A plan introduced by State Sen. Tracey Eide, D-30th District, to develop a program to clean up the stench of seaweed in Dumas Bay passed the Senate on Feb. 6. It will now move on to the House.
In 1990, 92 tons of seaweed were removed from Fauntleroy Cove beaches in Seattle. Federal Way’s Dumas Bay seaweed problem is larger than that in Fauntleroy Cove, Eide said.
The bill allows cities and counties to form Beach Management Districts, similar to Lake Management Districts, which fund cleanup work. It also propels the Department of Ecology to study the underlying causes of the intense seaweed blooms and their impacts to human health.
“Hopefully we can leave Olympia this session and have a way to not have these beaches stink. I’m going to continue to work to help the bill move through the House as well,” Eide said.
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Moseley: Ferry chief
Former Federal Way city manager David Moseley was chosen by Gov. Chris Gregoire as the state’s new ferry chief on Feb. 5.
Moseley will succeed Mike Anderson, who retired in December from the Ferries Division, part of the Department of Transportation. He will work to keep the ferries safe and responsive as well as address the state’s aging fleet.
Washington state’s ferry system is the largest in the nation and carries approximately 24 million passengers and 11 million vehicles on 10 cross-Puget Sound runs, according to a Feb. 5 Associated Press article. Gregoire has set three primary goals for the improvement of the state’s ferry system. These are the preservation and maintenance of the fleet, restructuring and improvements to the organization of services and establishment of a sustainable financial plan, according to the article.
“I believe David brings the organizational and management experience we need to see the Ferries Division continue its long and respected history of serving the citizens of Washington,” Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said in prepared remarks submitted to the Associated Press.
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Shooting suspect
The Federal Way Police Department is seeking information on the location of Glenn C. Proctor, 20, in connection to the Jan. 18 homicide at the Federal Way Transit Center.
Proctor has a warrant for his arrest as a result of a multiple-agency investigation of the incident. He is described as a black male, 6 feet tall and weighing 165 pounds. Proctor used a handgun to commit the homicide, police spokeswoman Stacy Flores said. He is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on his whereabouts or the shooting is urged to call 911.
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FWHS drama reunion
Alumni from Federal Way High School will star in a play to raise money for the school’s current speech and debate teams at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15 and 16 in the little theater at Federal Way High School.
The alumni will play roles that they did more than 20 years ago in the play “Laundry and Bourbon and Lone Star” by James McLure. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for high school students. The play has adult subject matter so young children are not encouraged to attend. For more information, call (253) 945-5400.
