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INDEPENDENT PORT ORCHARD
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2011 ■ Vol. 120, No. 27 ■ www.portorchardindependent.com ■ 50¢
The city’s next mayor Matthes wins election by 5 votes over Coppola, pending a recount By TIM KELLY Editor
It’s official: Tim Matthes won the extremely close election for Port Orchard mayor. The Kitsap County Auditor’s office certified the election results Tuesday, and the final tally shows Matthes with 2,442 votes and incumbent Mayor Lary Coppola with 2,437. Since the difference in the vote totals are within one-fourth of 1 percent, a recount of the ballots by hand is required. That will be conducted Tuesday by the elections staff in the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office. Matthes said in a phone interview
Wednesday that he’s optimistic the outcome will be affirmed. “The likelihood of a 5-vote mistake being made by the county is not that high,” he said. Matthes declined to say what he thought made the difference in his successful bid to oust incumbent Mayor Lary Coppola. “I’m just happy at the result, and I don’t want to look too close at the reasons because that would be speculative,” he said. “Whatever happened along the way was enough to gain five votes, and that’s the important thing.” Coppola, reached by phone Tim Kelly/Staff photo
SEE MAYOR, A15
Tim Matthes will take over as mayor of Port Orchard after his narrow election win over incumbent Lary Coppola.
IN TRAINING FOR WEEKEND’S MAIN EVENTS The Jingle Bell Run/Walk in Port Orchard is shaping up as an extraordinary success. The event has already surpassed organizer Sheila Cline’s fundraising goal of $30,000 for the Arthritis Foundation, and there may be as many as 1,000 people hoofing it along Bay Street. None of them is likely to be older than Jesse Truax (right), a 91-year-old who works out daily at Olympic Fitness and plans to walk with the Jingle Bell crowd. (Story, page 4A) The 5k event starts at 1 p.m. in front of City Hall, and the Festival of Chimes & Lights is also taking place Saturday.
The atmosphere will be more raucous at Saturday’s other event expected to draw a large crowd in Port Orchard. Promotion company Revolution Republiq promises a bigtime production when it stages Liberation — a night of amateur mixed-martial arts fights — at Sk8town. One of the competitors in the cage fights will be Chris Hogan (left), a former South Kitsap High School wrestler. (Story, page 3A)
Doors will open at 6 p.m. for the MMA throwdown. Tickets cost $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
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