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PUBLISHER’S NOTE | The Mirror will print once a week starting in 2012 [5]
VOL. 13, NO. 391
MIRROR
F E D E R A L WAY
DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
OPINION | Editorial: Election endorsement recap [4] Hobbs: Veterans and food trucks [4] Letters: Candidates and more [4] CRIME BLOTTER | Man breaks wrist on mailbox during fight, police log says [3] JOB CREATION | Company forecasts local job creation with medical businesses [3]
SPORTS | Federal Way fighters make SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2011 noise in MMA and boxing arenas [10]
CALENDAR | Upcoming events include holiday concerts and donation drives [2]
Police unions reject city health care package Mayor says decision jeopardizes jobs and savings BY GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
Three unions that represent the Federal Way Police Department voted no on changing health care providers for city employees. The
change, which would have saved the city nearly $619,000 with all parties on board, will now save approximately $300,000 — a result that will cost jobs, according to Federal Way Mayor Skip Priest and the city.
The city had been talking with staff and administrators since the summer regarding a change in health care providers. Federal Way is currently a part of a consortium through the Association of Washington Cities (AWC), and will strike out on its own as a cost savings measure. As part of that
change from consortium member to independent entity, Federal Way will also change from Regence to Group Health Cooperative for employee health benefits. Priest expressed his disappointment at the three police unions — the Police Officers Guild, the Lieutenant’s Police Association
and the Police Support Services Association — not coming along with the change. Priest took the chance to admonish them for not standing together with the city and the rest of its employees. “It turns out, quite frankly, that I was overly optimistic in thinking [ more UNIONS, page 13 ]
War bookends pilot’s military life Governor’s budget means losses here
Career included combat in Vietnam and Afghanistan
is so high with this budget proposal, it should be called the Public Safety in Peril In recent weeks, Gov. proposal,” Priest said in a Christine Gregoire released prepared statement through a preliminary budget that the city. “We’re already slashed many vital struggling to fund social programs police. The goverthroughout the nor’s proposal just state. Many of makes the difficult these cuts would impossible.” trickle down to the According to local level. the city, the elimiFederal Way nation of the two anticipates a posliquor streams sible $1.3 million would result in additional budget “We intend to make the loss of $87 our voice heard on million to local shortfall if the governor’s budget this issue, on what I law enforcement recommendations call a rash proposal funding stateare passed. wide. Another by the governor.” During the $59 million is Federal Way Mayor Nov. 1 Federal threatened by Skip Priest Way City Council proposed cuts to meeting, Mayor city and county Skip Priest shared his law enforcement agencies, thoughts on what the state’s along with the court and budget could mean for jail support systems. Federal Way. Federal Way Police Chief “We’re talking about Brian Wilson was also un(the governor’s) proposal happy with the proposals. to eliminate the sharing of [ more BUDGET, page 13 ] liquor profits and liquor excise taxes, as well as (the) elimination of support for local courts, jails and prosecuting attorneys,” he said. Priest said that $1.3 million loss from the state would directly impact the city’s law enforcement budget. According to the city, that would result in the loss of approximately 12 Federal Way Police Department positions. 6 89076 19979 7 “The potential for harm BY GREG ALLMAIN
gallmain@fedwaymirror.com BY ANDY HOBBS editor@federalwaymirror.com
As an army helicopter pilot in Vietnam, Gene Krueger had nerves of steel — or as he would say, he was young and stupid. On Dec. 2, 1969, Krueger came to the assistance of a downed Marine crew, piloting a UH-1H helicopter into an area under attack. “Despite the hazards of gusting winds, intense enemy fire and lack of visibility due to nightfall, Chief Warrant Officer Krueger succeeded in keeping the aircraft at a stationary hover below the tree line,” the official report said. “He maintained his position until ordered to vacate the area due to the intense enemy fire from at least five different locations.” For that act of bravery, Krueger earned one of two Distinguished Flying Crosses. He performed a similar death-defying extraction in June 1969: “He lowered his aircraft into the dense jungle with only inches of clearance and held his position until the team was secure and ready to be lifted out… He displayed superior fortitude as intense enemy fire was directed at his aircraft.” Krueger said his most frightening moment in [ more KRUEGER, page 7 ]
VETERANS DAY OBSERVANCE Local veteran Gene Krueger will be the keynote speaker at the second annual Honoring Our Own, a program that pays tribute to military veterans in the Federal Way area. The event will run 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at Todd Beamer High School, 35999 16th Ave. S. The event is sponsored by the Noon Kiwanis Club of Federal Way and the Historical Society of Federal Way. To learn more, contact (206) 412-5545. Pictured above: Federal Way resident Gene Krueger pilots a UH-1H helicopter in Vietnam in this 1969 photo. Right: Krueger holds a compilation of daily journal entries from his tour of duty in Afghanistan. On the cover are his wife, Sharon, and four daughters. ANDY HOBBS, The Mirror