FRIDAY, June 8 2012 n Vol. 121, No. 23 n www.portorchardindependent.com n 50¢
Inside
A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries A4 A4 A5 A6 A7 A7 A8
Inserts: Fred Meyer, RiteAid, Office Depot, Best Buy, Staples, Wal-Mart, Valassis
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
%&$*4*0/
6QTFUT UIF PSEFS PG UIF EBZ EVSJOH QSJNBSZ FMFDUJPO
▼ 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).
▼
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR Staff Writer
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
JEANETTE DALTON
TIM MATTHES
BRUCE DANIELSON
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
SEE SCHOOL, 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
Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
4DIPPM EJTUSJDU MPPLT UP CBMBODF JUT CPPLT
SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
South Kitsap graduate and author approaches 10-year anniversary since cancer diagnosis 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
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business. 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-
SEE NEIGHBORS, 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
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
▼
By JUSTINE FREDERIKSEN
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
Garder Joe..................A5
Opinion.....................A6
Toll Climb................A12
Obits . ......................A16
Gold Mountain ......A19
Legals ......................A19
Thefts have been an ongoing problem in the boys’ locker room at South Kitsap High School. But South Kitsap School District superintendent Dave LaRose said one person’s attempt to curtail the issue was inappropriate. LaRose said administration
South Kitsap’s Source for News & Information Since 1890
Car Thefts .................A3
Senior Reporter
Contributed photos
SOUTH KITSAP’S SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION SINCE 1890
Investigation reveals SKSD employee placed camera in locker room
Sentencing pushed...A3
at the high school was informed April 26 that a video camera was confiscated from the locker room. He said it was noticed by a custodian cleaning the area. LaRose said the Port Orchard Police Department was contacted and SKSD officials conducted their own investigation, which revealed that a district employee placed the camera in the locker room in hopes of
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Port Orchard
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.
Independent
Printed with recycled paper and environmentally friendly soybean oil-based ink.
Local cancer survivor “fights back” through Relay for Life
Cash mob...................A2
swift, responsive and thorough from a district perspective.” LaRose said SKSD has mandatory staff training at the beginning of the year that deals with harassment, but he might look into embedding privacy into that. He said students also should be cognizant of ways to avoid locker room theft. LaRose said they should take precautionary measures to avoid being targeted by thieves. He said that includes using locks and avoid displaying money or other valuables.
frustration with thefts, students’ rights to privacy are most important,” he said. “We want to affirm our commitment to protect students’ rights to privacy.” LaRose confirmed that the person who placed the camera is a district employee, but declined to elaborate on their position or what disciplinary measures were imposed. “Corrective action was taken,” he said. “We want to ensure there is accountability for poor judgment. I hope that I am very clear that our response was
nabbing thieves. Kitsap County deputy prosecutor Kellie Pendras, who handled the case, said no charges will be filed against the district employee. She said there no evidence that suggested the employee was seeking to do anything other than catch a thief. LaRose said the tape, which ran for less than an hour, was pointed directly at lockers and did not show any students. Still, he said cameras have no place in locker rooms. “Although we recognize
Matthew Hoggins, 33, right and center left, wrote “Nora’s Pink Boots,” a children’s book that deals with cancer in a family, for his daughter. Ten years after his diagnosis, Hoggins raised more than $2,000 for this year’s Relay for Life.
Inside this edition
Superintendent says students’ privacy is paramount
Page A11
Page A18
See Fighting Back, A7
It is not just an event that seeks a cure. Those in remission also gathered around South Kitsap’s track — and thousands of high schools around the country — to celebrate survival last week during the annual Relay for Life.
Three-sport athlete
Diggers enjoy -3.8 tide
was successful and through intense radiation and prayer, he will celebrate 10 years of survival since his diagnosis in September. A baseball cap usually covers the horseshoe-like scar on the left side of the back of his head, but it is not the only reminder of trauma his brain suffered during the answered the phone and was just speaking gibberish.” Survival rates for Hoggins’ form of cancer are high when it is caught early, but his reached Stage IV — the most deadly. “I was told to go home and get my affairs in order,” Hoggins said. “I initially was told that I had four months — or less — to live.” Hoggins said surgery to remove the tumor Senior Reporter
Among them was Matthew Hoggins, 33, who graduated from South in 1997. In 2002, Hoggins was diagnosed with pilocytic astrocytoma, a form of brain cancer, after he began experiencing frequent headaches. “They were gradually getting worse and worse,” said Hoggins, who worked as at a plumbing wholesaler at the time. “I By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Male athlete of the year Neck deep