Patriot Bremerton
FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2014 | Vol. 17, No. 19 | WWW.BREMERTONPATRIOT.COM | 50¢
Friday, June 20, 2014
WWW.BREMERTONPATRIOT.COM | WWW.CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM
Page A15
The classes of 2014
LOTS TO CHEER High school grads get their diplomas... Photos on PAGE 15
Staff photos by Seraine Page, Leslie Kelly and Kevan Moore
Harrison workers’ supporters come out in force BY KEVAN MOORE KMOORE@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
There wasn’t enough room in his office and the hallway didn’t seem right. So, Harrison Medical Center CEO Scott Bosh received about 30 labor, faith and political leaders in the conference room of the hospital in Bremerton Monday afternoon. The meeting with Bosch, wearing his ever-present yellow smiley face button on the lapel of his suit, came on the eve of two days of federally mediated negotiations between the hospital and some 700 Professional and Technical workers represented by UFCW 21. The meeting also took place less than one week after the workers voted to authorize a one-day strike. “Amen,” Bosch said Monday when Bremerton City Councilwoman Leslie Daugs, spearheading the delegation, read part of one letter urging the hospital and workers to come to a fair and satisfactory contract. Another section of that same letter, signed by various union leaders, business owners, pastors, Daugs and fellow city council member Dino Davis, and various other community members, states: “We are hurt when those we rely on for quality
care are not getting the respect they deserve. Healthcare workers are part of our community. They are in our PTAs, they coach our kids, they are members of our congregations, they are our neighbors, our families. They are us. That is why it is our sincere desire for both parties to work out a satisfactory contract.” Daugs, a member of SEIU Local 925 whose district includes the hospital in Bremerton, told Bosch that her support for the workers is personal. “These people have taken care of many members of my family and that is why this is very dear to my heart,” she said. “My father’s been here a few times. We’ve delivered children in this hospital. I think these hospital workers deserve a fair chance and we need to make sure to work for them because it’s not just them, it’s the patients as well.” Bishop Larry Robinson said he was attending the meeting as a concerned citizen and not in any official capacity via Emmanuel Apostolic Church or its board. “I’m here because I believe in the workers, but I’m also here because I know you to be a fair man,” Robinson told Bosch. “I’ve known you many years and I believe you
Kevan Moore/staff photo
A canvasser hands Harrison Medical Center CEO Scott Bosch about 1,000 signatures from community members expressing support for the hospital’s 700-plus Professional and Technical workers. will do everything that you can to make things the way they should be.” Bosch said both sides wanted to
get back to the bargaining much sooner than this week, but were held up by the schedule of a federal mediator.
“We knew we needed mediation because it was a very difficult time SEE HARRISON, A13
Trojans are asked to give back Bremerton grads are Knighted BY LESLIE KELLY
BY KEVAN MOORE
LKELLY@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
Cloaked in blue caps and gowns, the 281 members of the Olympic High School’s Class of 2014 sat in their seats in the Kitsap County Fairgrounds Pavilion Saturday night listening to speeches as they waited to receive their diplomas. Graduates were given a simple piece of advice from one of their teachers. “People will be giving you all kinds of advice tonight,” said Jerry Hurd, the faculty speaker chosen by the class to speak at graduation. “There’ll be a lot of talk and a lot of words thrown at you. You’ll be told that now you’re in the real world. People will tell you when opportunity knocks, to answer it. Sometimes opportunity won’t knock. If it doesn’t, I know you will go out SEE TROJANS, A13
KMOORE@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
Leslie Kelly/staff photo
Nothing says, “We’ve made it!” quite like a selfie does.
In many ways, senior Ronald “Luke” Flemister stole the show at the Bremerton High School Class of 2014 graduation this past Friday at Memorial Stadium when he sang the famous Martina McBride single “Anyway.” When Flemister’s voice soared through the lyrics, “You can pour your soul out singing a song you believe in, that tomorrow they’ll forgot you ever sang, sing it anyway, yeah sing it anyway,” it was hard to believe that those in attendance will be able to forget his performance any time soon. Another one of the most poignant moments from the commencement ceremony came during a moment of silence for Jessica Kehrberg,
Kevan Moore/staff photo
A pair of soon-to-be Bremerton High School grads check out the commencement ceremony programs. who passed away earlier this year. “She was known for her beautiful smile and love of family,” said co-valedictorian Kyle Radabah. “And she is just as much a part of the class of 2014 as you or I.” Co-valedictorian Ellie Davis later asked her class-
mates to promise to never forget they once were SEE BHS GRADS, A13