmacy Key Compounding [10]
ELECTION SEASON | Local FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 | 75¢ election updates in one place [8]
BLOTTER | Burglars hit victim in face with Playstation [15]
Orca Bay Seafoods will move headquarters to Federal Way Details of proposed new facility emerge BY RAECHEL DAWSON
rdawson@fedwaymirror.com
Documents filed with the city of Federal Way appear to show the Renton-based Orca Bay Seafoods, Inc., will move its headquarters to Federal Way. That is, if the citizens let it. The city of Federal Way
has been flooded with letters, 30 of which were obtained by the Mirror, where writers protested the development of a 314,424-squarefoot warehousing, distribution and processing center located on a forested portion of the former Weyerhaeuser campus. “The whole thing stinks,” wrote Federal Way resident Ann Hardwicke. “By the way, has anyone asked if this
The former Weyerhaeuser campus. File photo kind of facility does give off a stink?” The applicant, Chill Build Seattle, is proposing
the 19-acre site, which will hold Preferred Freezer’s 239,000-square-foot freezer warehouse with offices and docks. An additional 75,000 square feet of seafood processing, offices and dock space will be for Orca Bay Seafoods. The proposed site is located on two parcels, with the addresses 33700 32nd Ave. S. and 3120 S. 344th St., in Federal Way. In a joint announcement
from the two seafood companies, Orca Bay Seafoods CEO Ryan Mackey said “the move to Federal Way and partnership with Preferred Freezer Services provides us an ideal opportunity to improve our operational efficiency and flexibility by consolidating our Bellevue and Renton locations.” Preferred Freezer is headquartered in New Jersey and already operates in 37
locations nationwide. It’s estimated the two seafood facilities will provide 300 new jobs. The proposal includes plans to relocate four of eight small wetlands on or near the property for a total of 8,000-square-feet of land. Developers are working with the Army Corps of Engineers, which is in the [ more ORCA, page 3 ]
Marine Hills a part of Mitch Stewart’s dominant tennis legacy BY JEROD YOUNG jyoung@fedwaymirror.com
It’s good to be the king. After claiming state championships in 2012 and 2013 for Federal Way High School and being the tennis prodigy all Eagles players aspire to be, Mitch Stewart is creating a whole new legacy at the University of Washington. In just his first two seasons with the Huskies, Stewart has expanded his trophy case and his legend in Seattle with notable wins, including winning the singles title at the Jack Kramer Invite. His skills on the court are unquestioned, but it’s his spirit, attitude and drive that make him the leader Washington will need to compete for a championship in 2016.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Even though he now makes his home in Seattle, when Stewart closes his eyes he can still describe every distinct detail of the Marine Hills Swim and Tennis Club. It’s where the student learned to become
the master. “It’s two very small tennis courts that are pretty rundown,” Stewart said. “It’s old, it’s dirty, the nets are all messed up.” Lisa and Jerry Stewart have lived in Federal Way for upwards of 23 years now. Stewart said he didn’t have the luxury of growing up with private coaches and lessons, but it turns out he didn’t actually need any of that. His older brother Jake, who’s four years older than Mitch, was all Stewart needed. Mitch grew up watching Jake, who also enjoyed the game, and watching his older brother inspired him to try his own hand at tennis. “When I got old enough, I just wanted to do whatever he did,” Stewart said. “I followed him into it, and he took me out to this scarylooking place, but he’d hit with me, and I kind of owe all of this to him. I give it all to my brother, that’s for sure.” Stewart graduated from the courts at Marine Hills to those at Federal Way High School. He says top athletes in the sport typically won’t play for their high school team because of a lack of quality competition, but
Stewart decided to play for the Eagles because he knew the coach through family friends and knew he’d receive quality coaching. The pre-existing relationship allowed Stewart to play loose and have fun, which resulted in two state championships and one doubles championship. He peaked during his sophomore season, catching the eye of University of Washington tennis coach Matt Anger in the process. “I first saw him at 14,” Anger said. “But it wasn’t until he was 16 that I watched and learned that he really had some physical tools that were just incredible. I knew if we could get him, help him improve his shots, the sky’s the limit for Mitch.” By the end of his senior season at Federal Way, Stewart ranked as high as third in the national Rating Percentage Index, and the college offers came screaming in.
THE ONLY CHOICE THAT MADE SENSE
When Stewart’s time at Federal Way came to an end, he said the next step in his playing career was clear: He was going to be a Husky, and he committed at his first opportunity.
Mitch Stewart celebrates after the Huskies defeat Cal-Poly. Photo courtesy Scott Eklund, Red Box Pictures He was also recruited by Alabama, UCLA and Oregon. Looking back on it now, Stewart wishes he could have gone through his own version of “The Decision,” but he said everything turned out the way he’d hoped. Washington, to him, was the perfect fit. “They were the perfect option for everything I was looking for,” Stewart said. “Now that I’ve been here for two years, It’s been clear I made the right decision.”
THE PEST IS PUT TO
REST
Once Stewart completed the task of becoming a Husky, a lightbulb came on: The swag is free now. Stewart said he began blowing up Anger’s phone with calls and texts about when he could get his hands on the free merchandise. “He just would not quit until he got answers on when he would get some gear,” Anger recalled. “He wasn’t even on campus yet and he was constantly asking about the gear.” Anger decided to have a little fun with the incoming
BEST BRAKE VALUE
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freshman: He told Stewart he would receive his gear the first day of practice. The day arrived, and Stewart showed up expecting to be showered in purple and gold attire. But when he arrived in the locker room, Stewart was met with some bad news. “Coach called me over and was like, ‘Stew, your stuff had to be placed on back order,’” Stewart recalled. “He said it would be a couple days until it could get here. I was shocked, and [ more STEWART, page 2 ]
PROMISE
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