Here is a sample of other news stories from 2016
January:
Federal Way volunteers counted 263 people sleeping outside during the One Night Count event. The results were a 150 percent increase from the previous year of 105, although organizers reported having more volunteers during the 2016 count. In the county, volunteers counted 4,505 people sleeping outside, which was a 19 percent increase from 2015. The count, however, doesn’t reflect the number of homeless people in the area because it does not count people “couch surfing,” sleeping in overnight shelters or transitional housing.
February
Federal Way voters approved a levy to fund technology infrastructure for Federal Way Public School students. The six-year, $26.4 million levy will pay for things like wireless and wired network infrastructure and hardware, like computers and tablets.
March
Federal Way-based Camp Kilworth was closed by the Pacific Harbors Council of the Boy Scouts of America, despite months of community protest. The Pacific Harbors Council mothballed the camp, as well as four other properties it owned, because of financial difficulties. Local Scouts upset with the closure, signed a petition, wrote letters and appealed to the Federal Way City Council for support.
The Sound Transit Board of Directors allocated $5.9 million to the Federal Way Link Extension. The money was dedicated from Sound Transit 2, a 2008 voter-approved ballot measure that initially slated funds for the project.
Community members said goodbye to beloved teacher, coach and pastor Sean Smith, who died after battling pancreatic cancer for more than a year. Smith was a teacher and coach at Decatur High School and a pastor at LifeWay Church in Federal Way.
The Federal Way City Council launched an initiative in March to clear out homeless encampments, with Mayor Jim Ferrell describing the camps as “a huge public safety and health issue in Federal Way.” The plan called for collaboration among different city departments to clean up the areas by identifying the encampments and ordering the individuals living there to leave or by notifying the landowners and telling them they are not complying with city code.
The owner of then-Federal Way-based Northwest Territorial Mint LLC, Ross B. Hansen, filed for bankruptcy following a $38.3 million judgment in a defamation lawsuit. According to court documents, Northwest Territorial Mint owed money to between 200 and 999 people.
Cadius Partners Limited, with Gustin Property Group, proposed constructing a 130-room “upper-mid-scale to upper-scale hotel” on 1.8 acres of land at 2141 S. 314th St. in Federal Way. The hotel is slated to be built near the future Performing Arts and Event Center. According to the proposal, a grand staircase would connect the lower-level Town Square Park and the Federal Way Transit Center to the hotel and performing arts center.
April wrapped up with the Federal Way Community Development director, Michael Morales, fired after criminal charges were filed after he was discovered to be driving with a suspended license on multiple occasions. Morales’ troubles began March 30 when he was involved in a fender bender at the Federal Way Community Center, and an officer found he had a suspended license and no proof of insurance. Later in the day, police witnessed via camera Morales drove his car to City Hall. He was later seen driving his vehicle from City Hall that evening and again to work the next morning. A city attorney discovered Morales’ license was initially suspended Sept. 24, 2015.
May
A Thomas Jefferson High School student and her mother filed a lawsuit against Federal Way Public Schools, alleging the district did not take action against bullying that lasted at least three years. The lawsuit alleged the victim, her mother and even a security officer contacted district officials more than 15 times with bullying complaints, and no action was taken.
June
Federal prosecutors indicted an alleged Federal Way drug dealer, along with five other suspects, following a significant investigation. Michael Duane Humbergs was charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm after a six-month long investigation by the King County Sheriff’s Office and Drug Enforcement Administration. Investigators found a Glock 19 handgun and $89,646 at Humburgs’ residence during a search.
The Federal Way City Council passed a temporary ban on the development of apartment complexes. The action placed a six-month moratorium on expanding or developing multi-family housing in the city. The council extended the moratorium for another six months in December.
Federal Way Public Schools received a $22.6 million grant to reduce school sizes in grades kindergarten through third, alleviating crowding concerns in the elementary schools. Also in June, the school district passed a $292.3 million budget.
July
City officials and residents celebrated the grand opening of Town Square Park. Designers and promoters said the park will anchor the city’s core. The total cost of the park, including the 2006-07 land purchase and labor costs, was $6 million, although the phase 2 costs were $2.1 million, including $400,000 for a stormwater reuse project.
August
Federal Way city officials gathered Aug. 4 for the Performing Arts and Event Center beam signing. The ceremony celebrated construction of the highest point of the building.
September
Parents of an 8-year-old boy filed an anti-bully lawsuit against the Federal Way school district, alleging officials were negligent in responding to numerous complaints that their son was bullied repeatedly in the 2015-16 school year.
City officials announced they hired Brian Davis to be the new director of community development. Davis replaced Michael Morales, who was fired in April. Davis previously worked for the city of Roseburg as its community development director.
October
A Seattle-based law firm announced they were investigating allegations filed by a former city employee claiming his signature had been forged by Federal Way Chief of Staff Brian Wilson. Michael Morales, the city’s former community development director, said he doesn’t recall signing a document from the city to Heartland, the real estate firm Weyerhaeuser hired to sell their 425-acre property. In tracing the letter’s creation, it was determined Wilson had edited the document Oct. 10 on his wife’s laptop. Wilson and other city staff were cleared of any wrongdoing later in the month.
Redondo Boardwalk also opened in October after it was closed for two years following a storm in November 2014 that ruined the popular walking spot.
Federal Way High School reopened in October after the first phase of its remodel was completed. With the wrap up of phase one, which included construction of a new wing of classrooms, phase 2 of the six-year construction project will begin on the new gyms, theater and kitchen.
An incident involving a Todd Beamer High School student and a Federal Way police officer assigned to the school that resulted in officers physically restraining and arresting a 15-year-old girl Oct. 18 spurred discussion in the community and beyond regarding police officers’ ability to do their jobs and appropriate police response during altercations while also touching upon the issue of race, as the student in question was black. Following the incident, the high school’s Black Student Union organized a Black Lives Matter demonstration that week.
In November, parents and students were still concerned about the incident between a 15-year-old girl and Federal Way police officer assigned to the school and addressed the Federal Way Public Schools board about the issue at a regular meeting. During the meeting, one parent told the board her daughter’s opinions have caused her to be pulled from the school because she no longer felt safe. Another person, a KOMO reporter who said she was attending as a Federal Way parent, said she was insulted by how district Superintendent Tammy Campbell described media coverage as “painted with distortions and outright inaccuracies.”
November wrapped up with Federal Way Chief of Staff Brian Wilson announcing he would work his last day Nov. 30 after handing in his resignation to Mayor Jim Ferrell.
December
Community and state leaders celebrated the opening of the William J. Wood Veterans House, which provides housing for veterans and their families.
