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HELLO DALI | Donor leaves Salvador Dali etching at Federal Way Goodwill [2]
VOL. 14, NO. 47
Mirror
F E D E R A L WAY
division of Sound Publishing
OPINION | Roegner: Democrats can thank marriage and pot [4] Hobbs: Potential impact of a children’s museum in FW [5] CRIME BLOTTER | Mom tries to scare son straight, ends up with court date [3] CALENDAR | Upcoming events include holiday bazaars and Christmas music [8]
SPORTS | FW Eagles fall in state football COME ON DOWN | Federal Way woman is a contestant on ‘The Price Is Right’ [14] FRIDAY, Nov. 23, 2012 | 50¢ playoffs. Plus: Tracking the grads [15]
Protesters aim for Black Friday
Expect wild weather and travel conditions
By ANDY HOBBS
Heavy rain and snow means a flood watch for a bulk of region
editor@federalwaymirror.com
By GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
As one of the busiest travel seasons ramped up for Thanksgiving weekend, Western Washington and the state’s mountain passes were hammered with rain and snow. This week, flood watches were issued for most of Western Washington by the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS warned of mudslides and flooding as a major hazard for the region. The alert from the NWS indicated that “rainfall up to 1.5 inches, with localized amounts near 3 inches…has increased the soil moisture to moderate levels across Western Washington.” The NWS warned that an additional 2 inches of rain by the end of Monday “will put extra pressure on soil instability, leading to a risk of scattered landslides.” For Federal Way, the city’s Surface Water Management Division has a pre-made list of “hot spots” to watch when the rain comes hard and heavy like it did Monday. According to city spokesman Chris Carrel, anyone who experiences issues with rainwater on roadways or other issues in residential areas should [ more WEATHER, p. 14 ] NEWSPAPER RACKS: To see a list of rack locations for the print edition of The Mirror, visit federalwaymirror.com/about_us.
Alex Hinkle as seen on the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail this past summer.
COURTESY PHOTO
Hiker takes on Pacific Crest Trail By Greg Allmain gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
Alex Hinkle undertook an epic hike this past summer when he attempted to traverse the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from the U.S.-Mexico border to the U.S.-Canada border. Starting in Southern California, Hinkle and a few friends he made along the way reached Stehekin, Wash., 84 miles short of the Canadian border, before they were stopped by inclement weather. Hinkle, a graduate of Thomas Jeffer-
son High School and the University of Washington, explained the inspiration for his trip, saying hiking has always been a favorite hobby. “I enjoyed backpacking as a hobby. I wanted to find some sort of activity that I could do over the summer,” he said. “I just wanted to stay on the West Coast and do something close to home and get into the back country and kind of see the West Coast in a different way than I’m used to.” “I’ve lived in the city my whole life,” he added. [ more HIKER, p. 22 ]
The biggest shopping day of the year will double as a statement for employees of the world’s largest retailer. Last Thursday morning, dozens of Walmart employees participated in a protest strike outside the Federal Way store on South 314th Street. Walmart employees from the region walked off their jobs and aired grievances over wages, job safety and health benefits. Walmarts across the nation are expected to see similar protests through Thanksgiving and the Black Friday shopping day. Carrying signs and green balloons, the workers marched toward a demonstration area in front of the store while chanting “Walmart, Walmart, you’re no good, treat your workers like you should.” Several longtime employees of the Federal Way store on South 314th Street voiced their frustrations to the crowd. Aside from poorly resolved conflicts with store management, employee Sara Gilbert said her fellow co-workers face problems such as getting their hours cut and dealing with an overall lack of respect.
A scene from last week’s protest in Federal Way. MIRROR PHOTO “We believe Walmart can do better,” said Gilbert, a mother of five who supports her family on an hourly wage of $11.65 as well as state assistance. “We should not be penalized when we speak up.” The protest was organized by OUR Walmart and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) chapter 21. Employees from Walmart stores in Federal Way, Renton and Lakewood participated. “The UFCW, nationally and locally, has been a longtime advocate for getting Walmart to change its behavior,” said Tom Geiger, UFCW 21 communications director. At last Thursday’s protest, the SPEEA union also donated $2,000 toward the Walmart Striker Support Fund. [ more WALMART, p. 14 ]
Will legal marijuana pass the driving test? decriminalized and the Driving Under the Influence of Drugs For The Mirror mandate will go into place. The first provisions of InitiaMarijuana-friendly critics of tive 502, the measure the law, like Anthony Marlegalizing marijuana for tinelli of the legalization NEWS recreational use at the group Sensible Washstate level, will go into ington, have expressed place Dec. 6, pending concern that the per se election certification later TetraHydroCannabinol this month. limit—5 nanograms per On that date, up to one ounce milliliter of whole blood—will of useable marijuana will be result in unintoxicated citizens By DANIEL NASH
UPDATE
being arrested and convicted for driving under the influence. “Rhetoric and politics aside, the new driving under the influence of drugs policy for THC, which is per se (meaning your blood level, not actual impairment, is the determining factor of guilt), will ensnare innocent individuals, especially patients, and especially those under 21, The passage of Initiative 502 still leaves plenty of for whom it’s a zero-tolerance legal gray areas for marijuana in the state. COURTESY PHOTO [ more MARIJUANA, p. 6 ]