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.
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A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries
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Qualified attorney At the Nov. 17 hearing, Davy said he would not rule out the possibility of the death penalty because the case can evolve and investigators could SEE kAlAc, A18
A SUPPLEM ENT OF THE PORT ORCHARD INDEPEN DENT
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OPINION: SKSD needs to upgrade football field’s surface A6 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).
Swimmer places fifth at state A16
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SEE AuThor, A18
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chris chancellor / Staff Photo
Kevin Gard, 40, was diagnosed with dyslexia as a fourth-grader. He told students Friday at South Colby Elementary School that affliction requires patience when writing children’s books.
JEANETTE DALTON
is message was one of perseverance. As Kevin Gard presented his children’s book, “Oh Sully!” to students Friday at South Colby Elementary School, he stressed patience. Gard designed the cover of his book along with its words and illustrations. “We talked about mistakes,” Gard told the crowd. “I didn’t get it right the first time. I had to work and work at it.” The illustration on the cover was Gard’s third rendering. He showed the students his previous design — some stated they preferred it — but Gard said the camera flash made the picture “not look super clean.” Many authors hire an artist to produce their illustrations. But Gard prefers that role. The 40-year-old Huntington Beach, Calif., native, who relocated four months ago with his family to Allyn, studied art at California State University,
Fullerton. He also was an apparel designer among several different careers. “The picture making definitely is the funnest part,” Gard said. Words are not always easy. After all, Gard was diagnosed with dyslexia when he was in fourth grade. “It was rough as a kid,” said Gard, noting that he repeated fourth grade. “I was the odd kid out.” Those challenges never stopped Gard from pursuing his ambition. It is a message he conveys through his book, where the main character is a whale who desires to imitate several species of birds he travels with. “The story is a moral-based,” Gard said. “It’s about being your self and who you are — and trying not someone else. “My whole thing is I love to create. I love to write. I love to make stuff.” Gard said that vision accelerated after the birth of his first daughter. He does not remember how the idea of “Oh Sully!” came to him, but he contemplated the idea for five years before he began the project. Once he began, Gard
SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
Senior Reporter
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4DIPPM EJTUSJDU MPPLT UP CBMBODF JUT CPPLT
▼ Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
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
SEE council, A4
this month. Laurie, who presided over Kalac’s first two court appearances, assigned Dalton to the case. Davy and Farshad Talebi, a deputy prosecuting attorney, will represent the state in the case.
Children’s book writer stresses patience to youths
SEE SCHOOL, PAGE A2
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
After more than 30-minute discussion that included some tension, the Port Orchard City Council finally agreed on a logo design for “wayfinding signs” during their Nov. 18 work study session. At the Oct. 28 council meeting, three logo options, which included designs and color schemes, were presented by Ray Ambrosini of Ambrosini Design Ltd., of Portland. The council voted 5-2 at the Nov. 4 special meeting to delay the discussion on the design and signs until the next work study session. Development Director Nick Bold said he knows the logo design and signs have been “controversial,” but told the council they needed to select a design so the consultant could finish his terms of the contract before it expires or extend the contract. Councilman Jerry Childs asked Bond how much of the budgeted $55,000 has been
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Editor
SEASON
Author encourages South Colby students to pursue dreams Staff Writer
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
plea for his client Nov. 14 during an arraignment hearing before Superior Court Judge Anna M. Laurie. Kitsap County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Robert Davy said the arraignment was completed with the formal entry of Kalac’s plea. Davy said at the hearing that it also confirmed Kevin “Andy” Anderson’s status as Kalac’s attorney. After his arrest, Kalac’s family attempted to find another attorney to take the case but was unsuccessful. Anderson, a longtime deputy prosecutor, started at the public defender’s office earlier
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
Council agrees on logo design
Dalton set the trial date during a Nov. 17 hearing. Several members of the victim’s family were in court during the hearing. The Kalac 33-year-old Kalac, with his hands and feet in shackles, looked straight ahead and never made eye contact with Coplin’s family. Family members turned and glared at Kalac as he left the courtroom. Anderson entered a “not guilty” 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-
The trial will begin on Jan. 5 for David Michael Kalac, who allegedly killed 30-year-old Amber Lynn Coplin in her South Kitsap apartment on Nov. 4. Superior Court Judge Jeannette
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
Editor
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
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By JUSTINE FREDERIKSEN
New attorney for David Kalac to be appointed today
Staff Writer
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
Trial set; suspect pleads ‘not guilty’
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