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COMMUNITY | Camp Invention inspires children in STEM, creativity [4]
VOL. 16, NO. 33
MIRROR
F E D E R A L WAY
DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
OPINION | Intern farewell: Lesson’s I’ve learned in Federal Way [7] Roegner: Turnout and guns may be the key [7] POLICE | Elderly woman alleges man raped her [11] BACK TO SCHOOL | Backpack giveaway, tips and bus schedule [13-25]
Sports | Track athletes star at Junior FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2014 | 75¢ Olympics Championships [8]
CALENDAR | International sports and cultural festival Desna Cup Aug. 15-16 [35]
Council opposes closure of Public Health Center BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@federalwaymirror.com
T
he Federal Way City Council unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday opposing the closure of the Federal Way Public Health Center. Due to a $15 million annual shortfall in King County’s budget, officials with Public Health — Seat-
tle & King County proposed a 2015-16 budget that calls for the closure of four Public Health facilities located in Federal Way, Auburn, Bothell and White Center. “The current proposal leaves an area of great need completely unserved,” said Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell in a news release. “The Federal Way and Auburn clinics serve 24,000 poor
women and infants who have nowhere else to go. As someone who was raised by a single mother, I cannot accept that the county’s best proposal is to abandon these low-income moms and their kids.” If the King County Council passes this budget in November, the Federal Way Public Health Center will no longer be able to
provide maternity support, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) supplemental nutrition program and family planning to the approximate 13,700 people who use the clinic’s services annually. Additionally, 38 employees at the clinic will lose their job. “South King County … has one of the highest [ more CENTER, page 3 ]
Public Health Center supporters wear T-shirts that state “Danger, these cuts can kill,” at the Council meeting. BRUCE HONDA, contributed photo
Song, Miloscia respond to campaign allegations
STEM learning
BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@federalwaymirror.com
Seth Thomas holds up his battery-operated car he made at Camp Invention. Camp Invention was held at Green Gables Elmentary school from Aug. 4-8, it’s sixth year. A nationwide effort, Camp Invention strives to inspire children in the science, technology, engineering and math fields by encouraging creativity in invention prototypes. For more about Camp Invention, see page 4. RAECHEL DAWSON, the Mirror
Widow’s husband’s ashes stolen with U-Haul at Federal Way motel BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@federalwaymirror.com
After her husband died in June, Lee Emory-Rosengreen, 70, left Arizona
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and drove for four days to Federal Way. “I was all there by myself and I wanted to be with my family,” she said, noting that she intends to rent an apartment in Federal Way, where her family lives. Emory-Rosengreen stopped at the Federal Way Super Eight Motel on
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Sunday. But on Tuesday afternoon, the U-Haul she rented from Arizona was stolen, along with the items she moved. The thieves took all of her personal possessions, her furniture, clothes and an urn with her husband’s ashes. Emory-Rosengreen still
has her personal vehicle and her two cats and is looking for an apartment despite not having furniture. “I’ve lived here before, 14-and-a-half years ago,” she said. “I’m just sick. My granddaughter is getting married this weekend and all I have is jeans and [ more ASHES, page 3 ]
Republicans want Federal Way residents to believe Shari Song is a carpetbagger, while Democrats claim Mark Miloscia doesn’t support the use of birth control pills. It’s not news that campaigning can often turn nasty and bend the truth in heated political races. And this Senate race for the 30th Legislative District isn’t exempt. One of the most controversial allegations stems from the belief that Democrat Shari Song simply moved to Federal Way for political gain, to be elected. The Washington State Republican Party and political action committee Working Families have put out numerous flyers on the issue. “[Miloscia’s] opponent just moved into the district in April to run for office — renting a house here while keeping homes in Bellevue and Kent,” a Republicansponsored ad states. “Last year, she moved somewhere else to run for office. It’s clear his opponent wants to be elected, but it’s not clear what she has done for Federal Way, Auburn, Milton, Des Moines, Algona and Pacific.” But Song tells a different
story. “Earlier this year, my mother-in-law had health issues,” Song said. “She needed to have heart surgery … It’s been quite a tough year for our family — four hospitals, dozens of tests, one heart surgery.” To be a carpetbagger is to be a political candidate who seeks election where they have no local connections. However, what some people don’t know is Song and her husband lived in Federal Way 28 years ago when they were first married in 1986. Her two sons attended Federal Way Public Schools and she was actively involved in a Korean church. In the early 1990s she started the Federal Way-based Mission Church Preschool. Her real estate career began in Federal Way in 1993 and she led the city’s Diversity Commission. Song has also won the Woman of Distinction award from the Soroptimist International, another Federal Way organization. But because of her husband’s work, Song moved around Washington, living in Bellevue and Seattle. “This year, again he’s been transitioned,” she said. “He travels to San Francisco and Redmond.” [ more CAMPAIGN, page 34 ]
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