Federal Way Mirror, October 18, 2013

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CRIME BLOTTER | Traffic at Wild Waves Theme Park leads to wild standoff [3]

VOL. 15, NO. 42

Mirror

F E D E R A L WAY

division of Sound Publishing

OPINION | Roegner: Mayor racks up mixed record [7] Mr. Federal Way: Board drama, healthy sperm, sassy costumes [6] STILL AT LARGE | Police search for suspect in two attempted child abductions [5] CALENDAR | Halloween activities include Fright Fest and the Freaky 5K run [12]

SPORTS | Hall of Fame inductees. Plus: FRIDAY, October 18, 2013 | 75¢ Decatur moving up to Class 4A [33]

ELECTION 2013 | Special section features local candidates for public office [13-24]

School board defends trips

Board removes Moore as president

By GREG ALLMAIN

By GREG ALLMAIN

gallmain@fedwaymirror.com

gallmain@fedwaymirror.com

The Federal Way School Board has defended its recent overseas trips as necessary for the district’s Global Learning Initiative. Last month’s trip to Europe, along with previous trips to China and other parts of Asia by Superintendent Rob Neu and board member Tony Moore, racked up nearly $100,000 in total costs. During the Oct. 15 board meeting, Neu explained the informational/data basis for the trips and the district’s Global Learning Initiative. Neu said that making sure students are internationally minded, with the skill sets to ensure success in the new global economy, is absolutely essential. The superintendent referenced a book called “Sixteen Trends, Their Profound Impact on Our Future.” The trends Neu highlighted included: • For the first time in history, the old will outnumber the young.

In a 3-2 vote, with the deciding vote coming from the man himself, Tony Moore was removed as the president of the Federal Way School board at the board’s Oct. Tony Moore 15 meeting. The other two votes in favor of Moore’s removal were Claire Wilson and Danny Peterson, with board members Ed Barney and Angela Griffin voting against Moore’s removal. Wilson was voted in unanimously as the new board president. Moore will remain an active member of the board. Moore said he felt that his ongoing legal troubles were likely to be a distraction to the district moving forward. Moore is accused of [ more MOORE, page 11 ]

Kajmere Houchins, 14, is a student at Illahee Middle School in Federal Way. COURTESY PHOTO

Teenage cancer survivor fights bullies with state policy petition By GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com

After beating back cancer three times in her short life, 14-year-old Kajmere Houchins has found another opponent to take on: bullying. Houchins, a student at Illahee Middle School in Federal Way, has started a petition on change.org that calls for students to be included when their schools and school districts begin to draft anti-bullying policies. Houchins’ petition has already garnered significant attention. The Washington State Board of Education is considering

the petition after she presented it to the board in September. That board is set to vote on the petition in the near future. “The point of the petition is to give students a voice, to let them have a say in what affects them the most,” Houchins said. “And that way they can actively participate in the policies that school boards are making.” Houchins was the lead speaker for an anti-bullying assembly at Illahee on Oct. 15, where she let her classmates know that bullying is a serious problem for their generation — and that it’s up to everybody to take part in solving the problem. [ more BULLIES, page 9 ]

Read more online Check out these related stories on The Mirror’s website. • Public weighs in: The Federal Way School Board got an earful during its Oct. 15 meeting, as numerous members of the community mostly expressed their disapproval of the board’s recent trip to Europe as part of the district’s Global Learning Initiative. Many citizens wondered why that money wasn’t being spent closer to home. • FWPS joins Global Partnership Program: The program is an international effort involving approximately 1,000 schools across several countries. According to the district, the program “will challenge and support school systems by promoting global collaboration, uncovering and scaling education innovation, and changing the learning relationship between teachers and students to make learning more engaging and productive.” • Majorities will become minorities, creating challenges of social cohesion [ more TRIPS, page 4 ]

Businessman raises red flags over PACC analysis By ANDY HOBBS editor@fedwaymirror.com

NEWSPAPER RACKS: To see a list of rack locations for the print edition of The Mirror, visit federalwaymirror.com/about_us.

A financial analysis of the proposed Performing Arts and Conference Center (PACC) has raised multiple red flags from one of Federal Way’s most successful businessmen. At an estimated $32 million, the polarizing PACC would be the most expensive project in city his-

tory. Supporters say the PACC will be a catalyst for economic development in the downtown core near the transit center. Opponents call the project a potential boondoggle. Along with public discussions, the city’s economic development department and PACC advisory group have sought feedback from Jeff Stock, who is best known as CEO of Wild Waves Theme Park. Stock is a former professional

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soccer player who owns Omni Properties and coffee company Caffe D’arte. Stock also owned and operated Wild Waves from 1992 to 2000 before selling the park to Six Flags for $19.2 million. In an Oct. 10 letter obtained by The Mirror, Stock said the PACC would be an asset to the community that provides jobs and makes a positive economic impact. However, he expresses reserva-

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tions with the project’s pro forma, which analyzes the PACC’s anticipated costs from construction to operations. The city’s pro forma estimates about $670,000 in revenue in the PACC’s proposed first year. However, the pro forma also factors in best-case scenario fundraising and grants in order to bridge the gap in the total operating cost. [ more PACC, page 2 ]


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