March 24, 2025

Mayor Ferrell Participates in First Bus Driver Task Force Meeting

Mayor Jim Ferrell took part in the first meeting of the Bus Driver Task Force led by Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 on March 20. He was joined by law enforcement, elected officals, and metro and county officials to work toward a countywide response to find ways to effectively ensure the safety of drivers and passengers.

The task force will meet regularly through spring 2025 to develop an initial list of recommendations.

Flag of Ireland Rasied at City Hall

A flag raising ceremony was held in front of City Hall in honor of St. Patrick's Day for the seventh consecutive year on March 17. Bagpipers joined Mayor Jim Ferrell and City Councilmembers to honor the occasion.

Mayor Ferrell presented a proclamation to local Irish community member Craig Patrick and talked about the history of the day. The clouds parted and the sun arrived just in time for the flag to be raised.

11th Annual Diaper Drive Hosted at Twin Lakes Fred Meyer

Mayor Jim Ferrell and City Councilmembers attended the 11th annual March of Diapers drive at Twin Lakes Fred Meyer this past Saturday. Thanks to Do The Right Thing founder Cheryl Hurst and Executive Director Ann Sappington, Michael Williamson and his team at Fred Meyer, and all of the volunteers who made this a successful event. It’s an incredibly valuable event for our community every year.

Preliminarily, more than 11,500 diapers and 7,500 wipes were collected. Donations can still be provided to the front lobby of City Hall through March 31.

Public Works Staff Engages at STEAM Event

Members of our Public Works Department set up shop at the Federal Way Public Schools STEAM Exploration Night at Federal Way High School on March 13. Traffic Division staff shared information about school zone safety and trivia on public works infrastructure in Federal Way with hundreds of students and families.

Did you know Federal Way has 87 traffic signals and more than 4,000 street lights?

Federal Way City Council and School Board Host Coffee and Conversation

The Coffee and Conversation event at Ebony & Ivory Coffee on Saturday was a huge success with more than 50 people from the community filtering in and out of the conference room to meet with the Federal Way City Council and School Board. We had five members of the Council in attendance and all five School Board Directors.

A special thank you to Ebony & Ivory Coffe for allowing us to use the room, and to the community members who came and provided their thoughts, questions, and feedback.

Mayor Ferrell Reads at St. Vincent de Paul

Last week, Mayor Jim Ferrell visited St. Vincent de Paul School to read to seventh and eighth graders in the school library. It gave him the chance to connect with students and answer their questions about our city government, his time as a prosecutor, visiting Japan and South Korea, and other topics on their minds.

Mayor Ferrell read two books, one about construction of the Brooklyn Bridge and another about women’s basketball. One class even gave him the challenge of naming all 47 presidents of the United States in order.

Featured Upcoming Event

Repair Café Event March 29

Join us for our free Repair Café on Saturday, March 29, at the South King Tool Library (1700 S. 340th St.) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bring your damaged furniture, broken small household items, dull knives, and torn clothing. Our fixers will do their best to make your items usable again.

Plan to stay during the repair, bring any manual/parts that may help, and be aware there is a limit of only three items for sharpening.

Commander Murphy Retires from FWPD After 33 Years

Earlier this month, current and former members of the Federal Way Police Department (FWPD) gathered to honor Commander Cary Murphy, who retired after 33 years in law enforcement, including 29 years with FWPD. Murphy was a founding member of our department in 1996 and dedicated his career to serving our community with integrity and leadership, leaving a lasting impact on those around him.

Murphy's law enforcement journey began in 1992 with the Cheney Police Department before joining FWPD. As one of the first employees hired at the newly-formed police agency, Murphy was instrumental in establishing a functioning police department. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1999 and then commander in 2021.

Murphy spent most of his career leading Patrol C Squad (swing shift), and he also spent a number of years in the Criminal Investigations Section (CIS) as both a detective and supervisor. His leadership has truly left FWPD better than when it started in 1996.

We were grateful to have Murphy's family and former co-workers join us as we celebrated his remarkable career. He is moving on to his next chapter in Austin, Texas, where he will serve as Investigations Manager with the Texas Education Agency.

We thank Cary Murphy for his outstanding service—his leadership and dedication have made a difference, and he will be greatly missed!

Spring Gardening Tips

Getting started in the spring garden can be one of the most joyful parts of the year! There is so much potential and possibility in the months ahead. Putting a little time and energy into thoughtfully preparing your garden for the growing season can make a big difference. Here are a few tips for preparing your spring garden beds:



• Take care not to work the soil when it is too wet
• Turn in any cover crops from the winter
• Amend soil with compost
• Use a garden fork to lightly aerate the soil

Parks & Recreation Summer Program

Guide Now Available

The Federal Way Parks & Recreation Summer 2025 Catalog is here!

Explore new summer fun with exciting programs, events, and activities for all ages. Printed copies are available in the Federal Way Community Center front lobby and at City Hall as you enter the building!

Registration is now open!

March 18 City Council Meeting

Other Recent Meetings:

• March 18 Special Meeting

What’s Next: The Federal Way City Council meets Tuesday, March 1, 2025, for a regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.

How to Attend: Attend in person at Federal Way City Hall, 33325 8th Ave. S. or watch live on Zoom, the City's YouTube channel, or FW Channel 21.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Free Financial Literacy Classes

The City of Federal Way is partnering with community volunteers and the Dave Ramsay Financial Peace University to offer a free nine-week course teaching financial skills for Federal Way residents.

The classes will be held every Thursday from April 16 through June 11 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Federal Way Community Center.

Free child care is available for class participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parks Appreciation Day April 26

Join us for Parks Appreciation Day on Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to noon.

We will be hosting volunteer events at three different locations, so grab your gloves and help with planting, weeding, and cleanup to make a lasting impact in our green spaces.

