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HOLIDAY | Man creates holiday light show with 100,000 lights [3]
VOL. 16, NO. 48
MIRROR
F E D E R A L WAY
DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
OPINION | Roegner: Outgoing Sen. Eide served with distinction [6] COMMUNITY | Federal Way Mirror’s Citizen of the Month inspires volunteers [4] POLICE | Man arrested for robbing Walmart employee at knifepoint [5]
SPORTS | Todd Beamer seniors HEROES | Graduate starts organization to honor high school heroes [16] FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2014 | 75¢ sign letters of intent [12]
Man sentenced over 31 years for murdering ex-boss Victim shot in 2008, dies 15 months later due to related injuries BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@fedwaymirror.com
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Maleng Regional Justice Center judge sentenced a Puyallup man, convicted of murdering his former Federal Way boss, to 31 1/2 years last Friday. A jury found Kareem Harris, 32, guilty last month of first-degree murder and weapons enhancement charges. Harris initially faced second-degree attempted murder charges but they were amended to murder after Wilbur Lee Gant passed away on Jan. 10, 2011 of injuries directly related to when Harris shot him multiple times in 2009, just 15 months prior. Harris and Gant worked together at Milgard Windows in Fife until Harris was fired in May 2009 for lying on his timecard. Court records said he was leaving work early and getting a coworker to clock him out at the proper time. As Harris’s supervisor, Gant was the one who discovered the timecard
Honoring Freeman Top, a woman looks at late Rep. Roger Freeman’s photo as community members, state lawmakers and city officials packed Our Savior’s Baptist Church in Federal Way to remember him on Saturday. Freeman died of stage 4 colon cancer on Oct. 29, days before the general election. He was 48. During Freeman’s celebration of life, Gov. Jay Inslee and state Sen. Bruce Dammeier, R-Puyallup, spoke about the 30th District legislator’s political career, which began as a Federal Way Councilman in 2010. Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell also presented Freeman’s wife Sonya with a city flag. Freeman, a Democrat, won his House seat for Position 2 against Jack Dovey during the general election. Democratic precinct committee members will nominate three candidates to fill Freeman’s seat on Dec. 1. Both the King County and Pierce County Councils will appoint the top votegetter to the seat during a meeting to be announced. Right, a man sings at Freeman’s memorial service at Our Savior’s Baptist Church. Photos courtesy of Bruce Honda
fraud and testified against him in an unemployment hearing to deny Harris benefits. After the hearing, court documents say Harris threatened Gant with a gun he kept under his seat and was “not afraid to use it.” About five months later, Federal Way police were dispatched at 5:26 a.m., on Oct. 28, 2009 to Gant’s apartment complex, located at 127 S. 340th St. in Federal Way, and found him laying in the parking lot with several gunshot wounds. People called 911 with reports of hearing six gunshots and a man screaming for help. Gant was laying 30-40 feet away from his vehicle, which had a broken driver’s window and a bloody driver’s seat. As police approached, he told them it was Harris who had shot him because he was fired earlier that year. Miami-Dade County police arrested Harris in Miami, Florida on Dec. 28, 2009 and he was transport[ more MURDER, page 8 ]
Federal Way holiday gift bazaar moves to Commons mall food court BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@fedwaymirror.com
Upon strolling through The Commons mall over the weekend, one only needs to make their way to the food court to notice the holidays have arrived. In its third year, the Winter Farmers Market and Holiday Gift Bazaar brings
together 25 vendors who Ehl said, noting they sell handcrafted gifts and have about 25 committed decorations for this holiday vendors at this time but are season. looking for more. Organizer Rose The indoor marEhl said the bazaar ket is from 10 a.m. is smaller this to 8 p.m., Fridayyear, as their old Sunday and lasts locations — Boruntil Dec. 21. ders and the space Ehl said venwhere Dicks Sportdors come and go Rose Ehl ing Goods is — throughout the have new stores. season so the com“This year we’re munity can expect in the food court so we can to see new products each only put in about threeweekend. quarters of the vendors,” It’s Liz Teichert’s first year
selling her soaps and other bath products at the market after starting Soap Aria in January. Teichert, a Federal Way resident, sells all natural soaps with premium and signature soap bases. Some are “totally organic,” and have no dyes or detergents. Teichert began making soaps when her daughter was 15 years old as part of their arts and crafts days. That was 21 years ago. As she became more skilled in [ more BAZAAR, page 18 ]
Vendors at the holiday gift bazaar will be at the Commons food court until Dec. 21. Courtesy of Bruce Honda