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TV show bringing plenty of attention to Port Orchard area See A4
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
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By JUSTINE FREDERIKSEN
Staff Writer
Independent
Tensions between two Port Orchard neighbors that erupted after one attempted to open a home business last year led both women to head down to the Kitsap County Courthouse Monday and file restraining orders against each other. Shelia Cronan, 49, said she filed a restraining order against Amber Keehn after returning home from a camping trip Aug. 17 and discovering pellets had been
Port Orchard
FRIDAY, August 16, 2013 n Vol. 122, No. 32 n www.portorchardindependent.com n 50¢
Man drowns in Panther Lake Staff report
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
shot in three of her home’s windows. Cronan, who lives on the 200 block of Flower Meadows Street in Port Orchard, said she believed the attack was part of an ongoing dispute with Keehn, whom she alleges has been running a hair salon out of her home without a business license and in defiance of a city “stop-work” order. Keehn, 30, said she filed for permission from the city of Port Orchard to operate a hair salon out of her home on the 2300 block of Flower Avenue soon after pur-
hands when it began to sink. Asuelo disappeared underwater, while two the other men swam to shore. Around 11:52, MCSO launched a patrol boat and discovered the missing man laying on the bottom of the lake. A Kitsp County Sheriff’s Office dive team recovered the body and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
TIM MATTHES
BRUCE DANIELSON
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
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JEANETTE DALTON
SEE SCHOOL, PAGE A2
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▼ Matthes, Garrido advance in SK commissioner race; Dalton, Danielson in judicial contest.
By CHARLIE BERMANT
Staff Writer
Expectations were turned on their head in two Kitsap County political contests during Tuesday night’s primary election, as the perceived front-runners came in third and were disqualified in their respective races. Republican Tim Matthes drew the most votes in the South Kitsap commissioner’s race, followed by Democrat Charlotte Garrido. Monty Mahan, who was the first to declare for the seat and earned the endorsement of local mayors, came in third (See related story, page A3).
performed this week and the incident is under investigation by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s report stated MCSO was notified about the accident about 10 p.m., when three men took a small board onto the lake to fish without oars or life jackets. After sunset, the men started paddling to the shore with their SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
and pension rates along with inflation as issues. In addition to the money saved on custodians, Patton said the district will dip into its reserve fund for $1.72 million. She said that’s not all bad because the district saved more than it anticipated in its last fiscal year, which ends Aug. 31. Patton said they also will save through not filling other vacant positions in the district, and through cutting expenses on supplies. The board unanimously adopted the budget. Patton warned in previous meetings that the “hard decisions” likely won’t end
activities she reported as stemming from Keehn’s attempts to operate a business out of her home. Weaver said following an April 11 hearing with the city’s Hearing Examiner, certain conditions were placed on Keehn’s permit to mitigate Cronan’s concerns before she would be allowed to operate her business. “(Keehn) has addressed all but one of those conditions, with the last being the letter from the (Kitsap County) Health Department,” Weaver said, explaining that Keehn’s current sewer facilities are
SEE NEIGHBORS, PAGE A2
Vandals hit skate park
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Dannie Oliveaux/Staff Photo
Leslie Reynolds-Taylor, president of the South Kitsap Skate Park Association, cleans up graffiti Tuesday evening after the skate park was vandelized Monday night.
Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
See slide show online
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By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Staff Writer
A Port Orchard man drowned Aug. 9 in Panther Lake, near the Mason and Kitsap County line. According to the Mason County Coroner Wes Stockwell, Anthony Steven Asuelo, 41, drowned during a boating accident. An autopsy was
The South Kitsap School District is a little closer to closing its $2.9 million deficit for the upcoming school year. Terri Patton, assistant superintendent for business and support services, said at Wednesday’s school board meeting that the district won’t replace five full-time custodians who left the district after the last school year. She said that will save the district $250,000. Patton said the deficit stems from unforeseen circumstances when the district presented its last levy to voters in 2004. She cited escalating teacher salaries
chasing it last spring. City Development Director James Weaver confirmed that Keehn received a conditional-use permit to operate a onechair hair salon out of her home, which he described as “pretty innocuous” and something that doesn’t typically reach “the level of intensive use,” as far as impacts on the neighborhood are concerned. However, since November of 2007, Cronan has filed multiple complaints with the city regarding traffic, noise and other
SOUTH KITSAP’S SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION SINCE 1890
Cody Wright from Milford, Utah, got a mouth full of mud and a zero score after falling off Strawberry Delight in the Saddle Bronc Riding competition Wednesday night at the Kitsap County Stampede. The fair runs through Sunday.
Inside
A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries
Inserts: Fred Meyer, RiteAid, Office Depot, Best Buy, Staples, Wal-Mart, Valassis
Printed with recycled paper and environmentally friendly soybean oil-based ink.
INSIDE Mayor awards his first six Points of Light A3 SPORTS New volleyball coach inherits big task A26 INSIDE Bluegrass, tall ships highlight weekend A30
Ken Christopherson, of Bremerton, admires a 1912 Overland automobile during the 26th annual Cruz classic car show in downtown Port Orchard. Dannie Oliveaux/ Staff Photo
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX Editor
Several South Kitsap Skate Park Association members and local teens were busy removing graffiti Tuesday evening after someone reported the skate park’s bowl had been vandalized Monday night. The vandalism comes less than two months after the South Kitsap Skate Park opened in late June. Leslie Reynolds-Taylor, president of South Kitsap Skate Park Association, said it took about 90 minutes for the group to remove most of the graffiti — using an anti-graffiti solution. “We got most of it off and all we need is some rain to remove the leftover residue,” Reynolds-Taylor said. Rain was forecasted for the area Wednesday and Thursday. “The plan is get the graffiti off the skate park as soon as it happens,” Reynolds-Taylor said. “Hopefully it will deter people from vandalizing the skate park.” As of press time Wednesday, no report has been filed with the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office. On June 13, teens sprayed graffiti including phrases and pictures on the memorial wall, playground, handicapped parking signs, picnic tables, walkway, garbage containers and a mural wall. The teens were arrested by Port Orchard police.
Classic car show attracts thousands By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
C
Editor
ar enthusiasts of all ages converged on Port Orchard’s waterfront for the Saints Car Club’s 26th annual Cruz 2013 classic car show Sunday. The show featured automobiles from 1912 to modern times. As early as 5 a.m., 30 cars arrived to register for the one-day show. Early morning clouds were replaced with sunny skies as an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people attended this year’s event. According to John Kincl, of the Saints Car Club, more than 500 classic cars and trucks rolled into the down-
town area. The classics were lined up on the waterfront parking lot and along the northern portion of Frederick and Sidney avenues, off Bay Street. The parking lot at Kitsap Bank and Amy’s on the Bay were turned into a magnet of the classic machines. “We had a little over 500 cars registered,” Kincl said. “There was a great turnout and great weather for the event. Everything went smooth for us.” Downtown was blocked off from traffic near City Hall and east past the downtown corridor. On Saturday, several classic vehicles were seen cruising through the city and South Kitsap. Hi-Joy Bowl held its annual
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CackleFest on Saturday, which some of the car show participants attended. “It gave those coming in earlier something to do,” Kincl said. In conjunction with the car show, the Fathoms o’ Fun Festival held their annual Festival by the Bay along Bay Street and featured vendors, food booths and a dunk tank for the Fathoms’ royalty, except King Aaron Thomas, who didn’t participate because of medical reasons. “The 65 vendors that spread down Bay Street welcomed the crowd,” said Sharron King, Fathoms o’ Fun chair. “We had good food and crafts.We always look forward to having new vendors to our event as well as returning vendors.”