Plan to pitch in at one of the following sites:

• Site 1: Brooklake Blueberry Farm (726 S. 356th St.)
• Site 2: Steel Lake Annex (2645 S. 312th St.)
• Site 3: Celebration Park (1095 S. 324th St.)

Pre-register online if you plan to attend!

Spring CERT Basic Course Begins April 9

The Greater Federal Way Community Emergency Response Team will host its Spring CERT Basic Course Wednesday evenings from 6-8:30 p.m. from April 9 through June 4.

CERT teaches residents disaster preparedness and planning, first aid, use of fire extinguishers, and search and rescue.

Training is free! To sign up, email Sharon Green at sharon.green@federalwaywa.gov.

Bloodworks Blood Drive April 3

The City of Federal Way is partnering with Bloodworks Northwest to host a blood drive at City Hall on Thursday, April 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Did you know it takes 1,000 donors a day to maintain a safe and reliable blood supply in the Pacific Northwest? Make a one-hour appointment for the blood drive today.

Walk-ins may be available, but spots are limited. Photo ID is required to donate blood.

Native Plant Workshop April 5

Join us for a free, informative, and hands-on workshop on native plants on Saturday, April 5, from 2-4 p.m. at the South King Tool Library.

Learn how to incorporate native plants into your landscape, use electric or manual tools, and minimize hazardous waste from gas-powered equipment, herbicides, pesticides, and other contaminants.

Registration is required.



Free Online Food Preservation

Workshop April 10

Join us for a free online workshop to learn tips for saving food and cutting costs on Thursday, April 10 from 6-7 p.m. This fun, interactive class will cover:

• How to store food to make it last longer
• Purchasing tips
• How to read date labels

The instructor will include a live demo to make a recipe using food scraps and share resources to help with food preservation.

Registration is required.

Free Mattress and Tire Recycling and Paper Shredding Event on April 12

Join us for our free Drive-Thru Mattress and Tire Recycling and Document Shredding event at the South King Tool Library (1700 S. 340th St.) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 12.

Mattress Recycling

• Residents can drop off up to three mattresses or box springs for recycling.
• All sizes and conditions allowed.

Tire Recycling

• Only car and truck tires accepted.
• Tires can be on or off rims.

Document Shredding

• Limit five file boxes or paper bags per event.
• No pre-shredded paper.

Senior Health and Resource Fair on May 15

The Senior Advisory Commission is hosting a free Senior Health and Resource Fair on Thursday, May 15, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Performing Arts and Event Center.

The event will feature more than 50 vendors from local organizations with special ties to the senior community. All ages – especially seniors – are welcome.

Watch the video recap of last year's event for more information.

Unfiltered Waters Podcast Live at the PAEC on March 25

Unfiltered Waters Podcast is all about getting to know the person beneath the athlete! Come listen to 12-time Olympic Medalist Ryan Lochte, two-time Olympic Medalist Elizabeth Beisel, and three-time Olympic Medalist Katie Hoff as they kick off the Men’s NCAA Swimming Championships with untold stories from their own NCAA experiences, predictions, insights and more at the Performing Arts and Event Center on March 25, at 5:30 p.m.

Get ready for exciting giveaways and special surprises. You never know who or what is going to show up!

Earth Day Celebration at the PAEC April 19

The Federal Way Performing Arts & Event Center (PAEC) is hosting All the World's a Stage, a free Earth Day Celebration, on Saturday, April 19, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The event is a fun, family-friendly celebration of nature and creativity with hands-on crafts, exciting entertainment, and more!

Bring the whole family and celebrate the beauty of nature, art, creativity, and community.

PAEC Upcoming Events

The Federal Way Performing Arts & Event Center (PAEC) puts on a wide variety of events year round. Upcoming events include:

• April 5: Epic Queen
• April 13: Federal Way Symphony's Lose Yourself in Music
• April 17: BYU-Idaho Symphony Band Presents "Symphonic Soundscapes"
• April 19: All the World's a Stage - Community Earth Day Event
• April 26: State of Ballet Theatre of Ukraine's Swan Lake

Visit the PAEC event calendar page for a full list of upcoming events.

Trouble in Mind at Centerstage Theater

Centerstage Theatre is putting on "Trouble in Mind" March 28 through April 20 at the Knutzen Family Theater located at 3200 SW Dash Point Rd.

Taking place entirely in a rehearsal space in an old New York theatre, "Trouble in Mind" brings us up close and personal with a group of artists working to open a new Broadway show. Themes of race, class, gender, and whether and when to separate the art from the artist are as poignant and critical now as they were when the show was first written.

General Admission Tickets are $36 in advance (online or over the phone) and $39 at the door. Student, Military, and Senior Ticket discounts are available. More details available online or by phone at 253-661-1444. 

Fermín’s Great Book of Dreams at Centerstage Theater

Centerstage Theatre is putting on "Fermín’s Great Book of Dreams" April 5-19 at the Knutzen Family Theater located at 3200 SW Dash Point Rd.

"Fermín’s Great Book of Dreams" is an original play by local playwright Julieta Vitullo. It tells the story of a young boy who struggles with belief when he doesn’t receive a visit from Ratón Pérez, a mouse that visits children after they lose a tooth and exchanges the tooth for a gift.

Tickets are $15 in all ages (online or over the phone). More details available online or by phone at 253-661-1444. 

Federal Way Symphony Season

Established in 1983, the Federal Way Symphony has provided our community with high-quality, professional music for more than 40 years.

Performances are held at the Performing Arts & Event Center. The Federal Way Symphony is currently inviting those interested to buy a ticket to attend performances for their current season, titled "Cosmic Melodies."

Visit the Federal Way Symphony website to view their full calendar listing and to purchase tickets.