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WE DAY | Inaugural U.S. event makes an impression on Federal Way students [2]
VOL. 15, NO. 15
Mirror
F E D E R A L WAY
division of Sound Publishing
OPINION | Roegner: Q&A on critical political issues in Federal Way [4] Letters: Federal Way mall needs a new name [4] CRIME NEWS | Police blotter, school lockdowns and armed robbery suspects [3] BUSINESS BUZZ | Food truck owners open a restaurant; pharmacy gets a facelift [6]
SPORTS | FWHS grad Kelyn Rowe will FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2013 | 50¢ play against the Seattle Sounders [15]
Schools await more funding
Update on FWHS site selection By GREG ALLMAIN
Legislative proposals offer clearer view of class sizes and all-day kindergarten
gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
The Federal Way School Board unanimously agreed upon the preliminary siting recommendation for the new Federal Way High School (FWHS). The new FWHS will be located on the southeast corner of the current property, a decision arrived at after numerous meetings and feedback from the community. SRG Architects presented three basic site options — simply named north, east and south sites — last September for the new school on the existing 38-acre site. “All three of those options meet the criteria that we had made then, to maintain the existing stadium, to allow students to stay on-site throughout construction, and to respect the history of the site,” said SRG Architects representative Jane Hendricks at the school board’s April 9 meeting. Hendricks said SRG had looked in-depth at each siting option, and [ more FWHS, page 12 ] YOUR RECIPE: The Mirror seeks great recipes for the inaugural edition of the Let’s Eat restaurant guide. This new section will tell visitors and residents where to eat. Your recipe can be included in this guide. A local gift certificate will be awarded to all recipes picked for this section. Deadline is June 14. Submissions may come from individuals or businesses. Email ralcott@fedwaymirror.com.
NEWSPAPER RACKS: To see a list of rack locations for the print edition of The Mirror, visit federalwaymirror.com/about_us.
CALENDAR | Free live jazz, plus a student rendition of ‘Chicago’ musical [9]
By Greg Allmain gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
State Rep. Roger Freeman (D-Federal Way) is still working in Olympia during his cancer treatment. He is pictured with his mother, Janice Stambaugh, who is visiting from Omaha, Neb. ANDY HOBBS, The Mirror
State rep. battles colon cancer: ‘I’ve always been a fighter’ By ANDY HOBBS editor@fedwaymirror.com
In the fight of his life, Roger Freeman is playing to win. The state representative from Federal Way was recently diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. Doctors discovered the cancer had spread to his liver and his lower lungs. Aside from a bronchial irritation last fall, Freeman had experienced no symptoms. That’s what made February’s diagnosis more shocking, he said, noting a lack of family history with cancer. Freeman, 47, has endured three chemotherapy sessions so far, with nine more to go. He will not have surgery, but without treatment, he would have had four months to live. The chemotherapy has left Freeman tired, and he sleeps more. However, doctors tell him that his blood cell count is high, and he feels no pain. The legislator still shows up for work in Olympia as much as possible. An
RELAY FOR LIFE 2013 Freeman will be a guest speaker at this year’s Relay for Life and encourages the community to participate. The 2013 event begins at 6 p.m. June 7 at Saghalie Middle School, 33914 19th Ave. SW, Federal Way. Dozens of teams will walk the track overnight until noon Saturday to symbolize that cancer doesn’t sleep. Relay for Life also features a community wellness fair with multiple vendors. Last year’s event raised more than $55,000 for the American Cancer Society. To register or learn more, visit www.federalwayrelay.org. electronic pump hangs from his shoulder to send medicine through a tube that’s connected to a port in his upper left arm. Freeman nourishes his body with healthy foods and nurtures his spirit through faith. As a married father with two children, the burden of diagnosis has been difficult to shoulder. [ more FREEMAN, page 13 ]
With the release of Gov. Jay Inslee’s budget proposal, and the Washington State Senate budget last week, Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS) own budget planning is getting a bit clearer. “While we don’t know yet the final outcome of this legislative session, I believe it is safe to say we will see some increase in K-12 funding next year,” said Sally McLean, FWPS Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, during the school board’s April 9 meeting. McLean compared and contrasted Inslee’s budget to the Senate budget, looking at four major components that the state is obligated to fund in the wake of last year’s State Supreme Court decision in McCleary vs. State of Washington. Those are expanding all-day kindergarten; K-3 class size reductions; materials, supplies and operational
costs (MSOC) increases; and basic transportation funding. “In our state, 22 percent of the poorest students are served in all-day kindergarten,” she said. “The governor’s budget proposes increasing that to 50.7 percent…The Senate budget released that at a lower amount, but still at an increase at 30 percent.” In terms of Federal Way, Inslee’s budget would allow the district to offer all-day kindergarten in 14 of the district’s 23 elementary schools, while the Senate budget would allow that number to increase from six schools to eight. For the K-3 class size reduction, only Inslee’s budget would bring that number down, while the Senate budget would keep it static at one teacher for every 24.1 students. Inslee’s budget would drop that ratio to one teacher per 20 students. [ more SCHOOLS, page 13 ]
Senate budget sets aside $1 billion for education The budget also aims to generate savings by cutting programs while avoiding The Washington State new taxes. State Sen. Senate passed its Tracey Eide (D-Fed$33.2 billion budget eral Way) was among NEWS late April 5, featurnine Democrats who ing no new taxes but voted yes. roughly $1 billion to Earlier last week, fund education. the proposal received Approved by a 30-18 immediate negative feedvote, the Senate’s $33.2 back from state leaders like billion budget sets aside $1 Gov. Jay Inslee and State billion to begin to tackle Superintendent of Public education funding as dicInstruction Randy Dorn. tated by the State Supreme [ more SENATE, page 14 ] Court’s McCleary decision. By GREG ALLMAIN
gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
UPDATE