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CAR CRASH | Man files million-dollar claim after crashing into runaway suspect [2]
VOL. 15, NO. 34
Mirror
F E D E R A L WAY
division of Sound Publishing
OPINION | Editorial: Economic diversity and the consequences of poverty [4] Roegner: Political side of pygmy goats [4] CRIME BLOTTER | Fight starts at church; home invasion suspect goes to jail [3] COMMUNITY CALENDAR | Events include FUSION country concert, Apple Fest [7-8]
SPORTS | Federal Way survivor, 11, gives BUSINESS BUZZ | New consignment shop FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013 | 75¢ back to Make-A-Wish Foundation [13] fills plus-size clothing niche [9]
Driver argues school zone’s legality
Therapy dog brings smiles to St. Francis
City says judge wrongly dismissed photo ticket
The school zone speed enforcement cameras for Saghalie Middle School are located on 21st Avenue SW, along the west side of Fred Meyer.
By ANDY HOBBS editor@federalwaymirror.com
By GREG ALLMAIN
A Federal Way resident’s photo ticket was dismissed after the driver argued the legality of a school zone. Stephen Cramer received a ticket from photo enforcement cameras for allegedly driving 28 mph in a 20 mph school zone on 21st Avenue SW, adjacent to the Fred Meyer. The nearest school, Saghalie Middle School, is located on the opposite side of Fred Meyer along 19th Avenue SW. When contesting his ticket in Federal Way Municipal Court on Aug. 9, Cramer brought a Googlecreated map of the area that showed Saghalie’s border was 1,090 feet from the designated school zone on 21st Avenue SW. He argued a provision of state law in which school speed zones “may extend 300 feet from the border of the school.” With the map as evidence, Cramer argued that there could be no school zone at this location by law, and said the 35 mph posted speed limit applied. The judge pro tempore in this case, Mary E. Lynch, dismissed the $210 ticket. “I think the city should take out the photo enforcement on 21st Avenue SW and refund the money for thousands of citizens,” said Cramer,
gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
Susan Evans and her black German shepherd mix, Jasper, are a regular sight walking through the halls and rooms of St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way. The duo are members of Pet Partners, a non-profit organization run out of Bellevue that provides therapy animals to those who need them. Whether it’s a hospital, a nursing home, or schools, duos like Evans and Jasper bring an unmeasurable amount of happiness to those who find themselves struggling to see the good in their situation. For Evans, the first time she met Jasper was an indication that he might be a special dog. “When we adopted Jasper at six weeks old, it was in a setting where there were many, many dogs, and it was chaotic, and he was very calm,” Evans recalled. “I’ve had dogs all my life, and this was an indication to me that there was something very, very special about him.” Evans said that she realized during the course
Andy Hobbs, The Mirror
Below: This Google map was created by Federal Way resident Stephen Cramer to illustrate the distance between Saghalie Middle School and the designated school speed zone enforcement on 21st Avenue SW. whose alleged violation occurred at 3:03 p.m. May 6. “I personally think it’s just bad government to put in something like this for the sole purpose of collecting money from the citizens.” City spokesman Chris Carrel wrote that the school zone is legal. State law allows cities to place a school speed zone 300 feet in either direction from a marked crosswalk. The Saghalie school zone was established with the marked crosswalk on 21st Avenue SW, Carrel said. “The crosswalk is legally designated by the school district as a safe walking route according to state [ more TICKET, page 20 ]
Electronic cigarettes: Smokers join digital revolution By GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@federalwaymirror.com
[ more THERAPY, page 12 ] NEWSPAPER RACKS: To see a list of rack locations for the print edition of The Mirror, visit federalwaymirror.com/about_us.
E-cigarettes are gaining in popularity as more smokers look for a “healthier” alternative to their habit. Acting as a miniature vaporizer, e-cigarettes transfer nicotine to smokers through water vapor that is mostly odorless. E-cigarettes also give consumers the options of different
flavors for the vapor, ranging from cherry to vanilla to almost any taste one can imagine. Local smoke shop owners are seeing an increase in the demand for e-cigarettes, with their customers citing a desire for that “healthy” alternative — or as a way to quit tobacco and nicotine altogether. “The consumer base is definitely looking to find a
healthier form of smoking,” said Bobby Saberi, owner of Mary Jane’s in Federal Way. “We’re seeing a lot more interest in vaporizers. We’re noticing an increase in sales, and a lot more demand every month.” Anjum Rai, owner of Rai’s Smoke Shop, said his customers have expressed the same sentiments. “People who want to quit (are buying these),
and the other thing is, they say there might be less chemicals in these,” he said. “(With e-cigarettes) they can smoke less. Because, with cigarettes, they have to finish the cigarette. With this, they can take one, two puffs.” Cost concerns may be part of the rise in popularity for e-cigarettes. Disposable e-cigarettes from companies like Blu sell for
$9.99 and, according to their packaging, are good for 400 puffs or so — which equates to about a packand-a-half to two packs of regular cigarettes. “Disposable” e-cigarettes from other companies can run anywhere from $3.99 to that upper limit of $9.99. The full “starter” kit that allows for the customizable flavors typically runs about [ more CIGARETTES, page 6 ]
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See page 9 for more info.