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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011
Soldier spends holidays deployed BY GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
Tanner Weber, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and a 2005 graduate of Federal Way High School, is experiencing his first holiday season deployed.
Weber, currently stationed in Delaram, Afghanistan, says it’s hard to be away from home, but finds the support from home, and the support of his fellow soldiers, to be more than enough. “It’s hard to be deployed during the holidays,” Weber said on the
phone from Afghanistan. “Especially not being around friends and family. It’s weird having a Christmas in a place that’s foreign. Luckily, we’ve got a good group of guys here to celebrate it.” Weber said the buildings at his base in Delaram have decorations,
and that the mess hall has Christmas trees. He and fellow soldiers recently received stockings to help increase their holiday cheer. Along with all those reminders of the holidays, Weber says the occasional holiday song pops up on his [ more SOLDIER, page 8 ]
Look out, Griswolds
School funding: More info on 2 levy proposals BY GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
Kevin and Pam Houck take their Christmas lights seriously. The Federal Way couple decorate their home at 32540 42nd Place SW with up to 45,000 lights. Kevin even decorates his neighbors’ houses, with their blessing, bringing the grand total to almost 85,000 lights. Over the past 19 years the Houcks have lived in their house, the setup has grown a little larger. Installation begins around mid-October, and they turn on the lights on the first Friday in December. The lights will stay on through New Year’s Day. ANDY HOBBS, The Mirror
Pastor clings to life after UPS truck crash BY ANDY HOBBS editor@federalwaymirror.com
Mark Haukaas and his wife, Leeza, on their wedding July 17, 2010. COURTESY PHOTO
VOL. 13, NO. 405
MIRROR
F E D E R A L WAY
DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
OPINION | Hobbs: Federal Way TV guide [4] Firearms Lawyer: Rights to self-defense [4] Letters: School grading system [4]
The pastor of a Federal Way church is slowly recovering from critical injuries he suffered after a UPS truck pinned him to a tree. Mark Haukaas is expected to survive following the accident, which took place about 7:45 p.m. Dec. 14 in the 36000 block of 1st Avenue South. The Federal Way resident was working part time as a UPS helper, delivering packages for the Christmas season. The UPS truck reportedly went over an embankment, ejecting Haukaas before pinning him against a tree for nearly 40 minutes. Rescue crews had to use
the jaws of life. The truck’s driver suffered minor injuries, according to a police report. The Federal Way Police Department’s major accident team responded to the incident and is conducting an investigation. The cause of the accident has not been reported at this time. Haukaas, 53, has been undergoing multiple surgeries at Harborview Medical Center. His injuries include two collapsed lungs, three broken ribs, multiple broken bones in his face, a fractured wrist and a cracked vertebrae in his neck, said longtime friend Margaret Sackett. “He is going to be OK. We think he’s going to live, but he has
a really long way to go,” Sackett said, noting hopeful signs of recovery. “He recognizes when people are there he has been alert at times.” On Saturday, he was alert enough to ask for his wife, Leeza. The couple has been married since July 2010. “He realized his wife was there, and he held her hand for 10 minutes,” Sackett said. “He would not let go of her hand.” About a year and a half ago, Haukaas founded Maranatha Grace Assembly in Federal Way. The church has about 25 members and meets at Lakota Middle School. Don Tuggle will help lead [ more PASTOR, page 2 ]
Federal Way Public Schools seeks approval of an Equipment, Programs and Operations (EPO) levy to continue taxpayer funding for basic education across the district. The district also seeks approval for a capital levy aimed at rebuilding Federal Way High School, along with revamping playgrounds at several elementary schools. Both levy proposals will depend on Federal Way voters in a February special election. Sally McLean, assistant superintendent of financial services, re-iterated the need the district has for the levies during the school board meeting Dec. 13. McLean broke down what the approximately $45 million EPO levy does, and shared an additional component of the capital levy. “Almost 80 percent of that $45 million is spent on what we would consider basic education,” McLean said of the EPO levy. “About 11 percent of our total EPO levy goes to support [ more SCHOOLS, page 2 ]