Independent FRIDAY, August 10, 2012 n Vol. 121, No. 32 n www.portorchardindependent.com n 50¢
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
From a career change grows Ashabraner to face Angel Representative grape expectations and vines State District 26 General Inside A4 A4 A5 A6 A7 A7 A8
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A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries
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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-
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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). SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
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
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TIM MATTHES
JEANETTE DALTON
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
BRUCE DANIELSON
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
South Kitsap’s Source for News & Information Since 1890
See Commissioner’s, A9
The tasting room at Olalla Valley Vineyard and Winery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. The upstairs dining rooms can accommodate 35 people and is available through reservation for private gatherings. Call 253-851-4949 or visit olallavalleyvineyard.com for more information.
Simpson, Garrido win commissioner’s race
4DIPPM EJTUSJDU MPPLT UP CBMBODF JUT CPPLT 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
Chris Chancellor/Staff Photo
See Angel, A9
SEE SCHOOL, PAGE A2
Reporter
ballots had been counted in the race. Ashabraner said beating an incumbent such as Angel will
Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
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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
By Brett Cihon
File Photo
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business. 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
The tasting room
Reporter
Danielson had 7.54 percent. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, 11,246 ballots had been counted. Contacted after the numbers came in, Garrido said she knew voters faced a difficult test in a fiercely contested primary race. She said voters will have an “easier” choice to make in November, when it the election can be broken into partisan difference of Democrat against Republican. “The four-way primary gave people a lot of choices,” Garrido said. Garrido has been in office since 2009. She is serving her second term as Kitsap County Commissioner District 2, which includes South Kitsap and a small area of West Bremerton, having
Former PO Mayor Lary Coppola out
Jan Angel will face Karin Ashabraner in November’s general election.
Simply put, it wasn’t just a matter of sour grapes. Rather than wallow after being laid off by CenturyTel in 2006, Joe and Konnie Serka decided to fully invest themselves in a new career. That change was not related to telecommunications or technology. Instead, the Olalla couple opened Olalla Valley Vineyard and Winery in 2009. Joe Serka, 66, said he could have taken a new job out of state, but was really ready to retire. And while running the vineyard hardly constitutes a break — he estimates he spends 40 to 70 hours a week pruning his three acres of vines and making wine — Serka could not imagine doing anything else. It began as a hobby in 1999 when he and two of his sons repurposed an old horse pasture on the property by planting a vineyard. Howwever, Serka’s interest in wine began much earlier. Serka, who is of Croatian descent, said he was raised in a culture that fished and made wine. He did both as an adolescent in Gig Harbor. He began making wine with his father when he was 10 years old. “That was their custom,” he said. “I got the smell of fermented grapes and never got it out of my head.” Serka’s “Croatian Family” label pays homage to his heritage and his family traditions. The tasting room is decorated in Old World tradition with many antiques. Displayed in the room are historic black-and-white photos of friends and families, along with
Olalla Valley Vineyard and Winery owner Joe Serka displays his cellar.
By Brett Cihon
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
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.
Port Orchard
SOUTH KITSAP’S SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION SINCE 1890
Senior Reporter
Page A10
Page A2
Key Peninsula middle school teacher Karin Ashabraner will face incumbent Jan Angel in the November general election race for the State Representative District 26 position 1. Ashabraner, a Democrat, won 27.52 percent of the vote in Tuesday night’s three-person primary race for the state legislative office. Ashabraner beat fellow Democrat Stephen Greer, who took 15.46 percent of the vote. Angel, the lone Republican, won 56.73 percent of the primary vote. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, 9,962
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
RC racers hit a new track
Riders welcome for Sunday voyage to Tacoma
Incumbent Kitsap County Commissioner Charlotte Garrido and challenger Linda Simpson advanced through the top two primary election for Kitsap County Commissioner District 2. Primary election results as of Tuesday night showed Simpson, a Republican, leading the District 2 race with 36.73 percent of the vote. Garrido, a Democrat, followed with 34.16 percent. Former Port Orchard Mayor Lary Coppola, a Democrat, received 21.33 percent and Independent Kristine
See Wine Making, A8
Election Olalla couple traded telecommunications for wine making
Revved up WWII Era ship