SPORTS
Couple appears on popular game show
Five SK wrestlers at Mat Classic XXV
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Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
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By JUSTINE FREDERIKSEN
Staff Writer
Independent
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
Port Orchard
FRIDAY, February 15, 2013 n Vol. 122, No. 6 n www.portorchardindependent.com n 50¢
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 COUPLE, A10
formed work on a hydraulic project without approval under state law. If found guilty, he could spend a year in jail or fined $5,000, or both. Strode is scheduled to appear at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 11, in Kitsap County District Court. Port of Manchester Administrator Dennis O’Connell said he has no comments about the charge at this time. WDFW Police Officer Jason Czebotar, of the department’s Montesano office, investigated the incident after receiving a complaint from David Kimble, of Manchester. According to the Czebotar’s incident report — filed with
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ting the other take charge, they agree. Consideration for one another, and as Thelma put it, “believing in the promise” that they made on the day they got married. “We come from a time where people would keep the promises they made,” Norman said. After they were married, Norman served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Australia during the Korean War. Thelma went on to finish business school. In 1956, the couple had the first of their six children — Terry, Michael, Kevin, Brian, Scott and Aaron. The family moved to Port Orchard and all six children grew up in the area and graduated from South Kitsap High School. The oldest daughter graduated in 1973. Norman went to work for a container company in Seattle and traveled to work on the ferry each day until the business
An investigation by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife led to the Kitsap County Procecutor’s Office filing a criminal charge against Port of Manchester Commissioner James E. Strode for his involvement in unlawful hydraulic project activity at the Port. Charging papers, filed Feb. 12, stated that on Dec. 4, that Strode allegedly per-
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▼ Matthes, Garrido advance in SK commissioner race; Dalton, Danielson in judicial contest.
By CHARLIE BERMANT
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
BRUCE DANIELSON
N
orman and Thelma Peterson met in Spokane in 1945. He was an eighth-grade student, she was in the seventh and their classes were both taught at the same time because the school was so small — only about 50 students attended. Norman remembered Thelma as a “most interesting” girl with “black hair and black eyes.” They began dating as sophomores while attending Valley High School. “He was my first date,” Thelma recalled. Norman said Thelma’s parent would not let her date until she was 16. They got married on Sept. 30, 1950 — she was 18 and he was 19. Now 62 years, Norman and Thelma, now 81 and 80, are still together. The Port Orchard couple attribute their successful marriage to a couple of things. First of all, the “give and take” that is required for any relationship to work — sometimes having to act selflessly and let-
TIM MATTHES
JEANETTE DALTON
Photo by Anna Karakas
High school sweethearts together 62 years later
Special to the Independent
WDFW looked into unlawful hydrualic project activity at POM Editor
Thelma and Norman Peterson still smiling after 62 years of marriage.
By ANNA KARAKAS
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
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Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
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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 LEVY, A10
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
South Kitsap School District officials celebrated a successful four-year maintenance-and-operations renewal levy Feb. 12 with 56.6 percent of the vote. “The majority of the public sees us as a valuable asset to the community,” SKSD Candidates board presi- undergo final dent Keith interviews Garton said. uperintendent “It allows us Scandidates Jay to operate Hummel, John the school Steach and Michelle visited the district with Reid South Kitsap School a somewhat District earlier this stable reve- week as part of their nue source.” interview process. The cur- For more on the visit rent levy, candidates, our stories online w h i c h at www.portorpassed in chardindependent. 2009 with com. 57.6 percent of the vote, expires Dec. 31, 2013. That means the new collection rate begins midway through the 2013-14 school year. Property owners will pay an estimated $3.75 per $1,000 of assessed property value during the first year of the levy. That would be $756 in 2014 for a $200,000 home, which is an increase from an estimated $636 this year. Actual levy rates will depend on whether property value projections by the Kitsap County auditor come to fruition. Those projections were used in calculating levy rate estimates. The levy collection amounts of $22 million in 2014 and $22.5 million in ’15 are expected to reach SKSD’s estimated levy lid. Sandy
Staff Writer
Senior 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 CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
Voters Keeping the Promise Commissioner approve charged after SK levy investigation 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
SOUTH KITSAP’S SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION SINCE 1890
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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LOCAL NEWS
See CHARGE, A5
Deputies arrest missing suspect in woman’s drug-related death Staff report
The subject of a felony arrest warrant for controlled substance homicide, was taken into custody in S out h Kitsap Feb. 10 by Kitsap County Sherif f ’s O f f i c e Zapatka deputies. Matthew Peter Zapatka was found on property in the 1600 block of Baby Doll Road SE, according to Deputy Scott Wilson, KCSO spokesman.
South Kitsap’s Source for News & Information Since 1890
Wilson said Zapatka was arrested about 10:25 a.m. without incident and booked into Kitsap County Jail. Bail was set at $200,000. Zapatka, 39, of Port Orchard, was charged with controlled substances homicide in the death of 49-year-old Shelly Ione Dubois, according to court documents filed Feb. 1 in Kitsap County Superior Court. His brother, Stephen Anthony Zapatka, 46, also of Port Orchard, was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to delivSee SUSPECT, A5